Jorge Capestany, manager of the DeWitt Tennis Center at Hope College, has been named the "Michigan Pro of the Year" by the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR).
He will receive the recognition during the PTR annual awards dinner in Hilton Head, S.C., on Monday, Feb. 18.
It is the sixth time that Capestany has been named the "Michigan Pro of the Year" by either the PTR or the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA).
Capestany has managed the college's DeWitt Tennis Center since the fall of 2003 and is a 26-year veteran of the tennis industry. In 1992 he became the youngest Master Professional in the history of the USPTA, and he is currently one of only 120 Master Professionals worldwide.
In February 2006 he was named "Facility Manager of the Year" by the Midwest Division of the USPTA, which had twice previously named him "Midwest Professional of the Year." Other honors that he has received through the years have included being named "Man of the Year" by the Grand Rapids Tennis Patrons and receiving the Cap Leighton Award from the Midwest section of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). He has developed hundreds of ranked juniors, including three national champions.
This year he has launched a new video-based tennis instructional Web site (www.tennisdrills.tv) that has more than 660 video clips of tennis drills and tips. He has spoken at several national and world tennis conventions, and has served as a consultant to many clubs and professionals. He is a past president of the Western Michigan USTA district and the USPTA Midwest Division.
He is a 1984 graduate of Grand Valley State University, and is USTA Sports Science level 1-certified.
Founded in 1976 and one of only two organizations that certify tennis professionals to be teachers, the PTR is the largest global organization of tennis teaching professionals, with more than 13,000 members in 126 countries. The registry's mission is to educate, certify and serve tennis teachers and coaches around the world in order to grow the game.