Residence: I have lived in Madison, CT for almost 30 years.
Years of Service: It's a blur. I count the years by the Annual Meetings. I was voted in at the Chicago meeting, Long Island was after my first year, Atlanta was after my
second, so next the meeting will mark three years on the Board.
Family: My wife Barb is a Southern California transplant. I finally pried the tennis racket out of her hands a few years ago and put a paddle in its place. She now loves the game almost as much as I do. And this past season, she had the opportunity to play on the Region 2 President's Cup team.
My oldest son Rory attended a prep school that had PT courts. He and his buddies would head out many nights after study hall and play a few sets. At college in Schenectady, NY he was almost arrested for trespassing when sneaking on to a private club's courts in the middle of the night. And he's now "[...]
APTA Clinic Brings Bozeman Out of the Jungle
When paddle came to Bozeman, Montana three years ago, very few had even heard of the sport. Despite this, a small group of tennis players, as well as people who had played paddle back east as kids, were pumped up to play a winter racquet sport. This was mainly due to the fact that it is winter for almost seven months a year in Big Sky country. [enlarge image to read full story]
Nestled underneath the brick façade of an athletic building on the University of North Carolina Campus approximately one hundred yards from the Dean Dome Basketball Stadium sits an unlikely sight - three platform tennis courts. On October 10th, an even more unlikely sight occurred, all three courts filled to capacity, four pro ambassadors teaching clinics, spectators watching from outside the cages, and passers-by stopping to wonder what all the hoopla is about. [enlarge image to read the full story]
Courtia Worth put together a paddle morning, mid-day lunch and shotgun golf tournament on Monday, October 4th at the Hartford Golf Club in Hartford Golf Club in Hartford, CT. Among the many reasons to attend were the opportunities for raffle trips, an open bar and delightful dinner and finally an opportunity to celebrate the life of Hall-of-Famer, Winnie Hatch.
Players from five states assembled at the five paddle courts for three hours of casual play as many of Winnie's former partners and friends kicked off the 2010-2011 season. Sprinkled amongst the twenty plus players were former champions; Sig Buckmeyer, George Lynch, Jack Westerfield, Bob Brown, Bill Childs, Ted and Nanny Hoehn, Sharon and Herb Hummers and Rich Lombard.
Several of the Hartford seniors mixed in with the outing players including one 70+ player who strapped on his oxygen tank and proceeded to race around the cou[...]
In the more than 80 years that our sport has been in existence, there have been rule manuals, magazines and instruction books, but not a comprehensive history detailing its evolution. Along similar lines, the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame Foundation has been a force for honoring the history of Platform Tennis without the benefit of having a building to call home.
That's where Tina Kelly, APTA board member and author, came in with a project to serve both needs through one book — the creation of Passing Shots. This beautifully rendered coffee table book highlights platform tennis over the years. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation.
"The actual idea came from the Hall of Fame Foundation — Bob Brown, Rich Lombard, and their committee," Kelly said. "Their concept was to do this book to raise money for the building effor[...]
It is with mixed emotions that I am writing this letter to the APTA membership. I am, on one hand, honored to have been named interim President of the APTA, but also very sad that our current president and good friend, Tim McAvoy, is fighting another battle with cancer.
Tim is a great leader, a great competitor, a great family man, and, above all, the most positive and upbeat person I have ever met. We have spent a lot of time together over the last twenty-five years of playing paddle, and I have never left him without a smile on my face.
The current APTA Board is an amazing group of dedicated men and women who are focused on making this game better than ever, and keeping the growth of the game moving forward. We will all work diligently in Tim's absence to promote the initiatives set for this year: "To govern the sport, grow participation and improve all aspects of the game". [e[...]
The initial rental term between Centercourt Athletic Club (CAC) and the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation (PTMHOFF) had been for two years and was up for renewal in 2010. During the negotiations for the renewal it became clear that CAC had seen considerable growth in membership and the once "unused" space allocated for the Museum and Hall of Fame now was required for club activities. As a result the lease was not extended.
This was a considerable set back for the PTMHOFF as, in addition to rental payments, a significant amount of work had been done to develop the plan for the space and associated displays.
It was time for the PTMHOFF to regroup and rethink how to realize their dream.
Source: PTMHOFF Minutes, November 2010
This year's Chicago Platform Tennis Charities Tournament featured the launch of the APTA's new live tournament scoring system, a joint venture between the APTA and the CPTC. The system is designed to enhance the tournament experience for players and fans using the internet and social networking.
The initiative began last spring when John Noble, tournament director for the 2011 APTA Men's and Women's Nationals in Chicago, approached the APTA with an idea to use the internet and social networking to make news and scores available real-time for the 2011 Nationals. It was a two-pronged approach.
One: develop a truly interactive draw that could be updated real-time by tournament volunteers at any location.
Two: use social networking to report news that could be displayed within the system and also accessed directly through the social networking site. The system would also include direc[...]
Tina Kelly
Residence: Savannah, GA (since Dec. 2010), previously Sleepy Hollow, New York
APTA Board of Directors: May 2006 - present
Family: Husband, Bill, two stepdaughters, six grandchildren, and one Boston Terrier.
How long have you been playing platform tennis? I started playing when I was about 10. My father, Art Houlihan, was very active in platform tennis and on the APTA board during the 1970s, so paddle has always been a big part of my family. My older brother, Tom, played as a junior (and continues to play in Boulder, Colorado), and won three junior nationals, so I was always trying to keep up with him.
Have you ever won any major tournaments? I hate to admit it, but I think I hit my peak when I was 18. My partner and I won the 15-and-Under and 18-and-Under Nationals. Of course my husband might argue that our recent husband-wife club title is the most important tourna[...]
Every year, normally around the second week of August, the buzz around the Cincinnati area is about the upcoming ATP Masters Series, showcasing the best tennis professionals in the world. This year there was a special event that made the week even more unique: Jason Gray and Four Bridges Country Club organized a charity event that benefitted the Bryan Brothers Foundation and included a performance by the Bryans' band.
The event took place on Monday, August 16th, in conjunction with the opening night of the tennis tournament. The Bryans, the top seed, had a bye in the first round and did not have to play. Through the efforts of Four Bridges members Pierre Dommestrup, Phil Huff, and others, support was obtained from presenting sponsor Beacon Orthopedic and contributing sponsors Ciney Tech, Katz, Tener, Brant, & Hild, Bethart Printing, and Ace Authentic.
Leading up to this event, the [...]
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