R. J. Reilly Jr, Inc. and Green Mountain Merge

Big news in the platform tennis court industry. R.J. Reilly Jr., Inc. and Green Mountain Platform Tennis have merged to form Reilly Green Mountain Platform Tennis. PTM carried the details:

The merger brings together the industry’s most experienced platform tennis court providers. R. J. Reilly Jr., Inc. was started over 40 years ago by Dick Reilly. His daughter Kathy and son Jim joined him full-time in 1985. R.J. Reilly invented the aluminum platform tennis court, which has become the standard court of the industry. They have built over 3,000 courts throughout the U.S. and the world and have long been devoted to contributing to the growth and development of the sport through innovations, educational materials and resources, as well as financial and material contributions.

Chris Casiraghi, owner of Green Mountain Platform Tennis and now the president of Reilly Green Mountain Platform Tennis, has been building and maintaining courts for over 30 years, He has had his own platform tennis business for over 20 years. Besides his experience with manufacturing, installing and maintaining courts, he is proud of his ability to meet the needs of “each and every serious court buyer” thanks to his large inventory of pre-owned courts. “Our combined customers will now have increased resources for all of their platform tennis court needs,’ says Casiraghi of the combined companies.

Jim Reilly adds: “We want to assure the community that with this new endeavor, our commitment to providing unequaled products and service, and to meeting our customers paddle court needs, are our top priorities.” While Jim and Chris will both continue to work directly with the customers and crews, they plan to combine their respective strengths to maximize the benefits for the paddle community. For example, Jim will focus on customer satisfaction in his role as Sales Manager and monitoring the quality of the crews and installations while Chris will utilize his business skills to manage the business overall.

Dick Reilly plans to continue to be closely involved with the business and also intends to focus on running and enlarging his paddle camp in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The camp will still be solely a Reilly venture, but provides a valuable service to the paddle community by helping individuals and teams improve their game, while also allowing Dick to stay in close touch with the players and their needs. Kathy Reilly Gross, who has been splitting her time between family and business from her home in New Hampshire for the past five years, will also continue to provide her expertise.

The company will operate out of the R.J. Reilly headquarters in Brewster, NY and will maintain that address and phone numbers. The company encourages court owners and customers to contact Chris Casiraghi or Jim Reilly with any questions about the new organization and how it will benefit them. Reilly Green Mountain Platform Tennis indicates that their new structure will allow them to fully commit themselves to providing the best quality, lowest cost, and most responsive service possible. They further emphasize that, with their new structure, their hope is to help support the growth of the game and the work of the APTA in ways that they were not previously able to do in the past.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol 4, Issue 1, September, 2002

A “hut” makes all the difference

What’s the difference between a good platform tennis facility and a truly wonderful one? More often than not, it’s a warming house. While a facility can boast the best courts with the newest lighting and heating systems, history has shown that its success will be limited if there is not a central place where players and spectators can congregate and keep warm when not on the court. On the other hand, even a modest two-court facility can become a buzzing beehive of paddle activity when it is supported by a well-designed paddle house.

Paddle is by nature a social sport. A paddle house, therefore, serves a variety of purposes. It is not just a place to keep warm while you wait your turn for a court. It is perfect for carrying out those all-important side aspects of the sport like joining together for drinks and discussion and being with fellow players. Watching others play is a significant way to improve your own game, or at least provide topics for conversation!

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine Vol.2 Issue 2, November, 2000

Mark Fischl opines on what to do with backdraw defaults

Mark Fischl had some thoughts…..

