With the sun shining throughout an absolutely gorgeous late summer day, there were a lot of smiling faces at the Oliver Tennis Club courts on Saturday morning, but nobody was smiling more than Paul Kinsman from Osoyoos.
That’s because Kinsman was awarded the Peter Perkin Memorial Award for sportsmanship, goodwill and promoting the game of tennis in this region.
A total of 16 teams participated in the sixth annual Oliver Tennis Club Mixed Doubles tournament on Saturday at the Oliver Tennis Club courts.
Perkin was a promoter of sports and recreation in Oliver for many years and was a founding member of the Oliver Tennis Club and his contribution to the sport is still being felt long after his death, said tournament co-ordinator Bob Grant.
Although he lives in Osoyoos, Kinsman has been a member of the Oliver Tennis Club for more than four years and joined the club a couple of months after moving to the South Okanagan to retire back in 2009.
“There is a great group of people who are members of this club and this is a truly fantastic facility,” said Kinsman, who will turn 73 in October. “I love tennis and I’ve spent an awful lot of time here over the past four years.
“I’ve been lucky enough to become good friends with a lot of the members and, like I said, this is an amazing facility and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my retirement years than playing tennis here.”
To say Kinsman loves the game of tennis might be an understatement.
He often plays twice a day when the weather turns warm and usually plays five or six days a week from May until late September or early October when the club closes up for the winter months.
“I’m here quite a bit,” he said smiling. “Tennis is my motivation to get outside and do something and it has kept me in pretty good shape through the years.
“I never get tired of playing and I hope I have many more good years ahead of me.”
Grant said Kinsman is a very worthy recipient of the Perkin award as he is continually promoting the game and trying to recruit new members to the Oliver Tennis Club.
Grant noted that the mixed doubles tournament is becoming known as the best in BC, where you get a lot for your money.
The following is a list of the winners:
The A division champions were Zack Temby from Tonasket and Debbie James from Summerland. Runners-up were Curtis and Mary Hamilton from Penticton.
B division winners were Len Bicknell and Nieves Windley from Oliver. Runners-up were Gord and Janet Vaneysinga from Osoyoos.
C division champs were Kersten Grant and Norm Card from Oliver. Runners-up were Brandt Leinor and Dyan Goulet from Oliver.
Keith Lacey
Special to the Chronicle
