Brad Easterbrook takes the reins at PPTA

Brad Easterbrook started his two-year reign as President of the PPTA (Professional Platform Tennis Association) this September. Easterbrook welcomes the challenge of his new position and the gratification of working with more than 300 top-notch professionals.

A player and pro for over 25 years, Easterbrook currently is the Director of Platform Tennis at the New Canaan Field Club in Connecticut. He has worked as a director of racquets at various clubs in the tri-state area, many of which had platform tennis courts. In 1994, he started playing platform tennis. He credits Steve O’Connell with introducing him to the game and, as with most tennis pros, he picked it up quickly. By 1998, he was playing and teaching as much paddle as tennis. He was drawn to the camaraderie and atmosphere surrounding the game. “The game is tremendous fun. Win or lose, it’s always a great time

Easterbrook was one of the first pros certified when the PPTA was in its infancy. “The PPTA originated from the hard work of dedicated and passionate individuals who desired to strengthen the standards of teaching platform tennis as a profession. The PPTA has rigorous standards for its pros,” Easterbrook said. Certification requires a four-hour written test, as well as demonstration of teaching skills for both group and private lessons. There are four levels of certification and pros are encouraged to upgrade their certification regularly. This fall the PPTA certified over 20 new members. [enlarge image to read full article]