USTA New England fails again, actively drives away younger players

[time_fly]

I just received an email with the 2025 league plans for SCT, Southern CT. USTA NE announced a new playoff schedule, and due to some changes in dates they have moved 18+ mixed to winter from the fall. They also only be offering 40+ men's tennis in the fall and winter, with an 18+ season slated for spring. So, for a period of about 4 months, you can't play USTA Leagues as a man under 40 with the new schedule even though there are generally leagues running at that time. Good job.

 

[Roforot]

I suppose they are obliged to make sure they have teams to represent at nationals… outside of that, they should try to run more 18+ leagues… a compromise might be to keep it doubles only. Again just focusing on the non advancing leagues.

 

[TennisOTM]

Did they eliminate any 18-39-eligible leagues? Looks like Southern CT also has 18+ men's combo leagues in the summer. So is the only change that 18+ Mixed got moved from fall to winter? I'm not seeing why that is such a fail, but maybe I'm missing something. I suppose not having a league during the nice fall weather is a bummer, but it's also nice to have a winter league where you get some guaranteed indoor court time.

 

[time_fly]

Did they eliminate any 18-39-eligible leagues? Looks like Southern CT also has 18+ men's combo leagues in the summer. So is the only change that 18+ Mixed got moved from fall to winter? I'm not seeing why that is such a fail, but maybe I'm missing something. I suppose not having a league during the nice fall weather is a bummer, but it's also nice to have a winter league where you get some guaranteed indoor court time.

The fail is that they run only 40+ men's leagues in the fall. In the past, those under 40 could at least play mixed until the 18+ men's leagues in the spring, but now they can't play at all until 18+ mixed starts in mid-January.

 

[TennisOTM]

The fail is that they run only 40+ men's leagues in the fall. In the past, those under 40 could at least play mixed until the 18+ men's leagues in the spring, but now they can't play at all until 18+ mixed starts in mid-January.

So in the past, there were 18+ mixed leagues in the fall *and* another one in the winter, and now they have eliminated the fall one?

Sorry to question so much, I'm just trying to undersand - I'm curious how different areas run their yearly league schedules and what works and doesn't work.

 

[Roforot]

The fail is that they run only 40+ men's leagues in the fall. In the past, those under 40 could at least play mixed until the 18+ men's leagues in the spring, but now they can't play at all until 18+ mixed starts in mid-January.

Why is the 18+ mixed league cancelled? Is that not an advancing flight?

 

[time_fly]

So in the past, there were 18+ mixed leagues in the fall *and* another one in the winter, and now they have eliminated the fall one?

Sorry to question so much, I'm just trying to undersand - I'm curious how different areas run their yearly league schedules and what works and doesn't work.

No, in the past the mixed 18+ league ran from late September to end of Feb, then men’s 18+ started about 6 weeks later. Now 40+ mixed will be played before mixed 18+ and mixed 18+ will start in January, running into the start of men’s 18+. So the 6 week gap is eliminated but Sept through mid January there is no 18+ option for men. The ladies get two 18+ leagues, one in the fall / winter and one in the summer. I’m not sure which is advancing, maybe both. But apparently there aren’t enough guys for that.

 

[TennisOTM]

No, in the past the mixed 18+ league ran from late September to end of Feb, then men’s 18+ started about 6 weeks later. Now 40+ mixed will be played before mixed 18+ and mixed 18+ will start in January, running into the start of men’s 18+. So the 6 week gap is eliminated but Sept through mid January there is no 18+ option for men. The ladies get two 18+ leagues, one in the fall / winter and one in the summer. I’m not sure which is advancing, maybe both. But apparently there aren’t enough guys for that.

What about playing tri-level? According to this it'll run from Sept 9 to Dec 2:

https://www.usta.com/content/dam/usta/sections/new-england/documents/2024/league/2025ustascttimeline.pdf

In any case, if you have Adult 18+, Mixed 18+, Combo, and Tri-level, that's a decent year compared to many areas I think. There's gotta be gaps somewhere. I think my area is unusally good at filling the gaps with various local, non-advancing leagues, plus we have an Impact Team Tennis league that fills another gap. But even with all that, there is still a sizable gap for 18-39 players during the summer. They tried to fill that with a 18-39 adult league (running concurrently with the 40+ league), but it was not very popular and fizzled out. I think many of the young adults preferred spending the summer playing in tournaments. Maybe you have tournaments in the fall?