Leading by Example

Two Junior players named to national Leadership team

William Gleason and Alisa Prinyarux have been named to the second USTA Junior Leadership Team, which recognizes the finest U.S. junior tennis players who exhibit leadership, sportsmanship and character on and off the court.

Gleason and Prinyarux are among 32 players nationwide named to the USTA Junior Leadership Team. Each player was nominated by his or her USTA section for excellence in tennis and in the community.

“These players truly are role models who exhibit character well beyond their years, both on the tennis court and in the community,” said Bill Mountford, the USTA’s Director of Junior Tournaments. “We’re happy to have a way to give them some of the recognition they truly deserve with the USTA Junior Leadership Team.”

Gleason, a resident of Lincoln, Neb., has been ranked No. 6 in the 18-and-under division of the USTA junior rankings in USTA Missouri Valley and was the 2016 Nebraska Prep Sports Player of the Year. He won state high school No. 1 singles titles in 2015 and 2016 at Lincoln Southwest and was the Lincoln Junior Tennis Association Player of the Year in 2015. He’s also a member of the USTA Missouri Valley Junior Culture and Sportsmanship Council.

Prinyarux, 14, from Overland Park, Kan., has been ranked the No. 1 junior girl in USTA Missouri Valley in both the 12- and 14-and-under age groups and has ranked among the Top 100 14-and-under players nationally. She’s won a number of national and sectional singles and doubles titles, in addition to the 2016 Kansas State Class 6A doubles title at Blue Valley Northwest High School. Each year, more than 120,000 players compete in USTA junior tournaments. Players compete in levels of competition through earned advancement in the 10s, 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s age divisions. USTA junior tournaments help kids take their game as far as they want – high school, college or pros – or just have fun competing.

In their own words... William Gleason: Tennis is my life. I don’t know where I’d be without it. My grandpa taught me the game when I was 6, and he played every day until he passed in 2012. I’ve learned tennis is eternal and will never be boring as long as you care.

Alisa Prinyarux: Tennis has taught me more than just hitting a forehand. It has taught me how to be a good player on court and how to be a good person off court.

USTA Missouri Valley is committed to the principles of the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) which focuses on creating a positive environment and discourages a “win at all costs” mentality.