may 21.1999 ' just out 37
S /u tu /n u
Courtly love
'X ì r j i i f
v a /c m e /s
Team Portland has a handle on a racket
that attracts queer tennis players and gay dollars
by
with
ARNALDO!
S arah S wanson
he Louisiana-Pacific Tennis C enter at the
W hile there are other Team Portland mem
University of Portland resounds with the
bers who join Barreto and Sinclair in the high
thwack of hard-hit tennis balls every Sun
ly competitive O pen and A divisions, the
day from 8 a.m. till noon. T h a t’s when
majority of members play in the B, C and D
Team Portland Tennis Association, Portlands levels.
only gay and lesbian tennis team, gets together
“It’s great,” says Allen Vandehey, a three-
for practicing and socializing each week.
year Team Portland member who competes at
“This is what 1 look forward to on week
the C level. “I’ve met a lot of great friends and
ends,” says Fidel Garcia, a six-year member of
I have fun playing tennis.”
Team Portland. Many of his teammates agree.
Co-presidents and partners Kim Bauske
“It’s awesome,” says Eric Hunter, who started
and Karen Frangos work hard to make the
playing tennis regularly a year and a half ago
team fun and welcoming. Frangos stresses the
when he joined the team. “It’s really great peo camaraderie among team members, noting
ple doing active, healthy
that there is “no ani
things...and
having
mosity between the
men and the women.”
fun.”
Team Portland has
Team Portland’s roster
between 50 and 60
boasts a fairly even
members, with roughly
number of male and
30 of those members
female members, she
regularly attending Sun
adds.
day practices, says Kim
Frangos also notes
Bauske, Team Portland
the high level of
co-president. She ex
involvement in Team
plains that team mem
Portland specifically
and the GLTA in gen
bers compete at a variety
eral. “Most of the time,
of levels, from the most
tennis is not considered
competitive O pen and
a ‘gay’ sport,” she says.
A levels down through
“But there’s a huge
the B, C and D levels. If
number of people in
a player wins two or
the
GLTA.”
more tournaments in a
There are also quite
year in his or her divi
a
few
GLTA tourna
sion, that player must
ments. In addition to
move up a level.
those sanctioned by the
The team ’s larger
GLTA, many teams get
context is the Gay and
together and play
Lesbian Tennis A lli
against each other in
ance, an international
smaller tournaments.
organization that m an
Recently, Team
ages the queer tennis
Portland competed in
circuit. The GLTA sanc
Seattle
against the
tions about 25 tourna
Seattle Tennis Alliance
ments a year and ranks
and the Vancouver
more than 3,500 gay and
Tennis Association in
lesbian tennis players.
the Northwest Cup, an
A few of Team Port
annual event hosted in
land’s members are
rotation by one of the
GLTA ranked, including
three teams each year.
partners Tom Barreto
Instead of compet
and Brian Sinclair, who
ing individually, each
met three years ago dur
Northwest
Cup partici
ing the Rose City O pen
pant
competes
for his
Tournament, which was
or her team. For every
sponsored by Team Port Team Portland’s Charlie Huffman
match won, a team
land. Both Barreto and
scores a point. Seattle took the top honors
Sinclair are ranked in the top 200 singles play
with 16 points, Team Portland came in second
ers, and Barreto and his mixed-doubles partner
with 13 points, and Vancouver finished with
are the fifth-ranked mixed-doubles team in the
10 points.
GLTA.
Over the upcoming Labor Day weekend,
Sinclair and Barreto are two of Team Port
Sept.
4 to 6, Team Portland will sponsor the
land’s most com petitive members, going to five
eighth annual Rose City Open, in which play
or more tournam ents a year. “We hit most of
ers compete individually. In years past, the
the West Coast tournam ents,” says Barreto.
tournament has drawn as many as 300 players.
West Coast tournam ents include the U.S. Gay
According to Bauske, the Rose City Open
Open in San Francisco, the San Diego O pen,
attracts a larger audience than any other Port
the Evergreen Tennis Cham pionships in Seat
land tennis tournament. “Gay dollars are really
tle, the Rose City O pen in Portland, and the
talking,” she boasts.
Palm Springs O pen.
“This is really a great tournament,” says
Sinclair and Barreto also practice much
Bauske.
“A lot of people don’t want to miss it,
more often than just the Sunday Team Port
and look forward to it all year."
land practices. "W hen we are staying togeth
er, says Sinclair (w ho lives in Vancouver,
■ For more information on becoming a member
B.C., but spends summers in Portland), “we
of
T eam P ortland T ennis A ssociation ,
probably practice at least three or four times a
contact A lex Godinez cit (503) 282-7210.
week."
Seattle’s finest
drag chanteuse
singing live at
__
the Chameleon with
accompanist Bob Bruneau
T
Sunday, May 23, 1999
V en g e
of a
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Door: $ 10 (dinner not included)
Seating starts at 7 pm
Call 503/460.2682 for reservations
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