Brian Dean, Schroder Tennis Center Pro, earns USPTA Coach of the Year

Local resident Brian Dean, a tennis professional at Schroeder Tennis Center, has earned one of the most prestigious awards available for teaching pros.

In a recent ceremony at the Cincinnati Open tennis event, Dean was awarded the United States Professional Tennis Association Coach of the Year for Ohio. The Association is divided into 17 sections, with Ohio included in the Midwest section, along with Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Each year, an annual award is given to one pro per state, and Dean earned the Ohio Professional of the Year for 2024.

Dean said the selection process begins when a teaching pro within the USTPA committee nominates a recipient. The nomination then goes to the selection committee, and the local pro is honored to receive the award. The Cincinnati Open is where the award winners are recognized, and Dean received his award at that event.

“I’ve been a member of the USPTA for over 30 years, and my goal when I joined was to teach tennis and make it a huge part of my life,” Dean said. “I enjoy working with the customers and the players. To get recognized, I am humbled and grateful.”

“So many great tennis enthusiasts surround me, whether they are a part of the USPTA or a member of the USTA. Starting my ninth year [of teaching wheelchair tennis], and being a part of the wheelchair committee now, has been a blessing. The avenues that have opened up for me and the awareness that we are able to create is my goal now, not just tennis.”

Dean believes his time with wheelchair tennis has a lot to do with his winning the award.

“Two years ago, I won the Diversity Award in the Midwest, and with that, it qualified me to be considered for the Bob Ryland National Diversity Award. When I won that, they sent me to New Orleans during our World Conference.”

“It’s great to win the Coach of the Year award. The recognition is wonderful, but there are a lot of great people who are involved. The award is just one piece of all these individuals that are a bigger part of growing not just wheelchair tennis but the awareness of tennis,” Dean added. “It’s all about the growth of tennis.”

Schroeder Tennis Center does not currently have a wheelchair program. Dean’s job is specifically for the state of Ohio, which grew from zero programs to five programs in Ohio.

“Getting the word out that wheelchair tennis is available is big,” Dean said. “There are programs available, and it is just a matter of getting that information out.”