By Gina Clance, Net News Contributor
There are not many people around metro Atlanta who can recall the days of ALTA in the 1970s — and even fewer who can say they have been a part of the organization since that time. However, Rick Griswell is one who has seen numerous changes in ALTA over the years and has helped as a volunteer through those changes. But after 44 years of serving as a coordinator in the ALTA Men’s and Mixed Doubles Leagues, he has stepped down, taking with him many fond and funny memories.
Griswell began playing on an ALTA team in 1977 and was asked to volunteer a few years later. Since he loves to help others, he agreed to “try it out.” In his time as a coordinator, ALTA has gone from using paper maps and mailed-in scorecards to running the bulk of the leveling, mapping, and scheduling online.
“I remember the first time they handed me 32 rosters and told me to schedule my teams,” Griswell said. “We were working out of the dining room at the Men’s League VP’s home. I had to look up the zip code for each team and attempt to schedule them as close together as possible to cut down on travel time. Things sure have changed since 1980.”
During his time as an ALTA coordinator, Griswell was named Coordinator of the Year twice (2005 and 2007) and served as the Presidential Appointee to the Executive Committee (2009). He said he never wanted to be more than a coordinator because he would rather spend his time helping the captains.
Griswell once said, “I enjoy working with the captains. …It just makes me feel good that I can give back to ALTA by doing a useful job.”
Former ALTA President Jerry Niemeyer remembers working alongside Griswell. “He was known for collecting City Champ plates (as a captain) in the Men’s League,” Niemeyer said. “He was able to put together high-level teams that won. We always kidded him about that!”
Tennis often becomes a family activity, and the Griswell family certainly spent hundreds of hours on the courts together. For several years, he captained a team on which he, his wife, and all three daughters played. Griswell and his daughter, Heather Robinson, were mixed doubles coordinators together for 23 years. Each season, they would “bet” on whose team would win the big plate. As of his retirement in 2024, Griswell never won that bet.
For 44 years, Griswell did a fantastic job, and it did not go unnoticed. “Rick is just a good guy to be around,” Niemeyer said. “He’s one of those guys who made ALTA what it is today.”
Thank you, Rick Griswell, for all you have done to help promote tennis and ALTA in the Atlanta community! We applaud your dedication and appreciate the years you have served more than you know!
