News March 2010
Following the coldest winter on record I'm sure you'll be looking forward to lots of good tennis this year.
We have nearly completed the process of membership renewal with Pam just needing to chase a few people. It looks like we have good numbers again this year and at a standard where we can all enjoy both a combination of competitive and club play (see experimental system below).
New Members
We welcome the following new members: Ryland Thomas, Daniell Ruff, James Hill, Mimi Okazaki and Kate Norris.
Club Sessions
The New Season starts on Saturday April 3rd at 14.00. Our first Tuesday session is on April 6th at 18.00. This is a Phoenix Club night with members of Spring Lane welcome as guests. Thursday April 8th is Spring Lane's first session with Phoenix members welcome as their guests.
Your club fees entitle you to free play during our own and joint club sessions (on Tuesday and Thursday evenings). Additionally we will be able to play our club tournaments outside of club sessions providing courts are available to help ease congestion without the need for additional payment. It may be possible to play at other times if the courts are available for a fee (exactly the same as existing arrangements ie. the honesty box payment system). Team selection is expected to take place by 31st March.
Experimental Rules for Play at Club Sessions
Further to comments at the AGM re the selection of 4s at club sessions. The Committee have decided to experiment on Tuesday and Saturdays 2-3.30 pm with the systems which has proven to work on Sunday mornings during the winter. The rules are as follows:
People make-up fours on arrival, knock-up and commence set.
As soon as one group of players completes a set (eg 6-3) a signal is given and all other courts complete the game they are currently playing and stop. Winning pairs move up a court, losing pairs move down a court. After completing the current game if a set is drawn then the pair who won the last game count as winners. Except for the top court where winners stay put and the bottom court where losers stay put all pairs change. So if I'm playing with you and we win, we go up a court and play against each other.
If more than four courts are in use the Court 4 is the Top court, court 3 is down, then 2 and 1 (through the gate 5, 6, 7, 8) Unless coaching is taking place on 5 & 6). Towards the end of a session when some people may leave then fours can be arranged and sets played - maybe a ladies four or mens etc. This will be reviewed in May so please give it a go for a few weeks and let us know what you think. We hope that it will speed up play and enable everyone to mix in easily without so much hanging around.
American Tournaments: Start 14.00 prompt so entry from 13.45 price £1.00.
- Saturday 17th April - Charity (British Heart Foundation) so raffle prizes welcome
- Saturday 22nd May - cash prizes
- Saturday 10th July - cash prizes
- Saturday 21st August - cash prizes
- Saturday 2nd October - cash prizes
Coaching
After many years of faithful service Christine Clark will be moving on at the end of this month. We will continue to operate Phoenix Rising with professional coaching on Tuesday evenings and non-coaching play on Saturdays pms. The Committee would like volunteers to meet and greet the Phoenix Rising players on Saturday afternoons, whilst still able to join in club play. Please volunteer your services via Pam Harvey. Phoenix Rising is a feed for new players into the club and in the past we have gained some good players via this route.
Making Aces Update
The agreement covering court usage, fees, etc has been signed with Rob and he is now working with his solicitors to have the lease arrangement with the Institute in place. On a practical basis there is very little change for us from last year.
Our Membership Secretary Pam Harvey would appreciate all members to keep her up to day with contact details, in particular email addresses. This is the preferred and most economical method of contact. If you have any concerns please send them to Pam (pamela.harvey(at)colchester.gov.uk as I am away and these can be discussed at our next Committee meeting on March 31st.
Yvonne Rann
