Sports

Coach of Year Finalist from Mission Viejo

Jason Harnett is one of three choices for the Paralympic National Coach of the Year award.

From the city:

Mission Viejo wheelchair tennis coach Jason Harnett has been named one of three finalists for the Paralympic National Coach of the Year award.

The recipient will be announced at an awards dinner in Colorado Springs on June 21.

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Harnett has been a tennis instructor at the city's tennis centers since 1996 and leads the Junior Wheelchair Camp each summer. The camp is the only one of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.

He also serves as the head coach for the Quadriplegic Team. Last September, he received the Order of Ikkos medal—the most prestigious award a coach can receive at the Olympic or Paralympic Games. The award came from two players who were named the “USA Paralympic Team of the Year.” The Order of Ikkos medal recognizes coaches for their integral part in the success of their Olympians.

Find out what's happening in Mission Viejowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Harnett will likely be instrumental in coaching players in the upcoming International Tennis Federation (ITF) Master Series—Wheelchair Doubles World Championships. Mission Viejo will be the first U.S. city to host the prestigious event, which takes place Nov. 7-11 at the Marguerite Tennis Pavilion.


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