On July 20, 2002 I received a polite letter from concerned parents of a junior player, asking questions about a supposed tennis academy and ministry known as 'International Christian Tennis Association". Here is that letter and reply.
Link: [
pub32.bravenet.com]
I was glad to hear about this ministry and reviewed the ITCA website at that time, and have reviewed the site for the four years since. Having been in the tennis industry for over 30 years myself I was immediately concerned by the claims made on the website.
1. The Director of ICTA, Mr. Scott Paschal coached more WTA/ATP players than anyone in the world. The site claimed over 60 WTA/ATP professional players were currently coached by him and at this Christian tennis academy.
2. The ICTA had training academies in many locations around the world, including their training center in USA, Europe, Canada, and Australia and their main base in Arlington/Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. They did not list any addresses, phone numbers, exact locations or staff details however.
3. They claimed to be a Christian tennis ministry, but listed no church or other ministry affiliation.
4. They claimed to have reached one million people in the tennis world.
5. Photos of well-known world class tennis players, who are not known to be Christians taken with their staff. Justine Henin Hardenne photo (used without her permission, since removed) was prominently displayed. It appeared to be an effort to promote and give creditability to the site.
These are the latest posting as of on "International Christian Tennis Association'
Dated: Feb. 1, 2005: Cult Education Forum, The International Christian Tennis Association, Tennis Ministry? [
board.culteducation.com]
Dated Nov. 30, 2005: Using God for either personal or professional gain is nothing new. In fact, there is a tennis organization called the International Christian Tennis Association that lies about themselves and uses exaggerations and false claims to lure adolescents to a tennis academy that does not even have 1 tennis court: [
sonicbooms.blogspot.com]
Dated Feb. 18, 2005: Lying in the Name of Jesus: [
www.faithwriters.com]
Dated March 1, 2006 International Christian Tennis Association (ICTA) listing under Sects or Cults.
[
tennisministry.com]
They have used at least four Internet addresses that ICTA has used:
www.ictatennis.net (since shutdown)
[
home.OurMinistry] (since shutdown)
[
ictatennis.ourministry.org] (since shutdown)
[
www.christiantennis.net]
Yearly Website Archive available on the Internet:
[
web.archive.org]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I contacted Mr. Paschal in August 2002 with a polite letter, pointing out the message that was received on our ministry message board and requesting from him the following: His Academy address, his church contact and his Pastor Name and contact. No documents have ever been provided.
I then began to follow this supposed ministry website and have done so for this period of years. For more detailed information go to or read below: [
tennisministry.com]
2002
1. August 30, 2002, I received a harnessing email from Scott Paschal. Our ministry message board was then flooded with letters, either supporting the ICTA or threatening, in one case physically threatening either myself, or threatening others who began to post legit questions about ICTA or Mr. Paschal. I began to have to remove posts that were coming from this group. We received several hundred posts in a period of a few months, eventually forcing me to shut down our ministry message board. However some of this old board still remains, and may be reviewed at: [
pub32.bravenet.com]
2. Through investigative techniques available on the Internet, I was able to determine that the posting that are harassing or supporting ICTA on our message board were coming from Arlington, Texas and from one computer. The posting that are from his assistants also match the other posting that are signed with other names. (pointing out that many are forged or alias names but from one source.)
3. I find Mr. Scott Paschal listed in the United States Professional Tennis Association member listing book, rated a P3 (the lowest form of coach rating) and living in Arlington, Texas. A USPTA Master Pro in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas tells me that no academy such as ICTA exists in that town and would be well known if had pro players.
4. Mr. Naessens from Greece, contacted me. He is a tennis coach, club manager and had contact with Mr. Paschal via email. He was given assurances that ICTA would send him money to build up his club. After a short period he found out their claims were not legit, threatening and he broke off contact with them. He has posted information on this group in various locations on the Internet to expose what he felt were their false claims.
5. September 25, 2002. An example of a strange and harassing letter on our message board from a ‘supposed’ tennis student of Mr. Paschal and ICTA Academy student, Katerina Yvkenoia. [
pub32.bravenet.com]
6. September 27, 2002 email from Mr. Paschal assistant, Rachael: Scott is also heavily involved with the USTA High Performance dept. and is teaching them how he has successfully developed so many WTA players and brought them together. He speaks at Churches/high schools/colleges and is writing a book on sports supplements for women on the WTA tour in conjunction with the USTA trainers. (To my knowledge this is all false.)
7. October 8, 2002 email from Mr. Paschal assistant, Rachel: ‘Our USA academy staff and full time players personally attend the 2nd largest church in the country and have a home base with them. When we advertised this fact last year, many enemies from around the world would threaten the church with bomb attacks…as well as over 20 churches around the world. I have personally taught tennis for the ICTA at 16 Christian sports camps where we have all enjoyed much fellowship.’ (Despite a request for the churches name or sport camp location, none was ever provided.)
