02/23/2025
Good evening to you all!
6 years… 6 years ago Ernesto Santos, David Johnstone, Jim Weinsier and I, then president of the Amelia Island Boules Club, decided to take over the organization of the Amelia Island Petanque Open. After many years with the great Philippe Boets at the helm, followed by 2 years when the local Tourism bureau took the event over as Philippe needed to step away from this wonderful event he had created, the 4 of us, with the support of several wonderful club volunteers, decided to run this event and protect to the best of our ability what Philippe had created. I feel we succeeded.
I Love this event. The time spent over the years with David and Ernesto and of course with each and every one of you have been and will always some of my most cherished memories. I loved making time to ensure all would have a great weekend of petanque each year, always emphasizing the simple fact that the Amelia Island Open is a family reunion as much as a Petanque tournament.
That being said, Ernesto’s passing has impacting me, just as it did a lot of you. Last year, I was so very fortunate that within a couple days of Ernesto’s passing, dear friends David Johnstone, Bo Johns and Woody all committed to helping make the Open happen. It was a challenge. In the past, our team was always well balanced. David and Ernesto handled registrations, and tournament direction, and I handled all the logistics of making the event happen. I feel we did it well, and each could trust each other enough that we could focus on our own tasks. These 3 men handled all that Ernesto used to do so we could have a beautiful event last November. And I believe that is what happened. The 2024 edition was in my opinion the most special and beautiful Open to date. This could also not have happened without John Abbott, current Amelia Island’s club president.
These are the memories of what being the organizer of the Amelia Island Open I want and need to keep. I need to keep this as the event I ran with David and Ernesto, this particular team, and as the beautiful tribute to Ernesto that 2024 was. I do not wish to “replace my team”. This may seem foolish, but this was “my team”, and it was a true honor to serve with these fine men.
For that reason (and a few more personal reasons), I have decided to close this chapter of my life and pass the torch to the Amelia Island Petanque Club who will from now on be the organizer of this unique tournament. The Amelia Island Petanque Open lives on, do not worry. It does so in the very capable hands of club president John Abbott and his wonderful team. I wish them all the success they deserve and have no doubt they will produce, each and every year, an amazing tournament and family reunion!
John and his team will be in touch with you all for all Amelia Island Open related announcements .
Me, I am not going anywhere and will see you on the courts in November as a participant and will still volunteer to run the Champions clinics on the Friday of the Open. I cannot wait to see you all!
Long live the Amelia Island Petanque Open, and thank you all for having trusted David, Ernesto, Bo, Woody and I with our annual family reunion for these past 6 years.
See you soon on the courts!
Tom Leon
