Lifetime Achievement Award

Terry Gordon
At the 2025 Gala, RCP Carol Cerioni presented Terry Gordon with the RPC Lifetime Achievement Award.
In September of last year the RPC Board decided to establish the Lifetime Achievement Awardwhich is based on the significant accomplishments a person has made to the club over his or her time as a member. Itis not necessarily an annual award and will only be presented when the board feels it is truly deserved.
The first recipient of this award is Terry Gordon who we are honoring because he has given countless volunteer hours over the last 10 years. He has made a positive impact on the club and anyone who has ever encountered him. He has welcomed many members to our pickleball family while instructing them.
Terry was born in Johannesburg South Africa, married his spouse, Olga in 1974 and has three children. He graduated with a Dentistry degree and practiced for two years in London. He moved back to South Africa and had a private dental practice for two years. In 1977 he and his family moved to Pennsylvania where he attended University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a degree in endodontics. In 1980 he moved to San Antonio, Texas where he was an associate professor at the health science center. After five years there, he went into private practice in Houston until his retirement in 2013 at which time he and his wife moved to San Francisco to be closer to their children. He has always been very athletic, excelling at tennis, soccer, and rugby and in 2014, after moving to Rossmoor his tennis friends introduced him to pickleball. He was hooked and became a very proficient player.Lucky Us!!!
Here are a few examples of his volunteerism over the years:
He is currently on the social committee and has been for the last eight years. You may remember him announcing at the Hit and Giggle or selling raffle tickets at the Gala.
In 2019 he took over leadership of the Novice Mentoring program
He served on the board for four years as Vice President.
He realized there was a need to continue training after the novice level and created the Intermediate Clinic in 2021and it is still going strong having completed 10 sessions of four days each.
In Nov. 2023, he started Intermediate coaching which takes place on the first Thursday of each month during regular Intermediate playing time.
He is currently a member of the Training Committee which works hard at unifying and updating training techniques.
He has recently completed the USAPA Coach certification which will enhance and rejuvenate our mentoring, drilling, and clinic instruction.
While Terry likes to teases people, he is better known for the hugs he gives to all and that is why he is so loved by all of us.