In Sarasota, a remarkable incident unfolded when Joe Miller, while running to the net for a return, experienced ventricular fibrillation due to a dropped shot. Fortunately, Carly Nicholas was on hand to ensure his heart didn't miss beats permanently. The manager of the Payne Park Tennis Center rushed out with an automated external defibrillator, saving Miller's life. Now 76 years old, Miller was brought to Sarasota Memorial Hospital where a defibrillator was implanted. The next morning, he was ready to play tennis again, much to the amusement of his playing buddies in the Suncoast Tennis League.

History and Growth of the Suncoast Tennis League

Back in 1980, a group of tennis players in the Sarasota/Venice/Bradenton area had the idea for a weekly tennis competition among senior players from various clubs. They named it the Sarasota County Senior Men's Tennis League, inspired by the old World TeamTennis format without mixed genders and multiple venues. In the first year, the men's over 60 league had 16 teams from 10 area clubs, with each team having between 6 and 20 players. Over the years, the league has expanded significantly. It now has 160 teams with more than 1,800 players from 35 clubs/communities. The original over-60 designation has been expanded to include age divisions in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 75s, and 80s. Clay surfaces are preferred at these ages as they are easier on the joints.

Advantages of Different Clubs

Some clubs, like Payne Park, have the advantage of a wider talent pool. However, the Venice Golf and Country Club attracts more golfers than tennis players. Team captain Tony Testa, 84 years old, with only six players on his team, still manages to compete. He said, "We only have six players. We have the same six guys. But we won in the 60s and 70s, and we move up every year. We can compete with (the bigger clubs)."

Camaraderie and Competition

Competition takes a back seat to camaraderie and exercise in the Suncoast Tennis League. Members and team records are meticulously maintained on the league's website, which rivals many professional sports sites. But with players, some without keen vision, making line calls, arguments are bound to happen. Team captain Tony Testa said, "We have a rule: it's your call. Because matches are played on clay, ball marks are visible. Most of the players are honest." Any player who misbehaves will find themselves without a court, friends, or game. As 77-year-old Tommy George said, "The seniors are pretty damned good about not getting into arguments."

Reasons for Playing and Prizes

Players have their own reasons for playing. One of them isn't the prizes for winning an age division. A winning team receives a banner inscribed with the team name and each player's name, which is hung inside Payne Park. Each winning player also gets a cap. 74-year-old Tom Murphy remembers one match where his team was getting outclassed. A player on the winning team got angry each time he missed a shot. Finally, his partner said, "Even if we make every shot, all we win is this (bleeping) hat." Murphy said, "It was the best line in competition I've ever heard. Everybody is out here to basically have a good time. You want to win, absolutely, but if I don't, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it."On this particular windy Thursday afternoon, a team of 75-above players from Payne Park is taking on a similar squad from The Venice Golf and Country Club. The level of tennis is excellent, with several rallies featuring backhands and forehands lasting multiple ball strikes over the net. Jack Ambrose, 74 years old and a former basketball player from Buffalo, took up tennis after high school and has played on four different Suncoast age group teams. 77-year-old Byron Smith, who played ping-pong as a boy in Walla Walla, Washington, and learned how to spin a ball and brought it here, said, "There are so many good players in this league. My biggest regret is that I didn't come earlier." Joe Miller's biggest thanks is that Carly Nicholas didn't come later.