Which team?!?

[Topaz]

Now that I have achieved my mini-goal of being bumped up to 3.5 (yay!) I know have a dilemma in front of me...that being which team do I commit to and play with for our indoor USTA season. (Outdoor team is set, since I'm one of the captains! )

I have 3 choices:

Team S - Team S is the 3.0 team that went to Nationals this year. It is captained by a good friend and doubles partner of mine. Another one of our friends is on this team as well. As expected, many of the women were bumped to 3.5 after Nationals, and they had always planned to keep the team together and play at 3.5 anyway. They have very graciously asked me to join them. My problems are: #1 - that would mean one of the three of us that I mentioned would NOT be able to be on the outdoor team thanks to the 2-player rule, #2 - they already have singles players, strong singles players, and I would likely only get to play doubles.

Team U - Team U is the 3.5 team that I played on last year as a 3.0. It was a 'for fun' play-up team that was mostly 3.5s with about 5 3.0 women. 3 of us got moved up, the other two did not. I had a blast playing with this team, and had competitive 3.5 matches, winning 2 (I'm thinking this definitely helped me get bumped). I would see singles time on this team, as they are still pretty desperate for singles players and have asked me to play singles in the past. This team had a huge roster, but we had many, many defaults because it seemed only a few 'core' of us were actually committed to showing up and playing the matches.

Team B - Team B was the 3.0 team that recruited me for singles a few months ago. I started practicing with them, and loved the ladies on this team right away. They are mostly older, but the atmosphere was wonderful, practices were fun, and they just needed a few players with younger legs to run around play singles for them, because trust me, these ladies can play doubles with no problems. If I didn't get bumped, my plan was to play 3.0 singles for Team B and still play up on team U. However, not only did I get bumped up, but so did 7 other ladies from team B. The captain was NOT among those who got bumped up. I have no idea if she is planning to keep the team together and play at 3.5, or split up the team and everyone finds a new place to go.

I want to play singles and doubles, but my singles game is still...umm, shall we say, developing? I want a competitive team, but I know (or hope) my Outdoor team can fill that 'slot' for me. Right now, my thought is to go with Team B if the captain decides to play up, and if not, go with Team U. I can still play with my friends from Team S on the outdoor team. And if I feel like I'm not getting enough competition, there are always tournaments, right?

Thoughts? Suggestions? Flames? Recipes?

 

[Cindysphinx]

Tough choice, Topaz.

I'd want to hear more about your personal goals. It sounds like top priority is getting to 4.0, but I'm unclear on whether you think the most direct path is singles or doubles. I'm also unsure whether you want to move to singles forever, or just as a means to tune up your doubles groundstrokes.

Based on what you wrote so far, I'd say definitely go with the team that can give you the singles play you want. That sounds like Team B, where you would get tossed out there at No. 1 singles. You play a few competitive matches and it will really help your strokes and rating.

I don't think so much of using "We're Gonna Go To Nationals, Baby!" as a criterion. That is a crap shoot under the best conditions. Might as well buy lottery tickets. Also, if this is a team of newbie 3.5s, it might take some time before you have a critical mass that is at the top of 3.5 given how hard it is to progress the higher you get. So Team S would be my least favorite option.

So. You're transitioning to singles? I was thinking about it. Until last night. I played doubles with one of my favorite partners who just moved to 3.5. She has a big first serve, a lollipop second serve, big groundstrokes, no net game. Since my game is the opposite, we do very well together. We won quickly, and our opponents didn't want to keep playing for fun so my partner and I played a set of singles.

She kicked my butt, big time. I was serving 1-5 at deuce when they closed the facility. Constant barrage of drop shots followed by passing shots. All I could do is hit up the middle and after two balls I was ready to end the point already. She made me look like mighty bad because the strongest part of my game is the net, and it's awfully hard to earn your way there in singles against someone with big groundstrokes.

So if you are able to make the transition to singles, my hat goes off to you.

 

[Raiden.Kaminari]

Based on your description, I would personally go with Team B.

It just "feels" like a better fit

 

[Topaz]

Based on your description, I would personally go with Team B.

It just "feels" like a better fit

Well, it looks like that won't be an option. Captain of team B left me a message, basically congratulating me on being bumped up, and asking if I knew of any 3.0 players that could take my place. She also let me know that I could try to appeal down if I wanted to...NOT!

I honestly wonder if she realizes that half of her team got bumped? Maybe they are all planning to appeal down? Maybe they already have...I should go check.

I just never seem to find a good 'fit' as far as an indoor team. The last two seasons I've been pretty unhappy with my indoor team, and I just put everything into the outdoor team that I co-captain.

I think Team U will be okay, the ladies are nice, it just sucked having to deal with all the defaults. But on the other hand, I got a *lot* of 3.5 playing time last year, since I made myself available.

I'm thinking I may also add a team from a nearby county, then I'll have three teams! That should keep me plenty busy!!!

 

[cak]

Well, I'd pick the team with the best after match refreshments. At our club it's the senior ladies that party hardy. I'd try and go with them.

 

[Topaz]

Lol...man, our teams don't do that!

 

[Raiden.Kaminari]

Well, I'd pick the team with the best after match refreshments. At our club it's the senior ladies that party hardy. I'd try and go with them.

A California team, right?

 

[Cindysphinx]

Oooh, which other jurisdiction are you considering, Topaz?

Oh, hey. Can you also explain this indoor/outdoor distinction you mentioned? One reason I haven't ventured into your jurisdiction is that I frequently get lost when I try to cross the Potomac. The other reason is I can't sort out this indoor/outdoor business.

