Sara Lanthier

Residence: Toronto, Ontario

Years Playing: I started when I was 10. So *cough, cough* 18? Okay, 34 years!

How did you get started playing platform tennis? Our family moved to London, Ontario, where they had one in-ground court. We started playing and taking train trips to Toronto to play the “big city” kids in tournaments. A few years later we moved to Toronto and chose to live where we did because of the ties we had already made with the platform tennis players there.

Contribution to the APTA Board/Contribution to the platform
tennis community. My unofficial goal with the APTA is to get the name changed to NAPTA (North American Platform Tennis Association). Canada needs some representing and it has a nice ring. But my official role is with the Communications Committee, specifically to connect players and enhance the sport’s recognition through social/new media.

Favorite playing or fan moments. My most infamous on-court moment was faulting one game away, four in a row, in the semis at Shadow Lake. We won the match and my sister/partner was still talking to me, so it all turned out okay in the end. My most memorable moment was in the consolation semis at the Chicago Nationals where my Achilles tendon decided to snap. I was casted, drugged, and back in the stands watching, beer in hand, within three hours. Reality set in the next morning but I enjoyed the afternoon, at least. My number one fan moment is easy. 2005 Pittsburgh Nationals. Watching Mike Stulac and Billy Anderson come back from a 6-0, 3-0, deficit to win the finals. Incredible! Sorry, Mike Cochrane and Mike Marino, but I will remember that match forever.

Past/future endeavors not platform tennis-related. My son has made a list of 20 spots (and growing) around the world that he wants to visit. I’m hoping to take a sabbatical when he’s ready to travel the world and show him all there is to see. This will, of course, be from April – October, unless we’ve grown the game globally by then.

Favorite quote. The last time I was asked for a favorite quote, I chose one from Axl Rose. I think I’ve grown up since then. Two years ago, the sitting leader of one of Canada’s political parties, Jack Layton, died of cancer and left a letter to Canadians saying goodbye. He ended with this quote which hangs on my desk: My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 15, Issue 1 Sept./Oct. 2013

Hellos and Goodbyes The board welcomed four new members and said farewell to three whose terms expired. The APTA membership elected in David Lee, Region II, Shannon Vinson, Region V, Nathan LeFevre, Region VI, and Freddy Goldenberg, Region VII. Juan Martinez-Arraya, Tina Kelly, and Peter Lauer will be missed. Arraya brought great energy and dedication to the Clinics and Exhibitions Committee. Kelly’s savvy marketing, writing and editing skills were invaluable for all APTA communications. And Lauer, head farmer for six years of the Grow the Game initiative, boosted a good program into a great program.

Financials Alia Main reported that the APTA is in excellent financial health at this time. Revenues continued to increase.[Note: The 2013 990 Form Filing shows that the net assets of the APTA were in excess of $500k, an all-time high]

Sponsorship/Branding Viking has deepened its commitment to the sport. They will now be the title sponsor for Clinics and Exhibitions, the Junior Tour, and the President’s Cup, and will continue to provide the balls for all APTA National Championships.

Grow the Game One of the largest financial commitments of the APTA is the ‘Grow the Game’ initiative. In its seventh season, this program offers grants and loans to new clubs for construction, as well as to established clubs for repairing facilities. Forty inquiries were received this year. (see Grow the Game .)

Gifting Under the leadership of David Lee, this group is searching for ways to create an endowment that would provide the APTA with a long-term source of capital to fund growth initiatives and other capital projects.

Hall of Fame Steve Baird has been elected the new chair of the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. Bob Brown is retiring from the post. On a side note, the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame website — run independently of the APTA — offers a wonderful pictorial and historical look at the game.

Exhibitions and Clinics Nathan LeFevre, the youngest board member and a nationally-ranked player, is heading up the Exhibition and Clinics Committee. Last year, the APTA sponsored seven clinics around the country. This year’s clinics and exhibitions will be held in Newark, Delaware; Glenview, Illinois; York, Maine; Chevy Chase and Baltimore, Maryland; South Orange, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; and Charleston, South Carolina. PPTA The professionals in the sport of platform tennis scheduled a conference for early September. The organization plans to organize a junior training camp in the future.

