More Than a Match: How POP Tennis Became a St. Johns County Tradition
- Marithza Ross
- 12 hours ago
- 2 min read
What started as a beachside pastime has grown into one of St. Augustine’s longest-running and most beloved sports traditions—thanks to the dedication of local players and the continued support of St. Johns County Parks & Recreation.
St. Augustine Beach National POP Tennis Tournament returns Memorial Day Weekend (May 23–26), and it's more than just a competition—it’s a celebration of community, legacy, and the power of recreation to bring people together.
How It All Started
The roots of POP Tennis in St. Johns County trace back to the early 1970s, when a small group of local advocates—including Buddy Davis, Jack Driskell, and Chester Benet—helped build the first courts at Ron Parker Park in St. Augustine Beach. As the sport grew in popularity, so did the infrastructure: Ron Parker expanded to six lighted courts, and Treaty Park added eight more in the 1990s.
But POP Tennis didn’t start in the parks—it started in the sand. In the 1960s, W.S. “Buddy” Davis, principal at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, introduced the game to students and staff alike. By 1973, a teacher named Tom Parragin organized the first formal beach tournament during the school’s annual Labor Day picnic. Buddy jokingly sent the results to local newspapers, dubbing it the “World Championship Beach Paddle Tennis Tournament.” When Walt Slater, a former NFL player and University of Tennessee football standout, won the event, the story went national—and what started as a lighthearted local match became a nationwide tradition.
The 2025 Tournament:
Today, the tournament continues to welcome players from all over the country—and even internationally—who return year after year to compete and connect. Tournament Info & Updates
This year, matches will take place at two iconic locations:
Ron Parker Park (Hard courts begin at 8 a.m.)
Butler Beach East (Beach matches begin around 10 a.m., just south of the Mary Street beach ramp)
St. Augustine POP Tennis Nationals is now the only paddle tennis tournament in the world that includes matches played on the sand—something players say is part of the unique charm of the St. Augustine event. Both locations are proudly maintained by St. Johns County Parks & Recreation, which over the years has continued to support and adapt to growing interest—not just for POP Tennis, but for all sports. When court demand surged with the rise of pickleball, the County worked to create hybrid courts to make the most of shared space, showing flexibility and dedication to all players.
New to POP Tennis? Here’s a Quick Snapshot
In POP Tennis:
The court is smaller
The racquet is shorter
The ball is lower compression
And the fun is non-stop
Basic Rules
One underhand serve per point
Serve from the baseline, alternating courts
Use standard tennis scoring (15, 30, 40, Ad, Game)
Tiebreak sets are commonly used
Learn more at National Association of POP Tennis Local? Find out more about POP Tennis at St. Augustine POP Tennis
