Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was the biggest winner of all. The tournament brought in over $3,000 for the cause.
The stars of the platform tennis world descended into Chicago for the annual Chicago Charities tournament the first weekend of November. This tournament usually boasts one of the strongest men's and women's fields of any tournament after the Nationals. Last year, Hurricane Sandy laid waste to that claim, but this year the draw was back to its former stellar status. Many new combos were there to compete and the resurrection of some old partnerships created some pop.
The women began their play on Friday, and finished up just as the men's round of 16 was shaking out. For the women, it was the story of the inexorable march to victory by National Champions Ana Brzova and Viki Stoklasova. This was their third title in three tournaments this fall and they did not lose a set i[...]
It's mid-March and the last platform ball has hit the aluminum. The platform leagues across the country are crowning their league champions. But for many of us, we experience a sense of withdrawal that kicks in right after the season is done. The desire to compete more and socialize with friends continues to fuel us. To add to that feeling is the plain fact that the weather in mid-April thru the beginning of June has not warmed up—it's still platform weather. Along with the want for more platform, there is also a sense of wondering among the league champions. A wondering if my teammates and I are the best team in the country at our level….[read more - click on image]
Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 15, Issue 4 Feb/March 2014
Court construction has come along way from that first deck built in 1928. New technology is being put to work to make them better all the time. PTM had the update.
Ideas, Aspirations and Actualities
Have you been on a court that seemed different recently? Did you just notice that some courts have different colors? Courts have been changing bit by bit over time, but major changes could be in the future. What does the court of the future look like?
What if it didn't have snowboards? Even in the snowy Northeast or the frigid Midwest? What if the courts weren't aluminum? What if the surface didn't have grit since it never got slippery from the snow? Can't you hear the knees and backs out there applauding? All the other elements of the court—lights, door locks, wires, net posts—could be or have been reconceived as well.
There are innovators out there thinking aboUt the court m[...]
Ann Sheedy, the Executive Director of the APTA, was deeply involved in running the Nationals which were held in her home town, Pittsburgh.
She filed a report with PTM on the activities leading up to the event and some thoughts on when all was said and done.
Preparation (March 2013)
The 2014 APTA Nationals are only a year away! We have our Executive Committee and
we have asked the clubs for the use of their courts. We've made a list of potential sponsors and we have a sponsorship brochure. Looks like we are on our way.
Piece by piece we've added to our committee. We found a volunteer to be in charge of but food, then someone to recruit but monitors, then a housing chair and a hotel coordinator. We already had a draw guru on the Executive Committee so we are set there. We need a parking and shuttle committee head as well as someone to be in charge of selling merchandise. Prize[...]
The video is a short history of the game from its start in 1928 through to 2014. It highlights the key events in the game's development, the leading players, the role of the APTA and the Foundation's efforts to document the story for the next generations of enthusiasts.
The video was produced by Camille Thoman who produced the indie documentary The Longest Game which was inspired by a group of octogenarians at Dorset Field Club, Dorset, NH who met regularly to play paddle and reminisce.
Click link to play: Platform Tennis: A celebration of the game, its camaraderie and those that made it happen
The occasion of the Men's 145+ Nationals and the induction of Bob Callaway into the Hall of Fame provided the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation an opportunity to create a short video - A Celebration of Paddle. Eric Taylor was the producer
One of Radley Run's future stars shone brightly at the 2014 Junior Nationals
While demonstrating the good sportsmanship, integrity and respect that goes with the "Spirit of the Game" honor, this award is so special because paddle is a game where good sportsmanship is so keenly recognized. Independent but commanders were on the lookout for exemplary behavior during the tournament and, at the end of the day, the tournament committee made their decision.
The winner of this year's "Spirit of the Game" Award is ten-year-old Mary Emma Guldi. A fifth grader at St. Agnes in West Chester, Mary Emma has played platform tennis at Radley Run for about three years.
Mary Emma lost her partner when the tournament date was changed, due to an ice storm, but still wanted to be part of the event. She created her own rainbow after the storm by signing on as a junior reporter for the APTA. She thoug[...]
Charlotte Lee was a national champion in the women's and mixed draws in the 1960s and 1970s. She was known as a fierce but unfailingly fair competitor on the court, and an ambassador of the game. The Charlotte Lee Sportsmanship Award is given yearly to the woman who displays the most sportsmanlike conduct on and off the court during the season. In that spirit, Cindy Prendergast was chosen as the recipient of the award by the APTA Women's Players Committee.
Prendergast responded: "Thanks to my paddle peers for this award. I've been playing paddle for a long, long time and feel so fortunate to have been surrounded by such a fun, gracious, and competitive group of ladies. The good news is that the game of paddle keeps evolving yet the integrity of the player remains the same. I am so grateful for this sport."
Prendergast won the APTA Women's Nationals four times (three times with Laur[...]
The men's ranking system has been revised for this season. In addition, the APTA has added Live Scoring to more tournaments, so rankings are now updated more frequently.
Men's Doubles National Rankings will be published online after Chicago, Hinsdale, Cincinnati, Short Hills, and Nationals.
To receive an official end-of-the-year ranking, a team must play 3 events together, with one of those events outside of their home region. Nationals is considered an out-of-region event no matter its location and is the only NRT with this designation.
NRT points for a specific tournament exist for 12 months and are replaced by the following year's event.
Removal of any earned NRT points due to rules infractions or punishment for player behavior will be enforced as instructed by the APTA Players Committee.
[Click image below to read more]
Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 16 [...]
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