APTA Annual Meeting

PHILADELPHIA — The APTA held its Annual Meeting and Board Meeting at Waynesboro Country Club in Paoli, PA, May 5-6, 2006. Highlights from the meetings include:

A new APTA mission statement was developed. It reads:

The mission of the APTA is to:
A. Govern the sport
B. Grow participation
I. Among all levels and types of players
2. Across all our regions
C Improve all aspects of the game

We will accomplish this mission by: maintaining the rules and codes of behavior to ensure the integrity of the game; creating and increasing awareness of our sport; providing guidance to clubs and municipalities on how to start platform tennis programs and then how to make those programs successful, and; promoting the sport among current players to raise their level of addiction

APTA finances in 2005-06 were in the black by approximately $49,000.

The Board approved a $12,500 grant for the Chapel Hill Tennis Club (Region VII) for the purchase of two platform tennis courts and the development of a platform program.

CHTC, located in the heart of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, will be the first club in central North Carolina to have platform tennis courts. The club and the APTA hope to capitalize on the growing interest in the area for platform tennis among new players and the many paddle transplants who call the area home.

The Chapel Hill experience will serve as a test case for future development projects the APTA hopes to support. If you know of an area that would benefit from a similar court- seeding project please contact APTA President Mark Fischl.

A check for $8,000 was presented to the APTA by Bill O’Brien on behalf of the Chicago Platform Tennis Tournament Charities, Inc.

The funds were generated from Chicago area events last season and will enter the APTAs Junior Development fund. The Board is grateful to the CPTC for their generous gift. The APTA will hold exhibitions this season in Niagara/Toronto, Chapel Hill, and possibly other cities. If you are interested in having an exhibition or clinic in your area please contact the APTA office or Board member Todd Ward.

The Board acknowledged the outstanding work of APTA Executive Director Marjorie Hodson.

Marjorie’s devotion to the game goes well beyond the “part-time” official status of her APTA job. Her tireless efforts and many talents are key elements behind the APTA’s strong
financial showing.

The Board voted to approve a “service gap” of no more than six inches.

The service gap has become popular with new and repainted courts and is intended to make it easier to make service calls in the outer corner of the service box. The service gap is not mandatory.

Eyewear Endorsed

The APTA now recommends the use of protective eyewear, especially for juniors. Signs encouraging use of protective eyewear will be distributed to APTA member clubs for hanging on court entrances.

A new age category will be tried this year at selected events: the 95s.

Fundraising

Now that the APTA is officially a tax-exempt 501 c3 organization, a major effort is underway to raise money which will fund future initiatives in keeping with the Association’s mission statement. Fred Gumbinner, Region I President, is leading the fundraising program.

Present at the Annual Meeting were: Mark Fischl (President, Long Island), Tim McAvoy (Vice President, Philadelphia), Scott Bondurant (Vice President, Chicago), Sally Cottingham (Treasurer, Chicago), Taylor Bowen (Secretary, Charlottesville), Marjorie Hodson (Executive Director, Summit), Bill O’Brien (Chicago), Nancy Budde (Dayton), Fred Gumbinner (Washington/Region III President), Beach Kuhl (Ross), Rich Lombard (New York), Marina Ohlmuller (Chicago), and Todd Ward (Cincinnati).

Visitors at the Friday afternoon working sessions and evening Annual Meeting included: Jacki Brown (Bulletworks), David Dodge (Premier Platform Tennis), Wayne Dollard (Platform Tennis Magazine), David Kjeldsen (Viking), Brian Mills (Viking), and Clark Reed and Jerry Brown (The Paddle Company).

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 8, Issue 1, September, 2006