The Racket
- lptafrontdesk
- May 7
- 9 min read
Updated: May 9
May 2025
President's alley
Here we are at the start of another season on our beloved green clay. How wonderful! I’m so grateful for the countless hours our Board of Directors, staff and member volunteers have dedicated to accomplishing multiple goals over the winter, and to those who will bring us a fun and successful summer. I would like to recognize just some of the individuals who have worked so hard in recent months…
We opened right on schedule May 10th thanks to staff members Duncan Stephen, George Koretos and the rest of the amazing team led by our Club Manager James Rohrbacher. Angie Garbot has worked with our member volunteer, Dee Shively, to enter all of the tennis programming and social events into our booking site, YourCourts.
Director of Tennis Raul Esquerra once again raises the level of our tennis programming, bringing in two outstanding tennis professionals: Matt Brothers, coach of the Men’s Team at DePaul University, and Andrew Suarez, coach of the Niles West High tennis teams. Raul and his team, which includes Joey Salerno, are providing another great season of clinics, drills and lessons. In addition, our teaching pros are committed to giving up-and-coming juniors an opportunity to play on clay. This reinforces LPTA’s proud history of nurturing promising young players including touring professionals Donald Young, Evan King, and grand slam champion Taylor Townsend.
The Board of Directors hit the ground running after the 2024 annual meeting. They established priorities and goals for the 2025 season based on feedback from the end-of-season member survey, and created several working committees. The Board’s Executive Committee members are Jill Silberg, President; Ron Davies, VP; Marjie Killeen, Secretary; Sandra Silver, Treasurer; and Ben Rose, Immediate Past President. Directors are Cecil Booth, Jeff Elegant, Rush Howell, Audrey Huzenis, Stan Martin and Pam Wyne. Every single Board member chairs or serves on at least one committee. Many are on two!
A top priority for this season is a close examination of court utilization. You will see either myself, Ron Davies or both of us at the front desk in the morning gathering more detailed information than we have in the past. In addition to identifying how many players use the courts during specific time periods, we will be looking closely at when the courts fill up, how long members wait to get on court after arrival, and how long they wait after getting bumped. This data will help answer important questions regarding court utilization and member capacity.
I hope you have a great start to the season. I’m very excited to see old friends and make new ones!
May the Courts be with you…
Jill Silberg, LPTA President
LPTA Membership is Mighty Healthy
Our Membership Committee, chaired by Pam Wyne (right), and including Treasurer Sandra Silver worked hard during the winter months to organize our various lists, collect dues, and welcome 25 new members into our community. Angie Garbot spent numerous hours assisting Sandra and Pam with Excel Spreadsheets and Quickbooks, and cleaning up our email lists.
We start the new season with 260 active members, of which five are returning from inactive status. There have been 14 resignations (eight individual members and three families), and another 20 members are on the inactive list. The waitlist remains long and strong with 62 membership applications on file.
Pam and the Membership Experience Committee, under Audrey Huzenis and Kathryn Brown, are assigning a Club Ambassador to each new member to facilitate their introduction to the social and competitive tennis opportunities at LPTA during the 2025 season. Please join fellow members in welcoming the following new and returning members:
Meet a few of our new members
Bette Rosenstein (pictured here with pooch Irving) - “I am very excited to join LPTA. I played tennis as a kid, came back to the sport in my 30's, and was hooked. Having played a lot of competitive singles, I'm now embracing the doubles game and loving it. I’m so looking forward to being a part of the LPTA family.”
Mike Wyne - “My wife, Pam, has been a member since 2022, and I’ve seen the energy and enthusiasm of the Club. I’m looking forward to becoming part of this fun organization and to spending lots of time on the courts. I hope to meet as many people as possible this summer!”
Robert Bice - “ I played growing up on teams through junior high school and then took a hiatus. I have played infrequently since then. I play mostly platform tennis in the winter. I’m looking forward to rekindling my love for tennis.”
