Northern Section players!

[darkhorse]

Where are you? I saw on another thread that the Northern section is the smallest "mainland" section for the USTA (Hawaii and the Caribbean were smaller), but tennis does seem relatively popular at least in the Twin Cities. I've heard that tennis also has pretty high participation in North Dakota of all places. Obviously the weather is a big factor, but it was a surprising fact to me. I've lived in Iowa, Wisconsin, and grew up in Michigan so I've seen what the tennis community is like all over the Upper Mid West

Anyway, I guess this can be a thread for Northern section people to talk about the goings on. I'm getting back into USTA leagues for the first time in a couple years, and I registered for my first tournament since I moved to the Twin Cities area this weekend. Looks like a decent draw at my level so I'm hoping to get into some competitive matches.

 

[schmke]

Regarding participation and now Northern compares, here is a chart from my blog from December on participation trends.

Northern has the least participation of the mainland sections, but likely has a smaller population base than many of the others too.

 

[Will Wilson]

League tennis is quite popular to the point that adult tournaments have declined


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Minn Hobbs]

Probably smaller because you only get one season of playing outdoors and playing indoors can be expensive

 

[tennis4fun]

Northern player here! I'm from the twin cities as well. Just registered for a 4.0 league after not playing it for a few years.

 

[darkhorse]

Probably smaller because you only get one season of playing outdoors and playing indoors can be expensive

Honestly, one of the reasons I stopped playing USTA was because they play indoors, even during the summer because most teams play out of Lifetime Fitness locations that only have indoor courts. It seems like there are more teams playing out of public parks now, but not in my flight this summer. Plus, even the LTFs that do have outdoor courts charge the same court fees as indoor courts

 

[NoQuarter]

Well this thread turns out to be fortuitous for me. Just so happens that my job is having me split time between my home in Ft Mill, SC and Eden Prairie, MN. So I will be 2 weeks in SC and 2 weeks in MN starting this week. Anyone that could help me out with the Twin City tennis would be greatly appreciated. The Condo I will be staying at in Eden Prairie has a Lifetime Fitness with tennis courts right down the street from me.

 

[NoQuarter]

Honestly, one of the reasons I stopped playing USTA was because they play indoors, even during the summer because most teams play out of Lifetime Fitness locations that only have indoor courts. It seems like there are more teams playing out of public parks now, but not in my flight this summer. Plus, even the LTFs that do have outdoor courts charge the same court fees as indoor courts

So LTF's charge for outdoor courts? I asked that question when I toured there 2 weeks ago and they said no. They don't charge for outdoor in Charlotte, so I didn't press that further. That would change my decision of where to play. I don't mind monthly fees, but can not stand being charged every single time I'm on a court. So again, I need help from anyone in the area please!!!

 

[darkhorse]

So LTF's charge for outdoor courts? I asked that question when I toured there 2 weeks ago and they said no. They don't charge for outdoor in Charlotte, so I didn't press that further. That would change my decision of where to play. I don't mind monthly fees, but can not stand being charged every single time I'm on a court. So again, I need help from anyone in the area please!!!

It might be different for me since I'm a non-member and it was a league match, and this was a couple years ago, so things may have changed. This was at the Fridley location so I'm not sure what the EP location (I think there are actually two) does for outdoor courts

 

[Minn Hobbs]

So LTF's charge for outdoor courts? I asked that question when I toured there 2 weeks ago and they said no. They don't charge for outdoor in Charlotte, so I didn't press that further. That would change my decision of where to play. I don't mind monthly fees, but can not stand being charged every single time I'm on a court. So again, I need help from anyone in the area please!!!

I’m a non member as well so I couldn’t speak to what they charge the members. For USTA matches, they charge us non members $18 now to play a match.

 

[Minn Hobbs]

Well this thread turns out to be fortuitous for me. Just so happens that my job is having me split time between my home in Ft Mill, SC and Eden Prairie, MN. So I will be 2 weeks in SC and 2 weeks in MN starting this week. Anyone that could help me out with the Twin City tennis would be greatly appreciated. The Condo I will be staying at in Eden Prairie has a Lifetime Fitness with tennis courts right down the street from me.

If you google North Metro Tennis Association you will find a group that puts on 6-7 tournaments throughout the summer here. Also if you wanted to play USTA League, the match line coordinator is really good at placing people on teams looking for people.

 

[darkhorse]

I would also plug TennisMinneapolis, it's a flex league that has pretty good participation and it's $25-30 a season. The Twin Cities has a lot of public courts so there's no shortage of places to play, and Eden Prairie has several good courts

 

[darkhorse]

If you google North Metro Tennis Association you will find a group that puts on 6-7 tournaments throughout the summer here. Also if you wanted to play USTA League, the match line coordinator is really good at placing people on teams looking for people.

Do the NMTA events get good participation? I was looking at the tournament next weekend but there are only two people signed up for men's 3.5, it looks like you can register on the NMTA site instead of USTA, so I don't know if more people are registered than what TennisLink says

 

[Harry_Wild]

Adult leagues are popular at Lifetime fitness other then Summer time. I think they are USTA sponsored events! Many high schools teams practice in the Fall and early Spring for their high school play.

 

[Minn Hobbs]

Do the NMTA events get good participation? I was looking at the tournament next weekend but there are only two people signed up for men's 3.5, it looks like you can register on the NMTA site instead of USTA, so I don't know if more people are registered than what TennisLink says

Majority of people seem to sign up at the last minute

 

[darkhorse]

Majority of people seem to sign up at the last minute

Well they cancelled it so I guess I was right to hold off on entering. I think I'll do the next one in Golden Valley, it would be fun to get some clay matches in

 

[darkhorse]

Barely hit 40 degrees yesterday, now it's going to be around 65 today, my allergies are starting to hit.

