Orange Blossom Tennis Association

OBTA Members

Tennis, anyone? More like "Tennis, Everyone!" for the Orange Blossom Tennis Association (OBTA). With an attitude unique in the tennis world (and not without controversy in the gay and lesbian world), the OBTA welcomes and encourages participation from tennis players and would-be-tennis players at all levels and all "sexual backgrounds." Jeff Horn, founding member, "We take great pride in our inclusiveness. It's unusual among tennis organizations to really encourage players at all levels."

In addition to its encouragement of open participation in the game of tennis, the OBTA is well known for its community service and philanthropy. Each year it produces the Miss OBTA Pageant, an entertaining blend of drag queens, beauty contestants and trailer park jokes. The annual October event has raised more than $78,00 for a number of local charities. Most recently their support has gone to Genesis Community Program, a non-profit endeavor that teaches children in Parramore how to play tennis, obey the rules, and behave in a sportsmanlike manor. The hope is that these life skills can apply to their success off the court as well. Held at the Parliament House and hosted for several years by Michael Wanzie, the event combines hilarious entertainment, celebrity judges, and a serious desire to raise money. The OBTA and its members also regularly contribute time and money to a variety of other causes both in and out of the gay community.

	OBTA Members

To encourage play, the OBTA holds weekly round robins at the Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs. Diederich stresses the welcoming nature of these weekly events, "You can become a member when you get there. Or you play as a guest. You don't need a reservation, just come out and play!" Held every Sunday, the 10 AM round robins are a great way to get started with OBTA.

OBTA Members

The OBTA is a member of the international association of gay and lesbian tennis groups the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Association (GLTA), but is unique among these groups in that it charges no fee to become a member. According to Horn, "We send out our newsletter to anyone who asks to be put on our list. Our goal is to build the organization." Its members take place in a number of annual tennis events and produces its own internationally-sanctioned tournament each year called the Orange Blossom Tennis Championships. OBTC will take place April 10-12, 2009 and you can e-mail tournamentdirector@orangeblossomtennis.org for more information.

The OBTA, begun in 1992, has over 150 members, not all of whom are active players. Started as a casual association of friends who played tennis, the group took its name from the Orange Blossom Bowling Association, perhaps Orlando's oldest gay and lesbian sports group. "We had hoped the name would carry over to other sports groups as they formed," says Horn, "But, it's a good name nonetheless."

	OBTA Members

The group's mission statement is decisively inclusive: "The purpose of the OBTA is to provide a healthy and positive atmosphere for men and women of all economic, racial, and sexual backgrounds to play recreational and competitive tennis and to provide other planned activities for group members, guests, and friends." Terry Diederich, former OBTA president emphasized that the group gets some of its most vigorous support from non-tennis playing, and even non-gay members.

For more information, you can visit http://www.orangeblossomtennis.org or contact OBTA President Jason Holstein at president@orangeblossomtennis.org.

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