Jayne Drew - “I've been playing tennis for about 20 years, including a stint in high school. I previously played on a team (3.5 - 4.0 level) at the South Barrington Club, getting on court about 3 times a week. I moved to the city 2.5 years ago and, although I haven't played tennis regularly since, I've taken up pickleball. Ironically, after years of tennis without injury, I needed meniscus surgery from a pickleball mishap last fall. I'm easing back into tennis now and excited to join drills and playgroups!”
Colleen Evans - “I started playing tennis seriously about 4 years ago and have fallen in love with the game. I enjoy singles or doubles or just practicing, and I’m dedicated to improving. I've been lucky enough to play year-round as I spend the colder months in southern Utah. I am rated a 3.0.
Liz Kobak and Joe Kubert recently moved to Joe’s hometown of Chicago from New York. Liz grew up on Long Island and played competitive tennis around the world in her youth. Joe learned tennis recently and is far less competitive but eager to play. His first USTA tournament was alongside Liz at the Husband/Wife Nationals in Charlotte, N.C. “We can’t wait to share the court with you and meet everyone at the Club!”
Courts & Grounds Came Together for Timely Opening
“Pre-season I had the pleasure of touring the facility with Duncan,” reports Ron Davies (right), Chair of the Courts and Grounds Committee. “We were thrilled to meet our targeted opening of May 10th”.
To get the courts ready “the HarTru layer was applied, lines drawn, and windscreens were installed. Additionally, retaining wall repairs adjacent to Court 3 were completed, as is the new drainage ditch along the South perimeter of the public courts.
Thanks to the entire team and our contractor partners for making this happen!
The Courts and Grounds Committee, led by Ron together with board members Jill Silberg and Rush Howell, continues to examine and consider improvements to the playability and fitness of the courts, the drainage processes, and surrounding structures.
New signage has been installed all around the Club’s parking lot by (above, left to right) Club Manager James Rohrbacher, staff member Jack Phelan, and Julie Oslan of the Security Committee, which includes Jacqui Chatz and Jill Silberg.
Video surveillance cameras will help criminal activity. Members are asked to keep their cars locked and not leave valuables in plain view.
Mix of Competition and Community Makes for a Summer of Fun
The Member Experience Committee (MEC), under the leadership of Audrey Huzenis and Kathryn Brown, is thrilled to announce an exciting lineup of tennis and social events for the 2025 season at LPTA. Whether you're here for competitive play, casual matches, or just the good vibes, there's something for everyone. Be sure to mark your calendars and sign up early—this summer is shaping up to be one of our best yet!
Save the Dates: Major Events
LPTA Team Tennis - Kicking off Thursday, May 29Join us every month on a Thursday or Friday at 5:30 pm all season long! With two nights of play each month, there’s more opportunity for everyone to get in on the action. Sign up ASAP.
Season Opening PicnicSaturday, June 7 | 12:00 – 2:00 pm (rain date Sunday, June 8)Celebrate the start of the season with live ball, delicious food, and fun for all ages.
Women’s Round RobinTuesday, June 17 | 5:30 – 7:00 pmEnjoy an evening of friendly competition followed by dinner with your fellow players.
Men’s Doubles TournamentSaturday & Sunday, June 21–22 | 8:30 am start
Women’s Doubles TournamentSaturday & Sunday, July 19–20 | 8:30 am start
Mid-Season Social & Exhibition TennisSaturday, July 26 | 12:00 - 2:00 pmCome watch some great tennis and enjoy an afternoon of socializing and tasty bites!
Women’s 60+ Social Round RobinThursday, July 31 | 3:30 - 5:30 pm
Men’s 60+ Round Robin TournamentWednesday, August 6 | 3:00 - 6:00 pm
Mixed Doubles TournamentSaturday & Sunday, August 9–10 | 8:30 am start
Member-Guest TournamentFriday & Saturday, September 12–13 | 8:30 am startInvite your favorite partner from outside the Club for this special event!
Season Ending PartyFriday, October 10 | 6:00 pmCelebrate a fantastic season with food, drinks, and plenty of tennis memories.
