Tennis league founder retires

STEPPING DOWN-Thom Bancroft, left, founder of the highly successful Agoura Hills Men's Tennis League, is presented with a certificate of appreciation by Agoura Hills Mayor Denis Weber at last week's City Council meeting. The weekly league has been active for 16 years thanks to Bancroft's leadership. After running the Agoura Hills Men's Tennis League for 16 years, league founder Thom Bancroft is stepping down from his post.

An Old Agoura resident since 1978, Bancroft was involved in Agoura's initial drive to incorporate. He chaired the Old Agoura overlay committee which helped Old Agoura maintain a unique equestrian environment in the midst of a growing city.

But Bancroft's first love is tennis. He launched the league in 1990, with players showing up at Agoura High School every Tuesday to play friendly yet competitive games of tennis.

Bancroft said he was inspired to start the club when the Westlake Racquet Club went out of business and donated its tennis court lights to the city of Agoura Hills. Although there were no tennis courts in the city, a facilities partnership was launched between the city and Agoura High School.

"The school provided the courts, the city, the lights," Bancroft said.

"The league has been very successful, with anywhere from 21 to 42 players every week for all 16 years," said Bancroft, who won six tennis trophies during the years.

"The level of competition has always been keen and only one time did I ever hear a player get mad and yell at someone," Bancroft said. "The camaraderie has been at a very high level and we have had players who are lawyers, doctors, professors, CEOs, CFOs, actors, directors, city managers and others from the city and a great representation of all Agoura Hills citizens."

Peak participation in the league was prompted by the participation of tennis professional Pete Sampras. Bancroft said Sampras raised public awareness of the sport, and 42 players were signed up per league.

"We ran double sessions from 7 to 8:30 and 8:30 to 10 p.m.," Bancroft said.

Bancroft said he is leaving his post because he can no longer play at the competitive level required for the league. In July, he turned over his responsibilities to league member Steve Friedman.

Bancroft "got me to play an outdoor sport," Friedman said. "It's really been a passion for him. I'm trying to run it now, but it's not the same. I don't have the same passion he had for it."

Bancroft was honored at last week's Agoura Hills City Council meeting.

Mayor Denis Weber said Bancroft was "always a driving force in the community." He presented Bancroft with a certificate of appreciation for his dedication to the league and his work on various city committees.

Bancroft, who is married and has eight grown children, has replaced his tennis dates with parttime sales of pre-need funeral insurance. He previously worked as a family service manager for more than a decade.

Bancroft thanked council members and the community for supporting the tennis league over the years and encouraged people to visit the league website at www.agouratennis.com, where league updates, scores and rankings, photos and other information are provided.

"It has been a lot of fun with many stories, and laughs enough to write a book about," Bancroft writes on the website. He pledged to continue producing web news on the league.