ITA recognizes Mountain Lions for community service
By: Michael MacEachern
Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Communications
The Young Harris College women's tennis team was honored as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced their regional award winners.
The Mountain Lions, as a team, earned the region's ITA Community Service Award for their work. It is the third consecutive year that Young Harris has been recognized for their community service as YHC earned the ITA Community Service Award Honorable Mention award in 2020 and 2021.
The women's tennis program completed over 700 hours of community service during the 2021-22 season.
"Over the past three years we have continually added to our Season of Giving so we can make a positive impact on our surrounding community and give back through tennis and pickleball," said Young Harris Director of Tennis Andrew Cobb. "The players have taken leadership with planning drills and the schedule for Open Community Nights, organizing donated food during the Feed the Enchanted Valley Pickleball Classic food drive, as well as organized the donated toys for the Towns County Chapter of Toys for Tots."
They kicked off their Season of Giving by partnering with Mountain Tennis Association and Big Brother Big Sister Murphy Chapter for the Georgia Mountain Championship in August.
The Mountain Lions also established our Open Community Night program where community members get two hours on court with players simply by showing up - the ages of community members ranged from beginner children to experienced adults. This was a nine-week program that went from early September through early November.
They wrapped up our Season of Giving slate in the fall with their Feed the Enchanted Valley (food drive) Pickleball Classic in November and the second annual Toys for Tots Tournament in December, partnering with the Toys for Tots Towns County Chapter.