Portland Athletic Club to Host High School, Pre-District, Doubles Tennis Tournament on April 29 - May 1

PORTLAND, Oregon (April 4, 2011) — The Raleigh Hills-based Portland Athletic Club (PAC) will host a High School, Pre-District, Doubles Tennis Tournament on April 29-May 1. Events are limited to Boys’ and Girls’ Doubles only; no singles. The tournament will have a consolation round, so that each player is guaranteed at least two matches. The entry deadline is April 26. The cost is $20 per player. Registration forms may be downloaded at www.portlandathleticclub.net/tennis_academy.asp.

Scheduled between the end of the regular season and the beginning of district play, this tournament is designed to help high school players sharpen their skills and survey their competition. It is a non-sanctioned USTA event, so coaching will be allowed.

“With the high school tennis season already so short, teams so large, and weather so poor this time of year, some kids are playing only a few matches leading up to their district and state tournaments,” tournament director and PAC head tennis professional, Anthony Blackburn, said. “I created this tournament to provide more match-play opportunity for these kids, without affecting their ranking with the USTA or their standing on their high school teams.”

This will be PAC’s second high school tournament this year, the first being the High School Kick-Off Tennis Tournament, held March 4-6. According to Blackburn, the Kick-Off Tournament was a great success, with over 50 high school players from all over the Portland and surrounding areas competing. Coaching was allowed, because this, too, was a non-sanctioned USTA tournament.

For more information on the upcoming doubles tournament, or to acquire the results from the singles tournament, visit www.portlandathleticclub.net/tennis_academy.asp, or call Anthony Blackburn or Alyssa Morrison at 503-292-2649.

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Pictures from "Play for Japan"

Portland Athletic Club's ‘Play for Japan’ Fundraiser
Wins Strong Support From Local Tennis Community

PORTLAND, Oregon — The Raleigh Hills-based Portland Athletic Club (PAC) held a "Play for Japan" fundraiser, tennis social, and potluck luncheon on Wednesday, March 23, to raise money for the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. The event combined the love of tennis with the desire to help a country in need. According to Maureen Harwood, director of “Play for Japan,” the fundraiser brought over 40 tennis enthusiasts to the club and raised over $1,500 for Mercy Corps’ Japan relief fund.

During the fundraiser, organizers staged tennis drills and games, sold T-shirts and raffle tickets, and held a lively auction with all of the proceeds going directly to Mercy Corps. PAC tennis teaching professionals, Harwood and Anthony Blackburn (who also serves as tennis “pro” at Nike World Headquarters), volunteered their time to run all the on-court tennis activities. A potluck luncheon was another component of the event and many players brought delicious Japanese dishes to share.

“I can’t thank everyone enough for coming out and supporting such an important cause,” Harwood said. “Everyone seemed to have a great time.” Harwood would also like to thank the Portland Athletic Club for donating their courts to the cause.

A tennis student of Anthony Blackburn’s, Roberta Kanter, who attended the “Play for Japan” Fundraiser, felt a real closeness to the cause. Kanter was with her husband in Kauai, Hawaii when the tsunami hit their shores. She had to evacuate her hotel room to a local high school for safety. “I was very worried and stressed,” said Kanter. “Then I thought about how minuscule it was in comparison to what happened in Japan, and it really put everything in perspective.”

Kanter still keeps in contact with her Japanese exchange student she hosted in 1991. The student was touched by the “Play for Japan” event, and wanted Kanter to tell everyone who attended and helped with the fundraiser a very big “thank you.”

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Blackburn Student Takes Trip to Nepal and Mexico

Hoover Li, a student of Anthony Blackburn, head tennis pro at Portland Athletic Club (PAC), took two amazing trips in the past two years. Li spent a family vacation in Nepal in December of 2009. Then he traveled to Baja, Mexico in November of 2010. He has kindly shared some amazing photos from both trips below.

If you are a student of Blackburn’s and would like to share your story with us on the BTP Blog, e-mail Alyssa Morrison at abtennisinfo@gmail.com.

Hoover snorkeling off the shore of the resort. According to Hoover, the water was perfect--calm, clear and warm.

Hoover and his 75 lb mahimahi. -- This catch was cleaned, smoked and brought home to eat. The colors of the fish was much more brilliant in the water (alive).

Hoover, and Captain Endio, with his first catch of the trip. The 150 lb sailfish was caught and released, as they fish for sport.

Hoover kicking back on fishing boat from the East Cape, Rancho Leonero Resort, as he headed out to sea in the morning. Hoover said that the ocean water was as calm and warm in the mornings as it was in the afternoon.

Hoover and his wife, Shino, departing Pokhara, Nepal at Yeti Airlines. According to Hoover, the flight had incredible views, taking the right past the Himalayas.

Red clay tennis courts at Hotel Yak & Yeti in Kathmandu, Nepal. Hoover said that had he known there were courts, he would have brought his tennis racquet.