League Matches - Too Many?

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Shankadelic

Rookie
How many league matches is too much in one year? Looking around an "unofficial" USTA rating site that I will leave nameless here but everyone knows, I see a bunch of folks eclipsing 100+ league matches in a rating year, with some over 150+ (check ‘Bama). We all agree hitting and match play makes you a better player but playing a match every 2-3 day??

Sweet spot seems to be a 40+ and/or 55+ 3.5 player that plays in two associations. Never mind how they do this along with handling the typical adult responsibilities most everyone has (job, family, significant other) that limits one playing time. I capped out in the 50s but didn't play during fall season and thought that was up there... until I looked around.
 
I will finish with roughly 60 league matches and roughly USTA 20 tournament matches. That is about 2 matches per week when you include the off-months between seasons (Mid-December to Mid-January; late May to late June).

The only folks that I see that are in the much higher numbers:
Those who made it deep into the post season (districts, sectionals, nats) sometimes on multiple teams
Those who play both at level and "up"
Those who play a lot of Mixed (I play none)
Those who play both NTRP leagues AND age group (55+) or Tri-level

I am happy at 2 matches per week, would likely be okay with 3 matches per week, past that I think I would miss some practice time.
 
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I don't play that much to go 100+, but I am going to end up somewhere between 90-95 by year end. 3-4 matches a week on average most of the year, gets to about 2/week in October and 1/wk in November and December. Each season I play in 3 or 4 differen leagues, it is really fun, not to mention one or two tourneys.
 
I'd say it depends on what your body and schedule can handle. Now that I'm over 50, once a week is about my max. Also, my geographical circumstances require an average drive time of 60-90 minutes for "away" matches, even though "home" matches are more like 15-30 minutes each way. Those away matches are waaaaay to much gas and time in traffic to do more than a couple times a month.
 
all doubles, 2 mens seasons, 2 mixed seasons, 1 senior mixed season. I play somewhere between 30-35 matches per year. Practice 3 or 4 other times per week. I'm 60 and that's enough.
 
I'm on pace to hit 100 regular-season league matches for a second season in a row. That sounds like a lot, but I rarely practice or attend clinics, so my on-court time may not be much more than someone who plays half as many matches but attends a weekly clinic and/or team practices. I do continue to work on shots, but just do that in the course of a match.

I had been relatively injury-free for my first five years of league play, but the injury bug hit me hard in 2017. Maybe playing all those matches caught up with me. Even with nearly two months off after back surgery, I'm about to hit 100 matches!
 
leech said:
I'm on pace to hit 100 regular-season league matches for a second season in a row. That sounds like a lot, but I rarely practice or attend clinics, so my on-court time may not be much more than someone who plays half as many matches but attends a weekly clinic and/or team practices. I do continue to work on shots, but just do that in the course of a match.
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You don't practice ever except in a match itself? Perhaps you are exceptional, but when I look at my teams, I find that the players who eschew practice time tend to get worse as the season progresses, never better. In general, I choose to play with those who put effort into their practice as well as the match.
 
OnTheLine said:
You don't practice ever except in a match itself? Perhaps you are exceptional, but when I look at my teams, I find that the players who eschew practice time tend to get worse as the season progresses, never better. In general, I choose to play with those who put effort into their practice as well as the match.
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I agree that a healthy mix of practice/drilling is optimal. I just prefer to play matches. I do play about every other week in a block time, but even that consists of three sets where we keep score. I have no problem working on specific shots in the course of a match...I prefer that over practicing shots in an artificial setting. Dealing with real-life pace and spin from opponents seems better to work with than being fed balls.
 
I am similar to @leech ; however, the first half of the year I also mixed in 2-3 clinics a month and my rating during that period shot up well into 4.0 territory. The second half of the year, I played more matches, and maybe 1 clinic a month and my rating dropped well into 3.5 territory. So, now I am going to scale back the matches a bit and go back to 2-3/mo. clinics in 2018.
 
Shankadelic said:
That will be about as much you can play if you get bumped to 5.0. And when that happens, what will you do with the rest of your free time, Jolly???
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No, I could play more than that but I want to practice more and focus on tournaments. We also have very competitive country club leagues here which are cheaper and at better times than USTA.

J
 
I signed up for two leagues with the caveat to the captain I would only play 1 match per week. Since September I have only missed on match. Was supposed to be off tonight, but three other players bowed out and I have to play again. I was ready to just drink and watch.