“One of the many topics of conversation at the 2000 Nationals was on what to do about those all too familiar backdraw defaults. The question arose after the teams of Conklin/Kinney and Cosimano/Haller each had to pull out due to injuries following their round of 32 losses. While these injuries were legitimate and ail four players have a proven track record for attending backdraw events (i.e. Chicago and Short Hills), many other players choose not to bother once they are out of the main draw. Backdraw defaults have long been a concern of the APTA. After the 1994-1995 season players were penalized by having to forfeit any points won in the event if they chose not to play the backdraw matches. This was deemed to be an insufficient deterrent due to the fact that the points revoked were generally insignificant if the loss was in an early round. As a result, the following year a rule was passed that, in national ranking tournaments, players who default for reasons other than injury or emergencies would be prevented from playing in that tournament the following year. This sanction was in addition to the loss of any points earned in the event. Considering the fact that post-match injury is subjective (from an officiating standpoint), the APTA is reluctant to enforce this rule.

One possibility that might eliminate the issue of questionable injuries would be a rule mandating playing in the backdraws unless a retirement had occurred in the main draw loss prior to the conclusion of the match. In other words, if you can finish one match, you can play the next match. A similar rule is in effect in United States Tennis Association tournaments. Being that the majority of backdraw matches are from early round losses, this problem is one that faces all tournament players. The next APTA meeting is in May and this issue is on the agenda.

A particularly noteworthy item occurred at the Nationals, when two seeded teams lost in the round of 64 and played the reprieve to its conclusion. Another notable performance this season was that of the number three team in the country, Scott Bondurant and Bill Fiedler, at the Short Hills Invitational. After losing in the first round, Bondurant and Fiedler played four matches in the round of 32 reprieve and won the backdraw tournament. Thanks guys for providing extra integrity to our sport.”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Issue 5, May, 2000

Wilson sells platform tennis ball business to Viking; ball market too small

April 1, 2000 – Wilson Racquet Sports announced the sale of its platform tennis ball business to Viking Athletics (Lindenhurst, NY), the market leader in platform tennis balls, effective immediately. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Viking owner David Kjeldsen came to us with an offer we felt was fair and reasonable for us to exit this aspect of the business,” said John Embree, Vice President/General Manager, Wilson Racquet Sports. “Because the market is so small, it probably makes sense to only have one supplier of balls. Therefore, we came to a mutually beneficial understanding.”

While Wilson Racquet Sports was no longer in the platform tennis ball business, it continued to market its platform tennis paddles and accessories.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Issue 5, May, 2000

Note: Wilson had decided to exit the ball business in 1999. The purchase and sale agreement included a 5-year noncompete clause and Wilson subsequently re-entered the market in 2007 when they believed the market had gown to a point where additional competition could be accommodated.

Anatomy of a Platform Tennis Court

Have you ever seen a platform tennis court installed? Have you ever even thought about it? The design of the aluminum court calls for all the actual manufacturing to take place in the factory. In theory, the subsequent on-site installation is a simple process of putting the parts together like a giant erector set. In reality, working with augers (the drill to help dig footings) concrete piers, manually carrying and precisely placing 500 pound deck panels, tightly lacing steel screen sections by hand with square comers and a perfectly flat plane, working with steep changes in grade, snow storms, torrential downpours, and sweltering heat, R. J. Reilly’s installation crews might take issue with the idea that platform tennis court installations are, in fact, simple. They will, however, categorically convey that when they are through, the court will be picture-perfect and ready for the best platform tennis action you can give it! These pictures will give you a little window into their job.

1) Before the court arrives, the necessary site work is done. Sometimes, even getting to the site can be a challenge. In Jackson Hole last summer, the crew had their starting schedule slightly delayed waiting for elk to cross the road. They only had two weeks to install four courts–half the required time– but they did their best to enjoy the moment. A crew in Maine had to dodge bears each morning on their way to work. Other times, getting the materials to the site presents the problem. No one was quite sure why a family in Northern Minnesota insisted on waiting till winter to have their court delivered…until it was discovered that the only way to transport
a truckload of materials to their island was over the ice.

2) The crew digs and pours 21 concrete piers to accept the court. Even with a clean bill for the site from the owner and electric company and some advance exploratory digging, there are still many unknown encounters: Ledge, underground wires, gas lines, old or existing septic systems, or underground streams have all provided their share of unwelcome surprises.

