A HISTORY OF THE SALEM TENNIS AND SWIM CLUB

IT STARTED WITH A DREAM

Tennis is Salem in 1962 was a dry weather activity limited to just a few courts spread around the city. Willamette University had four courts that had long been the best and most used courts until the city built four courts at Bushs Pasture, now Bush Park in about 1958 or 1959. The city did not allow the reservation of courts so it was difficult for organized play. It was first come, first served. This motivated a few individuals to bring year-round tennis to Salem. Covered courts were only a dream. None existed in the northwest. The time was ripe for Salem to have a club for dedicated tennis players. As for swimming, the city operated three outdoor swimming pools which were unheated and operated only during the summer months. The YMCA and YWCA both had pools but they were both short, 20 yard pools. The YMCAs pool was most heavily used and this was used by the high schools and its y swim team for local meets. Dr. JimSchunk, a local physician had four children and they were interested in competitive tennis and played in tournaments at various clubs around the Pacific Northwest. Jim took the opportunity to examine these clubs and find out how they operated and were built. He then shared his enthusiasm for a Salem club with friends and a committee was formed in late 1962 that included Dr. Wink Dudley, Dr. Otto Kraushaar and Ray Myers. It was time to start a club!Jim had lots of friends and he knew how to twist arms. He was a great salesman and started recruiting Board members. In the early 60s, the area which is now STSC was a rural property not part of the incorporated Salem. The founders found three possible sites but settled on the current property in south Salem which was owned by on older gentleman who had a small barn and kept a cow there. There were neighbors (there werent many at that time) who were opposed to the idea, they were sure they would have tennis balls in their backyard. The concerns were tested. As a demonstration, several of the strongest tennis players Dr. Schunk rounded up couldnt hit a tennis ball that far but that didnt convince the detractors who complained to the city council. Regardless of protests, the founders bought the property which is now on Lone Oak road. They optioned the five acre property for $500 and then bought it for $14,000 in early 1963. A Board of Directors was formed and the recruitment of prospective members began. There was a lot of debate about the kind of club STSC wanted to become. Family-oriented and member-owned and member-driven was the decision, with no alcohol being served on the grounds.( Note: Inflation makes $1.00 worth $7.50 in 2013 dollars.) It became apparent that there were not enough tennis families alone to get the club off the ground so the Board decided to include swimming. They enlisted Dr. Walt Achterman, whose family was heavily involved in the swimming community at the time. Walt had been an official in the Columbia Basin Swim League and a meet director. He provided invaluable advice on the design of the pool which was built with six wide lanes and a diving ell. This gave a large area with a relatively shallow depth which is good for recreation, and put the diving in another part of the pool. The shallow gutters were a new feature at that time so there was minimal back splash into the pool. The open pit filtration system was also a new design. 1

