Hundreds of kids and parents, including several Palisadians, enjoyed a spectacular day of paddle tennis at Bel-Air Bay Club for the California Paddle Tennis Conference championships on August 7, culminating another year of great matches and fun. Kids ages six to18 from the Bel-Air Bay Club, the Beach Club and the Jonathan Club filled the courts as their enthusiastic parents and friends cheered them on. ’The level of play was amazing,’ said BABC Athletic Director John Myers. ‘These are the best junior paddle tennis players in the world!’ Jonathan Club won the Conference Division, while Bel-Air Bay Club won the Championship Division. Matthew Heistand (from Bel-Air Bay Club) won the Conference’s Most Valuable Player award, Christina Shirley (from the Beach Club) took home the Most Improved Player trophy and Cameron Bendetti (from Jonathan Club) was the Conference’s revered Sportmanship Award winner. ‘Coach of the Year’ unanimously went to Nick Haridopolos of the Jonathan Club. Founded by Palisadian Jimmy Dunne, the California Paddle Tennis Conference has played 5,000 matches in the past 10 years, involving over 1,000 kids of all ages. In the Conference Division, Chloe Bendetti (JC) took the 10 Division, Simon Pompan (JC) won the 12s, Luke Bellamy (JC) won the 15s, and Roscoe Bellamy won the honors in the 18s. In the Championship Division, BABC’s Andrew Heistand took the 8 B Division, Max Berman (JC) won the 8 A Division, Graham Brittain (BABC) won Boys 10, Amanda Brew (JC) won Girls 10, Garrett Metzler (BC) took Boys 12, Taylor Fortico (BC) won Girls 12, Quinn McGinley (BABC) won Boys 15, and Alex Mack (BABC) took Boys 18 honors. Founder Jimmy Dunne summed the day up: ‘The tee-shirts? $7. A trophy? $11. A kid spending a great day on the beach with his best buddies, shaking hands with the competition after a match, getting cheered on by your parents and friends? Priceless.’
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