You two recently paired up as a team. How did you find each other and was it an instant gelling?

Warner: “Mark was my junior tennis coach during my high school years. A few years after attending SIUE, Mark and I began corresponding again and soon began to practice on the paddle court. It wasn’t until this year that we seriously discussed pairing up. We are good friends off the court, and we were curious to see how our strengths would complement each other on the court.”

What about each of your styles of play do you think make your team strong?

Warner: “Through the use of spin on both serves and overheads, we try to keep our opponents neutralized from attacking from the backcourt; as a righty/lefty combo, we find sometimes we can create more pressure on the net team with our forehand drives and blitzes from the middle of the court.”

Where do you see yourselves having to work out weaknesses?

Warner: “At times, we have to remind ourselves that you can’t always bring the ‘full court press.’ This game was built on patience, good shot selection, and minimal errors.”

What is your practice routine/frequency?

Warner: “We try to drill at least once or twice a week in a one-on-one or two-on-one setting to focus on specific situational patterns.”

If either of you has migrated to platform from tennis, are there any advantages/disadvantages that your style brings to the game?

Warner: “With a few minor adjustments, I feel my serve has made a good transition from tennis to platform tennis. I still feel I am able to consistently hit a spin serve that, for the most part, is able to neutralize most opponents from consistently driving on the return of serve.”

As partners, you obviously are unified on the court, but what do you think you do to challenge each other as well?

Warner: “The mental game – strategy, discipline and focus – is what differentiates the good from the great players. Each and every point is a battle. As the game grows, talent continues to migrate into this game so it’s imperative to play within ourselves and play disciplined in order to win matches against the top teams.”

What racquet are you playing with and do you feel it gives you any particular advantage as far as your play style?

Warner: “The Wilson Blitz Low. I have had elbow issues in the past and this paddle plays a bit softer on my arm.”

Johnson: “I play with the Viking O-Zone paddle. With my style of play, I feel it is a little more of a forgiving paddle. I like the feel of the ball staying longer on the paddle.”

What advice would you give to fledgling teams trying to find success on the court?

Warner: “To newer players, play as much as you can – tournaments, etc., seek insight from more experienced players, determine and discuss what your strengths are individually so that you can play as a team towards those strengths.”

Johnson: “My advice for players trying to make success on the court, is that the game of paddle takes time to get familiar with the smaller court screens, etc. Be patient with this game. Give yourself time to learn and don’t give up. Lastly, you always learn from the best. Watch the great players, take notes and ask questions about game.”

Have you identified any teams that you think will be your toughest challenges this season?

Warner: “There are many, many teams that offer different types of challenges. We don’t expect to have any easy matches in tournament play.”

Johnson: “The game of paddle has changed dramatically. There are so many great players and teams out in the paddle world now. In my opinion, every match is a tough challenge.”

Source:Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 13, Issue 2, December, 2011

The 7th Annual “Super Bowl of Platform Tennis” was held October 14-16 in Columbus, Ohio, at the Scioto Country Club. Columbus hosted some of very best men’s teams in the country, who showcased their incredible talents for all to enjoy. Teams from cities and states such as Chicago, New Jersey, Cincinnati, and Richmond, competed for the only paddle purse as well as bragging rights. Columbus’ own Denny English’s and Brian Heil’s fans helped fill the home team’s warming hut.

At the same club where Jack Nicklaus learned how to play golf, beginners were encouraged to pick up the game of platform tennis. Kicking off the weekend’s festivities was a free clinic conducted by the APTA. All ages and levels were invited to learn the game and its intricacies and were taught by an enthusiastic group of pros. This is a relatively new feature of tournaments nationwide and is one way that the APTA is helping increase participation in the game.

Once the courts were warmed up by the clinic action, the tournament kicked into a higher gear and the competent game play of eight super-powered duos. Saturday was the round robin portion of the tournament in which each team played three matches. Winners took two out of three sets. While the players were dazzled by sunny skies, the glare and breezy conditions made conditions less than ideal.

