By Staff
From staff reports
The First United Methodist Church of Brewton is bringing a well-known tennis instructor, John McWilliams to town Saturday to conduct a free clinic at the T.R. Miller High School tennis courts.  The clinic starts at 10 a.m. for children through the sixth grade.  At 11:30 a.m. he will then work with youth and adults.  Assisting John will be Karen Reynolds, former tennis coach at Jefferson Davis Community College. 
McWilliams worked for Wilson Sporting Good in tennis promotion and Sales in Chicago and New York City.   While working for Wilson, he assisted the Jack Kramer U.S. Pro Tour and officiated the US Davis and Wightman Cup Matches.  He was also an U.S. Tennis Association official and severed as an umpire at many national tournaments.  He was the linesman on Rod Laver’s first Grand Slam match at Forest Hills New York in 1962.
John served as a teaching professional at The River Club in New York City, Houston Racquet Club in Houston, TX, Charleston Tennis Club in West Virginia and The Selma Country Club in Alabama.
In 1979 McWilliams became tennis coach at Marion Military Institute.  He was selected the National Junior College Coach of the Year in 1988 & 1989.  He was the head tennis coach at Huntingdon College for eleven years and is now the Director of Tennis at Huntingdon College and Head Professional at the Huntingdon Club for Tennis.
Twenty-three years ago Coach McWilliams founded the Alabama Tennis Academy where thousands of young people have learned to love tennis and become proficient in the sport.  He also started “Tennis Across Montgomery” a part of the USPTA’s “Tennis Across America.”  This event raises money for the Family Sunshine Center in Montgomery, which is a charity for abused children.
Among McWilliams’ other honors include being the USPTA professional of the year in 1989 and again in 1991, inducted into the Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991, being one of Tennis Magazine’s top 25 “Unsung Heroes” in the United States for contributions to the game of tennis.  He is a member of the Wilson Advisory Staff and a National Teacher for Wilson Sporting Goods.
If you are interested in participating in the clinic, just come to the tennis courts at either 10 a.m. for children or by 11:30 a.m. for youth and adults.  The clinic will end at approximately 1:00 p.m.
For questions, contact the church office at 867-8051.