Club Championship

[Flootoo]

Hi

It's me again, with another question about how to revive a dying tennis club. Maybe I should provide some context?
We're talking about a private members' club, which includes 4 tennis courts. About 150-180 players, plus about 100 juniors who do lessons on court 4, which is therefore out of action.

Since volunteering to help administer the tennis section, we've set up:

• a couple of doubles mini tournaments (probably 20 short sets played in all)
• a singles ladder
• weekly mixed doubles evenings
• a junior tournament (also just one day)

We've already started our Club Open Championship, and I am convinced that we have too few players and too big a range of abilities. There are players who will not win a single set, and others who will not lose one. Some matches are going to be washouts.

We've committed to plate tournaments for mixed doubles, men and women's doubles+ singles. Over 100 matches in total.
The rescheduling is a nightmare, although we made players aware of the start and end dates of the tournament. My initial position was to allow no rescheduling, but once I relented, it's been a flood. The number of messages is between 40-100 a day. Only about 50 people have registered.

Is it too draconian to require players to stick to either doubles or singles?
Would it be very mean-spirited to insist on no postponements?

Keep in mind that the players get free balls, free courts, and we even do all the rebooking and arranging etc.

OK, partly, I'm looking for people to say that I'm doing too much, and I should just be firm and stick to the schedule. More than that, I'm hoping for advice as to how to get away from this championship. Would a full calendar of tennis activities and ladders make the championship less important? We could then restrict it to 6 players/teams?

 

[rogerroger917]

The issue with adult rec players and club tournaments is they will reschedule endlessly to try to get an advantage. More practice. Etc... it has to be set date and that's that. Don't get sucked into 3.0 hack hell.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[AutoXer]

You are doing too much and should just be firm and stick to the schedule.

 

[Nacho]

Hi

It's me again, with another question about how to revive a dying tennis club. Maybe I should provide some context?
We're talking about a private members' club, which includes 4 tennis courts. About 150-180 players, plus about 100 juniors who do lessons on court 4, which is therefore out of action.

Since volunteering to help administer the tennis section, we've set up:

• a couple of doubles mini tournaments (probably 20 short sets played in all)
• a singles ladder
• weekly mixed doubles evenings
• a junior tournament (also just one day)

We've already started our Club Open Championship, and I am convinced that we have too few players and too big a range of abilities. There are players who will not win a single set, and others who will not lose one. Some matches are going to be washouts.

We've committed to plate tournaments for mixed doubles, men and women's doubles+ singles. Over 100 matches in total.
The rescheduling is a nightmare, although we made players aware of the start and end dates of the tournament. My initial position was to allow no rescheduling, but once I relented, it's been a flood. The number of messages is between 40-100 a day. Only about 50 people have registered.

Is it too draconian to require players to stick to either doubles or singles?
Would it be very mean-spirited to insist on no postponements?

Keep in mind that the players get free balls, free courts, and we even do all the rebooking and arranging etc.

OK, partly, I'm looking for people to say that I'm doing too much, and I should just be firm and stick to the schedule. More than that, I'm hoping for advice as to how to get away from this championship. Would a full calendar of tennis activities and ladders make the championship less important? We could then restrict it to 6 players/teams?

Yikes, well, there are a lot of reasons a club could be struggling.

For tennis, and adult tennis in particular, its a social thing. So, if players can come, relax, have a few beers, BBQ, and hit some balls, then they will start to show up. If its serious competitive play all the time then you are only going to get that crew. Sounds like the club should invest in a pro, you shouldn't be doing so much

 

[Nostradamus]

Hi

It's me again, with another question about how to revive a dying tennis club. Maybe I should provide some context?
We're talking about a private members' club, which includes 4 tennis courts. About 150-180 players, plus about 100 juniors who do lessons on court 4, which is therefore out of action.

Since volunteering to help administer the tennis section, we've set up:

• a couple of doubles mini tournaments (probably 20 short sets played in all)
• a singles ladder
• weekly mixed doubles evenings
• a junior tournament (also just one day)

We've already started our Club Open Championship, and I am convinced that we have too few players and too big a range of abilities. There are players who will not win a single set, and others who will not lose one. Some matches are going to be washouts.

We've committed to plate tournaments for mixed doubles, men and women's doubles+ singles. Over 100 matches in total.
The rescheduling is a nightmare, although we made players aware of the start and end dates of the tournament. My initial position was to allow no rescheduling, but once I relented, it's been a flood. The number of messages is between 40-100 a day. Only about 50 people have registered.

Is it too draconian to require players to stick to either doubles or singles?
Would it be very mean-spirited to insist on no postponements?

Keep in mind that the players get free balls, free courts, and we even do all the rebooking and arranging etc.

OK, partly, I'm looking for people to say that I'm doing too much, and I should just be firm and stick to the schedule. More than that, I'm hoping for advice as to how to get away from this championship. Would a full calendar of tennis activities and ladders make the championship less important? We could then restrict it to 6 players/teams?

I always hated these useless club championships with nothing on the line. I want ALL clubs to always give the champions, 1 year Free membership, no monthly dues for 1 year. Now that will make the championship really worth while playing and make it more fun.

 

[ATX Tennis]

Captain or recruit captains for some USTA (or local equivalent) leagues. I’ve found that leads to camaraderie and gets the more competitive players out on the courts more. And like others said, keep it fun.

Maybe have a night where first 12 guys to sign up play doubles on the 3 open courts. Rotate and play with each partner...tally games won. Top dog moves up a court, low total goes down a court and middle two stay the same for the next time they play. Keeps things a little competitive while regulating a bit for ability. Not perfect but fun.

 

[Johnny505]

Booking the courts so THEY can play their matches that YOU have arranged for them is over the top.
Some basic guidelines should be made available for players before they sign up: Dates of matches to be played by the said dates and you must be available for the Finals Day to play the Championship match(s) which I presume all take place on a single day and ALL decisions made by you the Tournament Referee is final.

Alternative: ALL matches to be played over 2 scheduled weekends, less time for people to commit.

Saves yourself time and effort, life is too short to spend on people who constantly thinks the world evolves around them.