Being a League Coordinator Around Here Must Be Horrid

Cindysphinx

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
Our winter season is about to start, so that's 40+(five courts), combo, ladies' day, and 18+ mixed. We play our matches at county facilities and whatever clubs are willing to rent time to the county, which organizes the leagues. Because it is winter and courts are in high demand, league gets the leftovers, like late on weeknights.

I think I have a new appreciation for how insane it must be to be the person who has to work out the schedule. The league coordinator sent out a message to captains yesterday that, paraphrased, said, "People, people! I'm working on the schedule, OK? I have to schedule 818 league matches over the course of the season. And one fancy club that all of you like doesn't have the availability it once had, so more matches will be very far away for players coming from VA and DC. And there will be more matches than usual on Sundays. Bear with me -- I'm working on it!"

Good thing she sent that message. One of my teams has its schedule already, and the first match is Monday. If play is really going to start league-wide on Monday, that doesn't give me much time to pull together a line-up for my ladies team. Now, instead of irritation I am experiencing something akin to empathy.
 
esgee48

esgee48

Legend
Well, good luck to you and your team. However, I was under the impression you had decided not to captain again due to your historical experiences with the duties.
 
OnTheLine

OnTheLine

Hall of Fame
I would not like your schedule at all. Match late on a weekday? Is late defined as a start time after 8pm? Not having matches on the same day every week? Yeah, don't like that either.

Or just toughen up and clear the outdoor courts of snow and ice and play there with a friendlier schedule.
 
D

Doan

Rookie
Just put out the schedule for the all the January matches and send the rest out later...we got ours 2 weeks ago.
 
BallBag

BallBag

Semi-Pro
OnTheLine said:
I would not like your schedule at all. Match late on a weekday? Is late defined as a start time after 8pm? Not having matches on the same day every week? Yeah, don't like that either.

Or just toughen up and clear the outdoor courts of snow and ice and play there with a friendlier schedule.
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"Outdoors"? like with the peasants? We play indoors year round.
 
Cindysphinx

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
OnTheLine said:
I would not like your schedule at all. Match late on a weekday? Is late defined as a start time after 8pm? Not having matches on the same day every week? Yeah, don't like that either.

Or just toughen up and clear the outdoor courts of snow and ice and play there with a friendlier schedule.
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Most weeknight matches are 9-11 pm. It is hard for some folks. But I have had some players who prefer the late matches. Those with small kids can tuck them in or help with homework, then let the other parent put them to bed.

And I personally can’t do any matches before about 830 (unless I want to burn vacation days). I don’t get off work until 630 if all goes well, then I have to take mass transit, eat, dress, and drive to the match. If I can finish the match by 11, drive home, shower and be in bed by 1230 or 1, I can be out the door by 8 am for work without too much trouble. It would be impossible to do that multiple times a week, but doing it 5 times over 12 weeks is OK for me.

Also we don’t play outdoors because there is no reservation system for county outdoor courts, and many don’t have lights. And if you’re trying to administer a league with 818 individual matches, you can’t tolerate weather cancellations and delays and people trying to de-ice entire banks of tennis courts.

So our system works pretty well, all things considered.
 
K

kevrol

Hall of Fame
Cindysphinx said:
Most weeknight matches are 9-11 pm. It is hard for some folks. But I have had some players who prefer the late matches. Those with small kids can tuck them in or help with homework, then let the other parent put them to bed.

And I personally can’t do any matches before about 830 (unless I want to burn vacation days). I don’t get off work until 630 if all goes well, then I have to take mass transit, eat, dress, and drive to the match. If I can finish the match by 11, drive home, shower and be in bed by 1230 or 1, I can be out the door by 8 am for work without too much trouble. It would be impossible to do that multiple times a week, but doing it 5 times over 12 weeks is OK for me.

Also we don’t play outdoors because there is no reservation system for county outdoor courts, and many don’t have lights. And if you’re trying to administer a league with 818 individual matches, you can’t tolerate weather cancellations and delays and people trying to de-ice entire banks of tennis courts.

So our system works pretty well, all things considered.
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God bless you. Having live up there for the first half of my life I have no idea why anyone continues to do so. I leave my house at 7:45 and am at my desk by 8. Leave work by 5:15 and home by 5:30. Better climate, lower cost of living, etc, etc, etc.
 
McLovin

McLovin

Legend
kevrol said:
God bless you. Having live up there for the first half of my life I have no idea why anyone continues to do so. I leave my house at 7:45 and am at my desk by 8. Leave work by 5:15 and home by 5:30. Better climate, lower cost of living, etc, etc, etc.
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You can kinda do that here, you just have to leave for work at 5AM, and leave for home before 2PM...

I’m playing 40+ for the first time this year, and it’s only because our matches are in Fairfax (20mi drive for me) on Sundays around 6. Really the only day/time that works for me.
 
Cindysphinx

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
kevrol said:
God bless you. Having live up there for the first half of my life I have no idea why anyone continues to do so. I leave my house at 7:45 and am at my desk by 8. Leave work by 5:15 and home by 5:30. Better climate, lower cost of living, etc, etc, etc.
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Why live here?

Because I love my job, and it isn’t possible to do it anywhere else.

Some things matter more than rec tennis.
 
S

silentkman

Semi-Pro
kevrol said:
God bless you. Having live up there for the first half of my life I have no idea why anyone continues to do so. I leave my house at 7:45 and am at my desk by 8. Leave work by 5:15 and home by 5:30. Better climate, lower cost of living, etc, etc, etc.
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Don't denigrate the DMV. its not for everyone. its obvious you live in Utopia. Im accustomed to the haters. God bless you.
 
Cindysphinx

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
kevrol said:
Completely agree. My post really had nothing to do with tennis.


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No worries. People live where they need to live.

And even if I could move, there is nowhere to go. All of the cities I love are hopelessly unaffordable and teeming with people. Metro DC will be it for me for now. I’ll re-assess when I retire.

I feel lucky to be trapped in a place that has a lot going for it.
 
E46luver

E46luver

Professional
it seems like league for you is nothign but stress
maybe time to quit and focus on learning tennis only
 
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