The club was now the Salem Tennis and Swim Club (STSC). Financing of the club was difficult to obtain but the Board finally got support from Salem Federal Savings and Loan who insisted that each of the thirteen founding Board members sign a guarantee of $1,000 each to limit the S&Ls liability. Happily, they never had to pay and were released from this liability about 10 years after the clubs founding. A January 29, 1963 letter from the Board to members stated A down payment of 25% has been made on the land to secure this property and to satisfy the conditions of the land we need your balance of the membership pledge as soon as possible. Membership is now 102 families. The membership pledge was for $450. In April, 1963 members were advised as follows We have taken a 15 year $66,000 mortgage for the construction of the club with Salem Federal Savings and Loan Association. This is a larger loan than we had expected and makes the addition of 30 more families an extremely important job. That same month construction started on the courts and pool complex. On July1st, the four courts were ready for play and the pool, delayed by rains, was ready for use on July 29th. A pool house with dressing rooms/showers was built next to the pool and there was a viewing area built east of the pool and adjacent to the four courts. Club dues were $10 per month those first few years. Since its founding, the club fostered a family atmosphere. Families spent the entire weekend at the club with adults and children gathering in the viewing area to watch the activities and rest until the next set of tennis or swim. There were work parties to landscape the grounds and maintain the courts plus pot lucks, socials and barbecues to involve the entire family. The sense of camaraderie that existed then is fondly remembered and recounted in almost every remembrance that has been received. On week days, the children and their mothers spent the day there playing tennis, swimming and just hanging out. Rather than being a detriment to the desirability of the neighborhood, families sought homes there because it was a great place to raise a family. It also spawned some very good tennis players. Four future state tennis champions; Craig Morrison, Jeff Nunnenkamp, Jason Thompson, and Curt Wheeler lived just blocks from the club. That first year, the club hired a manager/swim instructor (Russ Whitman) and a part-time tennis pro (Don Ball). Subsequently, there was a club manager, swim manager and tennis pro hired each season. Since both the swimming and tennis were summer activities, the club was not formally open during the winter. The parking lot was paved in 1964 and, by 1966, the club had 273 member families and two more courts were built that year. Court lights were installed in 1967 and, in 1968, a clubhouse was built between the pool and courts 1-4. In 1969, planning started for indoor courts that would allow year-round tennis play. Prior to 1966, there were no indoor tennis courts in the Pacific Northwest. That year the Irvington Club in Portland built two indoor courts and in Salem, STSC club members, Sid Boise and Ray Myers leased a building at the Oregon State Fairgrounds during the winter and converted the space to one (or two?) courts. The space was unheated (of course),the playing surface was very fast concrete, and there was limited room on the side but it sure beat playing in the rain. In 1971, a movement was started to cover courts at STSC. The original plans showed a future building on the north side of the property, where the second tennis building (building C) is now located. A number of people including Gordon Cooley, Tom Morrison, Sid Boise and Myron Enfield did research as to what was desired, what could be afforded, and what would win approval from the city council. The research by these four included reviewing the covered courts at Raleigh Hills, Eastmoreland, Lake Oswego and Corvallis. An artist was hired to produce a rendering of the proposed metal structure. This was presented to the City Planning Commission. Immediately, when the news of this got out, there was intense opposition by two individuals, one who lived on Idylwood Avenue and the other on Winding Way, three blocks away. Their position was that this huge structure was inappropriate in a residential neighborhood and it was too close to adjacent properties. Fears were expressed that the club members would be in the top of the building and able to look in neighboring bedroom 2

windows and that wild parties would ensue. There were a number of conferences with Salem City Planning as well as at least three hearings with the City Council. The City Council appearances were handled by Tom Morrison with an assist from Myron Enfield. On one occasion, the vote was 6-0 against the club! It was very disappointing after so much effort had been expended. The city indicated that approval would come only if a wooden building could be built, and that there had to be a land buffer around it. The problem was that there was no property owned by the club that would allow for the required twenty foot buffer strip around the building. There was vacant land to the south, including a small piece that the club owned, but the rest was privately owned by several parties. There was no obvious solution, until Gordon Cooley and Tom Morrison took the initiative. At considerable risk, they personally borrowed money from the bank, and after difficult negotiations, were able to buy all the land south of the club where the Courtside development is now located. They traded the required land for the buffer strip to the club in exchange for the parcel that the club owned. Ron Jones was later engaged to develop the property on the south of the club. Eventually Gordon and Tom got their money back. Ward Armstrong succeeded Tom Morrison as president, and he used his considerable diplomatic skills in negotiations with the Planning Commission and City Council. While opposing neighbors remained adamant, Ward finally gained approval but not after many hours and much difficulty. Financing was also difficult. Salem Federal Savings and Loan made a deal. They would loan the club $330,000 but only if 165 members signed personal guarantees of $1,000 each. It took some hard work but the 165 guarantees were obtained and construction started in early 1974. The three indoor courts along with two more outdoor courts were completed in March 1974 and the club now had 10 tennis courts. The Pool House burned down on June 1, 1974 and was rebuilt in 1975 for $41,000. The late 60s and 1970s were probably the high points for club membership. Some feel that the camaraderie that prevailed in those earlier years was somewhat diminished with the advent of indoor courts which were reserved in advance and as a result the tennis play was not so accessible or visible to those around the pool. Perhaps, a more affluent society, availability of summer homes in Black Butte, Sun River, Eagle Crest and the Oregon coast provided more options for families on the weekends than what was available in the clubs earlier days. As club use declined, so did revenues and, in the mid- eighties, a plan for summer memberships was discussed and approved and this has resulted in a great increase in use of the club, its activities, and to the revenue stream during the summer. By the late eighties, discussion started on the need for additional indoor tennis courts. In late 1991, the Board authorized Bill Lindberg, a member and architect, to design a building to cover more courts and make improvements to the office and lobby. With the help of club members Mike Delk in obtaining funding and Jerry Minors engineering oversight, the project was completed in the spring of 1994 for under $400,000 with the building (C) dedicated to Jim Schunk. In 2002, a viewing area, exercise room indoor basketball court, and tennis pro officewereadded in the east end of the Schunk building. At the completion of this project, the clubs facilities included five indoor courts and six outdoor courts for a total of 11 courts. Today, Salem Tennis and Swim Club is thriving with three teaching tennis professionals and stability in the tennis program. John Devorss, who grew up in the club is now in his 15th year as Director of Tennis. Tim Layman, also a product of the club has been his assistant for over five years. The youth tennis instruction program is the best in Salem. The swimming program is also very strong with its swim lessons, competition and the addition of the North West Aquatics year-round operation. There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into making Jim Schunks dream come true. Many people extended themselves financially, physically, and emotionally to make it all happen but what a wonderful asset it has been to the community and a great place to raise kids! They have become doctors, lawyers, teachers, community leaders and have developed life-long friendships, skills and love of sports that they carry throughout their lives.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF TENNIS AT STSC

