FANTASTIC, JUST FANTASTIC. BUT….

By Charles E. Vasoll

What a wonderful and, by all measurements, a very successful experiment! Let’s hope it continues next season and spreads to other regions. That’s my evaluation of the 125+ senior men’s “tour” that was played on three Fridays, at different clubs in Connecticut.

I wrote about my experience in the December issue when I participated in the first event in Darien at the Wee Burn Country Club. I missed the second event in Old Lyme but was able to attend, but did not play in, the third outing at the Round Hill Club in Greenwich on February 11th.

It appeared to me that, win or lose, the players were enjoying themselves and the camaraderie of the day. In conversation with Alph Beane, who hosted the get-together in Greenwich, the problem of who is signed up, who isn’t but thought they were, and last minute withdrawals due to injuries were the only difficulties in conducting the event. This is really unfortunate because the volunteer tournament director is really under a lot of pressure to satisfy everyone and also put the field together at the last minute. Under these circumstances, it will be difficult to recruit chairmen / hosts to continue this type of program.

Normally, platform tennis players are real gentlemen and understand the difficulties of running a tournament. They try to be accommodating but somehow, unfortunately, often fall short. Waiting until the last minute to enter a competition and blaming the postal system for not delivering an entry that is still on their desk are just not proper etiquette. Injuries on the evening before the start of a tournament can be excused but even then a player should make a real effort to find a replacement.

I am in the midst of working on the APTA Senior Men’s 50+, 60+ 70+ National Championships to be held in Garden City, Long Island on February 24, 25 and 26. As Treasurer of the Long Island Platform Tennis Association, which is conducting the tournament, I am deeply involved with the entries and the entry fee. We are fortunate to have an on-line entry and credit card payment of the entry fee. It eliminates dependence upon the United States Postal System, which, while it is very good, is not perfect. It also makes a reality of the “last minute” entry. I am acknowledging each entry by e-mail, where possible, and by U.S. Mail or telephone where necessary. I expect that if a player does not receive a confirmation of his entry, he will contact one of the Tournament Chairmen to be sure his team is included.

It is a sensitive point but it is vital to our tournament health to be sure that all entries are accounted for and deadlines are respected.

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