3) After the I-beams are laid across the leveled piers, the deck sections are put in place. Each of the ten 6′ x 30′ aluminum section weighs over 500 pounds. As if the cumbersome weight isn’t a challenge enough, think of carrying these sections up a steep hill, inaccessible to a truck; or sludging through three feet of freshly fallen snow. Or for something truly exceptional, how about a helicopter delivery of the materials onto a St. Louis skyscraper! Sometimes a crew gets practice at a given site; Like the wooded hill in West Virginia they had to carry the court down–each of three times the court had to be rebuilt after suffering storm damage from fallen trees.

4) Once the deck is bolted in place, the walls are constructed. The walls or superstructure of the court include aluminum uprights, horizontal tension members, gates, light poles, in-riggers and corner posts. The light fixtures are installed on top of the twenty-foot high light poles. After the six-foot wide screen sections are hung, they are laced together to form four continuous walls with perfectly square corners. Cold weather makes this step very tough on even the most callused hands, so the Drummond Island installation on Michigan’s northern peninsula when the temperature never rose above 5 degrees was not the favorite
lacing job of one Reilly crew.

5) Once the hinged mahogany snowboards are installed, the court looks almost done. Sometimes the players can only restrain themselves up to this point before jumping on the court for a few rallies.

Now for the heating system: The heat gasketing is pulled through the spaces of each seam between deck extrusions. The skirting is custom cut to fit the court site and then nailed in place. The stairs and electrical hook-ups are the last steps and then, Voila! Crew and players agree that another masterpiece has been created.

The entire installation process typically takes an experienced crew 7 to 10 days to complete. There are exceptions. When the anticipated crate of materials got held up in customs and took longer than expected to arrive at one overseas installation, and the crew had non-refundable tickets to return home, an entire court was erected in three days flat, with the help of some local, non-English speaking laborers. On the other end of the spectrum, when a confident court buyer felt he had his own perfectly qualified builders to install the court, it took over two months. And the owner still had to swallow his pride and call R.J. Reilly to send someone to finish the job when they couldn’t get it right.

Although all of Reilly’s All-Aluminum Courts are manufactured the same way, each installation proves to be a new adventure.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Issue 4, March, 2000 , and R.J. Reilly

Viking Introduces The ‘Wired’ Paddle – aerospace technology comes to the game

The Wired 12/4 paddle is an exceptionally lightweight paddle with an average weight of 12.4 ounces. Its components consist of an aerospace-derived biaxially-woven, graphite-reinforced foam core; a highly textured two-ply cross-matched fiberglass skin; and a high-tempered aluminum full metal jacket. While designed for the two-handed backhand player, it remains a central-weighted, center-balanced paddle.

The Wired 13/6 has an average weight of 13.6 ounces and is slightly head weighted. Two years in the making, the Wired paddles have been tournament tested by some of the game’s premier players. “Get Wired…Play Platform!”

Source: From the APTA, Platform Tennis Magazine Vol.2 Issue 1, September, 2000

Paddles old and new

Viking and Wilson provided some insights into how paddles have evolved over the years:

“Paddle technology has come a long way. When platform tennis was first played in 1928 the paddles had square, wooden faces, had no holes and were lightweight (about eight ounces). As the sport grew in popularity, the paddles changed. Stronger woods were tried, but the extra strength resulted in added weight. Holes were then added to reduce weight and created the added benefit of allowing ‘spin’ to enter the game.

Metal edges were added in the 1960s to reduce wear. But, with the introduction of the metal edge came the “paddle rattle”. In the 1970s, manufacturers experimented with Lexan and aluminum paddles. The first open throat paddle appeared and was made with an aluminum yoke. Fiberglass and acrylic skins were added to reduce warping, increase power, and reduce weight. The new surface materials allowed the paddle face to become slightly textured and the holes sharper, giving more bite on the ball.