Juniors The Junior Tour/College Development Committee, chaired by Steve Caccam, has approved new age groups for the upcoming season. The new groups are: 10 & Under; 12 & Under; 15 & Under; and 18 & Under. (For more clarification, go to Junior News in in this issue.) Also, the APTA has created the post of Junior Tour Coordinator to assist the various tournament directors around the country to increase junior participation. And, starting this year, the board has approved a budget item that offers the Boys’ and Girls’ 18 & Under Junior Nationals Champions free entry into the Men’s and Women’s Nationals. (Last year, an anonymous donor paid for the teams.)

Membership APTA Membership numbers increased by over 1,000 in 2012-2013. Many leagues, including Chicago and Rochester, increased their memberships. A record number of clubs (230) joined this year. The database now lists 505 platform tennis facilities in North America. The member club gift—Passing Shots: A Pictorial History of Platform Tennis—was approved and will be sent out this fall.

Equipment and Rules Fritz Odenbach introduced two new ball manufacturers, Bounce and Rhino. Both balls have been approved by the APTA. Standards for low bounce balls will be established and posted on the APTA website. Let cord and foot fault rules are being reviewed. The committee approved trial Wheelchair Platform Tennis rules. (See Don Godshaw and wheelchair paddle.)

League Dashboard/Social Media The heavily anticipated My APTA page was demonstrated by John Noble and Isabel Cabanne at the meeting. The software is still under construction but is expected to be completed this fall. The APTA and the Chicago league have invested a great deal of time and money into this venture, which will provide additional benefits to member leagues. Connecting creatively with the APTA membership is one of the key goals of the Social Media group. The APTA Facebook page displays fun and current information. Region II and Region IV have impressive Facebook presence, too.

Courts and Building Rob Coster excitedly discussed how demand is exceeding supply. Many new courts are at public facilities or in areas that didn’t previously have paddle. Texas, Oregon, and Washington are now first-time parents of new courts, much to the delight of Hendy Dayton and Region VI. An estimated 66 requests for new courts have been submitted to the court builders. Hut design has now become a routine part of their service. Every new facility receives an APTA welcome package. Viking provides a case of balls and four paddles to get programs up and moving. On a side note, a new composite surface is being tested that that may help eliminate “footlock.”

Awards The 2013 APTA Service Awards will be announced this fall. Because of the enormous number of deserving candidates, the Service Award will be given to multiple commendable contributors.

Tournament News There is a great deal of moving and shaking in the Nationals Tournament schedule. See below for the updates. A new Tournament Task Force Committee has been formed to provide additional guidance to directors of all levels of tournaments

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 15, Issue 1 Sept./Oct. 2013

Meet the APTA Junior Nationals finalist who plays with great integrity……

One serve. The wires. Playing lets. These are among the most commonly cited features that distinguish platform tennis from similar games. However, as anyone who has played our sport for even just a couple of seasons knows, there is another element that makes platform tennis special—something that is rarely found in many sports today, but is, oh, so essential. It’s what I like to call the “Spirit of the Game.”

Some say it’s simply good sportsmanship. Yes, that’s part of it. Others say it’s nothing more than etiquette and good manners. Agreed, but there’s still more to it than that. While platform tennis is a keenly competitive sport, by tradition, good sportsmanship, integrity, and respect for your partner and opponents are key elements of the sport.

At the 2013 Junior Nationals, New Jersey fifth-grader Louisa Randazzo was recognized by Tournament Director Tom Safford and his team of volunteer hut commanders, from among over 200 competitors, as best exhibiting the behaviors and traits that make her the first-ever recipient of the APTA Junior Nationals “Spirit of the Game” award. While demonstrating the good sportsmanship, integrity and respect that goes with the honor, Randazzo and her partner, Mary Margaret Schroeder, also demonstrated excellent skills on the court as they made it all the way to the finals in the Girls 10s. [enlarge image to read more]

Camaraderie and Victories on the Courts Despite Wicked Weather
by Mark Berton

For this year’s APTA Junior Nationals, getting there was half the battle. If you were coming from the West, driving and flying into Philadelphia was a relatively benign process. But the draw sheet demonstrated just how hard the traveling was for anyone coming in from the North and the East, as numerous last-minute cancellations whittled away players.

