John Horine & Lauren Zink Elected To Hall Of Fame

December 21, 2016

The APTA is excited to announce that John Horine and Lauren E. Zink will be inducted into it’s Hall of Fame. This is the APTA’s highest honor, bestowed only on individuals who have had the greatest achievements in playing platform tennis and or the growth and development of the sport.

Horine, a native of Ruxton, Maryland, was a transformational leader of the APTA during his highly successful seven-year tenure as APTA President from 1997-2004 (the longest tenure on record). As the first APTA President from outside the New York/New Jersey area, John led a turnaround of the APTA from an inward-looking organization focused primarily on tournaments to an outward-looking organization focused on growth initiatives, communications, media/technology, education, outreach and fiscal health.

During Horine’s tenure, the APTA implemented many important changes that have had a major impact on the direction and growth of the game. He returned the APTA to financial stability and launched many important initiatives including creating the APTA Website, launching Platform Tennis Magazine, pulling in the independent leagues under the APTA umbrella, leading the creation of the Hall of Fame Museum & Foundation, forming the Professional Platform Tennis Association, and helping to grow the APTA membership from 3,500 to 8,000. A quiet leader who would downplay his accomplishments, Horine’s huge impact on the game is admired and worthy of this great honor.

A native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania who now resides in Bradenton, Florida, Zink was a dominant player over two decades, winning her first national title in 2001 and her last in 2012. Zink compiled a stellar tournament record, winning three Women’s National titles and two Mixed National titles. She partnered with Hall of Famer Cindy Prendergast for her three Women’s Open National Championships, and with her husband, George Zink, for her two Mixed Open National titles and four Husband-Wife National Championships. In addition, she was a five-time finalist in the Women’s Nationals.

A four-time singles and two-time doubles All-American tennis player at William and Mary College, Zink had a big forehand drive and all-around court instincts that translated perfectly to platform tennis. Not only was she a terrific player and competitor, but as her longtime partner, Cindy Prendergast, stated, “Lauren is not just a great player but an incredibly good person. Her ability to compete and focus during tournaments is as unmatched as her sportsmanship.”

Congratulations to both John Horine and Lauren E. Zink for their accomplishments and contributions to platform tennis, and their well deserved selections into the APTA Hall of Fame.