USTA Southern California understands the value in recognizing and honoring our outstanding USTA League Captains. Without captains, we would have no leagues! In 2017, we implemented an annual Captain of the Year program, which honors exceptional captains from each of our 13 league areas. Those captains are awarded with Captain of the Year awards for their individual areas, and from that pool of award winners, the Section selects an overarching USTA Southern California Captain of the Year.
USTA LEAGUE TENNIS
Captain of the Year
2019 Captain of the Year
San Gabriel Valley: Chinna Ponnaganti
Chinna started out as a USTA League player in 2009 and went on to captain his own teams and named them The Underdogs. His commitment and dedication to his players is unmatched!
Chinna has always prioritized building a community around his teams, and the team camaraderie has led to success on and off the court. Chinna hosts parties for his teammates to thank them for their dedication to the teams, and those parties eventually led to the greatest achievement known to the USTA League tennis world: the National Championships. Chinna led back to back Underdog teams to Nationals in 2018 and 2019.
Congratulations, Chinna!
Captain of the Year Banquet
Each year, the Section recognizes our Captains of the Year at a luncheon where captains, their guests, their Area League Coordinators, and USTA SoCal Adult Department staff come together for a day of celebration.
When choosing Captains of the Year, the Section looks to honor those who:
- Exhibit a high level of sportsmanship and leadership on and off the court
- Treat teammates with respect and take responsibility for their actions
- Mentor other captains and players
