Courts are set this year to have a big season of play for Team Portland Tennis (TPT).  Team Portland Tennis is the area’s GLBT friendly tennis conglomerate, and a member of GLTA.  To kick off the year, approximately 35 members of the 100 roster group gathered for their first 2010 social to discuss these upcoming events.  Rose City Open ’09 tournament was the biggest yet with 135 athletes from around the nation—about 70% of all registrations are visiting athletes–playing in Portland over the Labor Day weekend.  This coming year’s event will be the Team Portland Tennis’s 20^th anniversary, so of course they aim to out due last year. 

Also, on their impressive schedule this year is hosting and hopefully winning the NW Cup for the first time in 13 years.  NW Cup tournament is an event in which the best players from Seattle, Vancouver, and Portland dual it out for honors.  Team Portland Tennis feels like they have the strongest ability in their members to date, and a great chance of winning.  The NW Cup is tentatively scheduled around June.  A few members of the organization are also planning to compete in the Gay Games held in Cologne, Germany first week of August.

New membership is always encouraged with Team Portland Tennis.  Under new leadership of Carla Ikehara and Josie Vu they hope to increase the involvement of women.  Obtaining official non-profit status is also on the agenda.  Above all, Team Portland Tennis wants to be a “really welcoming environment” allowing all levels of players to enjoy the sport and to get involved in the organization with either play or volunteering. 

For more information check out http://www.teamportland-tennis.org

Posted by MatthewFree on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 12:55 pm.