Here you will find answers to some common questions regarding River Forest area paddle, River Forest Platform Tennis Association (RFPTA), and platform tennis in general. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out and we will do our best to answer them.
Platform Tennis or Paddle is an outdoor racquet sport generally played in cool or cold weather. It combines the best elements of tennis, racquet ball, and ping pong. However, it is a doubles-only sport that requires good teamwork.
Courts are generally on a raised platform, allowing dryers under the deck to keep the surface playable no matter what Mother Nature throws at you. Paddle players are legendary for playing matches in snowstorms, deep freezes, and yes, beautiful sunny days. And always outdoors!!
The court is smaller than a tennis court and is surrounded by tightly strung wire fencing (aka screens) that allows players to keep the ball in play after the ball hits off the court and bounces off the screens.
Paddle is a game of finesse, patience and strategy. It can require speed, power, and quick thinking. It can be highly competitive or just plain social.
Platform tennis is a very social sport, known for camaraderie and good sportsmanship. And it’s a great sport to play with your spouse or significant other.
Platform Tennis is an easy sport for players of all ages and skill levels to learn and enjoy and is an excellent sport for families to play together.
Click here to go to the Youtube search page for “platform tennis”. You will be amazed at what you see!
RFPTA is a non-profit, volunteer organization that works to promote paddle and other racquet sports in River Forest and the surrounding communities. The mission of the Association is to nurture, support, and grow the sport of platform tennis for players of all ages, skill levels, and genders in River Forest and surrounding communities. The mission and goals of the Association can be seen on the “About RFPTA” page of this website.
RFPTA is separate and apart from the River Forest Park District (RFPD), which owns and operates the Keystone Park paddle courts. Paddle players must purchase a season pass to access the River Forest Park District paddle court reservation system, obtain a key-fob for the Keystone Center, join RFPD house leagues, join RFPD travel leagues, and sign up for certain Park District sponsored events. In addition to covering operating costs associated with the sport of platform tennis (lights, court maintenance, gas for the dryers, etc.), the funds from the annual pass are used to amortize capital costs associated with the building of the four paddle courts. Click on the button below to redirect to the paddle pages of the RFPD Fun Guide.
The RFPD manages league registration, and in the past, all pass holders were given spots on teams and in leagues. However, court availability has become an issue due to the rapid growth of paddle in our community. While our pass holder numbers could support more teams, the league will not allow us to add more teams until we add courts.
Currently there are 8 men’s travel teams which play during the weekday evenings. There are women’s evening travel teams on Monday nights, and women’s travel teams available on Thursday during the daytime. In addition, we have the largest men’s and women’s house league program in the Chicago area. The house leagues provide competitive play while sticking close to home. Travel leagues and house leagues are most active during the traditional paddle season (October to March) but players can find some house leagues and travel leagues to join during the off-season as well.
Laura Berendt, our nationally ranked pro, teaches private, semi-private and group lessons at the Keystone courts. If you have a social circle who would like to learn at the same time, Laura can provide group lessons that allow you and your circle of friends to learn together at a pace that is comfortable. Please see the Lessons section of the website for more information.
In addition, there are times during the week when non-pass holders from the community can arrange with the River Forest Park District to borrow paddles and use the courts free of charge.
And finally, pass holders can make reservations and bring guests to the courts to expose them to the great game of paddle. So just ask a paddle friend to bring you to the courts for a chance to try the sport.
It is free to join RFPTA. By becoming an associate, you will be joining a group of individuals who have fallen in love with the sport of paddle! With more than 350 paddle players in our community, our Association will allow us to gain input and insights from paddle and racquet sport players. We will communicate on topics that are important to paddle players, and share relevant information. Associates will be able to register for Association social events, receive invitations for Association exhibitions, and have a platform for sharing ideas and suggestions.
Each April, associates will have the opportunity to cast ballots for Officers and Directors who will represent the associates. In addition, the website links to the RFPD court reservation system, travel league schedules, RFPD registrations, to name a few. Check out the rest of this website and FAQ for more insights into RFPTA.
The mission statement, goals, current Officers and Directors, and by-laws are all located in the RFPTA.com website at “About RFPTA”. The by-laws can be read on-line, or down loaded from this website. In addition, there is a link to contact Officers and Directors in the same section.