At the hosting club, Waynesborough Country Club, workers were out early clearing three inches of snow from the walks, and while temperatures hovered in the low 30s, the wind chill was in the low teens.

On the courts, though, you wouldn’t know it, as kids who were shivering and putting on layers hut-side, quickly discarded layers as their games warmed up.

Boys and Girls 10s

Boys and Girls 12s Ben Delaney took his second gold at the Junior Nationals, as the Boys 10s 2011 champ and his partner, Desmond Paperello, defeated Francis Randazzo and Billy Schroeder. On the girl’s side, Tori Blundin and Cann Haarmann won over Claire Dardis and Mimi Shay, 6-3, 7-5. For Delaney and Paperello, their victory was very special to them — each took a ball from the semis and finals, signed and dated them and have them now sitting next to their medals.

Delaney also said that his older twin brothers, Will and Pat, who got to the quarterfinals for Boys 14s, have encouraged him to play and he now appreciates all the tough shots they have hit at him over the years. Paperello said having Tastykake sponsor the event and supply goodies was a great touch, and meeting players from around the country was exciting.

“It was really fun to meet all the other kids who came from far away,” he said. ‘And it was awesome that we won a new Viking paddle. It’s my first new one ever.”

Blundin said winning after three years of competing in the Junior Nationals was a very exciting thing.

“It was a great day of paddle,” she said. “We met lots of different players with different abilities and strategies, which made each match challenging but really fun:’

Haarmann said she too was excited with the win, and draws inspiration from her mother and Bobo Delaney, who had them out on the court Thursday before the tournament for shifting practice.

After winning the New Jersey State Championship earlier this year, Haarmann said she most enjoyed just playing with her friend, Tori.

Boys and Girls 14s Will Cannon, a Junior Nationals 2009 Boys 10s champion, and Henry Fishman defeated Henry DeCoster and Will Graham, 6-4, 7-5; while sister act and 2012 Girls 12s champions, Callie and Catie Burkhart prevailed over Emily Dardis and Alexandra Shay, 6-4, 416, 7-6.

Fishman said the field was extremely talented, with their semi- and quarter-final matches being particularly challenging for them.

“We knew we needed to play well in order to win. The other teams were both extremely talented,” he said. “Our biggest challenge was in the finals, after hours of play, we were all very fatigued, and I was struggling to get my serve in. We knew the team well since we had just played them last week in the Connecticut Open Finals, and we knew what we needed to do to offset their strengths in order to win again.”

Fishman said the team strategy was to lob a lot, but that quickly changed for them.
“With the windy conditions, we changed our game plan accordingly where we drove the ball more and became more cautious with our lobs,” he said.

Boys and Girls 18s Brian Faig and Will Kleeman defeated Will Burger and Gardner Tregellas, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Kleeman was runner-up to Burger-Tregellas in the 2010 Boys 14s, but he and Faig dug deep, breaking between sets for water, Gatorade and to drop layer after layer of clothing until the match looked like it was being played on a June evening instead of the evening after an historic February Northeastern blizzard. The teams both artfully changed up their strokes and rhythms for the most watched game inside the hut.

Faig said that the finals were the culminations of a day of good play for himself and Kleeman.

“The other matches, they were competitive, but we played well over the course of the day. At a result, we didn’t have any really close matches,” he said. “[Burger and Tregallas] are really strong all around, and they have really strong games. My strategy was to play consistent, give my partner opportunities to drive the ball, mix it up and never give them the same look twice.”

Kleeman said defending the serve was key for him.