Tennis in Salem had no focal area prior to the founding of Salem Tennis and Swim Club (STSC). The four Willamette University courts were the primary place to play or pick up a game until about 1959 when the Bush Park courts were built. Illahe Country Club was founded about the same time as STSC and Illahe had two courts but establishment of STSC in 1963 made it the premier venue for tennis. From the start, the best tennis players belonged and played at STSC. Ray Myers was the best player in town at the time and was one of the top players in the northwest in his age group for many years. He was also one of the early Board members. The Tokerud family all played tennis and sisters, Janet and Kay Tokerud both won state titles in 67 and 68. Eric Cooley and Jack Schunk were runners up in boys doubles in 67, Ross Quakenbush and Paul Wulf were runners up in doubles in 68 and Paul Wulf was singles finalist in 1969. Craig Morrison was a top junior player who was nationally ranked 19th in the 16 year old age group and won the state singles title in 1977. Other state high school tennis champions were: 1985 1987 1993 1997 Wendi McAllister Rhonda Fox Jason Thompson Jeff Nunnenkamp 2006 2010 2011 Curt Wheeler Grace Lin/Ashley Spencer Grace Lin/Ashley Spencer

STSC finalists (runners up) in state tournaments were: 1967 1968 1968 1969 1978 1983 1983 1986 Eric Cooley/Jack Schunk Janet Tokerud Ross Quakenbush/Paul Wulf Paul Wulf Jon Purnell/Mark Weeber Mary Beth Huewe Julie Pattison/Susan Weeber Wendi McAlister 1988 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2009 Wendi McAlister Phalkun Mam/Charles Tran Phalkun Mam/Charles Tran Vetu Mam/Charles Tran Nick Wales Nick Wales Jackson Martin

STSC participation in league tennis started in 1980. In that year the whole program had about 13,000 participants in the United States. Today, approximately 385,000 participate in the USTA adult programs. 23 STSC teams have represented the 4

