Two long-time proponents of the game received the APTA’s highest award this year for their impressive involvement in the sport of platform tennis.

Both Duane Hayden and Joe Russo were completely surprised when they were given their awards and were feted in their communities.

They both have been active in the game of platform tennis for decades and have served the sport in very diverse ways. Avid players each, they continue to be ambassadors for the paddle world in different regions.

[Click on images in the sidebar to read full article]

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 16 Issue 2, 2014

Moving Region VI Onwards and Upwards

Did you know that all of the platform tennis courts in California are in Ross, part of Marin County, about 20 miles from San Francisco? There are three at Lagunitas Country Club, where our volunteer of the month Cam Lanphier plays, as well one public court in town and a couple of private courts. That is it! In the largest state, the other paddle tennis is better known, but our sport is alive and well in Ross and continues to attract high-level players.

Cam Lanphier grew up in Pelham, New York, where she fooled around with platform tennis as a teenager when courts were added at her club. She didn’t really start playing seriously until she moved to Ross in 1988………..

[Click on image below to read full article]

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 16 issue 2, 2014

The format for the President’s Cup has been in flux ever since it started back in the 1970s (Men) and 1980s (Women). There was yet another tweak to the popular Tournament in 2014.

WOMEN’S RULE CHANGES
Region VIII has been eliminated. This changes the match play format back to a seven-team round robin, where matches are best of two sets to four games.

No one ranked individually in the top 16 may play in the President’s Cup.

There are new line-up and points system regulations. Please see below for the full explanation.

MEN’S RULE CHANGES
If a player is invited to play for his home region, he is not eligible to play for Region VIII.

Line-ups and subs will not have to be submitted prior to the event. A list of participants is still required. The designation of players as “subs” or “Court 1” will no longer be necessary in advance of the event.

Captain’s will exchange line-ups prior to each round.

[Click on the images in the sidebar to read the details]

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 16 Issue 2, 2014

In 2012, Radley Run Country Club in West Chester, Pennsylvania, invested in two paddle courts. An unfortunate “hundred year” flood had washed away the tennis courts, and as the club worked on its reconstruction, it wisely included platform tennis courts. Two short years later, Radley Run has three men’s and women’s paddle teams each and a junior program bursting at the seams with over 70 active players.

How did our club attract over seventy children each week? Here are a few key components………[Click image to read more]

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 16 Issue 2, 2014

They aren’t Doctors but they have brought many tournaments back to life

When the Pinskys moved to West Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1993, from Rochester, New York, one of their first priorities was to find a platform tennis club. Since 1986, platform tennis has been an integral part of their lives, when Ron started playing at Shadow Lake Golf & Racquet Club in Rochester with the support of Fritz Odenbach. Betsy met Ron in 1987 on a tennis court there, and he quickly got her onto a paddle court. After their move, as a couple and as individuals, they have become essential contributors to MAPTA (Metropolitan Area Platform Tennis Association)……………

[Click image below to read full article]

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 16 Issue 1, 2014

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Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol.26 Issue 1, Sept./Oct. 2014

Steve Cacaam

Residence: Darien, Connecticut
Years of Service on the APTA Board: Three
Family: Wife Ann, and children, Emily, Blair, and Paige
Years Playing: 11

How did you get started playing platform tennis? In many ways, I was very lucky to have platform tennis become a part of my life. Back when I first started playing, we lived in New Canaan, Connecticut, a town with four public courts, which was a stroke of fortune. One cool Saturday in October, I was invited by some tennis friends who needed a fourth for their Saturday morning game……….

[Click image below to read full article]

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 16 Issue 1, 2014

I had often taken the path less traveled early on in my paddle life, helping out here and there, volunteering for the APTA board in 1981, and holding the office of Executive Director. But, I hadn’t walked that way in decades. It held fond memories and I had a yearning to visit it again. So, I took that road again one day and, boy, how things have changed in 30 years!

The new-breed of board members are as passionate as ever but have so many more tools at their fingertips. In 1984, the membership records were on index cards. There wasn’t a laptop to be found, just an electric typewriter and a word processor, without spell check. The office staff of one could barely type. The newsletter was black and white and we had to cut and paste the entire issue and send it by hand over to the printer, who was a real person.

Ahh, but those were the days. No cell phones. No dot corns. No Facebook. What the heck did we do all day but get lost using an actual hand-held map on the way to a tournament. Region VI just came into existence. Almost everyone lived within a two-hour drive of the board meeting, which may have lasted less than a working dinner, with a few notes passed around at cocktail hour.

Now, in 2014, it all started with a Thursday night reception, to reconnect, meet new directors, and play paddle……….[click sidebar image to read more]

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 16 Issue 1 Sept./Oct. 2014

The Short Hills Club, in Short Hills, New Jersey, hosted the 2014 APTA Board Meeting and Annual Meeting.

