VERMONT SPORTS HALL OF FAME

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

South Burlington

Tennis

Inducted 2026

David Hakins Inductee

An inspirational tennis coach at all levels, in the state, the region and around the world, Jake Agna of South Burlington is the 2026 David Hakins Inductee, which honors an individual, a group or organization for exceptional promotion of sports, athletics and recreation in the state of Vermont. 

He was the founder of Kids on the Ball in 2000 designed to teach children life lessons such as relationships and respect by learning the game of tennis. He has led 31 trips, as of 2026, to Cuba to help expand the sport. 

Agna's tennis programs reach out to over 200 kids each day in school and after school programs, while impacting over 100 kids each day at Roosevelt Park in Burlington in the summer.

Agna served as the highly successful head varsity girls tennis coach at South Burlington High for 38 years.  His teams won 16 Division I titles, and were runners-up 13 times.  SBHS was 489-95 with eight perfect seasons before Agna stepped down in 2023. Agna also ran a program that provided tennis as an enrichment opportunity for students in the Progressive Program at South Burlington High School.

After a two-year fund-drive Agna, with State Department approval, helped lead the resurfacing of 10 courts and renovation of the National Tennis Center in Cuba in 2017. The work was recognized by the Tennis Channel with tennis greats Martina Navratilova, Stan Smith and Jim Currier joining to celebrate. His effort that year was featured by Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim on SI’s ‘Beyond the Baseline’ podcast.  

Agna's group resurfaced the courts in 2024 and have had other tennis projects in New Orleans and Springfield, Mass. 

In the state, he said equipment improvements and the adaptation to gym play have allowed for expansion into physical education classes all across Vermont.

The Vermont Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association presented Agna the 2005-06 Ralph Lapointe Award for his inspiration to tennis.  He has previously received the 2005 Eve F. Kraft Community Service Award from the United States Tennis Association. He also was honored with the 2012 Recreation Professional of the Year Award by the Vermont Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.