JTCC Champions Celebration!

Last night, we headed to the Swedish Ambassador's residence for the Junior Tennis Champions Center's GEICO Champions Celebration! 

We snapped the evening's co-host, Swedish Hall of Famer and former world No. 1 tennis player Mats Wilander with Pat Delaney, Evan Nesterak and Yoi Tibbetts. 

The GEICO Champions Celebration benefits JTCC's Game On! initiative providing academic and tennis scholarships for underserved youth in Washington. Here, GEICO Philanthropic Foundation's Cheryl Ibanez and Tracy Christian join honoree and USTA president and former professional tennis player Katrina Adams with supporter Hillary Baltimore. 

The gala event honored two trailblazers: Katrina, the youngest, and first African-American, president in USTA history, and Brad Snyder, U.S. Navy veteran and Paralympic gold medalist. Here Annemarie Orr joins honoree Brad Snyder with JTCC board member Steve Whisnant. 

Game On! is staffed by JTCC coaches and student-athletes who volunteer to provide after-school tennis instruction to children at community outreach sites (schools and recreational centers) year-round. Here, JTCC senior director of tennis Vesa Ponkka and his wife, Kim Ponkka, with NBC sports correspondent and former professional tennis player Mary Carillo. 

Upon arriving at the gorgeous and expansive residence, guests enjoyed a cocktail reception overlooking the grounds toward the Tennis Exhibition with juniors from the JTCC Pathway program. Here, Conrad Cafritz with Swedish Ambassador Bjorn Lyrvall and JTCC CEO Ray Benton. 

Guests enjoyed an open bar and delicious passed appetizers. We loved the array of Swedish-inspired seafood bites! Here, JTCC supporters Mory and Ildi Watkins join Kim Engel and sportscaster, and the evening's emcee, Brett Haber. 

Following the reception, guests entered a grand tent with a dinner buffet featuring a lobster salad and lamb skewers. Here, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Sheila Walker joins her husband, Walker & Dunlop CEO Willy Walker, with The Atlantic Council's Carrie Kolasky. 

Guests were treated to a dessert buffet and awards presentation for the honorees. Here, JTCC supporters: Williams & Connolly's Charlie Jones with Phone2Action's John Patton and Michael Weaver. 

Tennis Hall of Fame board member Robb Bunnen joins JTCC board member Richey Reneberg, Zuckerman's Carl Kravitz and author and tennis mom Lyric Winik.