Joining USTA League

[monkeyisland90]

I really liked to join the usta league 3.5 or 4.0 team near my local place (only 4 minutes away). I love tennis and I really like the challenge it brings. However, I'm not very social and extremely shy and not sure how comfortable i would be in a team where everyone seems to get a long and no disputes.

I've joined team sports in the past (baseball, basketball, football, wrestling).. and pretty much put in the effort, practiced and played hard in matches, but really never talked at all and kept to myself.. now tennis is very social sport and seems like tennis players have a lot more conversation and things to talk about then other sports.. (maybe since tennis is such a mental sport that's the reason they have lot of interesting things to say!). So hopefully there are players in the usta teams that are like me so i can just do what i wanted to do which is play tennis... and talk later (or no talk).

Some other questions i have for people in a league right now..

1. Are USTA teams basically same teams each and every year with most members (if they decide to continue) on same team?

2. What are the max amount of people per team? And if they have no room left.. and this is the closest home court.. do i need to find somewhere else?

3. When does season start and end? Are matches once a week and practices two-three times a week?

4. Is the match times predetermined so i show up only for my match time or do i arrive when first match starts and leave when final match ends as a team?

5. I think someone mentioned that they have a party with food after matches are over.. is this the norm..

I was hoping i can just join a team and play my match and just go home and relax and not considered rude.

 

[oldguysrule]

Based on the way you describe yourself, you don't seem to be a good fit for a "team" sport. However, I think too much emphasis is place on USTA league tennis. The season only lasts a few months and then where are you going to get your tennis in? It sounds like a better fit for you would be to join a ladder or a club league (not team format) and play tournaments.

To answer your questions:
1. You always have new people coming and some going, but for the most part, yes.
2. Our league has a maximum of 14 per team, but some cities have no max.
3. USTA Adult League is usually in the spring lasting 3 months or so. Matches are once a week. Practices vary by team. Lots of teams don't practice.
4. All of a team's matches are usually scheduled for the same time. There is no rule that you have to wait to see how your teammates did.
5. Not the norm in my area.

 

[Cruzer]

It is difficult to describe how USTA teams operate because they are all different from each other in one or more ways. Since player's ratings can change, new people join the club, or people leave the club the teams are not necessarily the same from year to year. In our section there is no limit on how many players can be on a team so that is never an issue however if you are on a team of 20+ players your playing time may be limited.
If you have a team in mind that you are thinking of joining you need to speak with the captain and find out what his philosophy is for running the team. USTA teams are not democracys 99% of the time. The captain decides who plays, who plays with who, and what spot in the lineup you play. You need to decide if

a) You think you will get a fair shot to play.
b) The captain seems to know what he is doing. Being a captain is not difficult but you need to be organized and understand the rules.
c) The team has an "old boy" network that makes it difficult for new players to break into. The new guy may have to ride the pine for a season or two before getting into many matches.

In our area it is standard procedure for the home team to have refreshments after the match. I would not call it a party by any stretch. The losing team is never as jovial as the winning team immediately after the match. If the visiting team loses they generally head for their cars pretty quickly after the match. If the home team loses the visitors usually stay and eat and drink everything before they go home.

 

[monkeyisland90]

You mentioned season lasts three months.. Is this true? Or is this only in certain parts... I'm not 100% sure but someone mentioned that my local team started in september and ended in june... probally wrong....

you mentioned "The season only lasts a few months and then where are you going to get your tennis in? It sounds like a better fit for you would be to join a ladder or a club league (not team format) and play tournaments. "
I do play in local tournaments, summer, fall and spring leagues but usta seemed like there are all these players that are really good which is why i wanted to play all kinds of players... However, the league i'm in does have good players in itself (some play usta) so maybe i was assuming to much of usta.

So would you say most people in the usta are laid back with bit competition? Or is it strictly more of a high school type matchup where win is ultimate goal.

One other thing i was curious was that from 4.0 league and up.. are almost all players physically fit? (lean and no gut hanging around etc..) Or players that are overweight are in the league and seem to do well with there placement.. I'm somewhat lean but not sure if physique is predominant in the league.

 

[monkeyisland90]

that's funnny... they eat and drink everything before going home if they win.. and go home straight if they lose..

 

[Geezer Guy]

Where is Monkey Island? Your location will effect the answer to many of your questions. USTA is played similarly through-out the USA, but each region has a few things customized.

Personally, I think you'd be OK in USTA, except for one thing I'll mention later. You said you were shy. That's OK, there are plenty of shy guys in tennis. You don't have to be the life of the party to be AT the party. You can still have a good time and be liked and respected, as long as you fit into the team. Which leads me to the "other" thing.

In another thread you said you cheated several times, and cheated seriously enough to effect the outcome of several matches. While certainly there are cheaters in USTA, I'd say that 95-98% of the participants play hard, but play fair. We actually pride ourselves on clean line-calls, and giving our opponent the benefit of the doubt. If you're perceived as a cheater, not only are your opponents going to be mad, your teammates will be mad. We've kicked guys off our team for always making bad line calls.

If you can't play fair, and win and lose graciously, don't join a USTA league.

 

[aidenous]

USTA has something going on all year and depends on your area. In my area the regular adult league runs from January-April. We are now playing mixed doubles June-August and combos August - October.

We don't have any offical practices for mixed and combos but start after Labor day for the adult league. This varies greatly with different teams. You should be able to check out your State's USTA website for more info and get in touch with a local league coordinator that can help you find a team.

 

[brandx]

Join up and play. I don't talk to a few guys on the team much because they pack up and leave after their match and don't practice with me. Our team has different groups that hit together due to location and schedules. I actually hit more with members of other team's players, which is one reason I joined for the first time this Spring, so I could network. Finding a network of people to play and improve my game was the best thing for my tennis.

 

[aldekeuk]

At 4.0 league you will still get some people who are not the most physically fit (primarily in doubles). That exists to a lesser extent at 4.5 but those people usually compensate by being great ball strikers or really knowing how to play the game strategically...

 

[beernutz]

Join up and try it; what do you have to loose?

I'm not a very gregarious person by nature either whereas many of my teammates are, but it has never been a problem so far. We had a team dinner recently where I bet I didn't say five words because I couldn't fit them in between all the jokesters and storytellers hogging the airtime. They still invited me to play the next season.

The teams I have been on so far have more difficulty accepting teammates who ***** and whine, who show up late or not at all, who want to dictate who they play with, who act like primadonnas, who cheat on calls, and the list goes on.