APTA Board Member – Sara Lanthier

Sara Lanthier

Residence: Toronto, Ontario

Occupation: Contributing writer at UrbanMoms.ca and social media specialist at Corns Entertainment

Years of Service on the APTA Board: Two

Family: Son Will (5), APTA National Champ 2033

Years Playing: I started when I was 10. So *cough, cough* 18? Okay, 34 years!

How did you get started playing platform tennis? Our family moved to London, Ontario, where they had one in-ground court. We started playing and taking train trips to Toronto to play the “big city” kids in tournaments. A few years later we moved to Toronto and chose to live where we did because of the ties we had already made with the platform tennis players there.

Contribution to the APTA Board/Contribution to the platform
tennis community. My unofficial goal with the APTA is to get the name changed to NAPTA (North American Platform Tennis Association). Canada needs some representing and it has a nice ring. But my official role is with the Communications Committee, specifically to connect players and enhance the sport’s recognition through social/new media.

Favorite playing or fan moments. My most infamous on-court moment was faulting one game away, four in a row, in the semis at Shadow Lake. We won the match and my sister/partner was still talking to me, so it all turned out okay in the end. My most memorable moment was in the consolation semis at the Chicago Nationals where my Achilles tendon decided to snap. I was casted, drugged, and back in the stands watching, beer in hand, within three hours. Reality set in the next morning but I enjoyed the afternoon, at least. My number one fan moment is easy. 2005 Pittsburgh Nationals. Watching Mike Stulac and Billy Anderson come back from a 6-0, 3-0, deficit to win the finals. Incredible! Sorry, Mike Cochrane and Mike Marino, but I will remember that match forever.

Past/future endeavors not platform tennis-related. My son has made a list of 20 spots (and growing) around the world that he wants to visit. I’m hoping to take a sabbatical when he’s ready to travel the world and show him all there is to see. This will, of course, be from April – October, unless we’ve grown the game globally by then.

Favorite quote. The last time I was asked for a favorite quote, I chose one from Axl Rose. I think I’ve grown up since then. Two years ago, the sitting leader of one of Canada’s political parties, Jack Layton, died of cancer and left a letter to Canadians saying goodbye. He ended with this quote which hangs on my desk: My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 15, Issue 1 Sept./Oct. 2013