8. November 22, 2002. Mr. Paschal mentions in an email that he has contact with a Christain tennis ministry and academy in south Florida, ‘The complete Player Institute’. I contact the Director, Mr. Scott Williams and he mentions that he has had no contact with Mr. Paschal and does not know him. [
www.cpitennis.com]
9. November 23, 2002. An email sent out on the Internet by ICTA. Quote: ‘ICTA and ICTAcademies International! will announce a partnership with two top ATP players in January, 2003! You will be amazed at who have become ICTA supporters. These players have offered to work with ICTAcademies International! in training our top young ATP and WTA players.” ( No further announcements were ever made and no players named).
10. I began to see posting in Christian magazines on the Internet that ICTA Academy was now located at "Players Racquet Club" in Palm Coast, Florida and that Mr. Paschal was the club, General Manager. I called the club, asking for Mr. Paschal and was informed by the "General Manager' that Mr. Paschal was no longer there, and the ICTA was never located there, Mr. Paschal was never the General Manager, was hired based upon his claims to promote the club, and took care of the grounds and marketing of the club. He was fired after a short period from member complaints. The General Manager felt that the group he claimed to have "ICTA" as more of a cult and that he was living in the same house as two other unmarried female helpers of his.
11. Mr. Scott Paschals, two female assistants mother, Joy Snelen contacted me. She told me that she was concerned about her two daughter welfare and them living with Scott Paschal. She also felt that Scott Paschal was separating her from her daughters. She also contacted David Paschal, Scott's brother and who is a Baptist Pastor. Mr. David Paschal contacted me and after checking out David Paschal Pastor qualifications, I called him. He told me that he had not had contact with his brother for a number of years; that his brother had a history of lying and he felt was mentally ill.
12. Scott Paschal emailed me after his brother and his assistant’s mothers had contacted him and mentioned contacting me. He was threatening and told me to remove any negative posting on our message board that had to do with ICTA. He mentioned that the girl’s mother was a child abuser and abusive to the girls, he was protecting them and that the mother was found guilty and would be put in jail shortly. I replied to Scott Paschal to provide court documents so stating the facts as he related them and I would gladly remove any posting from the mother to our new message board or any concerning ICTA. No documents were ever provided.
13. I next read in several Christian magazines, including Charisma, Mr. Paschal was being interviewed in the articles claiming that he had a large Christian tennis ministry, a Christian tennis academy, quit his $100,000USD a year job as General Manager at the Player's Racquet Club, and other claims all for the 'call' of God.
Websites:
[
www.crosswalk.org]
Since removed - [
www.charismamag.com]
14. I received various emails at times polite and at times threatening either from Mr. Paschal, or his two helpers during the next several years. I replied politely but desired to keep the communication to the minimum. An example is this statement from an October 8, 2002 email from Scott Paschal to me, 'I will coach more WTA pro players this year than anyone in the world. ‘One things that stands out that has been posted in various ways and at various times on the website is how often it changes. Examples of this:
Listing Academy around the world.
Listing millions Christian contacts around the world.
Training of many world ranked players.
Naming several well-known world-class professional players as Christians.
Giving the impression that well known WTA/ATP players either know them or in some way endorse them. Having pictures taken with pro players at a tournament unawares of its intended use by that player and them posting them on the ICTA website.
Claiming that various WTA/ATP players are Christians, are reaching others for Christ, when if fact they are not known Christians. Two players publicly state that they are Jehovah Witnesses.
He continually mentions being taken to legal court by others or him taking others to court.
15. As I studied the ICTA through various Internet search engines, I found a message board, that had hundreds of posting from irate people who had questioned or been threatened by anyone associated with ICTA. These posting went on for about one year and then the website administrator shut down the message board, listing the reason as abusive posting. At that time, this seemed to be the only place that tennis players could find information on either the ICTA or Mr. Paschal.
Message Board (since removed): [
tennis.info]
16. On Internet search engines, including Christian engines Mr. Paschal has often listed as the "tennis great Scott Paschal'.
17. ICTA website lists that they sponsor $10,000 USD pro tournaments in Australia, Europe and US. No events held.
[
web.archive.org]
2003
1. A claim made on their website, which has since been removed, is the following: We are the world's only legitimate Christian ministry for the sport of tennis, registered as a non profit and having a governing board of directors, proclaiming Christ to the world.
Link (since removed): [
www.christiantennis.net]
2. March 13, 2003 Christian Internet Search engine posting -"Provides a Christian tennis ministry in over 100 countries around the world. ICTAcademy trains WTA and ATP professional players who then travel the world as ICTA Christian missionaries. Parent and coach ministries, and a great prayer board for all to post their prayers. Founded by tennis great Scott Paschal." (Not in 100 countries, No Academy training WTA/ATP player who travel as missionaries and no message or prayer board on their website)
(since removed) [
www.crosssearch.com]
2004
1. November 15, 2004 they made the following claim on their website, none of which can be substantiated: During the next 10 weeks, ICTA President Scotty Paschal, our ICTA staff, and our Christian Tennis Academy students and their parents plan to travel on mission trips to: Australia: Melbourne, Sidney, and Brisbane. USA: California, Hawaii, and Las Vegas. Europe: Rome and Milan, Italy; Paris, France; Luxembourg, Germany; Athens, Mt. Olympus, and Thesseloniki, Greece. New Zealand: Aukland and Christchurch.
