No ball baskets on Public Courts?

[infonoob]

Where I live, there is a certain Tennis Dad who enjoys giving tennis lessons and organizing tennis socials for kids not only in the school his son is enrolled at, but at all schools. Now one day, after holding a free tennis lesson for some JV kids, he was approached by the town pro (This pro was sanctioned as the only pro allowed to teach FOR MONEY on public courts in the city). The pro told him this:
NO more bringing a ball basket to teach kids on ANY public court
NO more tennis socials organized

Is this legal? I see this as a way to monopolize the kids into being taught by him. He has already gotten rid of every other Pro in town somehow, including most of the country club ones.

[Number1Coach]

Originally Posted by infonoob

Where I live, there is a certain Tennis Dad who enjoys giving tennis lessons and organizing tennis socials for kids not only in the school his son is enrolled at, but at all schools. Now one day, after holding a free tennis lesson for some JV kids, he was approached by the town pro (This pro was sanctioned as the only pro allowed to teach FOR MONEY on public courts in the city). The pro told him this:
NO more bringing a ball basket to teach kids on ANY public court
NO more tennis socials organized

Is this legal? I see this as a way to monopolize the kids into being taught by him. He has already gotten rid of every other Pro in town somehow, including most of the country club ones.

tell him to find a high school court to use .

[infonoob]

Originally Posted by Number1Coach

tell him to find a high school court to use .

HS courts are public courts where I live

[scraps234]

High school courts are public and I'm pretty sure it is legal. But not for sure.

[infonoob]

Originally Posted by scraps234

High school courts are public and I'm pretty sure it is legal. But not for sure.

Legal to bar someone from bringing kids and a ball basket to a public court?

[MarinaHighTennis]

Originally Posted by infonoob

NO more bringing a ball basket to teach kids on ANY public court
NO more tennis socials organized
.

It seems really simple, just don't bring a basket ball and change the name or format of what hes doing from tennis socials to something else

[cltennis21]

This is normally the case for privite courts because the pro signs a contract, but at every public court in town? that shouldn't be right.

[klu375]

School courts may be controlled by the Dept. of Ed and the rest of the public courts may be controlled by the City. Both entities are usually afraid of lawsuits and the pro probably has insurance. So this parent needs to talk to these entities and obtain permits and insurance if necessary. In any case the pro cannot tell anyone what they can or cannot do but if he is in alliance with the city they may send police to check the permit.

[TennisCoachFLA]

Originally Posted by klu375

School courts may be controlled by the Dept. of Ed and the rest of the public courts may be controlled by the City. Both entities are usually afraid of lawsuits and the pro probably has insurance. So this parent needs to talk to these entities and obtain permits and insurance if necessary. In any case the pro cannot tell anyone what they can or cannot do but if he is in alliance with the city they may send police to check the permit.

Yup, in our city signs are on every city owned court that say no lessons without a permit.

[BMC9670]

If he is giving lessons for free, it should be no problem. If he is charging for them, then it is considered "commercial" and he would probably need a permit to do it on a public court. The pro can't tell him not to do it, but could report it if he is charging for the lessons.

I give my own kids lessons on public courts with baskets, props, targets, etc along with other kids sometimes. I don't charge for it, though, I just like my kids to have the company and training partners.

[WARPWOODIE]

At my municipality, public tennis courts permits cost $7/hour. Securing permits is a good way to avoid any potential conflicts.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by WARPWOODIE

At my municipality, public tennis courts permits cost $7/hour. Securing permits is a good way to avoid any potential conflicts.

Yea even teaching your own kids not allowed in this part of So Fla. Liability issue with City. Funny I could take my daughter to soccer field with many balls/Cones etc.

Permit works here because not only do you protect yourself you reserve the court.

Now that said seen many folks with Baskets, and Portable Ball machines that I know didn't get permits.

[gplracer]

permits....... wow! I have never heard of such. I also heard that up north in some places you have to pay by the hour to play tennis. Down here in the south we play membership to our club and it is unlimited play. Then my neighborhood has two locked courts that we can use anytime as well.

[Soianka]

In Atlanta, one private company (UTA) took over all of the public (formerly city run) tennis centers, so this doesn't surprise me.

It's ridiculous but it doesn't surprise me.

[gplracer]

Interesting. I knew UTA has several locations but I did not know that.

[NJ1]

The town pro sounds like, let me use the technical term, a tool. Have the "pro" call the cops, I'm sure they'd love to have their time wasted tending to the grievous matter of a dad giving free lessons.

If the pro has the court reserved then whoever is on there should vacate but otherwise, only jobsworths enforce every little rule.

So what's the rule on a ball basket if you're teaching yourself how to serve?

[Bash and Crash]

Originally Posted by NJ1

The town pro sounds like, let me use the technical term, a tool. Have the "pro" call the cops, I'm sure they'd love to have their time wasted tending to the grievous matter of a dad giving free lessons.

If the pro has the court reserved then whoever is on there should vacate but otherwise, only jobsworths enforce every little rule.

So what's the rule on a ball basket if your teaching yourself how to serve?

Well around here the "town pro" has called cops on those teaching lessons on the public courts. In NorCal seems like there are many who want to "lock Down" the public courts with the city, and the high school courts are also part of the city in most areas. I always suspect they don't want anyone teaching, because if the same as here, they don't want parents seeing a good lesson from someone else, and think wow that is much better than your city program.

[NJ1]

Originally Posted by Bash and Crash

Well around here the "town pro" has called cops on those teaching lessons on the public courts. In NorCal seems like there are many who want to "lock Down" the public courts with the city, and the high school courts are also part of the city in most areas. I always suspect they don't want anyone teaching, because if the same as here, they don't want parents seeing a good lesson from someone else, and think wow that is much better than your city program.

How pathetic that is.

I agree with your suspicions.

[infonoob]

Originally Posted by Bash and Crash

Well around here the "town pro" has called cops on those teaching lessons on the public courts. In NorCal seems like there are many who want to "lock Down" the public courts with the city, and the high school courts are also part of the city in most areas. I always suspect they don't want anyone teaching, because if the same as here, they don't want parents seeing a good lesson from someone else, and think wow that is much better than your city program.

Exactly. But what do?

[Tennishacker]

Because of the economic times, many cities are looking for any form of revenue they can find, collecting fees from teaching pros are just one of the ways.

I know of quite a few teaching pros who make their living on the public courts, let's respect their trade and not bash them for trying to make a living.

I'm sure they don't mind you working out your own kid, but to teach/workout other than your own is not right.