Two Ontarians Honored with DSA by Tennis Canada
Tennis Canada honoured ten individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth of tennis in Canada, including two from Ontario, Rick Bertozzi and Danielle Smith. Rick and Danielle were selected to receive a Tennis Canada Distinguished Service Award. They were invited to a ceremony at Centre Court of the Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, as part of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers.
Rick Bertozzi has been involved in tennis volunteerism for almost 30 years. He is well known for his willingness to organize winter tennis groups while being a member of many Ontario Tennis Association (OTA) member clubs over the years including Kleinburg, Nobleton, Richmond Hill, Thornhill Park, Applewood, Whiteoaks Park and others. He served as Applewood Tennis Club’s Vice President and teams director in the late 90’s, and as Thornhill Park Tennis Club’s Vice President and program director from 2006 to 2011. Rick later became President of Kleinburg Tennis Club in 2020 and was successful in obtaining a $16,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant for club improvements. He also chairs many of their committees, including premises improvement, adult and junior development, and constitution and by-laws.
Rick quickly broadened his volunteer contributions by serving as Vice President and President of the Inter-County Tennis Association (ICTA) from 2008 to 2020. His leadership skills and ability to work well with others helped to strengthen the organization and has allowed it to continue to grow as the largest organization for team tennis competition in Canada. He has also captained several successful teams in the ICTA in the Mixed and 55 Plus Leagues. During this time, Rick also held a number of Director positions at the OTA from 2015- 2023, including Director-at-Large, and later, Vice-Chair Finance and Administration.
Rick’s volunteer history exemplifies long-standing leadership, community impact, and the true spirit of volunteer service.
Danielle Smith is the founder of A Love of Tennis, an organization that has transformed underused school courts in Ottawa into vibrant, inclusive community hubs. Since securing her first grant in 2003 to revive the Hillcrest High School courts, she has built a sustainable charitable organization that now serves nearly 1,000 youth and women annually, while also providing access to more than 2,800 students. Through her hands-on volunteer commitment, from coaching and programming to court development and operations,
Danielle has created a welcoming environment grounded in strong values and a passion for learning. By ensuring all programs remain free and accessible, she has removed barriers and empowered participants to grow both on and off the court. Her dedication, compassion, and leadership has had a profound and lasting impact on tennis and community life in Ottawa.
Congratulations Rick and Danielle!
Pictured above, left to right Tennis Canada Excellence Award recipient Regil Kharissov, Rick Bertozzi, Danielle Smith, Tennis Canada CEO Gavin Ziv and OTA Board Chair Arthur Wolf.
The Tennis Canada Distinguished Service Awards are presented to members of the tennis family who have made a positive impact on the game and have had a minimum of five years involvement at the national, provincial or community level. The recognition highlights individuals and organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions to the development of tennis in this country.
For a complete list of this year’s Tennis Canada DSA recipients, click here.