“Our opponents were strong servers and had good hands. This took away one of our greatest strengths — return of serve: he said. “We took what we got and lobbed the ball deep to start off the point neutral. Our opponents were good at digging balls out of the screens, and lobbed well, setting up Tregallas’ forehand lurking in the middle of the court. “

As a runner-up to Gardner-Tregellas in the Boys 14s, Kleeman said this victory was a dream rematch

“The scores from three years ago were identical, with similar changes in momentum, and a different outcome: he said. “It could have gone either way both times. Our competitors are highly competitive and have a similar skill level, making this finals match a true challenge.”

Faig and Kleeman said they both intend to compete in the APTA Nationals with the grant money from the anonymous donor. “We’re definitely planning on taking offer, and I’d like to thank the donor: Faig said. “That’s a great opportunity that they gave us and we’re going to try our best over there:’

Meghan Foster and Hannah Kratky, both Girls 14s champions in 2011, defeated Ashley Lyon and Stephanie Webster, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.

“This win definitely feels good. With it only being our second year in the 18s, it was nice to grab this win. We are looking forward to playing in the Girls 18 & Under Nationals next year as well,” Kratky said. “Meghan and I are extremely excited about the opportunity to play in the Women’s Nationals. We will definitely take up that offer if
our schedules allow it.”

Foster said that the team was able to practice together more this year, which helped them.

“It seems each year the competition just gets stronger and the draws are larger: she said. “There was definitely a lot more competition then we’ve had in the past. I was really glad we played who we played in the finals. They were great paddle players, and it was really frustrating to play them. They had amazing lobs: Foster emphasized. “We hadn’t really had lobs all day from anyone else. They had great lobs and also
great drives which were difficult to handle.”

Kratky said, despite some competitive play in the semi-finals, the finals was the biggest test of the day for them.

“After losing the first set fairly fast, I knew Lyon and Webster were going to be a very hard team to beat. It was really hard to pinpoint any weaknesses they had: she said. “Lyon’s drives and Webster’s lobs were a really hard combination to beat. After the first set Meghan and I took some time to regroup and talk. We decided that it was going to be a battle of consistency; it was a matter of who cracked first. Meghan and I got the win, but it definitely was not easy”

The following clubs were fortunate to receive grant money from the APTA to help fund new or refurbished courts in the 2012-2013 paddle season. Here are some details of their programs. From the rocky coast of Maine to the peachy state of Georgia, our game is growing!

Windward Lake Club, Alpharetta, GA
Two refurbished courts were installed. The grand opening event in December had a turnout of almost 100 players. They held a beginner instructional class in the morning and an intermediate/advanced class in the afternoon. In between classes, there was a women’s exhibition with Sue Aery, Agata Cioroch, Lisa Teer and Sharon LeRoux and a men’s exhibition by Jay Bailey, Peter Lauer, Scott Kaufman and Graham McNerney. Peachtree Paddle League will now include Windward in their functions and organized league play. In addition, the club will offer recreational play on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights, and junior play on Thursday afternoons.

Amy Riley, Club Director, stated, “We look forward to growing platform tennis in the South. The grand opening event wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without Rob and Didi Chapdelaine. Their enthusiasm is catching!”

Guilford Racquet and Swim Club, Guildford, CT
The club opened two brand new courts in October. There are groups at all levels, as they are offering clinics for adults and juniors. Three PPTA professionals, Steve Godiksen and Steve and Trish Griggs, are on staff. Several contract courts are meeting weekly and the hope is to launch adult leagues soon. In January, Guilford hosted both a men’s and women’s tournament. Manager Sarah Boone said, “We are very excited!”

York Paddle Tennis Club, York, ME
A second court was added onto their grounds in November and an open house was held to entice new members. Pro Dan McCormick ran several clinics to increase awareness of the improvements at the club. Membership has grown to 55 players over the past five years.

Member Greg Campbell said, “Since we added the second court, the level of play has gone up about 50 percent and we are holding more events.”

