May - June 1998
Vol. 9, No. 3

RB: People
Athlete of the Year Awards

Current National Singles champions Dan Obremski of North Versailles, Pennsylvania and Michelle Gould of Boise, Idaho were selected by the USRA Board of Directors as the 1997 Athletes of the Year, along with Mitt Layton of Jacksonville, Florida and Debbie Tisinger of Canoga Park, California as the Age Group Athletes of the Year. Layton is awarded the association’s Bud Muelheisen Award, while Tisinger receives the Peggy Steding Award.

Dan Obremski

Obremski, 34, captured the men’s open national singles title last May by defeating two-time champion Michael Bronfeld in the finale. Earlier in the season, he finished second at the 11th Tournament of the Americas in Chihuahua, Mexico, while helping earn the U.S. National squad the overall team title. A sportscaster at WPGH FOX-53 in Pittsburgh, Obremski teamed with long-time partner Doug Ganim to finish in the quarterfinals of the men’s open division at national doubles this past October.

Michelle Gould

Perhaps the most dominant player in the sport’s history, Gould, 27, swept through the women’s open bracket at last year’s national singles to claim her eighth title in nine years. She was forced to forfeit, due to injury, in the finals of the 11th Tournament of the Americas in March of 1997. Later in the year, with teammate Cheryl Gudinas, Gould finished in the final eight of the women’s open division at national doubles.

Mitt Layton

Mitt Layton ruled the nation in men’s 45-and-over play in 1997, winning the age division singles crown at the Ektelon U.S. National Singles Championships in May and then again at the Promus Hotels U.S. OPEN Championships in November. Layton also took second and third place in the 40+ division at the Singles and OPEN events, respectively.

Debbie Tisinger

Debbie Tisinger earned her fifth consecutive World Senior Championships 35+ title this past season, along with 30+ and 35+ crowns at the Promus Hotels U.S. OPEN Championships. Tisinger also won the gold medal in 35+ and a silver in 30+ at the Ektelon U.S. National Singles Championships. At the Ektelon U.S. National Doubles, the 40-year old captured two more silver medals - in the 30+ and 35+ divisions.

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