HELLOS AND GOODBYES The board welcomed four new members and said farewell
to two whose terms expired. The APTA membership elected Ray Crosta, Region I, Cooey Lyon, Region III, Jim McCready, Region VII, and Bill O’Brien, Region V.

Thanks go to Rich Green and Tim Mangan for their service. Rich Green helped usher in the dynamic growth of Region VII by being the champion of the first APTA “Grow the Game” grant. He will continue as the Region VII President. Tim Mangan was Region I’s President and President’s Cup Captain, and also is an indefatigable tournament director.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS The Board approved the slate officers: Rob Coster, President; Fritz Odenbach, Vice President; Bill O’Brien, Vice President; Aila Main, Treasurer; and Cooey Lyon, Secretary.

FINANCIALS Alia Main reported that the APTA is in excellent financial health at this time. Revenues continue to increase.

GROW THE GAME One of the largest financial commitments of the APTA is to the “Grow the Game” initiative. In its eighth season, this program offers grants and loans to new clubs for construction, as well as to established clubs for repairing facilities. Twenty-seven inquiries were received this year, with seven facilities awarded grants and/ or loans from the association.

LEAGUES The newly formed League Committee, headed by Katie Bliss, sent out the first national league survey. Eleven leagues from around the country responded. Court counts showed that there are about 525 platform tennis facilities nationwide, and 1,500-2,000 courts in North America. The committee plans to create communication between leagues and share important data.

HALL OF FAME Gerri Viant and Flip Goodspeed have joined the Hall of Fame Selection Committee. Walt Peckinpaugh stepped down this year. Three new members were inducted this year: Bob Calloway, Mary Doten, and Susie Keane.

SPONSORSHIP/BRANDING Viking continues its commitment to the sport. They are again the title sponsor for Clinics and Exhibitions, the Junior Tour, and the President’s Cup, and will supply balls at all of the APTA National Championships. Viking has been cross-branding platform tennis with other sports they represent. Their collaboration with the APTA on social media outlets and revenue building continues to be forward thinking. Two very successful branding projects were the Platform Tennis Channel and the APTA windscreens.

EXHIBITIONS AND CLINICS Chair Nathan LeFevre reported on the success of the nine clinics held last year. This year’s clinics and exhibitions will be offered in Glen Ellyn Park District, Illinois; Stonington, Connecticut; Detroit and Oakland County Parks, Michigan; Toronto, Ontario, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Charlotte, North Carolina; Prairie Village, Kansas; and Quechee, Vermont. (The calendar is listed in this issue.)
PPTA Thanks were conveyed to Brad Easterbrook and the PPTA for their invaluable assistance to Platform Tennis Magazine.

JUNIORS Junior Tour Chair Steve Caccam, along with Patty Hogan and Mike Gillespie, are spearheading a new Junior Tour format this year, which will offer the growing number of junior players different types of tournaments.

MEMBERSHIP Executive Director Ann Sheedy reported that player membership has grown 65% in the last seven years and the club membership has increased 117%.

RULES New rules-books will be printed this fall. A few rules being reviewed are Rule 10-Serve, Rule 11-Footfault, and Rule 21-Hinderance. The President’s Cup rules will be revised, in regard to Region VIII and mandated player qualifications.

COURTS AND BUILDING New surfaces, lighting, and heating systems continue to be explored. President Coster said, “We currently have what appears to be the greatest demand for new platform tennis courts in the history of our sport with only two manufacturers trying to keep up with the demand. Perhaps it’s time for a few new court builders to enter the picture. I honestly feel it’s the only way our sport will reach it’s full growth potential.”

SOCIAL MEDIA The APTA Facebook page grew from 200 members to 780 this year, thanks to the considerable effort of Sara Lanthier.

RANKINGS The Men’s and Women’s Ranking and Players Committee continue to craft objective ranking and qualification systems for NRT and President’s Cup events. The rankings will be updated online more often this season.

UMPIRES The APTA continues its concerted effort to find and certify qualified umpires for major events. The Rules Committee and the Umpire Committee will work together to implement necessary rules changes, particularly foot faults, evident during umpired matches.

TECHNOLOGY Chair John Noble and Isabel Cabanne reported on the Live Scoring and Platform Tennis Network. About 4000 users checked into Live Scoring, which was offered during 16 events this season. As for Live Streaming, the APTA expects that more tournaments will be broadcast on PTN this coming season and that the level of commentary will continue to rise. The APTA website has a new web-master, Anne Clauss, while Cabanne focuses on Live Scoring. The MyAPTA page continues to be tested in Chicago, and the APTA eagerly anticipates its use soon.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 16 Issue 1, Sept./Oct. 2014