In the end, the top two seeded teams of Drew Broderick/Chris Gambino and Peter Berka/Drew Eberly went undefeated and advanced to the semi-finals. Joining them were Steve DeRose/John Lubow and Mike Marino/Dane Schmidgall. Once play was completed for the day, all teams were organized for the “money” matches that took place Sunday morning.

The weather for Sunday was perfect for play and viewing, and, once again, the spectators witnessed incredible shot making and high-caliber play. The semi-finals featured the top four seeds, and in the end the top two seeds advanced with hard fought victories. In the first semi-final, a rematch of last year’s Premier Cup final pitted Berka/Eberly vs. Marino/Schmidgall with a different outcome this time.

Berka/Eberly avenged last year’s loss with a straight set victory and advanced to the finals. On the other side, Broderick/Gambino defeated DeRose/Lubow in straight sets setting up a final of the two top seeds as well as the only unbeaten teams.

The battle of the Drews was the highlight of the weekend. The top-seeded teams squared off in a match that was certainly closer than the score. New champions Broderick and Gambino were crowned after defeating the 2009 champions Berka and Eberly 6-2, 6-2.

Playing off for 3rd and 4th places, DeRose/ Lubow won in straight sets over Marino/Schmidgall. The battles offered long points and spectacular shots.

For the first time in the seven-year history of the Premier Cup, all teams received financial compensation for their athletic ability and effort. The tournament directors were proud to boast of a total purse of $10,000.

The deluxe warming hut was home to a cheering crowd and paddle enthusiasts new and old. The sport commonly known as “The Hidden Gem of Racquet Sports” received great support from the locals and showed Columbus what amateur and professional platform tennis looks like.

Huge thanks go out to the presenting sponsors, Total Platform Tennis and Wilson Racquet Sports, for their continued support for the event. A special thanks to the host Scioto Country Club for a warm and luxurious venue. And finally, thanks to Denny English and Brian Heil, who helped raise a record purse for this year’s event, making the 2011 Premier Cup the richest in many ways.

Source: Jason Gray, Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 13, Issue 2, December, 2011

Mike Stulac

Age: 40
Residence: Manhattan, New York
Family: Kerri Delmonico
Profession: Global Loans Product Controller at JP Morgan Chase
Achievements in tennis/platform tennis: Winner of the Canadian Nationals more than 10 times; Winner US Nationals twice; Winner of the 18-and-under Junior Nationals; Winner Mixed Nationals; Winner of Husband and Wife Nationals two times; Winner in Chicago, numerous regional tournaments
Hobbies off the courts: Golf

[enlarge image to read the full profile]

Platform 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 country clubs, most of which were golf clubs. Many individual tennis and athletic clubs, as well as parks districts studied the growth and success of platform tennis and made a commitment to the sport.” Graham said the ball was mainly carried forward by the private clubs because they could more quickly cater to member demands than the public parks districts.

“It was easier for the clubs to do it than for the parks districts because park districts spread themselves out to a great number of people in multidiscipline and diversified activities,” Graham said. “This is not the largest sport in the country, but on the East Coast and certainly in the Chicago area at this point, it’s quite a popular sport and growing larger each year.”

[enlarge image to read full article]

Matthew Porter

Age: 33
Residence: Boston, MA
Profession: Financial Advisor – Merrill Lynch
Achievements in tennis/platform tennis: Tennis – #700 world singles 1998. Division II National Champion 2001 Rollins College; Court Tennis – 2009 #1 US Amateur Court Tennis; Platform Tennis – 2011 National Finalist. Finalist in 2011 Boston Open.
Hobbies off the courts: Racquet sports, snowboarding, reading financial books, travelling Europe and eating (mozzarella in Italy the best)
Personal Platform Tennis: Play as a team and push the boundaries of the sport

The 2011 Chicago Nationals saw many surprising teams come to the forefront to compete against teams that we’re all used to seeing. One new face in the Men’s Finals was Australian tennis whiz, Matthew Porter, who played with partner, Johan du Randt.

