Paddle Tennis Anyone?

“We won that game. I don’t know how we did it. Back from the abyss we came,” said Valentine Shaw to her husband David on the platform tennis court.

“We have small kids or we would have been here playing five years ago,” said Angelica Tomasino.

They are members of the Simsbury Newcomers Club and instead of sitting home this winter waiting for springtime, they come outside to Simsbury Farms and get their heart rates up playing the perfect hearty New England game of platform paddle tennis.

“Once your kids are old enough,” said Camilla Thompson, “you can play during the week. It is so much fun.”

“There are days I say to myself, I don’t want to leave my warm house and go out in the cold,” said Thompson, “but I am always glad that I did.”

Paddle tennis or platform tennis, as played by the Simsbury Newcomers, is an outdoor sport that is unique because it is meant to be played in cold weather up high on a platform in a cage.

The platform keeps the players feet warm because it is removed from the cold ground or snow. When the ball is colder, it has the perfect bounce for playing the game that allows you to play off the walls like indoor court games such as squash and racquetball. The court is similar to a tennis court but smaller with no doubles lanes and a lower net. The paddle has holes in it and is short like a racquetball racket, but rounder.

“I have played racquetball and tennis and just started playing paddle tennis. This is my third or fourth time playing,” said Elaine Titus. “It crosses right over (from tennis).” Elaine plays doubles with her husband Jim.

Platform tennis is often played as a doubles game, but can be singles too. It is played with a soft sponge rubber ball. The game is similar to tennis rule wise except the serve is done underhand. Also there is only one serve allowed, and you can hit off the walls, so there can be a lot of strategy involved.

“My wife signed me up to play,” said Brian Tomasino. “We came all the way here and I said, 'It’s outdoors? Who plays tennis outside in the winter?' Now I play at eight o’clock in the morning on Saturdays in the Newcomers men’s league.”

Wearing hats and vests, sometimes gloves and coats, these players are not the only ones out there in frigid weather. Platform tennis has a history of being played across the northeast and it is gaining in popularity in places like Fairfield County according to an article on the website.

People play for the social aspect, but also for the fresh air and exercise in the winter months and of course the competition. The Simsbury Newcomers Club has regular playtimes for singles and doubles.

Platform tennis gets your blood and endorphins flowing on what otherwise might be a bleak winter day.

“Eighty percent of shots should be lobs, according to our lessons,” said Camilla Thompson.

That is different from tennis and therefore means more time to get the next shot, but when utilizing the walls it can be as fast as a game as you want it to be.

For more information about joining the club to play with these Simsbury sportsmen and sportswomen see www.simsburynewcomersclub.org, and you will see the term “newcomer” can be loosely defined.