Don 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 said. Brae Burn runs a men’s round robin on the weekends that factors into why Helm loves the game so much. “We play for hours. It’s a popular activity It doesn’t matter your level; it is an all-inclusive event. You get to play with everybody for a set or two:’ He and his wife also enjoy the Friday night mixed socials. When they speak of the game, they have a sparkle in their eyes, that paddle “light.” And for 20 years, he has played in the Boston Men’s League and continues to relish that. [enlarge image to read more]

The Cleveland Masters tournament is a long running classic in platform tennis. Hall-of-Famer Walt Peckinpaugh and his wife, Marilyn, were the long-time chiefs.

Along came a group of players to help take over the job when the Peckinpaughs were ready to step down, and running a tournament by committee seemed like a good idea.

Andy Sikorovsky and Lissy Hill and Brian McCreary each bring their own area of expertise to the events—they also run the Cleveland Cup and the Sadie Hawkins tournaments—and a collective energy.

Hill commented, “Andy keeps us rooted and fiscally responsible and is the glue to the GCPTA (Greater Cleveland Platform Tennis Association). Brian and I get the troops fired up! It’s a good marriage.”

“There has been paddle in Cleveland beginning shortly after WWII,” Sikorovsky said. ‘And I’ve been playing it since I got out of college in the late 80s. And it seems like I’ve been doing this [running tournaments] for so long.”

Sikorovsky is a strong proponent of encouraging others to get involved. “As a volunteer, I find that those who participate in the sport benefit most from giving back to the sport.” [enlarge image to read more]

Family and Sports Go Hand in HandFor a man with many accomplishments, Scott Estes, Sr., is remarkably humble about his feats. He hopes to defend his Men’s 65+ Nationals title this year, with partner Doug Barrow, and his Men’s 60+ Nationals title with Lloyd Ucko. “First of all, to win a title is great, but defending a title is even more rewarding. Secondly, you know what made last year’s 60+ Nationals special? It was Lloyd’s first national title” From a man with 15 Senior National titles out of 29 finals, remembering what it was like to be a first-time winner must be a distant memory.

For the past four years, the APTA Men’s 45+155+165+ Nationals were played in Estes’ hometown of Chatham, New Jersey. And for those years, Estes has been the tournament director as well as a competitor. This year, the tournament will be held in Cincinnati. “A year off from running the tournament? I’m looking forward to it.” Plus, as luck would have it, family relatives live there. It is where his son met his wife, while Estes Senior and Junior were playing in the USTA National Father & Son Clay Court Tennis Tournament. This is where you would have found
them every year for the last 21 years. They have vied for championships but now they are better known as fixtures among a younger crowd. Estes laughed, “Now the fathers are about my son’s age, and the sons were not even born when we started playing. [enlarge image to read more of the profile]

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

PTM: Dave, you’ve been with Viking for two years now and know the operations well. Can you tell me how long a paddle should last?

DO: That question comes up all the time. The rule of thumb is a new paddle every year if you’re playing two or more times a week, and a paddle every other year if you’re playing competitive paddle once a week.

PTM: No offense, but are you saying that to encourage players to purchase more paddles?

DO: The fact is the high-tech cores that are in paddles today breakdown over time and with extended play. It doesn’t matter whose paddle you are talking about. Don’t forget today’s paddles offer greater control, more power, and far, far more shock absorption than the wooden paddles of the past. Unfortunately, in platform the luxury of restringing doesn’t exist. And, in paddle the average points last far longer than those in tennis. That translates to many, many more hits a paddle must survive. The beauty of today’s technologies is that tennis elbow has been virtually eliminated from the game.

PTM: Okay, let’s move to balls. Why do balls change color when we play?

DO: The best explanation to date is that the flock on the balls picks up the chlorophyll deposited on the courts when the leaves on the trees change color. Have you noticed that the balls rarely turn darker in December, January and through the end of the season? It’s only in September and October when the leaves are falling that the balls really discolor. Some clubs even power-wash their courts to reduce the discoloration.

PTM: How long should a ball last?

DO: Optimally, the average player should get two sets from a ball. In tournament play and league play balls will typically be changed after every set.

PTM: What do you say to those who complain that balls should last longer?

DO: Over the years everyone who has entered the ball business, and there have been many, has tried to make a longer lasting ball. But think about what the ball must withstand. You have very gritty aluminum court surfaces, gritty paddle surfaces, and super-tight screens that act like knife-edges. Add weather conditions that go from zero degrees to seventy degrees, with rain and snow thrown in for good measure. Furthermore, the points today are lasting far longer than in the past. In tournament play, it is common to have points that last 30, 40, even 50 hits. Some might think that it is a miracle the ball lasts as long as they do.

