![]() He lost pretty handily and walked off the court not feeling so happy with himself. “One year, he entered the men’s singles tournament at the club and had to play a 10-year-old boy in the main draw. I’ve never forgotten how thankful our opponents were for that kind gesture.”Įlaine Power Cosseboom recalls one of her favorite memories of her father from their time playing at Sudbury Tennis Club in Framingham, MA. We forfeited the match so the other team could move on and play the next round. “I responded that the match wasn’t over, and as we approached the net, he told me and our opponents that we were not going to be able to play the next round tomorrow. We had match point on our opponents and my father called me to the net and said to shake hands with the other team,” Leo III said. “I remember playing a father-son tournament with my father when I was 11 years old. Leo III recalls one of his favorite on-court memories with his father that turned into a life lesson. Leo and Kathi often played mixed doubles, and Leo competed regularly with his kids in father-son/daughter tournaments. He seemed to have loved hearing the stories of who I played, but most of all I think he just loved to see the smile on my face after playing the great game of tennis.” “He was such a good listener and really showed that he was interested. “I loved talking to my dad about my tennis matches when I was a kid and I shared tennis stories throughout my adult life as well,” said Karen Power McNamara. Leo became invested in his kids and their matches, and their joys became his pleasures. He and my mom always offered housing to our out-of-state friends.” “My father loved the fact that we could compete on the courts with our friends and then hang out together afterwards. All four children played local club tournaments as well as New England sanctioned tournaments, and numerous friendships were made, including the parents of our friends befriending our parents,” Leo Power III said. “My parents loved to hit with all of us and acted as our coaches during the early years of playing. From driving near and far to USTA tournaments in their station wagon to hitting as a family on Saturday mornings at the BC athletic complex, many of the family memories centered around tennis. Leo passed on his love of tennis to his four kids, Leo III, Karen, Elaine and Bill, with whom he and Kathi spent countless hours on the court. And while he still played competitively and had his share of successes, his kids’ successes became the priority. The sport that was once a hobby for him, quickly became a passion and soon, a lifestyle. There was never a shortage of humor when Leo was around, but with that, he made it a point to always do the right thing and set a positive example for his kids.Īs he grew up and started a family with his wife of 57 years, Kathi, who also played tennis, Leo’s focus shifted. He always seemed to find himself in the middle of a classic moment, and he was always willing to share a story. His respect for the game and his competitive spirit took over from there.” I’m not sure what the final score was, but he lost that match. ![]() ![]() “Feeling confident in the warmup, he decided it would be a nice thing to do if he gave her the first game of the match. He played a woman in the first round,” his son Bill Power recalls. “He played a few times with a good friend of his, and before long, decided to sign up for a local tournament. Leo’s competitive tennis career got off to a bit of a slow start, however. His first interaction with tennis was as a hobby, and little did he know, shortly after, it would be the sport he would become synonymous with in New England for the better part of his life. He was seeking out a sport that he could get good at quickly, and tennis appeared to be the answer. Shortly after college, Leo discovered another sport, tennis. ![]() He played on the varsity team, went on to become a “Triple Eagle,” earning three degrees and had a memorable 47-year career working at BC as the Director of the Institute of Scientific Research. Leo’s first love, basketball, led him to an education and a career at Boston College. The former USTA New England President was a doer, and whether it was being there for his family and friends or altering the landscape of New England tennis like no one else could, he always delivered. BROOKLINE, MA- If you wanted something done, you knew you could count on Leo Power. ![]()
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