 

[jhick]

I used to live and grew up in the twin cities and there is pretty good USTA participation at the 4.5 and under divisions. Moved to Rochester and while tennis is popular here with 2 indoor clubs the 4.5 leagues have fallen apart over the years.

 

[silentkman]

League tennis is quite popular to the point that adult tournaments have declined


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

league tennis is boring

 

[darkhorse]

Any tt posters playing in the tournament this weekend in Golden Valley?

 

[grad_1]

I am located in Minneapolis and I prefer in-house leagues to USTA. I'm a lowly 2.5 player, started playing as an adult 1 year ago. I absolutely love tennis, but the problem I have run into in the USTA leagues is rampant sandbagging. 2/3 of the players I played last year were clearly 3.0 or above. While I didn't initially mind as I felt I got something out of playing these folks even though I lost, it got old losing all of the time. Then, I started playing at Inner City Tennis in an in-house league where you either have to have a USTA-C rating, or else go to a rating clinic. It was so much more fun, my matches were longer, my opponents were really at my level, and I won more as I was much more equally matched with my opponents.

I returned to an early-start USTA league this summer, hoping that it would be better at 2.5 since every person I lost to last year was moved to 3.0 in the computerized ratings. Much to my surprise, the sandbagging is even worse this year. I actually just had a match against somebody who was definitely at least 3.25. I asked her where she had learned to play, and how she got to be so good. She seemed anxious at my question, and said she had just played pick up games. When I got home, googled and found online the person lied right to my face. Played high school varsity tennis, and obviously lied on her self-rating. It sure stinks when people are so desperate in life that they have to sandbag like that. Anyways, the entire experience with USTA sandbagging has really turned me off the USTA. The in-house league I played in was much more fun. At 2.5, I don't have the option of sandbagging myself and playing down, as 2.0 leagues don't exist. Plus, I just wouldn't do that. It is sad that folks sandbag, because at the end of the day, it hurts tennis. People at my level get discouraged and quit because they can never win.

 

[darkhorse]

I am located in Minneapolis and I prefer in-house leagues to USTA. I'm a lowly 2.5 player, started playing as an adult 1 year ago. I absolutely love tennis, but the problem I have run into in the USTA leagues is rampant sandbagging. 2/3 of the players I played last year were clearly 3.0 or above. While I didn't initially mind as I felt I got something out of playing these folks even though I lost, it got old losing all of the time. Then, I started playing at Inner City Tennis in an in-house league where you either have to have a USTA-C rating, or else go to a rating clinic. It was so much more fun, my matches were longer, my opponents were really at my level, and I won more as I was much more equally matched with my opponents.

I returned to an early-start USTA league this summer, hoping that it would be better at 2.5 since every person I lost to last year was moved to 3.0 in the computerized ratings. Much to my surprise, the sandbagging is even worse this year. I actually just had a match against somebody who was definitely at least 3.25. I asked her where she had learned to play, and how she got to be so good. She seemed anxious at my question, and said she had just played pick up games. When I got home, googled and found online the person lied right to my face. Played high school varsity tennis, and obviously lied on her self-rating. It sure stinks when people are so desperate in life that they have to sandbag like that. Anyways, the entire experience with USTA sandbagging has really turned me off the USTA. The in-house league I played in was much more fun. At 2.5, I don't have the option of sandbagging myself and playing down, as 2.0 leagues don't exist. Plus, I just wouldn't do that. It is sad that folks sandbag, because at the end of the day, it hurts tennis. People at my level get discouraged and quit because they can never win.

That's too bad, although I would say that I would hope most people in 2.5 aren't doing anything nefarious. I imagine it's pretty hard to judge what your rating should be when you're just starting out, since you don't really have a frame of reference and people will take to the game better/more quickly than others. I don't think 2.5 has been around all that long in terms of league play, but I have heard it's a good way for women to get into the game (I don't think it's in use for men).

I have considered trying the ICT leagues but it's not all that convenient for me in terms of location, and while the cost is reasonable it seems like it could add up more than USTA pretty quick. I really only play May-Sept so I don't know how much I'd get out of a membership there

 

[NoQuarter]

I finally got my racquets up here to be able to play. I've hit at Reed Sweatt (outdoor as indoor closed by the time I got there), Hopkins HS, and Round Lake. Thought about Lifetime, but that is just too pricey for me...even though it is right around the corner from me. Got my Wife with me this week so I've hit with her most of the time, but did get some Mixed Doubles in over at Hopkins. Loving the weather (temp wise) as opposed to home right now!

 

[NoQuarter]

Been hitting at Public Indoor in Fridley this past week. Very nice facility...just kind of far away from where I am staying. Going to hit at Fred Wells Tennis Facility tomorrow to see how that is. Still searching for a group to hit with on a regular basis while I am up here. Kind of hard since I'm not the most social person combined with that everyone that I run into up here is very reserved. Weather here (temp wise) is just unbelievably nice compared to SC...taking full advantage of that!

 

[darkhorse]

Been hitting at Public Indoor in Fridley this past week. Very nice facility...just kind of far away from where I am staying. Going to hit at Fred Wells Tennis Facility tomorrow to see how that is. Still searching for a group to hit with on a regular basis while I am up here. Kind of hard since I'm not the most social person combined with that everyone that I run into up here is very reserved. Weather here (temp wise) is just unbelievably nice compared to SC...taking full advantage of that!

PM sent

 

[darkhorse]

Bumping this, I've decided that I'm going to try USTA league again after a four year layoff. I will surely regret it but I think I've sort hit the end of the road with the flex league I was doing, and I want to do more doubles since I have a shoulder issue I'm dealing with.

And for all you people in warmer climates, we got a fresh round of snow yesterday so that's cool.