The “JOY” of Platform Tennis

By Charles E. Vasoll

The word “joy” beams at us from every direction at this time of year. I remember that there were books written with the titles, “The Joy of Cooking”, “The Joy of Sex”, etc. During this holiday season I thought that it was also important to examine “The Joy of Platform Tennis”.

We know what “platform tennis” is, although I must admit I purchased “The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language” at a “warehouse box” store because it had a definition “platform tennis”. More relevant to this essay, however, is how that dictionary defines “joy”. It says that joy is: 1. a) Intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness. b) The expression or manifestation of such feeling. 2. A source or an object of pleasure or satisfaction. Now isn’t that what you feel every time you enter the court through the chicken wire covered door? But why is it?

Other writers about our sport have pointed out that one reason for the congeniality is that we are physically close to our opponents. This is in contrast with other racquet games and many other athletic endeavors. In other sports the opponents are at a greater distance from each other or, if there is close range physical contact, the object is to maim or batter the other side. We are closer to our adversaries than, for example, in tennis, but our aim is not to destroy them as in boxing or football. We are, after all, a civilized sport. This closeness is, in my opinion, one of the strongest reasons that we have “joy” in our sport.

Along with that, it must be recognized that we hit the ball hard. Occasionally that drive is right at an opponent. Most of the winning points, however, come from keeping the ball away from the opposing players. The old expression from baseball, “Hit ‘em where they ain’t” applies strongly to our endeavors on the platform tennis court as well.

I believe “joy” in platform tennis, also comes from the fun we have because the screens and the net so often give us unusual bounces. We often win points when we least expect them. Even the losers of such a point often laugh at the unique way in which a point went to the other side.

Finally, there is “joy” in our sport because, when the play is over, there is a strong attraction to a social time with a good beverage in the warm-up hut. The stories, the jokes, the court experiences, in fact virtually every aspect of life are fair game for good conversation.

Certainly there is a special “joy” in this season. But I have found an ecstatic happiness like no where else than that on the platform tennis courts. I hope that you have also.

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