PTM: And what do you say to those people who think that you just want to sell more balls?

DO: Of course I do, but selling a lousy ball does nobody any good. Regrettably, Viking produced a horrible batch of balls three seasons ago, just when I started with the company. Trust me, the few extra cases sold weren’t worth the tarnished reputation. The fact is that 10 years ago an average of 250,000 platform balls were sold a year. Today, the number is closer to 175,000 and the level of play hasn’t diminished. As a matter of fact, statistics show play has increased. That means the average ball is lasting longer.

PTM: That brings me to my next question. Do you know how ball sales in platform compare to tennis?

DO: In tennis, over one million balls are sold every single day of the year! Every four hours, more tennis balls are purchased than platform uses a year. Pretty remarkable.

PTM: One of the big questions about ball play is the high bounce in warm weather. Can anything be done to make the balls bounce lower?

DO: From a personal point of view, I would love to see a lower bouncing ball for tournament play. I think it would shorten the points and thus speed up play. But the fact is, for 90% of the players, the current ball is much better for them. Remember the V30 of old? You’d go out to play on a cold winter day and you would have better luck getting a rock to bounce than that ball. The ball shouldn’t be a hindrance to learning the game or playing it. Teaching others to play the screens is much more difficult with a lower bouncing ball The average player wants to hit the ball more than a couple of times in a point. They aren’t afforded that opportunity with rocklike balls.

PTM: Why not make two balls: a regular ball and a lower bouncing tournament ball? You’re making two different colored balls already.

DO: To be honest, the sales volume doesn’t support that many choices of balls. In addition, let’s face it, it’s the top player or tournament players at most clubs who decide what ball gets purchased for the club and used at club functions. If a lower bouncing ball is available, that’s what is going to be chosen by the top guys. The needs of the average player are going to get neglected. The only way to grow the sport is to cater to the average players, not the tournament players.

PTM: Speaking of growing the game, what’s Viking doing to help?

DO: We’re heavily involved in junior programs across the country. We sponsor the Viking Cup Child Adult tournament, the Viking Junior Tour, and are major contributors to the APTA Junior Nationals. Supporting juniors is a long-term investment. As for efforts that will result in more immediate growth, Viking was a founding sponsor and currently the sole sponsor of the PPTA. The teaching professionals are the key to growing the sport. Without their support, commitment, and enthusiasm, the sport languishes.

PTM: Viking went to the US Open this past August. How was it?

DO: We set up a booth at the Tennis industry Association Tennis Show that was held in conjunction with the Open at Flushing Meadows. And while I can’t say we had any direct converts to the game, we certainly had hundreds of visitors view the video that we had playing. We had lots of sales reps from other racquet sports companies stop by just to learn about the game. They had all heard the name “platform tennis,” but most had no idea what it actually was. I am hoping they were stopping by to learn about the sport rather than just stopping by to ask David Kjeldsen (CEO of Viking Athletics) about his ever-present Viking horn hat.

PTM: On to personal stuff, rumor has it that you played number one singles at Loyola College for four years. Is it true?

DO: Yes.

PTM: While in college were you playing platform also?

DO: I played a few tournaments here and there, but never had great success. I had a lot of fun and was fortunate enough to play President’s Cup on several occasions.

PTM: Speaking of successes, how does it feel to be platform’s current Men’s
Open Champion as well as the Husband/Wife National Champion?

DO: The Men’s Open was great; however, winning the Husband/Wife was the toughest challenge of my life. But that is officially off the record, right?
The 34-year-old Sales Manager for Viking Athletic and the 2003 APTA Men’s Open and Husband/Wife Champion discusses new paddles, the ball market, and recent media exposure for platform tennis.

David Ohlmuller was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.

His playing career was impacted by a serious “hit and run” injury in 1996 while he was walking in Manhattan. His mother Ginna, who was the Executive Secretary of the APTA at the time, had to resign her position to help David with the extensive recovery process.

Mats Wilander is a tennis legend—and for nearly 20 years he has enjoyed playing platform tennis in his spare time. Mats won 33 career singles titles including 7 Grand Slams (Australian Open in ’83, ’84 and ’88, French Open in ’82, ’85 and ’88, and US Open in ’88). He was also a member of three champion Swedish Davis Cup teams.

Occupation? I’m still involved in tennis. I travel about 51h months a year playing the senior tour and exhibitions. I’m also the Captain of the Swedish Davis Cup Team.

