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BRINGING OUR SPORT
TO THE ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC Over the years there is no single concern (except maybe foot faults) that has frustrated the Directors of the American Platform Tennis Association (APTA) more than its inability to transplant the sport into the public sector. Of course, way back when, there were Directors who did not want to bring the game to the public. They wanted to keep it as their private domain in their country clubs. Fortunately, those days have passed and, I believe, currently there are no Directors on the Board of the APTA who are not in full support of all efforts to grow the game by transporting it into the public arena. There have been some notable successes in this effort and Mark Fischl, the current APTA President, has devised some unique plans to find new ways to deliver more. He is a product of the semi-public arena. He plays for the Huntington (Long Island) YMCA in the Men’s League of the Long Island Platform Tennis Association (LIPTA). While this is not a truly “public” facility, it clearly is not a private country club either. The “Y” bought its two courts after the 1992 National Championships. They were additional “temporary” courts erected for the tournament at the Huntington Country Club. But even in this environment, platform tennis was slow to be accepted but nevertheless has succeeded. The “Y” entered teams in the LIPTA Men’s League and, later, teams were accepted into the female league conducted by the Long Island Women’s Platform Tennis League. (A group not related to LIPTA). Principally because of this league activity, the program at the “Y” has been strong but was still not flourishing. The new “Y” management is trying to strengthen the program. Its first effort was to hold a clinic on Saturday, September 17th. It took six months of planning and was supported by individuals, local businesses and vendors related to platform tennis. Several professionals from the private clubs took children and adults on the courts to show them the way to hit the ball. There were door prizes, raffles and refreshments. Tables were manned for registration and distribution of information about the “Y” and the sport. It was a good show and now LIPTA is preparing to emulate it in Manorhaven Park, a public facility in Port Washington which is open to all the residents of the Town of North Hempstead. Two new courts have been installed replacing dilapidated wooden ones built in the 70’s.
There has been no platform tennis played in the park for decades. With the cooperation of the local government Parks & Recreation Commission, a clinic and exhibition with our champion players, is planned for Saturday, October 22, from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. LIPTA hopes that in the 2006-2007 season, men’s and women’s teams will be established and by 2012, when the National Championships return to Long Island, who knows, maybe a home bred public team will be in the running. |
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