Tennis Anyone  
By Gregory Bartolai

     Roland Garros in Paris, Wimbledon in London and the courts of the Australian Open in Melbourne. What does the city of Parkland have in common with these historic and famous international tennis sites? Ask Marianella Padron, a long-time resident of Parkland, and she hopes that Parkland will join this very exclusive group of cities that house one of only 4 tennis museums in the world.

     Padron, a native Venezuelan who has lived in the U.S. for almost 20 years, has been collecting tennis memorabilia since 1995 and would like to see her home town establish a tennis museum where some of her collectibles and artifacts can be displayed. Part of Padron’s collection which is currently stored in a few rooms at her house as well as in her garage includes over 2,000 wood tennis racquets, more than 100 metal racquets, approximately 300 tennis books, old metal tennis ball cans, clothing from the early 1900’s and other miscellaneous tennis memorabilia. Some of the more unique items include old covers and presses for wood racquets, old tennis ball machines and skirt lifters which female players back in the early 1900’s needed to lift their skirts when they were playing.     

     As a member of the Tennis Collectors of America for two years, Padron has built up her collection in finding new treasures from the 200 plus members of this organization.
Padron also got her idea about establishing a tennis museum upon developing her collection and seeing first-hand what a long and storied tradition her favorite sport of tennis has.

     “I’ve played tennis my whole life, Padron said about her love for the game. “I have really come to appreciate all about the history of the game and I really want to expose other people to the history and evolution of the game.”

     “The younger generation has no clue of the history of the game,” the Parkland resident added about her desire to educate people about the past in the sport of tennis. “Today everyone just wants to see what they are wearing and racquets they are using. No one cares about how we got to where we are today. I want to inform the younger generation of that part of the game.”

     In her hopes of achieving this goal of hers, Padron has established a non-profit organization called Lawn Tennis Museum and began pursuing avenues where her dream of opening a 5th tennis museum could become a reality.  Her first hope was to propose the project to the city of Parkland where there currently are no museums in town.

     Padron did present her project to the City of Parkland Board members back over the summer and came out of the meeting with a very positive feeling.

     “I think all the board members were very impressed with my project,” Padron said with pride.  “I really got positive feedback and some encouragement for moving forward with my project. I am hopeful.”

    Padron’s project for the city of Parkland hinges on the ability to develop the museum in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation’s new community center and adjoining facilities which is currently being constructed. The project is set for completion sometime in the beginning of 2008 and includes future ball fields as well as tennis courts. Padron would like to build her museum in conjunction with the new city tennis courts located near the newly built community center.

     Padron’s resume bodes well for someone who will take this project to fruition. She started playing tennis at the age of 16 and quickly became a top 20 player in her native country of Venezuelan. She came over to S. Florida back in 1991 on a tennis scholarship from Florida Atlantic University. After getting her degree from FAU in Marketing, Management and International Business, Padron began coaching the women’s team from Boca Raton. Padron also has held positions at the Key Biscayne Tennis Center working with top junior players in the area and at the Ace Tennis Center in Fort Myers as Tennis Director.

     Padron has the support of many influential people in the sport of tennis backing her proposal to build a museum in the state of Florida.
Letters of recommendations have come from the Board of Directors of the Tennis Collectors of America as well as the Director of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, which is currently the only tennis museum in the U.S. Padron has also gotten verbal support from Jeanne Cherry who is a famous tennis collector, author and historian.

     “This project will help the city of Parkland become known world-wide,” Padron declared about her proposed tennis museum. “This would be really advantageous to the city. I would love to bring this museum here to my hometown.

     “If it does not work out here (in Parkland) then I will begin to look at other options and sites,” Padron went on to say. “I want to give Parkland the first opportunity to bring something special like this to town and open up their first museum. The goal though is to open up this museum and unfortunately if it is not in Parkland, then I will have to go wherever that may be."

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