When and where did you first start playing platform tennis? I started playing around 1986 in New York City. My wife lived in the city, and I played on a court in her neighborhood around 3rd Avenue and 23rd Street.

How often do you play? About 10 times a year.

Why do you enjoy platform tennis? I like any sport where you have a ball or a puck and something in your hand to hit it with. Hockey, ping-pong, paddle, golf, badminton, whatever. Paddle is also great because you have four guys out there. You can talk. It’s very social, and you can work as hard as you want.

What’s the best part of your game? I have a good return of serve. And my shots are flicky. It keeps my opponents wondering where I’m going to hit the ball.

Worst part of your game? My forehand.

Favorite shot? Backhand. One-handed, by the way. Not sure why people hit a two-handed backhand in paddle.

Patience or power? It depends. I don’t play paddle to hit winners. I was very patient in tennis, and I use that experience in paddle. But I don’t like just lobbing, especially on the return of serve. I like to mix it up.

Yellow or orange ball? We usually play with yellow up here. How old is your paddle? I finally stopped borrowing my friends’ paddles and bought my own about 3 years ago!

Do you think platform tennis helps your tennis? It definitely helps your volleys. And paddle trains your eyes. That’s very important for me.

Describe a perfect day. I would ride my snowmobile back into the hills behind my house and strap on my skis for a little downhill. Also, there are a couple of weeks in November and April here when I can ski and play golf in the same day. Toss in a little tennis or platform tennis and a round at the pub and you’d have a perfect day.

What’s always in your refrigerator? Swedish shrimp spread and fish eggs that my mother sends me.

What’s in your car CD player right now? I don’t actually have a CD player in my car. My friends made me a CD of my favorite songs for my 40th birthday, though, that I play all the time at home. Stones, Dylan, Clapton, Dire Straits, U2.

What do your friends find annoying about you? That I’m good at every sport they can find. Of course I only play sports that I’m good at!

What would people be surprised to know about you? I can’t swim. I mean if it was life or death I could swim, but basically I sink like a stone! While I was on the tennis courts as a kid, my friends were swimming in the lakes.

What accomplishment are you proudest of? I actually think my greatest accomplishment is in the future. I still like to put myself into situations where I’m challenged. But I do know when to stop. Really though, all of my accomplishments are not important compared to the fact that I have a wonderful wife and 4 great kids.

Cincinnati’s hut commander extraordinaire enjoys all the action

Cincinnati’s hut commander extraordinaire enjoys all the action Jerry Wahl of Cincinnati has found the recipe for a good life. She stays active, playing many sports, including 30 years of platform tennis. She loves the career she established as an event coordinator. She now meshes work and play by volunteering at sporting events, where she often is asked to take on a leadership position. As someone once said, “To work at the things you love, or for those you love, is to turn work into play, and duty into privilege:’ So, while Wahl works at a sports event, she really is also playing, and she feels privileged to be able to do so. “Because this is my profession, it is not a burden to do this stuff,” Wahl explains.

Wahl has been working at the Midwesterns, a three-day tournament with over 150 teams, for so many years, she can’t even count them. She manages the main hut and coordinates the hut commanders at ten other clubs during the tournament. [enlarge image to read full profile]

Jim Dey lets it fly

Jim Dey should be called Jim Diehard. The man has been playing paddle since he was 10 years old, for 60 years. He grew up in Short Hills, New Jersey, with platform tennis courts right around the corner. His only time away from the game was during a work stint in the state of Washington, where courts were non-existent. He moved back to the East Coast in his early 20s, and immediately got back into the game. In all those decades, he has basically had two steady partners: Bob Smith in the early years, and John Spears, who he has played with off and on for over 30 years.

“Paddle has gotten me through a lot of winters,” Dey laughed. “I don’t need to get away?’ If you have ever had the pleasure of staying at the Shelter Harbor Inn, you would understand that concept even more so. Dey bought the cozy retreat 36 years ago. Replete with outstanding food, a rooftop hot tub, and beautiful grounds, the Shelter Harbor Inn is a special getaway. Three years after he bought the inn, he had the good business sense to build two platform tennis courts and create a league that plays right under his apple tree. The courts are supported through the membership, 80 people strong.

Six years ago, the courts needed to be replaced and the group raised the money quickly and easily. With that level of support and dedication, Dey has been able to sustain his game and encourage those in his area to play. And the members are treated to a quaint club where the locker rooms are tucked under the eaves of the third floor.

Dey’s major accomplishment in platform tennis was winning the Men’s 65+ Nationals title with Spears. [enlarge image to read full profile]>