IT’S NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM AT THE APTA

By Charles E. Vasoll

My severest critic, Audrey Vasoll, my wife of 55+ years, implored me to write something positive, particularly about the APTA, in this final issue. I am taking her advice but it could be a very short article.

The brightest spot I see is the current Executive Director, Ann Sheedy. I met Ann many years ago when she came to Long Island to play in an APTA tournament. Even in that brief encounter, I realized how much she loved our sport, enjoyed playing and was dedicated to it. I have not spoken to her much this season because almost all of our communication has been via e-mail. As Treasurer for the Long Island Platform Tennis Association, I forwarded our membership information to her. She has been helpful, responsive and prompt in communicating with me. For her, it has been a difficult assignment to take on in mid-stream, so to speak, but she has been upbeat, as shown in her magazine articles. She has even used the word “enjoy” when describing her work. I can only hope that she will continue to feel that way as the next season dawns.

Although I have received some criticism for my endorsement of the new APTA web site in the last issue, “Hey The New APTA Web Site Is Up”, I stand by my evaluation. It has some failings, to be sure, but it was under great pressure to get “up” and between now and the start of next season, some of those deficiencies certainly can easily be remedied. I don’t know anything about the firm that is the new web master but it seems to have good credentials, such as doing work for the United States Tennis Association. There has been too much of a revolving door in this assignment, a new vendor every year or so. I hope that this time a longer and a lasting relationship will lead to a better web site, one worthy of our sport.

One of the goals specified in the charter of the APTA is “growing the sport”. I have been very critical of the means that the current President and Board have used to follow this commandment but I will commend them for their direction. We have a very difficult sport to promote. Who likes to participate in an outdoor, freezing weather exercise when warm indoor tennis is available? Also four players, not just two, are needed. Although the cost of the equipment to play is minimal, building courts is not. These factors all work against us, especially when seeking public facilities. Nevertheless, I have high hope for its future. Interest has been developing in regions of the United States that were previously ignored because they did not have the “right weather”. It has taken over 100 years for golf to become widely public, so platform tennis still has several decades to go before it reaches that benchmark.

OK, there you have it. Some good things are happening. It is such a super sport that it can survive lots of difficulties and still provide joy for many who are fortunate to have the facilities and some dedicated individuals to conduct its affairs.

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