A beautiful, sunny Saturday at the Russellville Tennis Complex was a perfect way to celebrate the memory of longtime friends and tennis enthusiasts Kay Cantrell and Ann Garrard. Over 80 competitors participated in the first ever Kay Cantrell and Ann Garrard Memorial Tennis Tournament on September 21st, an event to raise money for a scholarship fund in the two ladies’ memory.
“The first ever Kay Cantrell and Ann Garrard Memorial Tournament was a success,” said Katie Hester, granddaughter of the late Garrard and, alongside Cantrell’s granddaughter Paige McCluskey, was an organizer of the tournament. “I don’t think we could have asked for better weather or a better turn out.
“We want to thank all of our sponsors, as well as everyone who participated,” she added.
Players from ages nine to 76 with experience levels ranging from beginning to over 30 years came from all over to play in the tournament. Hester said there were players from Florence, Cullman, Mississippi, and many places in between that came out to take part.
Competitors played in a tournament style bracket broken up between gender and age. In the adult women’s tournament, winners were Joyce Taylor, Donna Murray, Abbey Rea and Courtney Wray. Taylor, 76, was a friend and teammate of Cantrell and Garrard and won alongside her daughter Murray.
Adult men winners were Jake Murphee, Nason Green, Tyler Malone, and Keifer Rea.
The tournament also had youth tournament play with 18-under, 15-under, and 13-under brackets. The boys’ 18u winner was Jake Murphee and the girls’ 18u champion was Addie Dobbs. In the 15u tournaments, the boys’ winner was Mason Kirk, while Macy Kate Aldridge won on the girls’ side. The 13u girls’ champ was Ella Burns.
In all, Hester said the memorial tournament, which had over 30 sponsors, raised around $6,500 for the scholarship fund, an impressive sum which will go to one or multiple scholarship recipients in the future.
Hester said Saturday was a perfect beginning to what she, McCluskey and other organizers plan on making an annual event to honor Cantrell and Garrard while simultaneously assisting students financially.
“There seemed to be a spirit of love encompassing the event which epitomized the two amazing women we were honoring,” Hester said. “It was overwhelming to see how many people loved our grandmothers and that wanted to help further the education of local students.”
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