Delaware Tennis and Paddle Club, Newark, DE
Through APTA and MAPTA grants, the club was able to resurface both paddle courts, get two new nets, and upgrade the existing lighting, making the courts playable day and night.

DTPC has an organized platform tennis program that plays at Deerfield Country Club. The two courts host over 200 players and guests in the community, who play in leagues, round robins, tournaments, team practices, “Discover Paddle” days, and social pick-up games during paddle season.

DTPC currently has four women’s teams and three men’s teams involved in the MAPTA league.

Elysium Tennis, Columbus, OH
Elysium Tennis has two platform tennis courts completed (of a proposed four). Three of the four PPTA pros in Columbus, Brian Heil, Kevin Hornik and Katya Yergina, are on staff.

Adult and junior programs are offered every day of the week and turnout has been great so far. All expectations are that this is only the beginning of something big.

The 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 fledgling entry in the Fairfield County Platform Tennis League. Starting in Division 6, Milbrook was able to capture five consecutive division championships and successfully navigate its way up to Division 1, where David continues to captain the team.

Over the last ten years, David has become increasingly active in the platform tennis community. He is an avid tournament participant often playing the Patterson Open, Sound Shore Invitational and Connecticut State Mixed. He played in the 2010 and 2012 National Championships and the 2011 Men’s 45+ National Championship. One of his daughters, Isabel, was a former player on the Viking Junior Tour and made the finals of the 14 & Under Championship a few years ago. David believes strongly in the growth of the game and wants to help promote the game throughout the United States. He has made many wonderful friends through platform tennis and hopes that he will continue to make many more through the game. David was previously treasurer for Darien Youth Lacrosse, where he organized house and travel lacrosse teams for over 1,200 boys and girls from ages 6-14. He is also an alumni interviewer and fundraiser for Harvard, his alma mater. David hopes that these experiences can be of help to the APTA board.

In the off-season, David is an avid tennis player and golfer. He is also known to enjoy a nice bottle of wine and play a little poker as well. He currently resides in Darien, CT, with his wife, Jenny, and their two teenage daughters.

Katie grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she first picked up a paddle as a teenager at the Pittsburgh Golf Club, only to watch the courts, which were built onto a steep slope, fall off the side of the hill not long after.

A self-professed “enthusiastic B player,” Katie’s true love for the game began at the now-defunct Apple Platform Tennis Club in New York City, where she met her husband, Mark, who happened to be the club manager. She is the past president of the New Jersey Women’s Platform Tennis League, whose membership includes over 800 women from throughout the state, who play weekly from October to February. During her ten years on the NJWPTL Board, Katie served in several capacities besides her presidency, including tournament director of the state tournament.

She also has been involved in running the Short Hills Platform Tennis Invitational, the nation’s oldest national ranking and PCQ tournament, for over ten years, three as the tournament director. Last year, she ran the Women’s 40+ and 60+ Nationals, also out of
the Short Hills Club.

A past contributor to the Platform Tennis Magazine, Katie acknowledges that the smartest financial investment she ever made was her lifetime membership to the APTA in 1990. During the off season, she is the owner of Bliss-Full Gardening Services, a garden design and maintenance company that serves private residences and commercial businesses throughout New Jersey. She resides in Maplewood, NJ, with her husband, Mark, also a long-time platform tennis player, and two children.

Shannon’s love for the game began on a cold Friday night when she and her husband attended their first paddle party. This strange-looking tennis game “looked fun” and she was hooked.

Shannon is a past captain, coordinator, facilitator, committee member and president of the Chicago Women’s Platform Tennis League. She was the co-chair of the 2011 National Championships and the 2012 Mixed National Championships and has worked closely with John Noble and Alan Graham for the last few years executing tournaments held in the Chicago area. Shannon has also worked on the APTA’s Platform Tennis Magazine Committee.

She is an avid local league player and plays in as many APTA tournaments as time away from family permits. Since 2008, she has been a member of the Region V President’s Cup Team. Shannon lives in Winnetka, Illinois, with her husband, Scott, and their two children.