The APTA’s Internet site was created.

There is no doubt that Horine gets full credit for moving the APTA into the modern communication era. I personally believe it was created too soon to be really useful to the membership. However, it was a great step forward and, while even now it needs a lot of work and is costly, it is an excellent tool for communication to the membership. GRADE: A

“ Platform Tennis News” was replaced with “Platform Tennis Magazine”

This was also a Horine creation. It has survived much longer than I would have predicted but that is because the APTA is supporting it financially. It is the cause of monumental deficits in the APTA financial picture. It has not been able to attract the advertising revenue that the publisher initially promised and while it is “attractive”, everyone is aware of many errors found in each issue. GRADE: C

The Platform Tennis Hall of Fame Foundation was created.

I give this an unsatisfactory grade because for the last three years absolutely no progress was made beyond giving it a new name. It was not until 2003 that Bob Brown with the assistance of Rich Lombard moved the project forward. . Incidentally, the proper name for the organization is “The Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation. (See accompanying article.) GRADE: D

APTA membership grew from 3,500 to 8,300.

This “growth” is attributed in the article to “many leagues” having joined the APTA. There is no doubt that the number of members has increased but, at what cost? The half-price membership fee is a great bargain. If the larger number of members were able to attract other revenue, like advertising in the magazine, it would be fantastic! Unfortunately, this has not happened so just the larger number of members is not the positive that it was supposed to be because it turns out to be a loss leader. GRADE: C

The let rule was deleted.

Whether you approve or disapprove of the change that eliminated the “let” on a net cord service the Horine administration can neither take credit nor be blamed. The rule change was on the books when Horine took office and only later was reconfirmed. GRADE: Not Applicable

Numerous new national tournaments were added.

This is one area where the Horine team did an excellent job. As players became older, yet still physically capable of competing, events for senior men and women were appropriately added. On the other end, with the tremendous support of David Kjeldsen and Viking, a Junior Tournament program also was a success. GRADE: A

The APTA bylaws were amended to place term limits on Directors.

Isn’t it ironic that the longest serving President was at the helm when it was determined that time serving on the Board should be limited? In my opinion, this action was the worst administrative decision by the Board of Directors during the Horine years. It replaced a plan by which every Director was accountable each year. (Terms were for a single year) Now three years can elapse before a change must be made. Further, those who served honorably and with distinction are forced to leave. Simply a bad, bad bylaw.

In the same breath I would also fault the Board of Directors and its Nominating Committees for the past several years for not finding a successor to the President. No one stepped forward to be a Vice President who would move into the top post. With only one year’s experience on the Board, Mark Fischl has a huge job to tackle. GRADE: F

John hired two Executive Directors, got us through two deficits, moved the office and left the APTA with a sufficient cash reserve to continue to operate normally.

That’s not the way it happened. Carolyn Tierney had already been hired by Charley Stevens after Ginna Ohlmuller resigned and Marjorie Hodson was “officially” named Executive Director at the conclusion of his term. I don’t believe John had any influence on either selection.

The deficits were a matter of the Board’s own doing by its subsidizing of the Platform Tennis Magazine. He didn’t “get us through two deficits”. He and the Board of Directors are responsible for creating them.
The wisdom of relocating the office has yet to be determined. Locating it in a private home does not appear to be a very businesslike approach. Only time will tell how this will play out.

Who knows what the amount of cash reserve really is? I suspect that funds put aside by former Treasurer Hope Kerr from Life Memberships has been wiped out. Who knows what remains and especially how would Mark Holtschneider know since he is not on the Board? GRADE: D