PTM caught up with Porter to see how his new partnership evolved into becoming the 2011 Men’s National Finalists.

How long have you and Johan been partners? Johan and I became partners at the start of this year. We were unsure about our prospects but quietly optimistic. That optimism soon faded… just kidding!

Was there an immediate gelling between you two or did you have to overcome obstacles or make compromises in each other’s play to be successful partners? We had some tough losses to some of the best paddle players in the nation. We continued to practice and compromise our individual styles to blend more as a team. During nationals in Chicago it finally clicked. We look forward to taking it to the next level.

How did it feel to be in the finals at the nationals? A frequent comment is that by the time you get to the finals, you are beat up or well on your way to being beat up… How was your stamina?

Were there any curveballs thrown at you i.e. warmer than preferable/colder than preferable, bright lights, more fans than you’re used to? Nationals was the best time ever. There were so many great people playing a sport that is unique and fun. We played President’s Cup this year, which gave us many great warm-up matches. We felt fresh going into Nationals, and throughout the early round play on Saturday. Saturday night playing the quarterfinals against a home team was a great vibe and something I want to do again. Sunday morning I woke up pretty tired — the back-to-back-to-back nightly activities can take a hold. The legs took a little while to get going, but when you get in the heat of battle, you really have no time to think about it. Everyone has played the same amount of time, basically, and what I’ve learned is: those that can win while not at their best are at the top of the game/rankings. The fans created an exhilarating vibe and something I hope I can experience again next year. Thanks to Johan for playing with me.

What tennis experience is in your background? I grew up playing tennis at a young age, and was number one in Australia when I was 16. I am a member of the Australian Institute of Sport, and have had the opportunity to play and practice with some of the great Australian players

Growth is a good thing, but requires management. So, after careful consideration and planning, the Professional Platform Tennis Association President, Nate Parsons, has announced that effective August 1, the PPTA has hired Missy D’Alise as Member Services Administrator.

D’Alise, a PPTA pro from Hinsdale, Illinois, has been a long-time friend to the PPTA, helping out with the organization’s needs behind the scenes whenever possible, Parsons said.

“Some of the changes that we’ll be making next year, including [Missy’s] role, are all based on the fact that the PPTA has seen growth by a factor of 30 to 40 pros this year. Administration is a huge job,” Parsons said. “Missy is one who’s a PPTA pro, helped in the area, has a good background, so I approached her as becoming a director of everything as far as the PPTA home office is concerned.”

D’Alise will tend to member services, as well as rolling out a new website for the organization next year, that officials say will be much more member-friendly and set up better overall.

“With the growth of everything, her role becomes huge, and it’s still evolving,” Parsons said. “Basically, she turns into the Ann Sheedy of the PPTA.” [enlarge image to continue reading the story]

Whenever there’s a national tournament to be played, you can usually count on Bobo Delaney’s name somewhere in the winner’s circle. This year, she took National titles for the Women’s 40+, 50+ and Open Mixed.

Despite tying the record for five Mixed Nationals titles and a lifetime of winning that began with her first Junior Nationals in 1976, Delaney said she still gets nervous when she walks into the wires for tournament play.

“You definitely still get nervous. Some days are better than others. I’ve competed my whole life in other sports, and I used to get more nervous when I was younger. There’s the pressure to win, then the pressure of being a Mangan, with the family being good in the sport,” she said. “I’ve gotten better at controlling that. The nerves are still there, but by playing a lot and competing, you just get better at managing it -controlling it. There’s always pressure, and there’s always nerves!’

While she downplays the family pressure associated with playing platform tennis by talking about how supportive everyone is when it comes to her playing, especially her parents, who have been her mainstay over her career, competition among family is ever-present.

