PENN TWP — Whitney Snyder uses tennis to build and nurture relationships. He's never considered himself a Hall of Famer.

Friday night, he becomes one.

Snyder, the Butler Country Club tennis pro since 1988, is being inducted into the USTA Middle States Hall of Fame at a dinner Friday at the LeMont Restaurant in Pittsburgh.

Tennis legends Billie Jean King and Bill Tilden are current members of that Hall, which was formed in 1994. Being inducted with Snyder this year are Brian Earley, director of the U.S. Open, Don Johnson, a two-time Wimbledon doubles champion, and Peggy Michel, a Grand Slam doubles champion with Evonne Goolagong and a former member of the Pittsburgh Triangles' World Team Tennis franchise.

"When I got called about this induction, I thought somebody was pulling a prank on me," Snyder said. "I don't consider myself worthy of this."

Others do.

Snyder is the sixth BCC tennis pro in the program's history, following Dave Barnes (1975-81), Audray Glasser (1982), Mike Kopp (1983-84), Ron Fodor (1985) and Steve Gerstenfeld (1986-87).

There were 12 kids in the BCC youth tennis program when he took over. There are 105 today.

"Whit has tremendous respect for the history of the game," said Judy Barkley, a member of the tennis committee that hired Snyder. "Tradition is the word that best describes him.

"Whit really does care and continuity is very important in a junior program. He stresses good sportsmanship and lasting relationships."

Doug Johnston is a prime example of that. He played for Snyder as a youth and later coached with him at the country club.

"His attitude and enthusiasm about the game are unmatched," Johnston said. "The relationships he's built there are incredible.

"He could have moved on to other places, but there's no way he could leave Butler. It means too much to him."

Snyder taught Jay Barkley tennis in the youth program and wound up being in Barkley's wedding party.

"Whit is a good friend and a better role model," Barkley said. "Whit is an all-around great guy who cares about all tennis players in the program, not just the elite ones.

"He gets everybody involved, makes everyone a part of the team. When I think about Whitney, I think about tennis."

One way Snyder emphasizes teamwork is through the "Snyde Cup." He takes each of his four assistants and has them draft a team of BCC youth tennis players. Each team represents a country and they compete for the Snyde Cup.

"Nobody cares who the No. 1 player is in that scenario," Snyder said. "Everybody is equally important to the team. They learn a part of culture and history along the way, too."

Alisa Green is an assistant pro under Snyder at BCC and is the Butler High School varsity girls tennis coach.

"Whit is one of the best natural athletes I know, yet he's so humble, gentle and unselfish," Green said. "He's an unbelievable player and person who never draws attention to himself.

"He's committed to all of the kids, all of the members of this program at every level. This is his family. The relationships he develops here are more important than anything.

"The game is supposed to be fun. He's hilarious and his sense of humor makes it that way. Tennis is a gentleman's sport and he'll always teach and promote it that way," Green added.

Snyder makes sure his players "are courteous, shake hands and introduce themselves in every match," Green said.

Snyder formed and runs the annual West Penn Inter-Club Tennis Championships at BCC. He also formed the Dave Barnes Pro-Am and has put together other youth tournaments.

"He's like a Pied Piper that way," Judy Barkley said. "He knows how to take all kinds of different folks and bring them together."

Snyder said he's stayed with Butler Country Club all this time "because of the quality of the families there.

"People in Butler are down to earth. They're genuine," he said. "Kids I've coached have grown up, gotten married and send their kids to the program. That means the world to me," he said.

"My proudest accomplishment is the loads of friendships I've made with the kids. Not one accolade or individual award ... Those things mean nothing.

"People should cherish the relationships they've had along the way. Focus on that, good things will happen. We should be concerned with investing in each other," Snyder added.

Cocktail hour and a silent auction begin at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7:30 p.m. Friday's inductions will swell the HOF membership to 77.