UNC Platform Tennis – clinics and exhibitions

Marty Pomerantz, Director, Campus Recreation, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill filed this report with PTM:

It took about five years of cajoling, collaborating, and construction, but this author’s vision for a multi-purpose recreational facility finally evolved from a paper napkin at Bruegger’s Bagels to a successful grand opening on Saturday, October 17. The new South Campus Recreation Complex (SCRC) sits atop what once was an eight court tennis center and home of the Carolina Varsity Tennis Team. Today, it consists of three sand volleyball courts, three tennis courts, two full length basketball/inline hockey courts, and the piece de resistance, three brand new ground level platform tennis courts.

The grand opening event included sand volleyball and tennis tournaments, which attracted a number of student teams. But the highlights of the day’s festivities included a professional platform tennis exhibition, a Pro-Am exhibition, and some outstanding clinics run by the visiting professionals who flew in from New York and Chicago.

In the main event, Mike Cochrane and Jean Kempner teamed up against Mike Rahaley and Mark Fischl. What was noticed by the group of impressed university and community spectators was the impressive high skill level of the four pros, the intensity and appeal of this relatively unknown game on tobacco road, and the good natured trash talk of “Mikey” Cochrane.

The Pro-Am portion featured Cochrane teaming up with Rebecca Dirksen Paul, former player at Dartmouth College and former Assistant Coach of the Carolina Women’s Varsity Tennis Team. On the other side of the net, Jean Kempner teamed up with Brian Kalbas, currently in his sixth year as the Carolina Women’s Varsity Tennis Coach and avid platform player himself. Clearly, it took a few games for Paul and Kalbas to “embrace” the wires, but once they did, the play was crisp, skillful, and entertaining.

Asked how platform tennis compared to traditional tennis, Kalbas commented that platform is much more fun to play. “The game is so fast-paced and keeps you moving all
the time. You don’t have far to retrieve balls or walk to the other side of the court.” Platform tennis maximizes the space and, compared to tennis, is easier for novice players to reach a level at which they can play and thoroughly enjoy the game.

The student participants are excited about forming a recognized student organization, becoming a sponsored team, and traveling to DC where George Washington and Georgetown already claim teams. And with Duke just 10 minutes away, the first annual UNC-Duke Paddle Tennis Challenge is just around the corner. Mackenzie Thomas, Class 2013, from Huntington, Long Island, is leading the effort to promote the sport. Having played the game for several years Mackenzie was very excited to see the courts installed.