Sound Shore 2006 draws top teams

The 2006 Sound Shore Invitational had many subplots, but the main attraction was the exciting 7-6, 7-6 victory by Dan Rothschild and John Schmitt in the finals over Mike Stulac and John Milbank. People turned out in droves at the Fox Meadow Tennis Club to watch some incredible platform from four of the nations top players. The shot-making and incredible athleticism made for a very exciting match for almost 100 spectators.

In one semi-final, David Caldwell and Blake Cordish lost a tough three-setter while Rothschild and Schmitt were able to outlast a new and exciting team of Brad Easterbrook and Alex Bancila, 6-4 in the third. In the quarter-finals, the #3 seed of Anthony Cosimano and Steve Haller were bested by Bancila and Easterbrook while the #4 seed of Mike Cochrane and Chris Gambino had to retire due to injury…..(cont.)

[enlarge image to read full report]

LIPTA hosts Viking Junior Tour

On Saturday, December 16, 2006, the Long Island Platform Tennis Association (“LIPTA”) hosted its 4th Annual Viking Junior Tour tournament at the Garden City Country Club, the Cherry Valley Club and the Garden City Community Park. With Christmas only a week away, the children received a surprise early morning visit from that jolly old Nordic man with rosy cheeks and a little round belly – that’s right, David Kjeldsen, founder and chairman of Viking Athletics, was there to provide his support, wearing his trademark “horns.” LIPTA is grateful to Viking Athletics for its sponsorship of the Viking Junior Tour, and for providing the children with a memorable platform tennis experience (and great favors).

Among the four age divisions, we had thirty-nine teams participating (78 kids), and countless parents and grandparents cheering. The level of paddle was extraordinary, the good sportsmanship was commendable, and the smiles were constant! John Cerga, Alex Bancila and Steve Bromley, the Directors of Racquet Sports at the Garden City Country Club, Cherry Valley Club and Port Washington Yacht Club, respectively, volunteered their time and helped make it a memorable day for the players. Additional thanks to Mike Sparacino for his behind-the-scenes work with the program and draw sheets, and to Gerard Smith (who struggled managing the four teams in the 10 and Under draw!), Ed Blatz and Lou Croce for their help throughout the day. We expect to have even more teams next year, so sign up early!

The Champions and Finalists were as follows:

10 & Under Champions:
Bobby Clarke (Garden City, NY) and Gerard Smith (Garden City, NY); Finalists: Mark De Santis (Garden City, NY) and Timothy Feyrer (Garden City, NY)

12 & Under Champions:
Tyler Kratky (Greenwich, CT) and C.J. Purse (Greenwich, CT); Finalists: Willie Brosnan (Garden City, NY) and Danny Sparacino (Garden City, NY)

14 & Under Champions:
Christopher Brosnan (Garden City, NY) and Patrick Brosnan (Garden City, NY); Finalists: Jack Mara (Garden City, NY) and Alex Morris (Garden City, NY)

18 & Under Champions:
Cole Barris (Scarsdale, NY) and Jay Schwab (Scarsdale, NY); Finalists: Chris Kelley (Wilton, CT) and Hallet Nichol (Wilton, CT)

Chicago Charities coverage by Jean Kempner

Jean Kempner reported for PTM:

As the first “major” of the year, the Chicago Charities tournament picked up where last year’s Nationals left off. Story lines were continued, rivalries were resumed and new partnerships featured exciting and fresh dynamics.

The Women’s tournament showcased all of last season’s top teams and, though the pairings hadn’t changed, the results were clearly different. Mary Doten and Susie Keane came in as defending National Champions and made it to the final without dropping a set to stage a rematch of last season’s National final against Kerry Delmonico and Aila Main. Delmonico and Main had a tougher road and won a three-set semi against Cynthia Dardis and Amy Shea 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Doten and Keane had beaten Sally Cottingham and Chris Sheldon in their semi in a 6-3, 6-3 slugfest. Cottingham and Sheldon had broken through to their first Chicago semi by defeating Bobo Delaney and Tonia Mangan in a three-set quarter ending an “0 for 5” losing streak against the always-tough east coast team.

