Many years ago, a young Delaware lawyer, Barry Snyder, made a discovery far more momentous than any legal writ: Paddle is a lot more fun than most racquet sports. "I was in my 20's when I played my first platform tennis tournament," Snyder explained. "I was used to tennis events where, because I wasn't very good, I would quickly lose my first match and head home. There were no parties, and there was no socializing."
But in paddle, he found a sport with tournaments that guaranteed at least three matches, and at which adult beverages were expected to be quaffed after matches, sometimes between matches, and on occasion, during matches. He was hooked. Paddle became a sport that eventually sparked his favorite mantra: "Play paddle! Have fun!" It now adorns a license plate on his car.
Every paddle area has its Mr. or Mrs. Paddle - many of whom have been celebrated on this page. He or she[...]
It's mid-March and the last platform ball has hit the aluminum. The platform leagues across the country are crowning their league champions. But for many of us, we experience a sense of withdrawal that kicks in right after the season is done. The desire to compete more and socialize with friends continues to fuel us. To add to that feeling is the plain fact that the weather in mid-April thru the beginning of June has not warmed up—it's still platform weather. Along with the want for more platform, there is also a sense of wondering among the league champions. A wondering if my teammates and I are the best team in the country at our level….[read more - click on image]
Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 15, Issue 4 Feb/March 2014
David Lee
Residence: Darien, Connecticut
Occupation: Investment Management
Years of Service on the APTA Board: 1
Family: Wife, Jenny; Daughters, Isabel, 18, and Julianna, 16
Years Playing: 10
How did you get started playing platform tennis? The first time I played platform tennis was in 1994 at the invite of a friend. I had played competitive junior tennis and thought it would be a breeze. However, many service faults, missed drives, and screen embarrassments later, I thought the game was silly and I didn't play again for almost 10 years. In 2003, I joined the Milbrook Club in Greenwich, CT, which had three courts and a solid core of players. My tennis friends encouraged me to give it another go, and this time I also took some lessons. From there, my playing took off. The camaraderie, sportsmanship, and mental aspects of the game made it addicting. I also realized that while my b[...]
Recruiter, Captain, Commander, Communicator
If you were at the Nationals last year at Indian Trail Club, there is a good chance you saw Peter Dampf in action. He seemed to have all the answers. He knew who was playing and where, how to update the Live Scoring, and where the balls were kept. He also knew about half of the players, having recruited many of them for his Division 1 team in the Westchester League (WPTL) in Greenburgh, New York.
Dampf plays platform tennis about three times a week, but has recently had to restrict night match play due to some vision issues. As a non-playing captain, he sets the line-ups and will put himself in for at least one match as long as it doesn't hurt Greenburgh's chances for a top-seeding in the yearend Division 1 tournament. His dedication to his team is note-worthy. And his post-match emails are legendary. With humor and wisdom, he discusses e[...]
Court construction has come along way from that first deck built in 1928. New technology is being put to work to make them better all the time. PTM had the update.
Ideas, Aspirations and Actualities
Have you been on a court that seemed different recently? Did you just notice that some courts have different colors? Courts have been changing bit by bit over time, but major changes could be in the future. What does the court of the future look like?
What if it didn't have snowboards? Even in the snowy Northeast or the frigid Midwest? What if the courts weren't aluminum? What if the surface didn't have grit since it never got slippery from the snow? Can't you hear the knees and backs out there applauding? All the other elements of the court—lights, door locks, wires, net posts—could be or have been reconceived as well.
There are innovators out there thinking aboUt the court m[...]
Despite the postponement almost 100 teams converged on the Philadelphia area for the 2014 APTA Viking Junior Nationals. Across the board, a fantastic group of athletes and parents. Each age group has earned their special award. Nindy Pike covered the event for PTM.
Boys 10 & Under: Where The Wild Things Are
What you might see on the court when young boys are on the court: sunglasses, puffy coats, loud high-fives, hunter-safety hats, dance moves. What you will definitely see: topspin drives, low screens, and some fist pumps. The champions, Charles Brossy and Griffin Cramer, have won four junior tournaments this season. The finalists, James Lorenzetti and Trevor Ramirez, have won one gold together, and one gold each with partner Charlie Stuhr. A small but mighty foursome. (Heard in the hut: "They are so cute, I could eat them up!")
Girls 12 & Under: Your Smile's So Wid[...]
A Strong Proponent of the Game in the Midwest
A transplant from the East Coast, Steve Webster has now spent more time in the Midwest than where he grew up, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. He has embraced the Midwest and embodies the spirit of it. He's not just a really nice guy. He is an important part of the Indianapolis platform tennis scene.
Webster started playing platform tennis for fun at the Glen Ridge Country Club in New Jersey at about age ten. It wasn't until he went to college at Lake Forest College, in Illinois, that he really started playing more. He joined the Chicago scene in its infancy, playing at the Onwentsia Club and was one of the masterminds with Rod Workman behind the growth of the game. In the 1980s, there was a "rule" that pros weren't allowed to play in the league. Webster and Workman started the movement to change that rule. The pros then started investing the[...]
Residence: Petaluma, CA; born in Tasmania, Australia
Occupation: Head of Racquets at Lagunitas Country Club, Ross, CA
Years of Service on the APTA Board: One
Family: Engaged
Years Playing: 7-8
How did you get started playing platform tennis? When I was teaching tennis in Greenwich, Connecticut. I was originally taught the game by Jim Kaufman and Bob Kleinart.
Contribution to the APTA Board: I am the Clinics and Exhibitions Chair and PPTA liaison. We held nine clinics this season, from New Jersey to Ohio to North Carolina.
Favorite tournament win: Lehigh PCQ/NRT with current partner Anthony Cosimano and winning the use of a private villa (thanks to tournament host Chip Morrow) in the Dominican Republic, which was an amazing trip.
Past/Future endeavors: I played juniors in Australia, making it to a top ten ranking in the 18 & Under division. After juniors, I started coa[...]
Ann Sheedy, the Executive Director of the APTA, was deeply involved in running the Nationals which were held in her home town, Pittsburgh.
She filed a report with PTM on the activities leading up to the event and some thoughts on when all was said and done.
Preparation (March 2013)
The 2014 APTA Nationals are only a year away! We have our Executive Committee and
we have asked the clubs for the use of their courts. We've made a list of potential sponsors and we have a sponsorship brochure. Looks like we are on our way.
Piece by piece we've added to our committee. We found a volunteer to be in charge of but food, then someone to recruit but monitors, then a housing chair and a hotel coordinator. We already had a draw guru on the Executive Committee so we are set there. We need a parking and shuttle committee head as well as someone to be in charge of selling merchandise. Prize[...]
PTM Covered this popular event.
The President's Cup kicked off the festivities at Nationals, with teams of men and women wearing matching outfits and vying for bragging rights for their region. For the women, Region V—the Chicago and Midwest crew—pulled out a victory over the always tough Region III—the Mid-Atlantic group from the Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, area. For the men, Region II held strong throughout the day and prevailed over the Region VIII team.
Region V Captain Lisa "Goldy" Goldberg said it best. "President's Cup is our day, and Nationals is gravy." This year's President's Cup, played on Thursday, March 6, filled the courts in Pittsburgh with the best men's players and most of the top women athletes. Walking from court to court—at Sewickley YMCA or Allegheny Country Club—where the women competed, or at the Fox Chapel Racquet Club and Pittsburgh Field Clu[...]
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