club at national tournaments and five of these teams finished in the top four. Teams from STSC that have placed in national competition are: 1988 3.0 womens team captained by Trish McCormick and Marsha Ishii was the National Champion 1994 Mens 2.5 team captained by Dave Eads placed 3rd nationally 1997 Mixed Doubles 8.0 team captained by Tina Rogers placed 3rd nationally 1997 Senior mens team captained by Gary Lorenz placed 4th nationally 2001 Mixed Doubles 9.0 team captained by ___ placed 3rd at the nationals The current Director of Tennis is John Devorss who is in his 15th year at STSC having served in that capacity since 1999, by far the longest anyone has served in this capacity. His long-time assistant, Tim Layman also grew up in the club and was an allAmerican tennis player at Linfield. Following are some of the more significant accomplishments of STSC players: Ray Myers, one of the founding members of the club was a championship player throughout the Pacific Northwest for nearly 20 years. As a Junior Vet (over 35) he won numerous titles in the northwest and was, for a long time, the leading player in Salem. Paul Wulf was a prominent player in Salem from the 60s to the 80s. In Senior tennis (USTA), he was ranked #1 in doubles and #2 in singles in the 60s age group in the U.S. in 2011 and was selected by the USTA to represent the U.S. in the World 60s Championships in Turkey in 2011 and, again, in Croatia in 2012. The U.S. team won the championship both years. In 2011, he and his partner placed 3rd in the world doubles competition held following the team competition. In all, Paul has won 7 Gold balls, 7 Silver balls and 7 Bronze balls for his play in USTA national tournaments. Craig Morrison, who grew up playing at STSC, achieved a national ranking of 19th in the nation in the 16 year old age group and he went to play as far away as the Orange Bowl in Florida where he stayed at the Evert house and practiced with John Evert, Chris brother. His career culminated in Salem in winning the state singles title in 1977, his last year at Sprague High School. He went on to play tennis at the US Naval Academy. Rhonda Fox (now Blair) won state girls singles in 1987. In 1988, she received the Bill Talbert Sportsmanship award which was given to only four junior tennis players in the US that year. She traveled with her mother to Newport, Rhode Island to receive the award at the International Tennis Hall of Fame where she was also privileged to see the ceremony inducting tennis legend Virginia Wade into the Hall of Fame. Rhonda continued her tennis playing at the University of Iowa where she received All Big-Ten honors. She then was the Assistant Womens Tennis Coach at The Ohio State University before returning to Salem. Bob Thompson moved to Salem in 1986 and bought near STSC so his two boys could have easy access to the club and its facilities. Bob had been a top player in Seattle and had played in tournaments at STSC as early as 1963 and remembers playing here in the Pacific Northwest Hard Court Sectionals in the 1967 and 1968 time period. He lost in the finals to Emory Neale one year and to Jack Neer another year. Both of these players were the best in the northwest for years. Bob was ranked at the top of his age division in the northwest until 2005. Jason Thompson, Bobs son, was selected to play for the US National Team of 6-8 boys when he was about fifteen years old. He played at all the major tennis championships (including Wimbledon, Australian and US Open) junior tournaments and 5

traveled all around the world. He played in the finals of 13 national US title matches between singles and doubles during that time. After traveling for his sophomore and junior years, he stayed home to play basketball and tennis at Sprague. He won the state title in 1993. He played college tennis at Kentucky and at UCLA, which had the top ranked US college team in the country while he was there. Lydia Slangan, long-time STSC member, former president and also STSC club manager in 1989 teamed with her daughter, Kassandra to play national Mother/Daughter tournaments and they were ranked #3 nationally in 1995. They continue to play in national Mother/Daughter competition around the country. John Devorss, the long-time Director of Tennis at STSC grew up playing at the club and went on to play for the University of Oregon Tennis team. He has won a Bronze ball (3rd place) in the USTA National 30s Grass Court Championships. John became the Director of Tennis at STSC in 1999 and has remained in that position ever since. Over the past three years, John has taken the opportunity to expand the clubs services to teaching wheelchair tennis to people with disabilities. He was recently named a national coach for wheelchair tennis and coached the US team for the last two years at the World Team Cup event where his team won the world championships. Jan Davis, a longtime member of STSC, applied for and played on the Womens USA Friendship Cup Team in Austria in 2009. She joined 8 women from throughout the US. They played singles and doubles against the European Team (England and Germany), Australia, and Canada. The US team won the Friendship Cup on the basis of total points won. The team then stayed and played in the European Hard Court Championships. She said it was a fabulous experience. Dave Eads, who was a teaching professional at the club in the 70s and then was club manager from 1990 through 1994, became, unfortunately confined to a wheel chair. He began playing wheelchair tennis in 2010 and has been coached by John Devorss. In 2012, Dave was ranked #2 in the country in the B division and moved up to the A division where, in 2013, he was ranked #1 and is now in the Open division. He is currently ranked #17 in the US Open division and #526 in the world. He continues to improve in his play. Dave says its hard for him to use his net game in wheelchair tennis because in a wheelchair youre susceptible to the lob.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SWIMMING AT STSC