 

[ten10]

I had started a reply before Team B was no longer an option, but one of my twins hit a button and kapoof into cyperspace........

Anyway, it said, I'm the kind of person who believes in "dance with the one who brung ya" go with Team U. I didn't know a "sole" in tennis before I decided to contact the local coordinator in fall of 2004, she found me a team, I stuck w/them until the next level, then contacted the local coordinator again and found my next team. Now, I'm so sheepish about being bumped to 4.5, I'm going with the team who wanted me when I was still a 4.0, even though it is further away.

I think Team U helped get you where you are, and you will see a lot of play time, and I think loyalty does count for something.

Good Luck! The team you choose will be lucky to have you! Here's to those of us who just SHOW UP!

 

[Topaz]

Oooh, which other jurisdiction are you considering, Topaz?

Oh, hey. Can you also explain this indoor/outdoor distinction you mentioned? One reason I haven't ventured into your jurisdiction is that I frequently get lost when I try to cross the Potomac. The other reason is I can't sort out this indoor/outdoor business.

The one with the initials, Cindy!

I do know some who play in your county, and I would consider it, maybe limiting myself to weekend matches. I'll shoot you an email about it, ok?

We have two USTA leagues during the spring. One is indoor league, which is just like your indoor league. The other is the outdoor league. Outdoor league gets to play three full sets, and we have two hours for each match. We play evenings 7-9 (no matches *starting* at 9!) or weekends at one of about three different outdoor facilities, all hard courts.

I have gone to districts for the past two years with my outdoor teams. It is a much smaller league, so it is 'easier' to win the league and advance. Even still, we've done well at districts each year, and the fact that we've been playing outdoor the whole time helps us out over the indoor teams who suddenly have to deal with the elements at districts (which is outdoor, and the same place they hold sectionals).

 

[Topaz]

I'd want to hear more about your personal goals. It sounds like top priority is getting to 4.0, but I'm unclear on whether you think the most direct path is singles or doubles. I'm also unsure whether you want to move to singles forever, or just as a means to tune up your doubles groundstrokes.

Cindy, sorry...meant to answer this yesterday. Now that I have found out my first class of the day is on a field trip, I've got time now!

Like I had said previously, I set that goal of 4.0 about a year ago. I have always played both singles and doubles, even in HS (though, we were *really* bad!). I don't think I could choose one over the other, there I things I like about both of them.

Based on what you wrote so far, I'd say definitely go with the team that can give you the singles play you want. That sounds like Team B, where you would get tossed out there at No. 1 singles. You play a few competitive matches and it will really help your strokes and rating.

Well, team B isn't playing up, so that's a no go, now. Team U will play me at singles, though, too. I just worry...sometimes when you say you are willing to play singles, that is all you play. I still want to play both!

I don't think so much of using "We're Gonna Go To Nationals, Baby!" as a criterion. That is a crap shoot under the best conditions. Might as well buy lottery tickets. Also, if this is a team of newbie 3.5s, it might take some time before you have a critical mass that is at the top of 3.5 given how hard it is to progress the higher you get. So Team S would be my least favorite option.

Team S went to Nationals this year, as a 3.0 team. I *really* doubt they will be in contention for even playoffs this year, as about half of the team will be 3.0s playing up (they ended up with their strong 'core' being the ones who go them there, and they were the ones who moved up).

I try to be on at least one team that has the potential to go to Districts. For some reason, I just love Districts, and I have always played my best matches there, and I've always had good, tough opponents. Once there, though, there are *so* many teams, that I honestly think it is harder to win Districts than Sectionals!

Teams from the jurisdiction with the initials...they don't do Districts, just straight to Sectionals. Interesting, hunh?

So. You're transitioning to singles? I was thinking about it. Until last night. I played doubles with one of my favorite partners who just moved to 3.5. She has a big first serve, a lollipop second serve, big groundstrokes, no net game. Since my game is the opposite, we do very well together. We won quickly, and our opponents didn't want to keep playing for fun so my partner and I played a set of singles.

She kicked my butt, big time. I was serving 1-5 at deuce when they closed the facility. Constant barrage of drop shots followed by passing shots. All I could do is hit up the middle and after two balls I was ready to end the point already. She made me look like mighty bad because the strongest part of my game is the net, and it's awfully hard to earn your way there in singles against someone with big groundstrokes.

So if you are able to make the transition to singles, my hat goes off to you

I only played two USTA singles matches last year. One was a 3.5 match, at #2 singles, because we needed someone, anyone, to avoid the default. I lost 1, 2; but it was a good match, and I feel I learned a lot by playing that opponent (who I had known before, and respected as a really strong player).

Then, my next singles match was about three or four months later, at 3.0 districts, where I won 0, 1. I'm wondering how much weight that match carried in getting me bumped up, because if you look up my opponent, she had never played singles before. However, I feel like I played that match so differently than the other one. First of all, I was as focused as I think I've ever been for a match, and three or four months later...my strokes were that much better, especially my serve. As I played that match, I just kept repeating to myself 'keep it deep, keep it in'. And I did!

I have a friend who got bumped up as well that I sometimes play doubles with, and practice singles against. I'm hoping to bring her onto Team U with me, so that we can both play singles and then also team up for doubles occasionally. I will not be surprised if I get my behind handed to me in 3.5 singles matches, but it took a while at 3.0 before I stopped having my behind handed to me as well...all in good time!

 

[Topaz]

Hunh...turns out most of the people from Team B who got bumped already appealed back down. So, yes...it seems my place will be with Team U!