The Tennis Program at The Neighborhood Club – 2006

The goal of the Tennis Program at the Neighborhood Club is to encourage tennis and facilitate the use of the courts by the members, and ensure that the courts are maintained at an appropriate standard.

Only members paid in full for tennis may participate in tennis activities, including court sign-up, clinics, lessons, drop-ins, and other tennis events.  Children’s participation requires a Family Tennis membership.

Tennis members are encouraged to enjoy the use of our four courts.  While these rules and general guidelines cannot outline all potential situations, should questions arise, members are expected to address them in the spirit of mutual cooperation and respect.

General Regulations

• Regulation tennis shoes specifically designated for clay court use are required on the clay courts. Jogging shoes, cross trainers, walking shoes, or any kind of basketball or cleated sneakers are not permitted. Any questions, check with the tennis pro or club website.
• Sign in at the bulletin board at all times (even if using an unreserved court) prior to play.
• Family membership includes household members only. Visiting family members (including adult children who do not live at your home), babysitters, and nannies must be signed in as guests.
• Appropriate tennis attire is required at all times. Shirts must be worn.
• Appropriate tennis etiquette is expected at all times. Special attention should be paid to returning stray balls to an adjoining court. Foul or abusive language is never acceptable. For questions concerning etiquette, ask any member of the tennis committee or the Pro for guidance.
• Observe courteous behavior on and around the courts and while socializing on the deck so as not to disturb match play. Please be aware the noise and activity of siblings who are waiting during lessons and clinics; this applies to babysitters and nannies who are in charge as well.
• If the nets are down or furled, the courts may not be used. Do not attempt to play on or sweep clay courts if there are puddles- it may damage the clay surface.
• Courts and/or backboard may not be used before 9:00 am. The backboard is not to be used later than 5:00 pm. Please enforce this rule with your children.
• Tennis balls only against the backboard- NO lacrosse balls or other types of balls.
• When parking on Berkeley Street, be considerate of our neighbors’ use of their driveways.
• Bicycles, tricycles, skateboards and the like are never allowed on the club grounds and must not be left in the walkway or in front of the backboard. No riding on the Club grounds.
• Dispose of your unwanted balls and other trash from the courts after play is completed.
• Limit of 6 tennis balls per court (except on the back court and during clinics).

Guests

• Guests of Adult tennis members and their children’s guests must be registered on the guest section at the bottom of the sign up sheet.
•   All guests, including prospective members, must play with an inviting member. Guests may not play without a member present.
• A member may have no more that three guests at a time without permission from the Tennis Committee.
• The guest fee is $5.00 per person.

• Except for Court 1, courts may be reserved at 7:00 A.M. no more than two days prior to the day desired for play. Court 1 may be reserved at 6:30 A.M. Any name on the sign up sheet before 7:00 (6:30 for Court 1) two days before play WILL BE ERASED. The tennis committee takes this rule seriously.
• When signing up,  please legibly write your last name and first initial.
• Singles play is limited to one hour. Doubles is limited to one and one-half hours. Please reserve court time in such a fashion as to maximize court usage and to avoid half-hour "dead" slots. As a rule, morning court times for singles should be signed up only on the hour. Members may, however, sign up in the afternoon on the half-hour. Common sense should prevail.
• Cancel your reservations by erasing your name if you cannot play at your reserved time.  Courts go unused at times when there is demand. Please cancel as early as possible. If you do not cancel and do not show up, you will be assessed a $10.00 "no show" fee. Before playing, you must check off or put a line through your name to show that you have played. Failure to do so will cause a "no show" fee to be assessed.
• Adult members have priority sign up for "Prime time" on Courts 1-3. Prime time is as follows.

Weekends and Holidays 9:00 A.M. to dusk

Weekdays 5:00 P.M. to dusk

• Children of tennis family members who reside in the members’ household and are 16 years old or younger, are considered Junior members. Juniors may sign up for Court 4 at any time. Aside from the exception below, Juniors are not permitted to sign up for courts 1-3 during Prime Time. During Prime Time, Juniors are permitted to play on Courts 1-3 only when playing with an adult member or when the courts have not been reserved.
• Each adult family member may sign up for a court only once each day. However, after 12:30 on any Saturday or Sunday, all unreserved court time for that day becomes available for reservation to all members (Juniors included) on a first-come first-served basis.
• Reserved courts belong to the "reserver" only for ten minutes after the starting time. Thereafter, the court is open and becomes an unreserved court if the reserver has not arrived. A reserver who shows up at 1:11 P.M. for a court reserved for 1:00 P.M. may not nor should expect to claim the court.

In the event that a Junior is playing during prime time on an unreserved court (after the ten minute waiting period has expired), adult members may not sign up for the court and acquire the court by preemption.

If you have any questions, contact the Tennis Committee:  tennis@theneighborhood.org

Mike Shade, Tennis Committee Chair, Wendy Gilman, Marie Joseph, Ellyn Levine, Nancy Prince, Amy Sucoff, Margaret Thayer, Rich Tormey, Kym Williams, Paul Wood

The club Tennis Pro,  Sam Williams can be reached at 617-244-0333, or tennispro@theneighborhoodclub.org.

Lesson Fee Rates for 2006

Private lessons: $50/hour

Semi-private (2 people) $25 per person per hour

Group  (1 hour) : $20 (3 or 4 people), $20 per person

Lessons must be cancelled 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

For information about junior and adult tennis clinics, contact the Tennis Pro.

April  2006