1940-1960: Swimming opportunities, both competitive and recreational, in Salem were quite limited in the years prior to the opening of Salem Tennis and Swim in 1963. The YMCA had an indoor pool 20 yards long and a swim team but swimmers had to compete against teams that practiced in longer pools. Nevertheless, the Y fielded a team for both boys and girls. In 1957 Dr. Walt Achterman was an official in the Columbia Basin Swim League and a meet director. He was to play an important role in the design and development of the future swimming pool. 1960-63: In the early 1960s Don Schollander, future Olympic gold medalist, was beginning to set state swimming records for his Lake Oswego high school swim team. Swim facilities in the greater Portland area were numerous and many pools were of a length to accommodate competitive swimming as well as recreational swimming. In contrast, in the 1960s Salem had 6

Olinger Pool, built in 1933 and often in need of repair, pools at Walker and Leslie schools open in summer only, a few private neighborhood pools, and two 20 yard pools at the YMCA and YWCA. Any competitive swimming occurred at the YMCA. And in 1962, when the opportunity came to be a part of a new tennis and swim club, swimming advocates plunged in again the Walt Achterman family, the Miller and Embick families, and later Walter Hart - to name a few. The Miller family donated much of the landscaping shrubbery. While swimming has much value as recreation, they realized that water safety instruction is vital, especially in a state with so many accessible streams, rivers, and lakes, and that competitive swimming (and diving) should be just as available for young people here in Salem as elsewhere. And so when the Salem Tennis and Swim Club came into being a 25 yard pool was built, complete with a high diving 3 meter board and low 1 meter board. Dr. Achterman was called upon to help design the pool as he was the only board member with experience in this area. The pool was built with six wide lanes with a diving ell. This provided a large area with a relatively shallow depth which is good for recreation, and put the diving in another part of the pool. The shallow gutters were a new feature at that time so that there was minimal back splash into the pool. The open pit filtration system was also a new design and worked well. The starting blocks for swim meets were designed and built in the Achterman basement by Walt and his son Chris. 1963-1980:With the pool in place STSC began a comprehensive program which included lessons from tots to teens all the way up to senior life saving and a swim team beginning with eight and under up through high school. Class sizes were small, usually from 5-8 swimmers. For several years synchronized swimming and water exercise classes were offered. Beginning in the 1970s STSC was a member of the Summer Valley Swim League and with the only high board in town, local divers competed. Teams ranged from 50-100 swimmers. In 1975 almost every family had a swimmer on the swim team. Meets drew a large number of teams McMinnville, Lebanon, local rival Illahe and were well attended. The snack bar did a big business. At some meets teams from as far away as Medford came. One STSC team known as The Orange Crush (1977-80) was actually partially sponsored by Orange Crush. They wore orange of course. And crushed. With the advent of Title IX (1972) competitive swimming for girls got a big boost. Girls who wanted to complete for their high schools were able to continue practice during the summer and keep their skills up. However, attitudes were slow to change, at least in some quarters. After one big swim meet one of the aquatics directors tried to get results of the meet into the nightly newspaper and was told that in no way would the paper cover what was an event and not a sport. STSC offered summer employment to so many kids from family memberships or surrounding area - from lifeguarding, pool maintenance, snack bar, water safety instruction, and coaching. There were great opportunities for kids of all ages to mingle in a wholesome family oriented environment. Kids learned how to be good sports whether they won or lost, they learned to be a team, and they learned to appreciate the values of training and fitness. The accompanying testimonials verify that. One STSC mother, Brada Bailey, had this to say: It was such a pleasant, safe, welcoming place for children and families. The club fostered a spirit of community, a bringing together of families, a builder of lasting friendships. Even when the pool house burned down in the summer of 1974, that spirit prevailed. Families all pitched in to help. The new pool house was completed in 1975. So in that spirit, we recognize some of those who coached, guarded, helped, managed in those early years: Chris Achterman, Russ Whitman, Lou DeLoretto, Dick Morgan, Mike Chamberlain, Molly Riebel, Eric Lindauer (diving), Mark Havel, Andy Tse, Al Stevenson, Jane Miller, David Hands, Ken Robblee, Scott Smith, Connie, Kent, and Anne Toland, Jeff Pittman, Rick Treleaven, Jeff Lauderdale, Lori Bogdan, Marshall McReal the list is long and far from complete. Walter Hart was a parent whose help was invaluable. In 1965 little two year old Eric Miller made a name (and nickname) for himself with his unique diving style. He knew no fear and while he had to be constantly watched he was a particular favorite of the guards. And also in that spirit, we recognize Lucy Embick Kunz. Lucy lives in Bavaria, Germany now. She is the head trainer for the swimming program for the largest sports association in the city of Schweinfurt. She is in charge of more than 300 swimmers, 7

