PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A Presque Isle tennis coach has just earned an award and a grant from the Maine Tennis Association for his efforts to get more kids into the game, including a new pilot program that’s the first of its kind in the region.
Luke Korzekwa, tennis coach at Presque Isle Middle School, was recently named Coaching Professional of the Year – Junior at a banquet and awards ceremony at Woodland Tennis Club in Falmouth.
The award honors Korzekwa’s efforts with the middle school players and his own Aroostook Tennis, which he founded about 10 years ago, but also a new summer pilot program he will introduce next month for youth who are new to tennis. It’s the first program of its kind in northern Maine, and his goal is to inspire more players to hit the courts.
“We’re going to aim at fifth- to eighth-graders, kids that are new to tennis or are interested in learning — introducing tennis to a wide variety of kids,” Korzekwa said. “We have great basketball and really good soccer and golf, and I just want to really boost tennis a little bit by promoting it.”
The Maine Tennis Association jump-started the program with a $1,500 grant that Korzekwa applied for. It’s the first time the association has awarded such a grant in Aroostook County, he said.
The funds will launch the six-week program in Presque Isle and Caribou and will pay for use of the tennis courts and equipment specially made for youth. Local sponsors have contributed another $1,500 to help meet staffing costs.
Caribou and Presque Isle schools have approved the program, which will start the third week in June, he said. Sessions will be held on Wednesdays at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and on Sundays at Caribou High School.
Korzekwa founded Aroostook Tennis when he moved to the area, he said.
It’s something he and his daughter, Alice, enjoy together.
Alice Korzekwa and fellow student Sabine Wells-Puckett have been playing since they were 5 or 6 years old, he said. This weekend, they and other players will represent Presque Isle Isle High School and Aroostook Tennis at the state championships at Bates College.
Both girls compete in U.S. Tennis Association tournaments in New England. Alice holds a ranking of 118 for girls 16 and under in New England. Both she and Wells-Puckett are so far undefeated on the season for the Presque Isle Wildcats, Luke Korzekwa said.
Korzekwa has been coaching tennis for more than 20 years, and is a certified coach with the Racquet Sports Professionals Association, Sports Science and the U.S. Tennis Association, according to Aroostook Tennis.
He first aimed his programs at kids, but now also offers adult clinics, lessons and summer camps for middle and high school students.
Sign-up is underway for the pilot program and will end around the first of June, he said. For information, visit Aroostook Tennis on Facebook or call 207-762-2789.
The Maine Tennis Association presented 10 other awards at its April 27 ceremony, including Department of the Year to Bangor’s Parks and Recreation and Organization of the Year to the Midcoast Recreation Center of Rockport.
Korzekwa is glad to be introducing more local youth to the sport of tennis. The support from the Maine Tennis Association means a lot, he said.
“We’re getting recognized in the state of Maine [because] we got this grant,” he said. “And now I’ve received this award, which is nice as well.”