New This Year!
The fun goes well beyond your usual favorites with brand-new events and formats:
Lunchtime LeagueTuesdays & Thursdays, June 3, 5, 10, 12, 24 & 26 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pmMidday matches coordinated by our amazing volunteers—just sign up and play!
Mixed Doubles Afternoon Short-Form TournamentSaturday, June 28 | 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Keep your partner for this round robin event with 12 teams across two brackets.
Night Owls: 40s & Under Social TennisSunday, July 13 | 4:00 - 6:00 pmA social evening of play, food, and fun exclusively for our 40-and-under crowd.
Singles Short-Form TournamentSaturday, August 23 | 3:00 - 5:00 pm
An afternoon round robin tournament for 12 players. Top finishers face off in a final match later in the season.
Social Events at the ClubCatch festive vibes during the Finals of the Majors! Expect giveaways, snacks, and maybe even music to keep the energy high. No organized matches—just come enjoy the atmosphere.
Signups and More Information
As always, signups will be handled through YourCourts. You will receive emails notifying you when signups are open for each event.
In case you missed it, A welcome back Zoom was held Monday, May 12 link to rewatch:
Hear from many of our club managers and committee heads to get the season off to a great start.
Members of the MEC are Audrey Huzenis and Kathryn Brown, co-chairs, Roman Boed, Tracey Gau, John Jennings, Joe Staud and Dee Shively. Kristine Prugh assisted the committee with selecting an assortment of LPTA merchandise. Look for those to be available soon!
More on LPTA’s Working Committees
The Communications Committee, chaired by Club Secretary Marjie Killeen, with Board member Cecil Booth, The Racket editor Betsy Berry, working together with staff lead Angie Garbot, Communications & Information Technology Director, has been examining the question of how to better communicate Club and Board news. They have made great progress in increasing both the frequency and channels of communication.
The Finance Committee, led by LPTA Treasurer Sandra Silver, along with Board members Jeff Elegant and Stan Martin, put many hours into preparing a sound budget for this year and planning for the years ahead. They have focused on the ongoing integrity of the courts, equipment, facilities, and the Club’s overall financial security.
The Community Committee - under Pam Wyne, along with Cecil Booth, Jill Silberg and our head pro Raul Esquerra, is working to increase LPTA’s support of children and young people in our surrounding community. You can look forward to updates on our enhanced junior development program throughout the summer.
The Shade Committee - Cecil Booth, Audrey Huzenis and Pam Wyne - continues to navigate the city permit process with the goal of bringing commercial grade shade structures to the grassy areas west of Court 3 and in front of the clubhouse. This much needed capital improvement is planned for 2025 permits pending.
Discounts for LPTA Members
Move Your Feet Sports offers members a 10% discount on tennis and golf youth camps. The weekday series of weekly camps for children 6-13 years of age run from mid-June until late August at the Diversey Tennis Center public courts adjacent to LPTA, and at the Diversey Driving Range across from our parking lot. LPTA members, their families and friends are eligible for the discount. Robert Owens is the director and head coach of the MYFS program.
ProAm Tennis in Naples, Florida, “Your One Stop Tennis & Pickleball Shop,” offers members a 10% discount on all items, except tennis balls, plus free shipping on orders over $75. Use code LPTA10 to claim your discount.
REMINDERS
LPTA Communications: The email addresses used to communicate with members are lptafrontdesk@gmail.com, member@yourcourts.com (Club management), info@lptachicago.com (LPTA membership), treasurerlpta@gmail.com (dues and billing). Please make sure you put these in your address book/contact list to prevent Club emails going to your spam folder.
The Racket Submissions Deadline: We welcome submissions from members! The deadline for the next issue (June 2025) is Friday, May 23. If you have articles or photos for The Racket, please submit them to The Racket editor Betsy Berry at betsyberry63@gmail.com. Thank you!
LPTA Board of Directors
Lincoln Park Tennis Association
140 W Diversey Parkway, Chicago, IL 60657
Tel. 773-800-8940
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