By Laura Vitaro

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with CPF Sports Coordinator Burt Rosen at the CPF Sports Office in Flushing, where he works. At the age of 80, Burt is a natural comedian, and story-teller. Having worked for City

Parks Foundation for 18 years, he is an integral part of the CPF Sports community, helping to coordinate CPF Sports activities throughout all five boroughs, while maintaining a friendly face in the office.

While Burt has become an avid tennis player in recent years, as a child, it was his least favorite sport, sitting on the bench in boredom when he would go with his friends to play. Instead, Burt participated in nearly every other neighborhood sport, his favorite being basketball. “I was a star,” he explains, laughing. “It’s an action game. It’s a running game, and it’s a little bit of contact,” he continues, mentioning that he would get himself into trouble from time to time for being too rough.

After retiring from textiles in 1995, Burt decided to give tennis another shot, and began taking adult classes at the National Tennis Center to fill the time. After a few classes, Burt decided to join an adult league. “I joined the league because I could hit the ball now. I wasn’t a tennis player. I could hit the ball, but that’s about it. So now I’ve been playing for 18 years. Now I consider myself a star,” he asserts. At this point, Burt was playing three to four hours of tennis a day.

Until one day, he entered the office in which he now works to get a permit to play. “Wrong office,” a woman at the front desk told him. Burt turned around to walk out, but as he was leaving, he overheard our CPF Director of Sports, Mike Silverman, on the phone, explaining that they need a senior to open up in the mornings. “They don’t sleep!” Burt recalls Mike saying. Hearing this, Burt marched right to the back of the office and knocked on Mike’s door.

“They sent me for the job,” he announced to Mike.

“Who sent you?”

“The people on the phone!” Burt responded.

“What do you know about tennis?”

“You wear sneakers. You wear whatever you want,” he asserted.

Burt has been working for CPF Sports ever since. His sense of humor continues to charm CPF employees, and the

CPF athletes he interacts with on a daily basis.

Working out of our office in Flushing, Burt does everything from answering phones and questions about CPF Sports activities, to assigning and organizing people on the tennis courts. He used to go to the CPF Sports sites to check in, and make sure the programs are running smoothly, but now his work remains primarily in the office, making his face shown, and getting to know the tennis regulars, many of whom he used to play with. Everyone from the seniors to the young CPF athletes know Burt, walking into the office with a friendly, “Hi Burt! How have you been?”

For the most part, Burt enjoys the relaxing environment of the CPF Sports Office, but of course every job comes with his downsides, to include calling security on stubborn court poachers. But Burt laughs about these experiences, taking pleasure in the comedy they seem to bring to the job. “It’s a nice job,” Burt says. “You meet nice people.”

Burt also takes pleasure in the opportunity CPF Sports brings to young athletes. His favorite CPF program is Track & Field, because the diversified exercise and constant activity make it a very healthy sport. “It’s so good for the kids,” he explains.

In his years at CPF, Burt has watched many young athletes excel into talented and motivated adults, a few even working with Burt in the Sports Office as an afterschool job, and using their experience and practice with CPF Sports to apply for college scholarships. One particular talented and hardworking young girl would come to the courts every day to play with anyone she could, developing skill that would later transfer to Ivy League level tennis. But what Burt valued most was not just her athletic skill, but her academic ambition as well, bringing in Word of the Day flash cards for Burt to quiz her. After many years at CPF, Burt has developed a number of connections like these, taking great pride in the accomplishments of these motivated young athletes.

While less than he used to, Burt continues to play tennis every winter, about three days a week, along with swimming on occasion (but only if the water is 90 degrees!), and golf (“I taught Mike Silverman golf. Truth. Put that in the report!”). While perhaps tennis seemed boring initially, Burt has developed a real passion for the sport that contributes to the general excitement he has for his job.

