La Quinta To Honor Tennis Pro Jackie Cooper

Written by: Staff on 14th January 2013

La Quinta To Honor Tennis Pro Jackie Cooper

epa03060146 Roger Federer of Switzerland heel kicks a ball to his racquet as his shadow is cast across the court during a training session on the eve of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 15 January 2012. Federer has his eyes set on a 2012 comeback, eager to disprove critics who say he is at the end of his career. The first tennis Grand Slam in 2012 runs 16 to 29 January. EPA/BARBARA WALTON |

Original Story From The Desert Sun: http://www.mydesert.com/article/20130112/SPORTS/301120067/La-Quinta-honor-tennis-pro-Jackie-Cooper?nclick_check=1

Long-time tennis pro Jackie Cooper, who helped Charlie Pasarell when he took over the BNP Paribas Open in 1981, will be honored Jan. 27 at the La Quinta Resort.

Cooper, who runs the Jackie Cooper Tennis program at the Palm Desert Resort Country Club, is battling advanced stages of cancer.

Friends and family are working with La Quinta director of tennis Tom Gorman in organizing the celebration of Cooper’s life and to honor all he’s done for the tennis community.

“It’s such a tribute to him as a person because so many people care about him,” said Lornie Kuhle, a close friend of Cooper. “He has this unusual characteristic of giving. Everyone loves him. They don’t just like the guy, they love him.”

Kuhle also said, “the public is welcome to come so he can say goodbye to everyone.”

The reception will run from 1-3 p.m.

Cooper came to the desert in the early 1970s to join his childhood friend Pasarell. Together, they helped build the tennis center at the La Quinta Resort so it would host the ATP tournament that Pasarell took over. Today, that event is the BNP Paribas Open, the fifth largest tournament in the world behind the four Grand Slams.

Topics: BNP Paribas Open, Charlie Pasarell, Jackie Cooper, Lornie Kuhle, Palm Desert Resort Country Club, Tennis News, Tom Gorman