Pickleball

Hitters' Greg Isermann Wins National 2026 RSPA Star Award 

Middleton tennis and pickleball professional recognized for growing racquet sports, building community, and making a difference over 15 years at Hitters.

Hitters Tennis & Pickleball Club is celebrating a national honor for one of its own!

Greg Isermann, Hitters' Tennis and Pickleball Director and Head Professional, received the prestigious 2026 RSPA Star Award at the Racquet Sports Professionals Association World Racquets Conference in Dallas, Texas. The national award recognizes one racquet sports professional each year for making a lasting impact through growing tennis and pickleball, improving lives, and supporting charitable efforts. For Greg, the recognition is about much more than his own career. It's a celebration of the players, families, coaches, staff, and members who have helped make Hitters a special part of the Middleton and greater Madison communities.

15 Years of Growing Tennis and Pickleball at Hitters

Greg has been part of Hitters since the very beginning. Alongside fellow professional Joel Tennison, he helped build the club from an idea shared by Jeff Haen into a place where players of all ages and skill levels can enjoy tennis and pickleball. Over the past 15 years, Greg has taught more than 22,000 lessons at Hitters. His teaching career spans 25 years in the Madison area. But ask Greg what stands out most about his career, and he won't start with the number of lessons or the awards he's received. He'll tell you about the people. "When I look back at the past 15 years at Hitters, I think about the more than 22,000 lessons I have taught on those courts and all the amazing people I have met along the way," Greg said. Some of those players have been part of Hitters since opening day. Others have moved away but continue to stay in touch. Greg has attended weddings of former junior players and received pictures of their children years after their first tennis lessons. For Greg, those relationships are what make a career in tennis and pickleball so meaningful. "When I look back, it won't just be the lessons, tournaments, or awards that I remember. It will be all the fantastic people I have had the opportunity to meet and the relationships I have built along the way."

A National Award Recognizing Community Impact

The RSPA Star Award recognizes professionals who make a difference both on and off the court.

Greg was surprised to learn he had been selected for the national honor. "Honestly, my first reaction was trying to figure out if it was a fake email!" he recalled. At the 2026 RSPA World Racquets Conference in Dallas, Greg joined racquet sports professionals from across the country for educational sessions, professional development, and an awards ceremony. The experience also gave him an opportunity to share the story of Hitters and its tennis and pickleball community with other industry leaders.

The national Star Award adds to Greg's previous professional recognition, including the 2021 RSPA Midwest Manager of the Year Award and the 2026 RSPA Midwest Charity Event of the Year Award.

Bringing the Hitters Community Together for Breakthrough T1D

One example of the club's community involvement is its annual fundraiser supporting Breakthrough T1D, formerly known as JDRF. The cause is especially meaningful to Greg and his family because his son Charlie lives with Type 1 diabetes. What began as a charitable pickleball tournament has grown into a weeklong event involving tennis and pickleball players, club members, volunteers, sponsors, and local businesses.

In April 2026, the third annual Hitters fundraiser raised an incredible $30,000 for Breakthrough T1D through tournament play, social events, raffles, auctions, and donations. Many Hitters members have become involved because of their relationships with Greg, Charlie, and the club community. "What has been amazing is that all the donations have come directly from our Hitters community," Greg said. "People genuinely want to be part of this and help fight Type 1 diabetes."

The fundraiser continues to grow each year, with plans already underway to expand the event in 2027.

More Than a Place to Play

The national RSPA Star Award recognizes what Hitters members have experienced for years: a great tennis and pickleball club is about more than courts, lessons, and competition. It's about friendships, shared experiences, and people supporting one another.

Greg is quick to acknowledge the people who have helped make Hitters what it is today, particularly Joel Tennison, who has worked alongside him since the club's beginning, and the leadership, staff, and members who have supported the club's growth. "Everything I have done over the past 15 years at Hitters has been alongside Joel, who has been there with me since day one," Greg said. "We have seen so many people come through the doors at Hitters and have the opportunity to enjoy the two sports we love. It's been an incredible journey."

Congratulations, Greg, on this well-deserved national recognition! We're proud to celebrate this honor and grateful to everyone who has helped build the Hitters tennis and pickleball community.

Interested in playing tennis or pickleball at Hitters?

Explore our tennis lessons, pickleball programs, leagues, and other opportunities for players of all ages and abilities at HittersSports.com.