Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Paul E. Scarpa, South Carolina, 2006

Paul E. Scarpa, South Carolina, inducted in 2006Paul Scarpa

  • Top junior player in the 1950’s, ranked number 1 in South Carolina and number 3 in the South and won the Southern Boy’s 18U Sportsmanship Award
  • Played number 1 singles and doubles at Florida State University and won the NCAA Eastern Intercollegiate Championships
  • Became head tennis coach at Florida State and the United States Naval Academy before being named the head tennis professional at Greenville Country Club and head men’s coach at Furman University in 1966, a college coaching position he held for over 45 years
  • Coached at Furman for 45 years winning over 800 matches and a winning percentage of over .625 and the school proclaimed April 10, 1999 as Paul Scarpa Day before his 1,000th Furman match
  • First college coach in South Carolina to develop a tennis camp on a college campus in 1970, which became one of the highest regarded camps in the South drawing the best young talent in the region and nation
  • Awards include 1990 and 2000 South Carolina Coach of the Year, numerous Southern Conference Coach of the Year and Furman named their championship court and have endowed a scholarship in his honor
  • Inducted into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame, the Furman University Athletic Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame

John Peddycord, North Carolina, 2006

John Peddycord, North Carolina, inducted in 2006John Peddycord

  • Spent 45 years volunteering to improve tennis in his community, state, section and nation and served as a board member for the Winston-Salem Tennis Association for 40 years and as President in 1974
  • Co-chairman of the North Carolina Junior Qualifying Tournament twice, Chairman of the USTA Boy’s 12U Clay Court Championships 4 times and Chairman of the Zanne Meads Awards Banquet for 10 years
  • USTA North Carolina Board member for over 35 years, including President in 1979 and 1980 and helped establish the North Carolina Tennis Foundation and North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame
  • Elected to the Southern Tennis Association Management Committee and spent 2 years as USTA Delegate, 3 years as Vice-President, 5 years as chairman of the Junior Tennis Council and 8 years as chairman of the Investment and Finance Committee.
  • Served on numerous USTA committees and chaired the Junior Competition Committee and the Nominating Committee
  • Received the North Carolina Family of the Year and the USTA Southern Jacobs Bowl and the Charles Morris Volunteer Service Award
  • Inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1990

Sharon Gault, Mississippi, 2006

Sharon Gault, Mississippi, inducted in 2006Sharon Gault

  • Involved in tennis as a recreational player, volunteer, tournament director and administrator since the early 1970’s
  • Named to the Mississippi Tennis Association Board in 1978 and elected President in 1983
  • Chaired several Southern Tennis Association committees, including Adult Leagues, Adult/Senior Competition, Senior Cup and Strategic Planning and was elected to the Management Committee as Vice-President in 1989
  • Appointed to numerous USTA committees, chaired the USTA League Committee for 4 years, served as the USTA Division Council Chair for the Competitive Play Council and chaired the Committee on Committees for 4 years
  • Received the 1985 state (Mississippi), section (Southern) and national (USTA) Family of the Year awards
  • Other recognition includes the USTA Southern Gerrie Rothwell Award, the Southern Volunteer Service Award, the USTA Jacobs Bowl and the Charles Morris Volunteer Service Award and the USTA Barbara William Leadership Award
  • Inducted into the Mississippi Tennis Hall of Fame in 1996