WTA legend Rosie Casals hosted her annual Annalee Thurston Award Reception at the Palm Valley Country Club during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Pam Shriver served as emcee, and Billie Jean King was present at the event.
The charity event successfully raised approximately $100,000 for the Love & Love Tennis Foundation. This foundation, established in 2015 by Casals and former player Tory Fretz, is dedicated to promoting grassroots tennis and creating life opportunities for young people in the Coachella Valley.
The Annalee Thurston Award, named in memory of a respected former WTA marketing executive who passed away in 2007, celebrates exceptional women who have significantly contributed to the sport of tennis. This year, the prestigious award was bestowed upon Tracy Austin.
Beyond her Hall of Fame career as a player, former World No. 1 Tracy Austin has remained a passionate advocate for tennis. She is widely recognized for her work as a broadcaster with Tennis Channel and other networks, as well as her various charitable endeavors.
“I want to thank Rosie, Billie Jean, and the rest of the Original 9 for paving the way and allowing me to follow in their footsteps,” said Austin upon receiving her award. “I am part of the first generation that directly benefited from their pioneering actions.”
Austin continued, acknowledging the vital role of WTA promoters and staff, like Annalee Thurston, in making it all possible. She expressed her eternal gratitude to those who took the risk to champion what has become the world`s leading women`s sport.
“I have always strived to give back to the sport as a way to show my deep gratitude. I am truly looking forward to many more years enjoying every moment with my tennis family – thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Austin concluded.
Recognizing Pioneers in Sports
Another significant moment of the evening was the presentation of the WTA Foundation’s Champions for Change Award to Connie Spooner. Spooner is a true trailblazer in sports health, recognized as the first woman athletic trainer in professional sports over 50 years ago.
The Champions for Change Award was established to honor players and contributors, whether individuals or organizations, who have had a transformative impact on the game of tennis.
In the early 1970s, Connie Spooner graduated from San Diego State University with degrees in Physical Education and English. Holding a certification from the National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA), she was one of only a handful of certified women athletic trainers in the United States at the time.
On the recommendation of Original 9 member Valerie Ziegenfuss, a long-time friend, Spooner received an offer from the WTA in 1974 to become the first trainer for the Virginia Slims Circuit. Initially planned as a short-term assignment, it evolved into a decade-long career on the global tour.
Introducing Spooner, Kathleen Stroia, the WTA’s current Senior Vice President, Performance Health, stated, “The players today directly benefit from the groundwork laid by Connie during her years with the WTA Tour. She passed the torch to Donna Pallulat, who is with us today, and then to me.”
Stroia further explained the evolution of WTA’s healthcare resources: “When I was hired, the WTA had only four athletic trainers for the entire tour. Today, we have a comprehensive team of 16 full-time and 30 part-time certified athletic physical therapists, along with massage therapists and mental health care providers at every tournament. Players also have access to dietitians and women’s health specialists.”
“We would not be where we are today without Connie’s drive and determination to enter the field of sports medicine and her pioneering work with the WTA.”
In recognition of Spooner as a Champion for Change, a $10,000 donation was made to the Love & Love Foundation, a nonprofit organization mutually selected and aligned with the WTA Foundation`s mission.
Former WTA players who enjoyed the celebratory event in Indian Wells included Tracy’s sister Pam Austin, Diane Desfor, Raquel Giscafre, Barbara Jordan, Robin Tenney, Heather Ludloff, and Mariaan de Swardt.