Grrrr...

I can't imagine wanting to play more than a few matches a week. I still practice 3 times a week too. That's a lot of tennis to squeeze in around family, work, and life for me.
 
Finished this year with 34 competitive matches where results are recorded. Most I've ever played is 47. 47 was too much. I think 40 is probably about the right number for me.
 
I want to dial it back next year. I finished the year at 25 matches with only 5 that count towards my YER. I played only 64% total matches of what I played last year. I'd like to cut out a league or two and finish around 15-20 matches for 2018.

I cannot imagine the time, stress, and $ spent to play more. Not worth it for me but I can appreciate others dedication to the sport.
 
I find that league matches are less expensive overall than if I had a schedule of only friendlies, hitting sessions and clinics.

Including league fees, court fees and balls, a league match comes to $6.67

Compared to a friendly or hitting session at $8 per person per hour plus a can of balls, or clinics at $15 for 90 minutes, the league match is definitely cheaper ... and because you pay it up front in advance, it starts to feel "free" by a few weeks into the season.

2 matches per week I think is very nice, I think 3/week would be pushing it unless 2 were on the same day.
 
ChaelAZ said:
I signed up for two leagues with the caveat to the captain I would only play 1 match per week. Since September I have only missed on match. Was supposed to be off tonight, but three other players bowed out and I have to play again. I was ready to just drink and watch.

Grrrr...

I can't imagine wanting to play more than a few matches a week. I still practice 3 times a week too. That's a lot of tennis to squeeze in around family, work, and life for me.
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A lot of tennis to squeeze in around family, work, and life... and drinking and watching tennis. Would you really prefer just drinking and watching to actually playing? We had a match this year where the other team defaulted my singles court and it almost killed me to just drink a few beers watching rather than being on court actually playing.
 
winchestervatennis said:
A lot of tennis to squeeze in around family, work, and life... and drinking and watching tennis. Would you really prefer just drinking and watching to actually playing? We had a match this year where the other team defaulted my singles court and it almost killed me to just drink a few beers watching rather than being on court actually playing.
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Tonight, watching and drinking would be preferred, yup. I actually enjoy watching others play and don't need to be out there all the time anymore. I get in more than enough tennis, I like to have more variety in there too.
 
OnTheLine said:
I find that league matches are less expensive overall than if I had a schedule of only friendlies, hitting sessions and clinics.

Including league fees, court fees and balls, a league match comes to $6.67

Compared to a friendly or hitting session at $8 per person per hour plus a can of balls, or clinics at $15 for 90 minutes, the league match is definitely cheaper ... and because you pay it up front in advance, it starts to feel "free" by a few weeks into the season.

2 matches per week I think is very nice, I think 3/week would be pushing it unless 2 were on the same day.
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Interesting, and I guess it varies by region.

For me it comes out to about $10-$15 per league match, plus cost of beer/snacks to bring for home matches. Whereas hitting sessions and practice matches are free (public courts).

I think the hitting/drilling and practices are actually better for improving my fitness, footwork and strokes, but some league matches are necessary to maintain match toughness. I end up playing about 25 league matches per year, and that's plenty for me.
 
OrangePower said:
Whereas hitting sessions and practice matches are free (public courts).

.
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I play with a lot of snobs that would not deign to be found on a public (holds nose) court .... kinda ridiculous I know, my daughter and I hit at least weekly on a very nice public court!

The key is that everyone has a different desire/tolerance and each needs to find a balance they are happy with.

I am kind of with @winchestervatennis in league, I want to be in every lineup every week and please don't default my court! I will come out and support my team those weeks I am not playing .... but then I find someone else to play a set or two with afterwards because not playing just about kills me!
 
OnTheLine said:
I find that league matches are less expensive overall than if I had a schedule of only friendlies, hitting sessions and clinics.

Including league fees, court fees and balls, a league match comes to $6.67

Compared to a friendly or hitting session at $8 per person per hour plus a can of balls, or clinics at $15 for 90 minutes, the league match is definitely cheaper ... and because you pay it up front in advance, it starts to feel "free" by a few weeks into the season.

2 matches per week I think is very nice, I think 3/week would be pushing it unless 2 were on the same day.
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$37 per match for NYC Metro.

J
 
$37 per match? Outdoor matches or indoor? Lordy, that would have to be a family budget line item! Dang, tennis really is an elitist sport in some parts of the country.
 
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