APTA Volunteers – Andy Sikorovsky, Lissy Hill and Brian McCreary
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The Cleveland Masters tournament is a long running classic in platform tennis. Hall-of-Famer
Read More- The Early Years1928-1949
- The Evolution1950-1969
- The Rise1970-1979
- The Growth1980-1999
- Today's Game2000 and Beyond
APTA President Tim McAvoy on the health of the game, and his
Back to TopThere is nothing like having the wind at your back, whether it be in business, competing in sports or with life in general. As most of you know, I am healthy once again and loving life. I am also more excited than I’ve been in years for the upcoming platform tennis season. Like so many of us, I can’t wait to compete on the court, get a great workout and reconnect with my platform tennis community—I missed you! As for building momentum, platform tennis is growing nationally by leaps and bounds. Court, racquet and ball manufacturers reported across the board double digit growth this past year. Through the APTA grant program, we’ve been able to help grow the game in Boston, Stonington (CT), Chicago, Kansas City and hopefully Charleston, SC! The APTA, working hand-in-hand with the PPTA, has also helped these locations and many more, with exhibitions and clinics throughout[...]
Read MoreAPTA Board Member: Courtia Worth
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Courtia Worth Residence: West Hartford, CT. Occupation: Director of Tennis and Platform Tennis at the Hartford Golf Club. APTA Board of Directors History: Worth’s tenure on the board began in May of this year. Family: My sister was Platform Tennis Hall of Famer Winnie Hatch. Everybody knows me as ‘Winnie’s Sister". [enlarge image to read full profile]
Read MoreAPTA Volunteers – Don and Judy Helm
Back to TopDon Helm is mad. Not about anything that went wrong with the Brae Burn Men's B Tournament that he runs. Because usually not much goes wrong. Not about his time this year at the Women's Boston Open, when he commanded a hut that remained mostly empty Because that was just the job. Helm is mad about something that happened back in 1981. In 1981, Helm joined the Brae Burn Country Club with his wife, Judy. And he isn't mad about that. The club has been his home away from home, where the couple has built lasting friendships and enjoyed many sports. But he is very mad that after joining the club, he spent six years playing tennis and golf and not playing platform tennis. Helm is mad that he missed out on six years of playing the game that he now absolutely loves. "I am so thankful that I finally listened to our former paddle chairman, Peter Johnson, and started playing this sport," Helm s[...]
Read MoreOptions for Museum and Hall of Fame explored
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The initial thrust of the PTMHOFF was to create a “bricks and mortar” facility, but as they pursued this goal they realized that the history of the game could also be told by a "virtual museum". Many traditional museums were moving in this direction as they saw opportunities to deliver content in a more visually exciting and interactive way with the added benefit of attracting “visitors” without the need for them to be physically at the museum. The revised approach was developed during 2011 and comprised three phases: Phase I: Create a “virtual” museum and Hall of Fame with the first step being a dramatic upgrade to original web site. The revised site would have three features – an illustrated history of the game, a completely new look and feel for the Hall of Fame with extensive biographies, and a “Search and Explore” section which would house all of the memora[...]
Read MoreStadium Lighting comes to Platform Tennis
Back to TopWhile most technological advances in platform tennis take place on the racquet side, David Dodge, president of Premier Platform Tennis, said that lighting advances are becoming increasingly more affordable and preferable for platform tennis courts nationwide. “The big thing right now is the new stadium-style lighting,” Dodge said. “Lighting has made a lot of advances. Some places are still using 1,500-watt court lights, and these new lights are typically 400-watt metal alloys. They reflect light differently, and by reflecting differently, they can put a lot more light on the court.” Dodge said the lights can be retrofitted and installed into most existing light standards, and average six lights per court. “The cost is right around $4,000 per court for six. If you install eight, it’s $5,200 per court,” Dodge said. “On the East and West coasts, we’ll do six-light i[...]
Read MoreWilson launches new paddle technology; some even have bottle openers in the butt cap
Back to TopWilson has taken the paddle tennis world by storm and introduced a new paddle racquet technology to enhance every player’s game. Wilson understands that in the game of platform tennis achieving maximum spin on the ball is critical to the outcome of the match. With the revolutionary Gator Grit technology, Wilson has tripled the amount of grit on the paddle surface on every racquet for extra bite to provide increased spin and feel of the ball. Gator Grit is now available on all of Wilson’s new paddles. With maximum grit must come maximum protection, so with every Gator Grit paddle the player will receive a free cover. The cover will not only protect the paddle but also a player’s additional belongings carried in the bag from the coarse Gator Grit. [enlarge image to read full article]
Read MorePaddle technology keeps improving – Viking promotes lightweight paddles
Back to TopViking Athletics is proud to officially announce the arrival of its 2011-2012 product line – complete with 3 new lite weight paddles, the re-introduction of the most popular paddle ever made and yet another addition to Viking’s technology portfolio – all added to the existing line of proven paddles and the Viking ball. Viking has done it again! Introducing a new paddle technology application called Carbon Mesh. Carbon Mesh material consists of braided graphite strips of material which are bonded together for extra strength and stiffness. This material will be featured at the 12 o’clock position on two new paddles this season adding extra stiffness and strength to the rim area. Viking continues to be clearly focused on raising the bar on platform paddle innovation again this year as Carbon Mesh follows SpinTex and Triple Threat technologies which were both introduced during th[...]
Read MoreChicago League – 15 years of solid growth and counting
Back to TopPlatform tennis in Chicago is nothing new. Dating back nearly 40 years, organized platform tennis owes its existence to Dick Hornigold, who brought it to Chicago after he was transfered there. He met up with platform tennis entrepreneur Dick Squires, and the two put on an exhibition at the Exmoor Country Club that launched the sport officially in the Chicago market. The pair partnered with Jack Watson and Harry Brown to form the Chicago Platform Tennis Charities organization. Today, the organization is run by Alan Graham, who’s been steering the ship for the past 15 years. Under his guidance, the CPTC has grown by leaps and bounds, and that growth is something that has been studied and determined to be sustainable. “Initially, the region had a lack of resources,” Graham said. “When courts were put in, the very first ones were put in private homes. The next phase were in cou[...]
Read MoreAPTA Board candidates – David Lee, Katie Bliss and Shannon Vinson
Back to TopThe first time David Lee played platform tennis, he hated it. New to Fairfield County, Connecticut, after business school, David was invited by a friend to play. Having been a competitive junior tennis player, David figured it should be a breeze. But after faulting endlessly, getting flummoxed by screen shots and hitting the back screens with his drives, David decided it wasn't a game for him. It would be almost ten years before David would venture back onto the paddle courts. In 2003, David and his family joined the Milbrook Club in Greenwich, and he was re-introduced to the game by his club's tennis compatriots. This time, David was smart enough to sign up for some lessons, including the annual Viking clinic. With a better understanding of the game and a newfound appreciation for the strategy, David quickly became addicted. Shortly thereafter, David was recruited to captain Milbrook's [...]
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