“We’ve always been a competitive family, and that’s been great,” she said. “Sometimes they like to tell you what to do, especially my Dad. Everybody’s got a better strategy than the next guy.”

Knowing whose strategies to follow in a family of champions can be daunting: Delaney’s mother, Nancy Mangan, is a member of the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame. Her uncle, John Mangan, shares the same distinction, and her brother, Tim Mangan, is a member of the APTA Board of Directors. Delaney’s daughter, Corey, has five Junior Nationals titles under her belt and was featured in Sports Illustrated as an up-and-comer in the sport.

Surrounded by all of that talent, Delaney said that as a child, while she hoped to be at her uncle’s level of play at some point, it was Hank Irvine who was her biggest influence in the game. “[Irvine] was my source for learning and enjoying the game,” she said. “He taught me my backhand volley, which is the best part of my game.”

Like anyone with a considerable talent, Delaney teaches her skills to others. She’s been a paddle pro for more than 20 years and loves teaching the game and spreading her enthusiasm, knowledge and experience. She is a PPTA Certified Pro and has taught all over New Jersey.

On the court, Delaney wants frigid temperatures and lots of wire-play. If she gets her annual wish for a cold March at Nationals, she’s in her element.

“I’m a cold weather player. I play my best in January and February. When it’s colder, the ball chills and stays lower; that’s better for my game. The winters don’t tend to be cold long enough these days, and the ball has a tendency to bounce out of the court when it’s warm,” she said. “The game is faster than it used to be. The ball is hit harder and it’s more bouncy than way back. So, bouncing out of the court is a problem when it’s warm. That, and trying to keep the volleys in.”

If the weather complies, then opponents of Delaney, and her regular partner, sister-in-law Tonia Mangan, face one of the best female teams out there. The duo have been steady partners for more than 18 years, and, Delaney said, has been “unbelievably rewarding.” “I’m more of a purebred paddle player, opposed to a tennis player learning paddle. Between Tonia and myself, you’re looking at two of the best wire players in the game. We can get 95 percent of the wires. They just aren’t a factor for us.” Delaney said. “I feel like I’m a great partner. I’ve played for so long, and I’m a team player. I know my role on the court, am a good strategist and good competitor. I’ve played a lot, and I have good partners. A great part of playing doubles and being successful is to find a way to get the best out of your partner. Most people only think about themselves and what they need to do individually, but connecting with your partner and focusing on how to bring out their strengths and confidence is a major factor in winning and what makes paddle a team sport and so much fun to play. I feel I am good at that, and that has been shown by winning with many different partners over the years:’

As far as her own game, Delaney said she’s always changing her style of play. “My game has changed over the years. I’ve gotten a lot smarter and, I’d say, physically, I’ve gotten better too and am much more consistent. Certainly, something that I could be better at is being more offensive. I tend to pick excellent partners. I compete much better than when I was younger,” she said. “I’m very good at concentrating on my strengths and trying to exploit others’ weaknesses. If you’re a really, really talented player, it can almost be harder because you’re always seeing different angles to the game. I’m athletic and scrappy, but in paddle, I can be consistent and smart. I’m not so much the point-ender as the strategist.”

While she learns more about her game every day from her own trial and error, from her family critique, from her platform tennis students, one thing she’s proud of is that she’s not leaving behind a vacuum – younger players are joining the sport at a faster and faster pace.

“Watching the kids, it’s great to see the next generation coming through. It’s a small sport and it’s growing and you want to make sure the younger generation is stepping up. Having the magazine and the website, spreading the game is what you want to have happen, also the teaching organization PPTA has helped immensely in spreading the sport with more and more people learning to teach the game throughout the country,” she said. “Nowadays with so many sports that these kids are doing, my daughter’s a good example, she’s an awesome soccer player. It’s hard for paddle to compete with that. It’s hard to find time to play paddle, so you want to see the juniors playing.”

