Phoenix Area - league tennis

[GMay]

My husband and I just moved to the Phoenix area from Seattle. We are living in Scottsdale. I have noticed from looking at the USTA website and also talking with people here that USTA leauges are not very big around here. In Seattle the USTA is pretty popular --- at the 3.0 women level there were 5 flights with 7-11 teams per flight in just the Puget Sound area.

Do people play in a different league format here or is it just more casual intraclub play?

 

[hotseat]

I would say that's false, people are definitely into the league scene in the valley. living in Scottsdale, you are close to a lot of prime spots to network and meet people. can't really say that I have a lot of experience around 3.0 women, but my mom and aunt both play 3.5 tennis down in the valley on USTA teams. I want to say they had like 7 teams per session this last year, maybe 8 (I was also told that it was a low registration year, so could be higher this year!), in the 3.5 women. for 3.0 I have no idea but im sure there's at least a league going on, not sure how many teams are in it.

what skill level is your husband? i play in the 4.0 leagues down in the valley area and pretty much same story, 7-8 other teams, somewhere in there.


there are two sessions for adult league play in the phoenix area, fall/winter and spring/summer. generally (depending on total number of entrants in the league) the top two teams from each league play at the end of the year playoffs to see who wins that and can go to sectionals. if one or more teams finish top two in BOTH sessions, a wild card berth is usually granted to the end of the year divisonal playoffs.

league play is pretty fun but after sectionals of this year i'm honestly considering quitting the whole league thing and just sticking to playing with people I know and tournaments whenever I have free weekends

p.s. - check out the ATA, it's another league within your area. it's doubles only, but it's a weekend league and it's been growing in size the last few years now. also make sure you check out the monthly/weekly happenings at phoenix tennis center, as they occasionally hold one day, weekend tournaments.

 

[goober]

You have plenty of options in Scottsdale.

USTA team tennis with adult, mixed and combo leagues.

ATA - has 20 or so female teams at 3.5 You will probably have to play at that level as there isn't much at the 3.0 level but there are probably plenty 3.0s playing up anyways.

USTA flex and Peach leagues which have pretty large female sections at 3.5, not sure about 3.0

Scottsdale Ranch Park/ Indian School Park- These are public facilities with womens singles and doubles and mixed leagues. Between just these two you could play every week night probably.

Private clubs: Scottsdale Athletic Club, La Camarilla, Gold Key to name a few.

I know a 4.0 female in Scottsdale that plays on 6 different teams so I am sure you can find enough tennis!

 

[GMay]

My husband is a 3.0/3.5.

I was looking at the USTA website again and I still think that Seattle has far more people that participate at all levels in the USTA leagues. But, we did only have one season (Feb to June).

I think there are more opportunities to play here but fewer USTA teams so I am trying to find out what those leagues are or if I should just plan on playing tournaments instead. It seems like there are not a lot of 3.0 women in the tournaments either so ...

 

[wao]

My husband is a 3.0/3.5.

I was looking at the USTA website again and I still think that Seattle has far more people that participate at all levels in the USTA leagues. But, we did only have one season (Feb to June).

I think there are more opportunities to play here but fewer USTA teams so I am trying to find out what those leagues are or if I should just plan on playing tournaments instead. It seems like there are not a lot of 3.0 women in the tournaments either so ...

Goober was spot on with his insite to options in the Scottsdale area. Most of those sites have drop in tennis so you can start to build a players list and find out what teams are looking for players. Else you could always start your own team.

 

[Bella]

You have plenty of options in Scottsdale.

USTA team tennis with adult, mixed and combo leagues.

ATA - has 20 or so female teams at 3.5 You will probably have to play at that level as there isn't much at the 3.0 level but there are probably plenty 3.0s playing up anyways.

USTA flex and Peach leagues which have pretty large female sections at 3.5, not sure about 3.0

Scottsdale Ranch Park/ Indian School Park- These are public facilities with womens singles and doubles and mixed leagues. Between just these two you could play every week night probably.

Private clubs: Scottsdale Athletic Club, La Camarilla, Gold Key to name a few.

I know a 4.0 female in Scottsdale that plays on 6 different teams so I am sure you can find enough tennis!

This is a good summary of what's available in Scottsdale. It really depends on whether you are looking for something more casual and recreational or something more competitive though, as to where you will be most comfortable playing. I haven't played tennis anywhere else but players I know who have moved here recently all seem to think that the USTA is nowhere near as popular here as it is in other major metropolitan areas. Sounds about right to me. I tried to contact the USTA leagues here a couple times and never even got any responses! If you are in south Scottsdale there is also a city facility in Tempe that has a pretty solid little tennis community.

There is also a program called MatchPoint in Phoenix, but I am less familiar with it. If I remember correctly their website is even a little difficult to find by googling, but it is out there somewhere.

 

[goober]

This is a good summary of what's available in Scottsdale. It really depends on whether you are looking for something more casual and recreational or something more competitive though, as to where you will be most comfortable playing. I haven't played tennis anywhere else but players I know who have moved here recently all seem to think that the USTA is nowhere near as popular here as it is in other major metropolitan areas. Sounds about right to me. I tried to contact the USTA leagues here a couple times and never even got any responses! If you are in south Scottsdale there is also a city facility in Tempe that has a pretty solid little tennis community.

There is also a program called MatchPoint in Phoenix, but I am less familiar with it. If I remember correctly their website is even a little difficult to find by googling, but it is out there somewhere.

This is matchpoint's website http://www.mptennis.us/

Basically they hold monthly tournaments. They rotate between doubles, mixed and singles. The competition level is pretty high. The "A" level basically a 4.5+ division with some 5.0s playing.

USTA is not big in Phoenix compared to other cities of similar size. A lot of it has to do with many other avenues to play IMO. In Scottsdale, the USTA is pretty much dead. There are very few, if any teams that play out of there because the facilities there for whatever reason don't seem to support USTA league play.

 

[goober]

If you are still looking for a 3.0 womens team, there is and advertisement for a team out of PTC looking for players.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/act/1402816863.html

 

[GMay]

Thanks for the post, I am already on that team. We are desperately in need of more players though.

 

[yemenmocha]

Are you sure that 3.0 is the best fit for your abilities here? It can vary from different parts of the country. Have you considered playing up in 3.5?