2014 Tennis Hall of Fame
Ala Moana Hotel | November 24, 2014
2014
Kahiau: A Tennis Foundation, is responsible for establishing the criteria and handling the selection of inductees to the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section Tennis Hall of Fame. There are three Tennis Hall
of Fame awards recognized among the community: Service, Player and Education. The Service Award
honors a volunteer, official, coach or individual who has made outstanding contributions to tennis. The
Player Award commemorates an individual that is recognized for outstanding competitive achievements with considerations of sportsmanship and character. The Education Award is presented to an
individual who has demonstrated leadership and creative skills in such areas as instruction, writing,
organization, coaching, and promotion of the game of tennis. In 2014, the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section
proudly inducted two fine recipients for each category:
Masu Kusume Dyer
Service Recipient
Masu Kusume Dyer has called Hawaii her
home since 1954. She was born in Japan
and completed her higher education at
the University of Hawaii. Masu and her
husband, Medford, started one of the
most successful moving companies in Hawaii, M. Dyer and
Sons, over 45 years ago. While managing a booming business
and raising five children, Masu still made time for volunteer
service in many capacities that included government and political service. She was also a trustee at the Le Jardin Academy,
a member of Hawaii Bound Boardof Directors and Chair of
the Hawaii Council of Camp Fire.
Passionate about tennis, she broadened her volunteer service
to helpothers enjoy the lifetime sport. In the last 20 years her
local and national tennis involvement included:
•
President of Kahiau: A Tennis Foundation
•
USTA National Committee Member serving School
Tennis, Diversity, Team Tennis, & Wheelchair Tennis
•
Chair of the USTA Hawaii Nominating Committee
•
Chair of the USTA Hawaii Tennis Weekend
•
USTA Hawaii Board Liaison for the Community Tennis
and Volunteer Committee
•
Chair of the Jean Fitzgerald Scholarship Committee
•
Chair/Co-Chair of The Kailua Racquet Club Men’s Night
Doubles
•
Volunteer for the US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
•
Volunteer for USTA Hawaii Section Events that includes
the Pro Circuit Futures and Challengers
Masu’s contributions have made an immense impact in
fulfilling the mission of the USTA to grow the game. She has
connected the USTA Hawaii Section to valuable national and
international resources. Her countless hours of service are given with warm aloha and for the greater good of Hawaii tennis.
8
Hawaii Pacific Yearbook 2015
Annual
Awards
Banquet
Jean Okada
Player Recipient
Jean Okada was raised in Lahaina, Maui
as one of six children in the working
class family of Nguyen and Kenneth
Okada. She was the stellar product of
the great Coach Shigesh Wakida. As a
member of the Lahaina Junior Tennis Club, she dominated in every age group. She received the most outstanding
female tennis player of the year at Lahainaluna High School
as well as the Outstanding Female Athlete for her achievement in volleyball and soccer.
The late Coach Wakida, one of USTA Hawaii’s first Tennis Hall
of Fame Inductees, wrote this about Jean while she was still
in highschool: “Jean has been an inspiration and a pillar of
strength and courage, dedicated to the success of the team.
She is a true sportsman, demonstrating her ability to lead
and exceed beyond imagination. Her appreciation for all the
opportunities showcases grace and dignity. Always reaching
for seemingly unattainable heights, chasing that elusive
if not an impossible dream. Her abiding faith and active
participation in many other activities is a shining example
that provides the strength and resources that move her
forward.”
A couple of years later, will and determination made dreams
come true. She played NCAA Division I college tennis for
UC Santa Barbara and is recognized as one of the greatest women’s tennis players in the school’s history. She was
inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2010. Jean is the only
player in UCSB history to earn All-American status as a
singles player. She won All-Big West Conference first team
singles honors in 1994, 1995 and 1996 and first team doubles recognition in four straight years. She was named the
team Most Valuable Player in her junior and senior years and
achieved the highest ITA singles ranking of any women’s
tennis player at UCSB.
Her success led her to H