By the way, the founders of the program, Dick Anderson now resides in Texas and is with Conoco Oil and Kim Marchese is presently a Math teacher and tennis coach at Ramapo High School. Team Tennis, for all these 35 years has been continuous and this consistency has to do with the diligence of the Team Tennis committees and the Captains who volunteer.
The original Team Tennis program was played on two old courts which is now the roller hockey rink. These courts were surrounded by poison ivy, cracks, drains, basketball posts, etc. However, the courts were maintained by the players (see pictures posted on the Bulletin Board). In 1968, the Oakland Tennis Association filled the cracks and then painted the courts. The cost was $600. The Borough could not afford $4000 to do the job privately. I believe the only players left to verify this is Hank Goodman, former Tennis Commissioner Joe Kwederis, and Roger Marchese. The number of players in Team Tennis has fluctuated over the years. In the beginning, the program had approximately 100 players. in a few years, the numbers grew to over 300. After 35 years, the numbers this year (2010) are about 260.
Team Tennis is played every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 7 P.M. to about 10:30 P.M. Teams of 8 to 10 players are assembled according to ability and a no-ad scoring is used. Mondays are reserved for rainouts. Captains are assigned to every team; court assignments and match schedules are prepared; and standings are posted every week on the Bulletin Board. The program is scheduled from approximately May 16th to August 12th when an indoor tennis party or banquet is held and trophies and awards are given to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place team for each night.
The Team Tennis program has been an inspiration for other communities to follow and the Borough of Oakland is proud now to have such a wonderful tennis program as part of its' excellent Recreational Program. Steve Wagoner, the Rec. Commissioner, has always been a strong supporter of Team Tennis and our new tennis courts and will continue to make certain that the tennis program is a vital part of the Recreational Program in the Borough. The Team Tennis Committee does a great deal of work every year in organizing and supervising the entire program. The Team Tennis players, through special fees, pay the Borough for the reservations of the courts, the lights, etc.
Pictures to come.....