October 25, 2014

Jamie Sulzman, who first picked up a tennis racquet at the age of 4 or 5, has never put one down for long.

He played No. 1 singles and doubles at West Chester University, where he received a teaching degree and a minor in business. He said he knew then that he wanted sports to be a part of his career. So when a position opened at Frog Hollow Racquet Club in Blue Bell while he was still in college, he seized the opportunity and continued to work there after he graduated.

At the time, Sulzman, 43, who has been teaching tennis for more than two decades, said he never could have imagined owning his own facility.  But “one thing led to another,” and earlier this month he paid $4 million to purchase the Penn Oaks Tennis and Fitness Club’s property; previously he had only owned the business.

It was a thrilling accomplishment that he wasn’t sure would ever happen, he said, attributing the positive outcome to long hours, supportive parents and perseverance.  “It’s a really special place,” Sulzman said of the club. “It’s such a relief that things worked out.”

Sulzman, who has U.S. Professional Tennis Registry certification, said he bought the Penn Oaks business 13 years ago after gaining invaluable experience at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square. He said he dreamed of someday buying the property, but he realized that unlike many business owners, he didn’t have the money one needs to get more. Despite improvements in the economy, loans were difficult to obtain, he said.

So he began a systematic effort to drum up investors as well as customers, a process that generated 90- to 100-hour workweeks – and a stretch of 1,860 days without a vacation. He said his parents, Bob and Judy Sulzman, were motivated to move closer to him after they visited from New Jersey and opened his refrigerator. “All I had was a bottle of ketchup,” Sulzman said.

Sulzman said his parents began offering assistance. “My dad’s really handy, and my mother was fixing meals and doing laundry,” he said, “They were a huge help.” He also received invaluable financial aid from John and Kelly Martini, longtime customers who believed in what Sulzman was trying to accomplish.

Now that he owns the property, Sulzman said he’s eager to make improvements, but he knows they will have to be done gradually. “The building is 40 years old, and while it’s in pretty good shape, I want to take it to the next level,” he said, adding that more indoor tennis courts and upgraded fitness equipment are on his wish list.

These days, he’s more apt to be wielding a toilet plunger or a hammer than a tennis racquet. “I do whatever needs to be done,” he said, adding that he knows his 50 employees, especially his management staff, are skillfully handling the programs and patrons.

Sulzman said he hopes his talented tennis pros will have some of the great experiences he’s had watching youngsters move up the ranks. Several players who started at the club in grade school are now excelling in college, he said, including Max Kane, a former Episcopal Academy standout who’s playing for Bucknell University; Zaina Zaki, Unionville High’s former No. 1 player who’s now at the University of Connecticut; and Ali Lane, another Unionville standout who’s also playing at Bucknell.

“I feel good about the fact that I was able to accomplish something that many didn’t think was possible,” Sulzman said.  “I really like this area and the people … Luckily for me, everyone plays tennis or wants to work out.”

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