To say that the women’s final was a great match would be an understatement. The best two teams over the last three seasons squared off and, after some early jitters on both sides, the match settled into a rhythm of great shot-making and subtle momentum changes. Delmonico and Main took the first set 6-3 before Doten and Keane ratcheted up their offense to win the second set, 7-5. Responding to the aggressive attack, Delmonico and Main picked up their volleying and, as is the case in tight matches, they managed to win one or two more key points than their opponents and took the final set and the championship, 6-4.

Aila Main described the match as “the best match Kerry and I have ever played. Doten and Keane are great competitors and the match easily could have gone either way.”

Back-draw winners were: Cooper/Rohrbach (64’s), Blackwell/Yamada (32’s), Frei/Sierks (16’s), and Prop/Schneebeck (quarters).

The Men’s draw was made more interesting by the debuts of some new top teams and the resurgence of Chris Gambino and Dave Ohlmuller. Flashing back to their amazing run of three years ago, Gambino and Ohlmuller won the Championship without losing a set and defeated the winners of the last two Nationals Championships in the process.

The semis featured Gambino and Ohlmuller against the 2006 Nationals winners and top ranked team of Dave Keevins and Brian Uihlein. After being down 2-5 in the first set, the former number one team steamrolled the rest of the way for a 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory. Gambino-Ohlmuller had defeated 2005 Nationals champions Bill Anderson and Mike Stulac in the quarters in dominating fashion 6-1, 6-1.

The other semi was a great clash of a legendary team and a new team of two players who are knocking on the door. Mike Cochrane and Scott Estes, partnered just this season, took down Flip Goodspeed and Scott Mansager, 6-1, 7-5. Cochrane’s all-court play and Estes’ brick wall consistency proved too potent a combination for the veteran Goodspeed-Mansager team. Cochrane and Estes had beaten Bill Fiedler and Mike Marino in three sets in the quarters to avenge their finals loss at this year’s Premier Cup in what was the most entertaining match of the tournament.

With a “we’re back and we’re serious” confidence, Gambino and Ohlmuller showed what made them such a dominant team in the past. Ohlmuller’s unique and spectacular volleying style left the opponents and the crowd shaking their heads, and Gambino’s solid and intelligent all-around play was too much for Cochrane and Estes to overcome. The winners unforced error count was in single digits and they fashioned a methodical 6-3, 6-3 win to take the Charities title.

Back draw winners were: Kepner/Sturges (128’s), Baladad/Martin (64’s), Albrikes/Jonason (32’s), Broderick/Moore (16’s), and Anderson/Stulac (quarters).

The Men’s 95’s event was won for the second year in a row by the father/son team of Scott Estes Sr and Scott Jr. Their victory this year was over Mike Sullivan and Rick Johnston in a hard fought three setter.

All three events fielded a total of 130 teams and made for a great weekend of platform tennis.

The Glen View Club staff did it’s usual first-class job and helped to make the Chicago Charities one of the stellar tournaments of the season.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 8, Issue 3, January, 2007

Springfield bests Chicago in Platform Tennis innovation

Springfield, IL demonstrated yet again why it is the oasis of right-minded paddlers, opting to join its brethren from the east in embracing Premier Purple courts during resurfacing in September.

Prior to the resurfacing, Premier’s Dave Dodge, with assistance from friend and competitor Bullet Brown, re-welded two of Springfield’s courts. This eliminated dead spots that some locals referred to as a “Clark Spot,” or a “Bean There.”
“Premier and Bulletworks work together on a number of each other’s bigger projects,” said site impresario, Dan Kepner. “It’s nice to see that kind of cooperation amongst rivals in a sport so small that clashing personalities and interests could bring it down.”

The decision to go purple was difficult. Local players were evenly divided between “traditionalists” and “innovators.”………..(cont.)

[enlarge image to read full story]

Premier Cup held at Four Bridges CC in Cincinnati, OH

They came to the Four Bridges Country Club in Cincinnati from all over: Chicago, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Boston and Cincinnati. Sponsored by Premier Platform Tennis, Wilson Sporting Goods and Michelob Ultra, David Dodge (Premier) and promoter Jason Gray invited the top 16 men’s players to compete for a $5,500 purse at the 2006 Premier Cup.

“The best tournament of the year!”

“The highest level of play in the game today”

“I’m here to take home the cash.”

These were a few of the quotes offered by the players. An overwhelmed and enthusiastic Cincinnati audience had similar comments not suitable for printing.

