TOPEKA (KSNT) — The Topeka Tennis Association inducted four native Topekans into its Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 11, honoring decades of Athletic achievement, coaching and community impact.
About 100 people gathered at the Bettis Sports Complex to celebrate John Walz, Greg Lutz, Corey Wilson and Kurt Reid — all of whom began their tennis journeys in Topeka at a young age.
Walz said growing up near Hughes Courts helped shape both his love for tennis and the life lessons that came with it.
“Learn how to compete. We took losses, had good competition. We played each other all the time, so we learned to just love the game, but it was more than that; we got great friendship,” Walz said.
Lutz, a former multi-sport athlete, said basketball was originally his primary focus, as it was “his first love.” When he was offered the position of director of tennis at the Olympia Spa in Alabama, that focus shifted.
“But once I got into tennis and I realized that there were opportunities in there for me, both as a player and a coach, I jumped in with both feet,” Lutz said.
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Wilson, known for coaching numerous winning athletes, said the honor came as a surprise.
“I’m not near the players that a lot of these guys were, and I was a coach, and I found I was pretty good at that,” Wilson said. “It means a lot because it reflects on the players that I have.”
Reid said his induction represents an opportunity to give back to the community that supported him.
“I’ve been around the most incredible coaches, incredible people through tennis, and I just want to give just a little bit of that back to the younger folks that I can help,” Reid said.
Despite different paths to the Hall of Fame, all four inductees shared a common sentiment: pride in the athletes they coached — often describing them as family.
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