Coach Jack Newman is known as one of the finest and longest-tenured junior development coaches in the United States. He founded tennis programs at Fretz Tennis Center in Dallas, at St. Stephen’s school in Austin, and finally, the Austin Tennis Academy.  And anyone who knows Coach Newman knows he’s a man who has left an indelible mark on not only tennis, but hundreds and hundreds of people. In recognition of who he is, what he’s done, the difference he’s made, and the impact on lives he’s had, the USPTA Texas presented Coach Newman with the Tut Bartzen Lifetime Achievement Award.

Coach Newman officially received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the USPTA Texas Annual Conference held this year in Irving. “When I was first informed that the Texas Section of the USPTA was honoring me with a lifetime achievement award I had mixed emotions,” said Jack Newman, Owner/CEO, Austin Tennis Academy. “I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I still got a lot of life to live!!!'”

The Tut Bartzen Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a member (Coach Newman has been a member for 40 years) who has demonstrated exemplary achievement in seven areas throughout their career: contributions to the USPTA and USTA; achievements in teaching and playing both on and off the court, contributions of time and expertise to other organizations and/or charities, and commitment to growing the game through published articles, presentations, education, and communications.

“As I’ve thought about this honor what resonated in my mind was all the people who contributed to MY lifetime of achievement,” said Coach Newman. “It starts with a college friend Jerry Schwartz, who invited me to spend the summer at his house when we were in college.  I came to Dallas and started working at Fretz Tennis Center.”

“My colleagues at Fretz who aided in MY achievements,” Newman pointed out, “included our boss Babs Givens, coaches Andrea Rains, Joe Dinnoffer, Larry Whitson, Tim Barnard, Jeff Robison, Raymond Gonzales and many others who pushed me to be better.  My coaching colleagues met through the DPTA who also contributed to my success included Nony Michulka, Sally Frame, Kathi Eckels, David Redding and David Anderson both doubles partners who carried me. While I was in Dallas I started relationships with others in our business who helped accomplish things including: David Blakely, Cynthia Shipper, Phil Parrish and many others.

Newman added, “When I left Dallas to help my friend Eric Schmidhauser start a program at St. Stephen’s boarding school, I had another group of folks who pushed me to be better.  Those colleagues included Eric and Lucie Schmidhausers, Vince Segovia, Deb Cahill, Doug Davis and many others. And when we left St. Stephen’s to strike out on our own and found the Austin Tennis Academy, those same colleagues joined the journey.”

Along the way, Newman acknowledged, there have been many parents who influenced his philosophy including the Melmends, the Stahls, the Youngs, the Hacketts, the Smiths, the Kaufmanns, the Offerdahls and the Gubsers and so, so many more.

“After 20 years at the Austin Tennis Academy,” said Newman, “I have tried to surround myself with coaches and teachers smarter than me and they have added to MY achievements; people like Dio Miranda, Brian Notis, Bryan Rutherford, April Erickson, Doug Davis, Carol Hagar, Deb Cahill, Duey Evans, Vince Segovia, John Schoenmakers, Ryan Rowe, Norm Houston, Shiamaa Elsisi.  Additionally, the list of students who became colleagues grows ever longer; coaches like Chase Bartlett, Chase Curry, Brandon Davis, Ashley Weinhold, AJ Garcia, Jake Rother, Tommy Collins. To those I have failed to list who added to this career I apologize, senior moment!”

And finally, Newman said, “As I have said on many occasions the student makes the coach and my students have certainly made me a better coach and person, and helped me accomplish many achievements.  That includes folks from ATA stretching all the way back to the Fretz days: Melanie Rogers, Ted Bowie, Carla Rosenberg, Lance Cowart, Andrew Dobbs, Lynden Melmed, Eli Stahl, Doug Moore, Loren Collins, Neil Kenner, Andrew Menter, Craig Ackerman, all three Davis brothers, Roger Gubser, Mattew Bain, Kewa Nichols, Lindsey Pereira, Josh Hagar, Bailey Forgus, Nico Jamison, and so, so many more too numerous to name. My achievements are tied to my relationships with them and their families.”

Also during the 2024 USPTA Texas conference, as a featured speaker, Coach Newman delivered his presentation, ‘Developing Culture that Drives Results.’

Click here to view a ‘Congratulations Video’ for Coach Newman; and click here to read the USPTA’s release about Coach Newman.