I’ve been born and raised in Greater Pittston and most likely, will die and rest in a local cemetery.
I’ve never lived anywhere but here and my travel has been pretty limited to visiting Colorado, New Orleans, California, New York, New Jersey and the only time I’ve traveled out of the country was when I visited Montreal to watch tennis.
Tennis has been a big part of my life and I will always credit the game in saving me and helping me keep my sanity when my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease when he was just 54-years-old and I in my mid-20s.
I would head off to the tennis courts and just fully concentrate on hitting that little fuzzy ball for an hour or two several times a week. It was a great diversion while giving me a hobby that turned pretty serious, as I got better over time.
I reached a level where I was able to train with some of the area’s best tennis players at first such as Fred Bohn and Tony Fino and later Steve McAndrew, Steve Kovachik, Bruce Wilson and more that became my steady hitting partners.
These guys were always heads and shoulders above me, but I worked hard to gain respect in order to stay in a regular rotation as a hitting partner.
I’ve always loved tennis once I got out of high school. I came into the game during the great tennis boom where everyone would play, just like pickleball is today.
After high school graduation, there wasn’t much to do athletically speaking. Back then you didn’t have a Planet Fitness every few towns away and the YMCA wasn’t exactly the best place to go for a racquet sport other then racquetball.
I enjoy watching Jimmy Connors, Vitas Gerulaitis, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe and my all-time favorite, Bjorn Borg from Sweden.
Over time as I gained experience and mastered some strokes, I played some tournament tennis tournaments. I didn’t play a lot of events, after all I was a dad to two young girls, but I was able to get a ranking in the Middle States made up of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and part of West Virginia.
I think Middle States is still intact, unless boundaries have changed.
It was such a great feeling to achieve a level that not many have in NEPA, and because of tennis, I met some really interesting people that all had tennis in common.
Eventually, tennis led me to Charleston, S.C., thanks to former Exeter native Mike Saia, who was working for the Family Circle Cup (FCC) at Daniel Island.
It was right after my cancer surgery in 2006 when Mike, the assistant communications director working under Robin Reynolds, called me to ask if I was willing to work at the FCC tournament in the spring of 2007.
Not knowing what to expect of myself after cancer surgery or even wanting to take a risk and work at Daniel Island for 11 days was a big leap of fate. After all, living in Greater Pittston all of my life would be a stretch to travel to Charleston to work for 11 days.
I remember taking the flight, landing and traveling to the tennis venue for the first time, I called home saying, “I really don’t know what I’m doing here or what I’m even capable of doing.”
My Impostor Syndrome was in high gear during that trip and I was slowly talking myself out of staying. It was like going to camp when you’re 10 years old and feeling lonely, scared and unsure of yourself.
I forged through and made it through seven years until Mike no longer worked for the event. I thought that was the end of my treks to Charleston until I was able to hook up with an online tennis blogger who asked me if I’d take photos for his sight.
I had to get credentialed for each of the years to follow and now when I go back, it’s like visiting old family relatives. It’s really a great feeling.
Granted, the last few years kind of halted my chances to go to Charleston with the pandemic, but I stayed true to the course and eventually made it back this year. After a few years absence, I made it back and I can say things have changed … all for the better, of course.
Charleston is a great southern city with a modern flair. It has the charm of the old south, but yet with an up to date touch.
There is the great medical college there as well as College of Charleston. In addition to the Charleston Open, the city would host a lower level PGA golf tournament; they have a minor league baseball team and other sporting events throughout the year.
Let’s not forget the ocean is right there and you can always find your way to Folly Beach or the Isle of Palm.
It always amazes me how someone could live here most of their life and then uproot and move to a different state. Mike Saia, a Wyoming Area grad and recently, lifelong Exeter resident and former Wyoming Area teacher, Don Cassetori, moved to Charleston.
I ran into Don at the Charleston Open last week and it was weird to see him in a different environment.
Have a happy and blessed and holy Easter Sunday, y’all.
Thought of the Week
“Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness.” – Floyd W. Tomkins
Quote of the Week
“The first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies.” – Kate McGahan
Bumper Sticker
“The great gift of Easter is hope.” – Basil Hume
