Tennis complex named in honor of Kathy Kim

Tennis in Hickory has long been synonymous with Kathy Kim, whose more than 50 years of coaching, mentoring, and championing the sport have shaped generations of players and strengthened the tennis community across the region. 

On Sept. 15, the City of Hickory officially named the eight lighted tennis courts at Hickory City Park as the Kathy Kim Tennis Complex in recognition of Kim’s athletic accomplishments and her decades of service to tennis, the Hickory community, and the many athletes she has supported and guided throughout her career.

The naming dedication included remarks from Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Director Mark Seaman; Hickory Mayor Hank Guess; North Carolina Tennis Association President Debbie Southern; North Carolina Tennis Foundation and USTA North Carolina Executive Director Kelly Gaines; Greater Hickory Tennis Association Board Member Donna Barger; Greater Hickory Tennis Association Board Member Lela Thompson; and local sports legend, tennis coach, and honoree Kathy Kim.

A true cornerstone of local tennis, Kim has introduced countless athletes to the game and continues, well into her 80s, to teach five days a week and lead multiple women’s leagues. Her passion, energy, and unwavering dedication embody the very best of community recreation, making the naming of the Hickory City Park tennis complex in her honor a fitting tribute to her remarkable legacy and an inspiration for future players.

Kathleen C. “Kathy” Kim has been credited with advancing tennis in Catawba County more than any other individual. A resident of the county since 1972, she served on the Junior Council of the North Carolina Tennis Association from 1985 to 1986 and later as Junior Council Director from 1987 to 1988. During this time, she played a key role in developing statewide rules and regulations for junior players. Kim ranked fifth in North Carolina in the age 35 division in 1985, and with partner Sandra Denny, ranked second in the state in doubles competition. She coached the Senior David Cup team for the NC Tennis Association in 1988 and worked alongside Coach Laurie Newman in 1989 to lead the Hickory High boys’ tennis team to a state championship.

Her many honors include being named North Carolina Teacher of the Year in 1986 and Southern Teacher of the Year in 1988 by the North Carolina Tennis Association. She received the City of Hickory Community Relations Council Award in 1992 and the Hickory Rotary Club’s first-ever Dwight Bartlett Award later that year. In 2002, both the United States Tennis Association and the North Carolina Tennis Association named her National Teacher of the Year. She was inducted into the Catawba County Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Hickory City Park is located at 1581 12th St Dr NW in Hickory. For more information about the park, visit www.hickorync.gov/hickory-city-park. To reserve courts at the Kathy Kim Tennis Complex at Hickory City Park, call 828-322-7046 or visit hickory.recdesk.com.