RCS Exhibition Dazzled by Melanie Oudin on the court

Dateline Atlanta – October 9th -09
The Peachtree Paddle League (PPL) kicked off the new season in fine style with its annual gala and exhibition at the newest platform tennis venue in Atlanta, the Racquet Club of the South (RCS). Made famous recently by the charmed success of US Open quarterfinalist and 17 year old Melanie Oudin, RCS unveiled their brand new courts and viewing deck to a crowd of some 125 people, including many enthusiastic kids. Topping off the night was an appearance by Melanie in person, who picked up a paddle and played her first set of platform tennis, paired with Phily native and Atlanta transplant, Ali Tross Cole.

Behind the RCS story and early success of platform tennis was a grant from the American Platform Tennis Association to help with the costs toward the construction of their 2 courts. Mark Fischl, then President of the APTA, was instrumental in enabling this project to go forward. Current APTA President Tim McAvoy has embraced the grant program and accelerated it through the formation of a Board Committee, chaired by PPL founder and Region VII President Peter Lauer, to help local organizers of paddle programs with both grant money and other resources that can help them to succeed in building paddle in their area.

Peter Lauer remarked of the night and more broadly the growth of Platform Tennis: “we all know how great a sport it is, so the product (platform tennis) is easy to sell, the trick is getting people out to try it…events like tonight, done nicely and broadcast widely, are worth all the effort, and when Steve Gareleck, my friend and new operator of RCS, told me that indeed Melanie was back from Asia and psyched to come play in the event, I knew we had a winning combination…critical to our growth in Atlanta, and more broadly across the South, has been getting courts built so people can try it, yet that level of investment is tough to justify for clubs of modest means, whose board and members may not even know the sport, which is why the APTA grant program is brilliant and has proven to work in Chapel Hill for Rich Green , and I believe now here at RCS in Atlanta…we are thrilled and grateful for the support, as well as from our many League sponsors…

…and finally – the Peachtree Invitational, Jan 16 & 17 can now accommodate a big draw, is open to all (including women players) and is a great excuse to come south in January…see what all the buzz is about down here in Dixie…play at RCS or our other 4 paddle venues & then party at the Lauer’s!