“I love the game,” he explains. “Tennis is something you can play your whole life. I don’t know if you see the pros on television. I don’t run like they do. And I don’t hit like they do, but it’s a great game. You play your whole life.”Rich Text AreaToolbarBold (Ctrl / Alt + Shift + B)Italic (Ctrl / Alt + Shift + I)Strikethrough (Alt + Shift + D)Unordered list (Alt + Shift + U)Ordered list (Alt + Shift + O)Blockquote (Alt + Shift + Q)Align Left (Alt + Shift + L)Align Center (Alt + Shift + C)Align Right (Alt + Shift + R)Insert/edit link (Alt + Shift + A)Unlink (Alt + Shift + S)Insert More Tag (Alt + Shift + T)Toggle spellchecker (Alt + Shift + N)▼
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By Laura Vitaro
A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with CPF Sports Coordinator Burt Rosen at the CPF Sports Office in Flushing, where he works. At the age of 80, Burt is a natural comedian, and story-teller. Having worked for City Parks Foundation for 18 years, he is an integral part of the CPF Sports community, helping to coordinate CPF Sports activities throughout all five boroughs, while maintaining a friendly face in the office.
While Burt has become an avid tennis player in recent years, as a child, it was his least favorite sport, sitting on the bench in boredom when he would go with his friends to play. Instead, Burt participated in nearly every other neighborhood sport, his favorite being basketball. “I was a star,” he explains, laughing. “It’s an action game. It’s a running game, and it’s a little bit of contact,” he continues, mentioning that he would get himself into trouble from time to time for being too rough.
After retiring from textiles in 1995, Burt decided to give tennis another shot, and began taking adult classes at the National Tennis Center to fill the time. After a few classes, Burt decided to join an adult league. “I joined the league because I could hit the ball now. I wasn’t a tennis player. I could hit the ball, but that’s about it. So now I’ve been playing for 18 years. Now I consider myself a star,” he asserts. At this point, Burt was playing three to four hours of tennis a day.
Until one day, he entered the office in which he now works to get a permit to play. “Wrong office,” a woman at the front desk told him. Burt turned around to walk out, but as he was leaving, he overheard our CPF Director of Sports, Mike Silverman, on the phone, explaining that they need a senior to open up in the mornings. “They don’t sleep!” Burt recalls Mike saying. Hearing this, Burt marched right to the back of the office and knocked on Mike’s door.
“They sent me for the job,” he announced to Mike.
“Who sent you?”
“The people on the phone!” Burt responded.
“What do you know about tennis?”
“You wear sneakers. You wear whatever you want,” he asserted.
Burt has been working for CPF Sports ever since. His sense of humor continues to charm CPF employees, and the CPF athletes he interacts with on a daily basis.

Working out of our office in Flushing, Burt does everything from answering phones and questions about CPF Sports activities, to assigning and organizing people on the tennis courts. He used to go to the CPF Sports sites to check in, and make sure the programs are

running smoothly, but now his work remains primarily in the office, making his face shown, and getting to know the tennis regulars, many of whom he used to play with. Everyone from the seniors to the young CPF athletes know Burt, walking into the office with a friendly, “Hi Burt! How have you been?”
For the most part, Burt enjoys the relaxing environment of the CPF Sports Office, but of course every job comes with his downsides, to include calling security on stubborn court poachers. But Burt laughs about these experiences, taking pleasure in the comedy they seem to bring to the job. “It’s a nice job,” Burt says. “You meet nice people.”
Burt also takes pleasure in the opportunity CPF Sports brings to young athletes. His favorite CPF program is Track & Field, because the diversified exercise and constant activity make it a very healthy sport. “It’s so good for the kids,” he explains.
In his years at CPF, Burt has watched many young athletes excel into talented and motivated adults, a few even working with Burt in the Sports Office as an afterschool job, and using their experience and practice with CPF Sports to apply for college scholarships. One particular talented and hardworking young girl would come to the courts every day to play with anyone she could, developing skill that would later transfer to Ivy League level tennis. But what Burt valued most was not just her athletic skill, but her academic ambition as well, bringing in Word of the Day flash cards for Burt to quiz her. After many years at CPF, Burt has developed a number of connections like these, taking great pride in the accomplishments of these motivated young athletes.
While less than he used to, Burt continues to play tennis every winter, about three days a week, along with swimming on occasion (but only if the water is 90 degrees!), and golf (“I taught Mike Silverman golf. Truth. Put that in the report!”). While perhaps tennis seemed boring initially, Burt has developed a real passion for the sport that contributes to the general excitement he has for his job.
“I love the game,” he explains. “Tennis is something you can play your whole life. I don’t know if you see the pros on television. I don’t run like they do. And I don’t hit like they do, but it’s a great game. You play your whole life.”
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