2. August 2004. I met a highly USA ranked junior player, Lauren, her mother and father at the US Open. They were committed Christians. They told me they had heard about the ICTA Academy in Palm Coast, Florida and arranged a visit with the intention of enrolling their daughter for year round training. All three in this family, told me, that they went to the "Racquet Club of Palm Coast" in Florida, met Mr. Paschal and his two female assistants. They left that day, with no intention to return. The reasons given were that the claims of training students were false, no substantial staff and lastly the daughter would be housed in the same house as Mr. Paschal and his two female assistants.
3. August 2004. I met Scott Paschal and one of his female assistants at the US Open. Mr. Paschal spoke about 2 minutes to several other Christians that I was with on the site grounds and then left. His female assistant stayed apart and away. Later the Director of Athletes in Action for tennis told me that she had been contacted by him and also felt that something was not quite correct. A retired Christian tennis tour player also mentioned that he had been contacted and asked my opinion.
4. September 3, 2004. ICTA newsletter sent by email lists that they plan to reach 2.4 million people in 2004-05 and ICTA will host mission trips to the 6 largest pro tournaments in the world...US OPEN, Australian Open, Pacific Life Open, Nasdaq 100 Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. (No one has seen them at the US Open, Pacific Life Open, French Open or Wimbledon).
5. Mr. Scott Paschal lists himself on the ICTA website (since updated to minister) as an ordained Minister and Pastor. No credentials or sponsoring organization is listed or known.) [
www.christiantennis.net]
6. Starts to solicit funds on homepage via support for ‘voluntary staff’ or as Christian ministry. (since removed)
2005
1. The website lists Marek Czerwinski, as a full time student at ICTA Academy and as being the 2005 USTA number one ranked 18 and under boy. I have not seen Czerwinski at any Grand Slam junior events or on the USTA National Boys Junior team. He is listed on the USTA website as being number one in bonus points for one month. The USTA 2005 end of year rankings do not show Czerwinski as being ranked in the top 100 18 and under juniors in US, which is an accurate listing of his ranking.
Link: [
tournaments.usta.com]
March 3, 2005. Mr. Scott Pascal email: Quote, ‘an 11-year-old Russian orphan named Anna I am in the process of adopting. Anna is a top 10 Russian player in her age group and a very special young lady.’ (To date we do not know of a confirmed adoption, and find this quite interesting in light to other player references to ‘tennis dad or adopted father’ on the site.)
2. I read on the Internet in a Christian magazine that Scott Pascal states that he was able to secure a donation from an Assembly of God Church in Florida for covering the cost of an outreach for an ICTA booth for fans at the NASDAQ-100 Open Professional Tennis Tournament in Florida
3. November 2005 - WTA End of Season Tour Champions in Los Angeles, the ICTA website, which is constantly changed and emails have given the impression that they have some 'official ' capacity with the WTA tour. The reality is that they purchased a viewing booth at the tournament from the tournament organizer not the WTA tour and which is available to anyone. Mr. Paschal was there and through a source that went to the booth, I was told that very few people were there. Also no video for ICTA was shown on the stadium screen as claimed by their website.
4. December 2005 - A former top 100 women WTA player trains with Mr. Paschal. She has now quit after a short period there. The method of operation for ICTA to attract players is as follows: Provide free airfare to the Florida. Provide housing. Separate them from their family. Immediately start to use their photos on the website, to validate their claims of great players and to attract additional players. Surround the player with Mr. Paschal assistants by living with them all in the same house. Control of the player by both love and anger. Mr. Paschal states that he has become her 'tennis dad'.
2006
1. Mr. Paschal on the ICTA website and lists that he will be attending a series of pro tennis tournaments as the 'official Chaplain" of various pro tournaments. (Among these he lists Wimbledon, US Open and French Ope, which do not have an "official" chaplains.) [
www.christiantennis.net]
2. ICTA lists as going to Melbourne, Australia for the 2006 Australian Open for a mission trip. (Cannot find anyone who saw them there. Not substantiated.) [
www.christiantennis.net]
3. Scott Paschal coaching homepage quote: ‘My tennis friends and mentors are the among the top coaches in the WTA/ATP who spend their time running academies, coaching top 100 WTA/ATP players’. (We cannot find anyone who knows him and recommends him as he states.) [
www.socialtennis.com]
4. March 1 – A source who has been to the ICTA Academy says that the academy consists of Mr. Scott Paschal, as the coach; two female assistants who also are students, and two male students.
Last posted by Rev. Bob Kraft, March 7, 2006
More information will be posted as it becomes available at:
[
tennisministry.com]