SUPPOSE WAYNE DOLLARD INTERVIEWED ME
I liked very much the selection of Dick Reilly, John Horine and John Embree to be interviewed by Wayne Dollard for the recent issue of “Platform Tennis Magazine”. There is no doubt that the contributions of these three men were critical to preservation of the sport. My experience is closest to that of John Horine, so I decided to try to answer the questions asked of him. (Some questions have had to be slightly reworded, as they were specific to John Horine.) Here is what I would have said. Can you tell our readers what you have been doing on and off the court since term as APTA President expired in 1992? Off the court my daughter has been coaching me on the use of the computer. It led me to create this web site in 2002, which I passed on to David Kjeldsen in 2007. Since 2002 I have also been Secretary on the Board of Trustees of the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation created by President John Horine. I have served as Treasurer of the Long Island Platform Tennis Association (LIPTA) and been a member of the Hall of Fame Committee that recommends candidates to the APTA Board of Directors for enshrinement in the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame. I am a retired bank officer since 1987. On the courts, I played in APTA and local tournaments with a few “Consolation Finalist” prizes to show around the house. I also play regularly in the LIPTA Men’s League You appointed the next APTA president, Brian Zevnik. Do you, or any other past presidents consult with current board members or the APTA president about new initiatives? “Appointed the President”, no, definitely not. We had a Nominating Committee and the ballot presented to the membership called for election of the officers. Brian Zevnik was Vice President and he moved up when I left the office. I continued on the Board of Directors and became editor of the newsletter published by the APTA called “Platform Tennis News”. I was also on the Board under the terms of Presidents Charley Stevens and John Horine, so I was in contact with them as well as with Bob Brown, who was President in 1973-1975 and had returned to the Board. At one time, in the early 1980’s I believe, a President’s Council composed of past presidents was proposed to assist the current titleholder but it never happened as each President had his own agenda. How have you seen the role of the APTA change over the 21 years and what directions would you like to see the APTA take moving forward? I was elected to the Board of Directors in 1987 and served as president from 1988 to 1992. As the result of the initiation of “term limits” my service on the APTA Board was concluded in 2002. In some ways the role of the APTA has changed radically but in many other ways it is still the same. It is still the “Official Rules” making body and seems to have some control over the equipment used in the sport. It still supervises the National Championships, which are conducted by local associations. What is new are the methods of “growing the game” and the use of membership dues in that effort. Also new is the communication with the membership, which evolved with the new methods available to do it, e-mail, web site and the magazine. Moving forward, I would like to see a closer relationship between the APTA and the local associations. The APTA counts on these groups in Cleveland, Chicago, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Long Island, Westchester, to name a few, to conduct their National Championships but these groups are very independent and have no direct representation on the APTA Board. Every five years, the APTA elects a new President. Other Board Members can rotate in and out, serving up to two three-year terms. With the current structure of Directors coming and going so often, do you see this as an opportunity for equal representation across the regions or as not enough time for a Board to unite to work together? I was and still am strongly opposed to the term limits plan. Historically, the Directors were elected for one year and re-nominated if they desired to continue to serve and were recommended by their peers. Presidential terms were generally for two years. I served for four because I was retired and did not have the conflict of a regular job. David Kjeldsen has suggested a term limit for Presidents and I agree with him. The current five and six year stints are too much for one person and programs favored by that individual are the ones that will get all the attention. What qualities make for a successful APTA Board of Directors? That is as simple as saying “love of the sport”, but I believe it is most important that the Directors know one another. This is very difficult because so much travel can be involved. I understand that meetings can and are being held by telephone or even visually but “in person” contact is still a “must”. The new APTA president, Tim McAvoy is a friend of yours from your region, Region III. He is well liked in the region, as well as all across the APTA men’s tournament circuit. As decisions are made, people develop strong opinions about new policies and those who make them. What advice do you have for Tim? Although Tim resides in Region III now, I know him from his time when he lived on Long Island. He doesn’t need any advice from me. If he has the time to devote to all he is doing, he will be an excellent leader as president. Do you have any regrets from your term as President or wish that you could have done something more? I suspect that there was something that needed attention that I did not give sufficient time to resolve. However, considering the situation of the APTA when I took office, the hiring of a new Executive Director (Ginna Ohlmuller) and getting the “train back on the tracks” was challenge enough. what do you think? let me know! info@platformtennisnews.com |
Charles E. Vasoll© 2003-2010 Platform Tennis News.