Anne Flemming of Region VI Earns the 2012 APTA Service Award

May 12, 2012
Weston, MA

Region VI President Hendy Dayton (center) receives the 2012 Service Award on behalf of Anne Flemming, from APTA Vice-President Fritz Odenbach (left) and APTA President Tim McAvoy (right).

Out of 10 finalists around the country, Anne Flemming was chosen as the 2012 APTA Service Award winner. APTA Board Member and Region VI President Hendy Dayton received the award on behalf of Flemming at the APTA Annual Meeting on May 12th. Dayton will present the award to Flemming in California soon.

Only one award is given each year, first granted in 2009. The award recognizes people who have made invaluable contributions to platform tennis.  This year, the APTA invited its members to submit nominations, then the APTA board voted to select a single honoree. Mark Fischl and Bill O’Brien received the first two awards, honoring their high-level of contribution to the sport and to the growth of the game.

Outgoing APTA President Tim McAvoy gave the presentation speech, including the following desciption of Flemming's incredible contribution to the sport:

The 2012 APTA Service Award winner exemplifies all the qualities of an exceptional volunteer, selfless contributor and enthusiastic champion of the game.

She and her husband were first introduced to platform tennis in 1972.  They quickly fell in love with the sport and formed a ‘Hunt Club’, so named because they were always hunting for courts near their home in Northern California, which were hard to find.  They even went as far as to sponsor the first tournament at the Hunt Club (using private courts) in 1975.

At the same time our inductee worked tirelessly to bring platform tennis to her local club…and in 1977, was successful in having two courts installed.

In addition to that, she and her husband also raised money to build the only public town court in the area in 1978---which is still being used today.

In the early 1980’s, she expanded her reach, promoting the game in Denver and then working to involve Region VI players to participate in the President’s Cup.

For 33 years, our Service Award winner was the driving force, the official and unofficial ambassador and champion of platform tennis in California and Region VI.  She served on her Club’s platform tennis committee every one of those 33 years and was the APTA Region VI President from 1994 to 2003.