What is ZooTower?
ZooTower is a place to re-connect and re-engage with close communities you are a part of, and so share content that is a part of that experience. I started to ZooTower to share old photos, tournament draws and other memorabilia with the junior and college tennis communities that were a big part of my formative years.
At its best, ZooTower will also be an information resource that organizes user content that may not originally be in digital format to fill in gaps in the online information record.
Why is it Called Zoo Tower?
The name comes from a tennis tournament called the US National Boy’s U16 and U18 Junior Nationals, which is held each August at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The tournament and the location are fondly referred to as “the Zoo”. One of the key features of The Zoo was a three story observation tower (“the Tower”), which was the administrative nerve center of the tournament, housing the tournament officials, referees, and the tournament directors. It was akin to the air traffic control tower at an airport, directing and overseeing all the courts below, and the tournament director would occasionally mete out warnings or point penalties or worse with the aid of a bullhorn.
Is it just for tennis players?
Not at all! This happens to be the niche community I am a part of and have enjoyed reconnecting with as I get older. But it could be anything, a sport, a musical or artistic community, or any sort of passion where the user group has interesting content to share.
What should I do if I have ideas on site improvements?
Please let me know from the Contact Us page. I am not a web site designer, just a fan of connecting people who share experiences, so please let me know how we can improve.
All best,
Scott