Pat Ryan
Janesville native Patrick Ryan’s life was immeasurably enhanced by his life-long love of tennis. In tennis, he enjoyed great exercise, good sportsmanship, the camaraderie of fellow players, the constant pursuit of improvement, and the thrill of competition.
Pat Ryan and Willis Pember, Palmer Park 1970’s
Pat began playing in the 1960’s at the Palmer Park tennis courts in Janesville. He played tennis for Craig High School in the early 1970s when Janesville Craig was the repeat conference tennis champion.
After his death at age 60 in 2016, two of Pat’s Craig High teammates and life-long friends joined forces to fund and build a new tennis pavilion, bleacher seating, and a memorial wall for the courts at Palmer Park. The new complex was designed by one of these friends, Willis Pember, an architect now in Aspen, Colorado. The entire endeavor has been generously financed by the other friend, Thomas Russo, an investor now in New York.
Pat Ryan, Palmer Park Tennis Courts. 1970s.
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Palmer Park’s nine tennis courts are in one of the loveliest settings for tennis courts, private or public, anywhere. In addition to the improvements already made, the foundation intends to encourage the maintenance of and improvements to the tennis court complex, to make it a tennis center worthy of its location, and as a spring board for reinvigorating the game of tennis in Janesville. The hope is to encourage this through donations and sponsorships as well as in partnership with the Janesville parks department, schools, and other relevant entities.
Janesville has produced some notable players over the years, some of whom played at the professional level. It also still has a sizable number of recreational players who play multiple times a week at Palmer, as well as numerous learning opportunities for children and adults. The aim of this effort is to increase both the skill level of players in Janesville and broaden the base of people who will come to love the game of tennis.
Tom Russo, Palmer Park Tennis Courts, 1970’s
The work has been constructed by Prairie Craftsman under Jim Cullen, another friend and teammate. He has been working closely with the city parks department which has been a wonderful partner.
In addition to the physical improvements, Tom Russo has funded seed money in a foundation (The Patrick Ryan Memorial Tennis Foundation) to promote tennis in Janesville and return it to its historical role as a Wisconsin tennis powerhouse, as well as to promote the game for kids and adults of all levels. These friends have found life-long joy in the game of tennis.
Their hope is to share their love of the game with the people of their beloved hometown, through support of lessons, leagues, and tournaments.