In an effort to spread an awareness of platform tennis across the country and grow the game, the APTA's grant program awarded three grants this year totaling $35,000 to projects that otherwise would not have succeeded.
The awardees induded the Creve Coeur Racquet Club in St. Louis, Mo., North Park, a county run facility in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pa., and the YMCA in Wilton, Ct.
The first and largest will assist with the creation of a new platform tennis venue beginning with 2 courts at the Creve Coeur Racquet Club in St. Louis, a large, low cost, semi public indoor/outdoor tennis facility. The growth of Paddle in St. Louis has for years been hampered by a lack affordable access. Two years ago, Rick Randall, Frank Sant, Frank Childress and Bob Curtis formed the STL Platform Tennis Association to address the problem and the APTA is pleased to partner with this group of enthusiast[...]
On March 30th, the growth of Platform Tennis continued its seemingly inexorable journey south. Thanks to the vision and efforts of Joe Russo, The Villages in Florida decided to install six grade-level courts. The Villages, located 60 miles northwest of Orlando, is a retirement community of almost 80,000 people.
Coming on the heels of APTA-assisted projects in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia, The Villages is a privately- funded project masterminded by Joe Russo. Joe previously had been responsible for the installation of four courts in Ocean Pines, Maryland. Preliminary plans for the addition of twelve more courts are being discussed as the initial project is evaluated.
The Grand Opening at The Villages featured an exhibition and clinic hosted by APTA Board member Juan Pablo Arraya Martinez. Juan heads up the APTA Exhibition tour, having succeeded Todd Ward in May o[...]
Early each summer, David Dodge and Jason Gray sit down to discuss how they are going to out-do their previous year's Premier Cup tournament competition. Dodge is the owner and founder of Premier Platform Tennis Courts. Gray is the Director of Racquet Sports at the Four Bridges Country Club in Cincinnati but moonlights as the consummate promoter of all things platform tennis.
Over the past several seasons, many cities have been host to the Premier Cup - a $5,000 invitation-only, elite paddle tournament. Who gets to play? The top eight men's teams in the country are invited. If anyone cannot participate, the #9 team will be invited, and so on.
The 2010 Cup was set up a little different than those of past seasons. This year, the event took place in southern "virgin" paddle territory - Richmond, Virginia.
To kick off the three-day festivities, the American Platform Tennis As[...]
Residence: I have lived in Madison, CT for almost 30 years.
Years of Service: It's a blur. I count the years by the Annual Meetings. I was voted in at the Chicago meeting, Long Island was after my first year, Atlanta was after my
second, so next the meeting will mark three years on the Board.
Family: My wife Barb is a Southern California transplant. I finally pried the tennis racket out of her hands a few years ago and put a paddle in its place. She now loves the game almost as much as I do. And this past season, she had the opportunity to play on the Region 2 President's Cup team.
My oldest son Rory attended a prep school that had PT courts. He and his buddies would head out many nights after study hall and play a few sets. At college in Schenectady, NY he was almost arrested for trespassing when sneaking on to a private club's courts in the middle of the night. And he's now "[...]
APTA Clinic Brings Bozeman Out of the Jungle
When paddle came to Bozeman, Montana three years ago, very few had even heard of the sport. Despite this, a small group of tennis players, as well as people who had played paddle back east as kids, were pumped up to play a winter racquet sport. This was mainly due to the fact that it is winter for almost seven months a year in Big Sky country. [enlarge image to read full story]
Nestled underneath the brick façade of an athletic building on the University of North Carolina Campus approximately one hundred yards from the Dean Dome Basketball Stadium sits an unlikely sight - three platform tennis courts. On October 10th, an even more unlikely sight occurred, all three courts filled to capacity, four pro ambassadors teaching clinics, spectators watching from outside the cages, and passers-by stopping to wonder what all the hoopla is about. [enlarge image to read the full story]
Courtia Worth put together a paddle morning, mid-day lunch and shotgun golf tournament on Monday, October 4th at the Hartford Golf Club in Hartford Golf Club in Hartford, CT. Among the many reasons to attend were the opportunities for raffle trips, an open bar and delightful dinner and finally an opportunity to celebrate the life of Hall-of-Famer, Winnie Hatch.
Players from five states assembled at the five paddle courts for three hours of casual play as many of Winnie's former partners and friends kicked off the 2010-2011 season. Sprinkled amongst the twenty plus players were former champions; Sig Buckmeyer, George Lynch, Jack Westerfield, Bob Brown, Bill Childs, Ted and Nanny Hoehn, Sharon and Herb Hummers and Rich Lombard.
Several of the Hartford seniors mixed in with the outing players including one 70+ player who strapped on his oxygen tank and proceeded to race around the cou[...]
In the more than 80 years that our sport has been in existence, there have been rule manuals, magazines and instruction books, but not a comprehensive history detailing its evolution. Along similar lines, the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame Foundation has been a force for honoring the history of Platform Tennis without the benefit of having a building to call home.
That's where Tina Kelly, APTA board member and author, came in with a project to serve both needs through one book — the creation of Passing Shots. This beautifully rendered coffee table book highlights platform tennis over the years. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation.
"The actual idea came from the Hall of Fame Foundation — Bob Brown, Rich Lombard, and their committee," Kelly said. "Their concept was to do this book to raise money for the building effor[...]
It is with mixed emotions that I am writing this letter to the APTA membership. I am, on one hand, honored to have been named interim President of the APTA, but also very sad that our current president and good friend, Tim McAvoy, is fighting another battle with cancer.
Tim is a great leader, a great competitor, a great family man, and, above all, the most positive and upbeat person I have ever met. We have spent a lot of time together over the last twenty-five years of playing paddle, and I have never left him without a smile on my face.
The current APTA Board is an amazing group of dedicated men and women who are focused on making this game better than ever, and keeping the growth of the game moving forward. We will all work diligently in Tim's absence to promote the initiatives set for this year: "To govern the sport, grow participation and improve all aspects of the game". [e[...]
The initial rental term between Centercourt Athletic Club (CAC) and the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation (PTMHOFF) had been for two years and was up for renewal in 2010. During the negotiations for the renewal it became clear that CAC had seen considerable growth in membership and the once "unused" space allocated for the Museum and Hall of Fame now was required for club activities. As a result the lease was not extended.
This was a considerable set back for the PTMHOFF as, in addition to rental payments, a significant amount of work had been done to develop the plan for the space and associated displays.
It was time for the PTMHOFF to regroup and rethink how to realize their dream.
Source: PTMHOFF Minutes, November 2010
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