After a Saturday round-robin featuring two four-team brackets, the top two teams in each paired off against the top two in the opposing bracket on Sunday morning semi-final play. Sunday saw David Keevins and Chris Gambino play against Mike Cochrane and Scott Estes in one semi and Mike Marino and Bill Fiedler play against Mike Stulac and Bill Anderson in the other.

With Estes/Cochrane and Marino/Fiedler prevailing in their semi match-ups, the finals demonstrated incredible talent from the game’s top players. In the end, Marino and Fiedler succeeded to take home the trophy, the cash and most importantly, the bragging rights into what is sure to be a very competitive 2006-07 platform tennis season.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol.

Hall of Fame Inductees: G. Estabrook Kindred, Sue Aery, Gerri Viant, and Howard Sipe

Brook Kindred was inducted posthumously at his home club, Fox Meadow Tennis Club, by Bob Brown in a heartwarming, well-attended ceremony on March 18,2006.

Sue Aery and Gerri Viant were inducted into the Hall of Fame ceremony in Summit, N.J., where Patty Hogan, a 2005 Hall of Fame recipient, stressed the significance of their talent and the disciplined approach to the game that they both possess.

Howard Sipe was inducted into the Hall of Fame at a ceremony at the National Championships on March 4, 2006 at the Glen View Club.

Prior to presenting the award, 2004 Hall of Fame recipient Walt Peckinpaugh expressed that “Chicago is the ‘hub’ of the sport right now, in part because of his pioneering efforts.”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 8 Issue 2, November, 2006

APTA Rule changes – Bob Callaway Rules Committee Chair reported

Bob Callaway, Chair, Rules Committee reported:

At the Annual Board of Directors meeting in May, a number of rule changes were approved and will be in effect for this 2006- 2007 season. Since a most recent edition of the Official Rules of Platform Tennis has not been printed and distributed, the APTA wanted to alert all players of the following changes:

Rule 1: Dimensions and Terminology
The Board approved as an option, a gap of up to six inches in the alley lines where the alley lines meet the service line and extending toward the baseline. It was felt that this optional alteration in the painting of the lines will make it easier to make calls on serves.

Rule 10: Fault or Out
In the third paragraph an additional sentence will be added: “In an officiated match, depending on the Chair Umpire’s responsibilities regarding line calls, agreed to ahead of time with the Tournament Director, the Chair Umpire may call for a let or loss of point if he overrules the player’s call. If the players make an incorrect “out” call on a ball that is returnable, the Chair Umpire will call for a let, and the point will be replayed. If the players make an incorrect “out” call on a ball that is unreturnable, the Chair Umpire will call for a loss of point to the team making the out call.”

Rule 13: A Let
The third sentence (a) will now read: “it hits an overhanging obstruction such as a corner cross piece on a court or a tree limb.” Also, an additional clause will be added: “(e) a player loses an item of clothing; i.e., hat, glasses, hair accessory, etc., the opposing team has the option to call a let. A let must be called immediately. If not, the point will stand as concluded. ”

Rule 18: Loss of Point
An additional clause will be added: “(j) A player strikes a ball in the court which then rebounds off a screen, comes back across the net and lands inside the lines without being touched by an opponent.”

This rule was added because there are players who are capable of hitting balls off the back screen which will rebound all the way back over the net. If an opposing player attempts to field such a ball by either running around the net or jumping over the net, the player will have lost the point as soon as his/her feet touch inside the court on the other side. However, this does not preclude a player running around the net and hitting a ball while staying outside the court lines. Also, please note this rule change only refers to balls hit off a screen. It does not affect, for instance, a ball struck with such severe underspin that it crosses the net and then comes back across the net.

These changes are intended to facilitate play and make the game more enjoyable and safe.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 8, Issue 2, November, 2006

The in’s and out’s of paddles – technical advances and innovation

Jerry Brown of The Paddle Company provided an update:

Since 1995, platform tennis has enjoyed an amazing technological transformation with graphite, carbon fiber and titanium making paddles lighter, stronger and easier to play with. This has helped to reduce the stress on players’ bodies and encouraged a broader participation in the sport. Developing new paddles for the sport has been an enlightening and rewarding experience. Within standards developed, by the American Platform Tennis Association, there are numerous ways which paddles can be adjusted and made to look and feel different from one another. And with the new materials accepting vibrant colors, the new graphics allow paddles that are distinctive and attractive.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 8, Issue 1, September, 2006