And now that she’s at a point where she can look back over her platform tennis career, Delaney said she is happy with the way things have turned out. She’s still as strong, spunky and tenacious as she’s always been, but she’s sharper, and brings a Zen-like mentality to her game.

Far from retiring from the sport, but wizened enough to know that, like it or not, she’s now an established veteran of the game, Delaney has titles yet to conquer and competitors yet to defeat.

“At 52, I am getting up there. I’ve been playing since I was 12. It’s still good to win and compete, and I’ve been fortunate that my body’s held out pretty well considering how long I’ve played,” she said. “I can hang in there. If you play enough you’re bound to win some. Longevity has been one of my lucky suits.”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 12, Issue 5, April, 2011

“The 2010-11 season has quickly come upon us. This year the PPTA will continue to offer top level instruction videos, clinics and platform tips. The organization this past year added many new PPTA instructors. If you are looking to improve your game there are local PPTA pros in your area. To find your local Professional go to PPTAUSA.com.”

[enlarge image to see list of certified PPTA professionals]

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 Bryans had been closing in on the all-time record for the most doubles titles as a team (62). Therefore, the event was organized around them breaking the record and turning the charitable event into a celebration of their on-court accomplishments. [enlarge image to read more]

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 effort and because they love and want to celebrate the sport.”

While Kelly has a magazine publishing background, has worked as an associate producer and writer for documentary films, holds a master’s degree in English from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and is a freelance crossword puzzle constructor (she’s had nine puzzles published in “The-New York Times”), Passing Shots is her first foray into book publishing.

“Although I coordinated, designed and wrote quite a bit of the book, it was definitely a collaborative effort. Many players and longtime supporters of the sport contributed. In fact, the book evolved into being a lot more text than we had planned originally, because there were so many wonderful stories that had to be told.”

When asked about her favorite part of the book, she found it difficult to pinpoint. “There were just so many fascinating mementos that we came across. From photos of rooftop courts in Tokyo and an Austrian exhibition of wheelchair paddle, to Radio City chorus girls being introduced to `paddle’, tennis in Atlantic City in 1937.”

Kelly said that while there were, literally, thousands of photos to sift through, each new cache presented its own unique challenges. “Frankly, a lot of the older photographs had water damage or were cracked or stained. And even if we did find an image we could use, it was quite a process to identify people, places and dates.

In many cases, the captions had completely faded. Thanks to hard detective work and the unflagging help of people like Jim McCready, curator of the Platform Tennis Museum and a platform tennis historian, we feel hopeful that we were successful in identifying and honoring so many of the pioneers of the sport.”

Out of about 180 photos in the book, more than 45 are from before 1960. And Kelly notes that some of the best old photos they found came from the personal files of Molly Ware and Do Deland, daughters of the inventors of the sport, Fessenden Blanchard and James Cogswell. “Of course Bob Considine generously contributed many terrific modern action photographs as well, which gives readers a sense of today’s fast-paced game.”

Other unique memorabilia in the book include old draw sheets, ticket stubs, and tournament brochures, as well as some vintage advertisements from the 1930s and a tournament invitation from December of 1938.

“I was astounded when sorting through the old material. In one box I came across the original 1936 Men’s Nationals draw and in another a shadowy photo of the Old Army Athletes, the original group of players who lived on or near Old Army Road in Scarsdale, New York. Overall, I’ve been impressed by how relatively little the sport has changed in 80 years, a remarkable testament to the foresight of the founding fathers.”

Kelly says the book will appeal to many types of people and would make a great gift. “I think it’d be ideal for anybody who is interested in sports history, but more importantly, people who play the game and don’t know about its vibrant background,” Kelly said. “So many people can’t believe it was created in 1928. They don’t know the exciting history behind the game they love. I also see it as a way to grow the game. Hopefully, someone unfamiliar with the sport will come across the book and say, `Oh, that looks like fun. I’d like to try it.'”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 12, Issue 3, January, 2011