During the 1980s, the face of the paddle grew. Oversized and multicore paddles were developed. Paddles were made with plywood-like structures featuring layers of exotic woods plastics that created variations in hitting response. The early 1990’saw the introduction of a ‘foam core’ paddle, the Rich Maier ‘Force’ signature model. The design of the Force combined three core materials: a wood frame, a foam core center, and a fiberglass skin. The paddle was an instant success and the forerunner of today’s paddles. The new core allowed for real shock absorption and more power.

Today, wood has all but disappeared as a main ingredient for a paddle. Paddles are made of state-of-the-art, high-tech, space-age materials. Titanium, Kevlar, graphite, bi-axial cross-linked polymers, and EVA (a co polymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate) foam are standard components.

EVA is a soft cushioning material that reduces shock and vibration and provides optimal comfort. This type of foam can be produced at different densities depending on the desired level of control. Additionally, EVA will create a larger sweetspot for enhanced comfort over a bigger portion of the hitting surface. Prior to 1999, paddles were constructed primarily with molded graphite, which is ideal for players who want maximum power with a firm feel. EVA now has the best of everything, with a larger, softer sweetspot.

One of the advantages of working with EVA foam, from a manufacturing standpoint, is that sharp edges can be produced around the holes. How? A fiberglass sheet is put over the EVA foam, which can be cut cleanly during production. The end result is more “bite” on the ball for greater control and increased spin, even in snowy/rainy conditions.

Paddles are still getting lighter. Six years ago, the average paddles were 15 to 18 ounces. Today, most paddles are less than 14 ounces. There is even an 11-ounce prototype being tested that has air as its core!”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Issue #2, November, 1999

The APTA looks at foot-faults yet again

APTA President, John Horine, made the point in the From the APTA section of PTM

“At our teleconference in September, the APTA Board decided to put our foot down on foot faults. This season there will be roaming foot fault judges at each APTA sanctioned tournament. PLEASE read and abide by the rule book. Do not foot fault. You have been duly warned.”

R. J. Reilly, Inc. pioneers metal halide court lighting systems

PTM carried the following story on the new development:

How strong are your powers of observation? Have you noticed a different look on some platform tennis courts recently? If you attended the 1999 Nationals at the New York Athletic Club, you saw it on the showpiece courts, which R.J. Reilly provided for the event. The traditional quartz iodine lights, which have sat perched atop the twenty foot light poles for as long as most players can remember, are slowly being replaced by slightly larger metal halide fixtures.

Why the change? Energy efficiency and advanced optics are the main reasons. The 400 watt metal halide fixtures only use about one third of the energy that the traditional 1500 watt quartz iodine fixtures use. This provides a cost savings to the owner and is easier on our environmental resources (paddle players are conservation minded too). Furthermore, only a 110 amp power service is required as opposed to the 220 required for the quartz iodine system. The bulbs used in these fixtures last up to ten times longer than their quartz iodine counterparts.

Because of improved optics and reflectors, the new metal halide fixtures can better direct the light where you want it. To you, this means more consistent light on the court and less spillover outside the court.

How does this type of lighting stack up in actual use? There are many different types of metal halide fixtures available, and the lighting varies for each one. However Jim Reilly, Vice President of R.J. Reilly, says that the fixtures they have installed, at a variety of courts in different regions of the country, seem to be universally preferred over the traditional quartz iodine. “We took several years to research and test a variety of metal halide fixtures,” says Jim. “We finally found a top quality shoebox style fixture which, with some customization, provides the best platform tennis lighting system we have seen. It provides minimal spillover, virtually no shadows on the court, and a shade of light that players indicate they prefer to the quartz iodine. It sometimes takes an adjustment period to get used to the new lights, but we have not yet encountered anyone who prefers the old style after playing several times with our new metal halide system.”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Issue #2, November, 1999

Twelfth edition of Official Rules published

Though most modifications were grammatical or technical in nature, the new booklet added the revised ball bounce specification and a definition and procedure for no-ad scoring, and a description of scoring in singles.

The no-let on serve procedure had already been included during the two-year trial period.