TENNIS

Groth, Class of 1976, was a prolific tennis player who led Lakeside to a region title in 1976, and capped off the season by winning the Tennis State Championships.After signing a scholarship to play at Georgia Southern, Groth transferred over to the University of Georgia where he joined the Bulldogs tennis team as a co-captain for three years. While at UGA, he was a part of the 1978-79 Southeastern Conference Championship teams, as well as the 1980 State Collegiate Championship team.Groth won five SEC indoor and outdoor singles titles and was named All-SEC in 1981. He would earn a Law Degree in 1986 before furthering his tennis career with several ATP tours including the U.S. Open and French Open.Groth went on to play 13 years of tennis in Germany and has been practicing law for over 30 years, now focusing on civil litigation while working with the Growth & Makarenko, LLC. He is the proud father of three daughters alongside his wife of over twenty years, Renee.

Thurman, Class of 1976, was the leading man on Lakeside’s tennis team. He helped win a tennis state championship for the Vikings in 1975 following a perfect 15-0 season.He later attended the University of Arizona where he was the 1978 Western Athletic Conference No. 6 Singles Champion and the No. 3 Doubles Champion. The next year, Thurman transferred to the University of Georgia to continue his tennis career.As a Bulldog, he helped lead the team to a 1980 Southeastern Conference Championship title and won the No. 6 Singles in the Southeastern Conference Championship in 1981. He was a part of the nationally ranked tennis team that finished third in the NCAA Tennis Championship during his senior season.Even now, Thurman continues to let his athletic prowess shine through his love for Pickleball. He is the 2018 Level 4.5 Age 60 plus Men’s Doubles U.S. Open Pickleball Champion and was a silver medalist in the 4.5 Level 60 plus Mixed Doubles U.S. Open Pickleball Championships. He placed fourth in the 2019 Pickleball National Championships in Indian Wells California.