APTA Junior Tour – now there’s a Czar

Tom Stafford, the new Czar, filed this report on the development in PTM

The APTA Junior Tour Czar has quite a ring to it. As most things with me — it’s self-titled. Timmy simply asked me to head up the new APTA Junior Tour.
Dave Kjeldsen and Viking had done such a great job with it for the last umpteen years and now APTA was going to bring it in house. David was not passing on that great horned hat, but certainly I had to have a title that was fitting. Director — boring, Head — don’t have much of one, Chief in charge — closer, CZAR— Now we’re getting someplace.

This is my 41st year of playing platform tennis — not bad for a 47 year old. I played in my first tournament at 6, had 13 fun filled years of Juniors with the same partner, played “the circuit” through the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s and now get to watch over as the future stars take shape from the juniors of today.

I hope you read my article below on the 2009/10 APTA Junior Tour. I do know this — We will have a fun year ahead. Thanks for entrusting your kids to the great tournament directors and sites we have lined up. Who knows — in another 40 years, I will be ready to hand over my Czarship to one of them!

Talk about coming full circle! Way back in the dark ages, when dirt was new and your parents and I were young, I played in the Junior “Tour” – a 10 tournament circuit that carved its way through Norwalk, Greenwich, South Orange, New Canaan, Montclair, Fairfield, Scarsdale, Long Island, Sewickley & Philadelphia.

Sure we would have local “MAPTA” tournaments. They were fun, for sure. I would split from my normal partner, Dick Dunkel, and mix it up with other boys and girls from the Philly area who were getting introduced to this thing called “paddle.” We would play on Saturday mornings, getting help from parents who knew way more than we did and helped me to learn to love this game.

It was during the 1980 – 81 season that I met and started dating the girl who would eventually become my wife. So here we are nearly 30 years later, that girl not only is still my v«fe ( I know, luckiest guy in the world), but also mother to three kids who also have learned to love Platform Tennis and have won four National Championships! (they got all their talent from mom – trust me)

So here we are in 2009, the “Tour” has grown a ton! David Kjeldson and Viking, as well as local Pros, have shepherded the process over the years and this year we will have 15 sites holding National Tour stops! Viking personally exploded the junior tour with their support the last decade, and it is with great pleasure and pride that I step into some very large shoes and try to take this to the next level.

The APTA has always helped in the process and now they own the process. We proudly unveil – The APTA Junior sponsored by Viking for the 2009-2010 season.

My mission is to build upon the great foundations that those before me have bulk, and keep it growing. I would like to see more tournaments added with so many juniors playing in them that we have to run draws instead of round robins. They become 2-day events and the season finishes just like the men’s and women’s does – with the last tournament being the National Championships. I cannot do it alone. Tournament Hosts have graciously given their time because they know that when we build with youth we have created a sport for a lifetime! In fact 12 “junior champs” have gone on to win 28 National OPEN championships! One of them – Mike Gillespie (2x Junior Champ) will be Hosting the Junior Nationals this year! — Thanks Mike!

Junior paddle is now expanding into the college ranks as former 18′s Champs now are in college but don’t want the fun to stop! Chris Kelley (2008 champ) has started a club at Georgetown, Brian Safford (2009) is joining forces with Cameron Rudd (’09 finalist) to start a club at Wake Forest, while Kate Macauley has started one at Yale. So what does that mean to the youth of today – dig in! Don’t just play the tournament closest to your club, play any of the 15 tournaments. On the East Coast they are at most a 2½ hr. drive from each other. Through junior paddle, I was able to visit many areas that I probably never would have seen. This is one step on this journey through life.

My hope is that you take full advantage of the schedule we have laid out for you and who knows, you may even find the love of your life along the way! See you in New Canaan!