ranging from beginners to triathletes who compete at the national level. Lucy herself has won dozens of Bavarian, German and International Lifesaving Association gold medals. She has won four gold medals at world competitions and still holds the record for 200 meter obstacle swimming. In her own words: I have to say that without the skills I learned and practiced, the friends I made and the fun we had at STSC I would not have continued my engagement with swimming. The high level that the team swam at was only possible with year round training, also made possible by the 25 yard pool at STSC. Vital here too was the high level of near professional coaching we swimmers enjoyed from Klaus Schenk to John Miller, both dedicated top-notch swimmers. Those were the days, those were really great days. And several final notes. To our knowledge only three rescues were needed during those early years: one, a basset hound owned by Don and Susie Mason that somehow got into the deep end; two, the retrieval of a number of teeth owned by one boy who crash-landed, got the teeth retrieved and implanted successfully (both rescues by Kent Toland); and three, a dad and his son when the son crash landed from the diving board on top of his dad in the deep end (by Jane Miller). It seems that crash landing was a common practice in some circles. Several times families of ducks visited the pool, no rescue needed. And one time Jane Miller arrived at the pool in the early morning to find it half full. The drain had been left open all night. Possibly there were also incidents of night visitors and skinny dipping. No one has directly admitted to this however. By 1990 the pool began to need repairs: resurfacing of the pool and replacement of the pipes to correct for leaks, pool house repainted, bathrooms remodeled. As in the past, STSC had between 90-120 swimmers on the Summer Valley Swim Team along with the full schedule of swimmers for swim lessons. Some of those who guarded and/or coached during those years were Julie Flager, Lauren Eliason, Joey Weigand, Delande Petersen, Aden Petersen, Drew Askey, Katy Caldwell, Brie Caldwell, Bridget Caldwell, Justin Pomerenke, Andre Wyatt, Andrew Nagle, Mary Robinson, Brock Holuebek, Lauren Eliason. The high diving board was removed due to liability issues an increasingly common but regrettable occurrence at pools, both public and private, throughout the state. Lavonne Eliason was aquatics director at STSC until 2011. Pool activities are now managed by Hannah Kuizenga (STSC) and Audrey Williams for North West Aquatics. North West Aquatics, operated by Geoff Tiffany, entered into a partnership with STSC in 2011. NWA is a competitive year round swim program and manages that program at STSC and at Olinger Pool. Following that partnership, a dome was installed over the pool in 2011 facilitating year round swimming. Currently, NWA manages the entire pool program at STSC including the learn-to-swim program, lifeguard course instruction, life guards, and the STSC swim team known as the Stingrays who compete in meets from June 17-July 27 with ages 6 through 18. There are four coaches and about eighty kids competing in the Capitol Recreational Swim League (CARS) also consisting of the Silverton Y, Stayton Y, Kroc Center, Olinger, and Salem Y Ninety-five kids are currently enrolled this session for swim lessons. There are 10 one week sessions planned for the summer and the current session is the largest for this year and also last year. Swim lessons are supervised by Audrey Williams, STSCs head instructor. As far as ducks visiting, no sightings have recently surfaced!