BTA May 2002 Newsletter

OFFICERS FOR 2002

President: Valerie Walls

Past President: Tracy Edmunds

Vice President: Mary Prassa

Secretary: Yeida Chang

Treasurer: Mary Anderson

BOARD MEMBERS

Alei Burns – Parks&Rec Liaison

Armando Gingras – Clinics Sylvia Henderson - Leagues

John Riggle – At Large

Mona Tell - Membership

Greg Withers - Ladders

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Valerie Walls

The 36^th Annual Austin Scott Memorial Tennis Tournament has gotten off to a great start thanks to the hard work of Gary Goff, Tracy Edmunds, Yeida Chang , Greg Withers and the weather people. With over 400 entries we were fortunate to have no rain delays the first two full days and the Kittredge Tennis Complex was busy with players and spectators.

This is the beginning of the BTA season and we can hope that all of you will participate in some of the events, planned and not yet planned. The Icebreaker is coming up on Saturday, May 11which will kick off the Saturday morning drop-in.

The First Annual Wheelchair Tennis Clinic, April 26, sponsored by the BTA, the CTA, and the PVA, was well attended. One participant played in the Austin Scott (able-bodied) and many will participate in the Austin Scott wheelchair only starting May 4.

The USTA Leagues have been practicing for a few weeks now and the official matches have begun for some. Good luck and good playing to all league participants.

Spring is a wonderful, unpredictable time here in Boulder. ENJOY!

BEST TURN OUT AT THE RATINGS CLINIC

(see inside)

Men's Singles A

Randy Kryszak 303-442-3858

1. Greg Withers 443-7462

2. Joe Falke 444-4507

3. David Tighe 443-9139

4. Wayne Rogers 440-5702

5. Andras Fejer 303-494-7324

6. Duncan McNaught 303-499-1772

7. Rob Carson 246-3387

8. Dennis Newman 554-8803

Men's Singles B

Yeida Chang 303-664-5953

9. Gary Yost 702-1850

10. Berkley Freeman 449-1719

11. Fred Todd 684-9366h 938-6517w

12. John Hill 303-499-3699

13. Steve Cook 499-8718h 543-1000w

14. Randy Kryszak 530-4871

15. Stuart Schare 477-5370

16. John Fernandez 499-4712

Men's Singles C

Greg Withers 303-443-7462

17. Bob Daly 604-9494

18. Mark Webster 499-5304

19. David Pratt 303-926-7666

20. Pat McMinn 303 924-8076 or 263 8076

21. Jack Weise 303-444-2112

Women's Singles A

Linda Sundbye 303-438-6949

1. Yeida Chang 664-5953

2. Barbara Brockman 303-440-1082

3. Hanna Hartman 938-8370

4. Polly Rothberg 447-2696

5. Mona Tell 554-9801

6. Phyllis Chernow 494-4272

7. Sylvia Henderson 651-1292

8. Joan Nagel 449-5135

Women's Singles B

Fred Todd 303-684-9366

9. Julie Truschel 303-499-8670

10. Donna Louie 303-494-2026

11. Mary Ann Strobridge 447-0713

12. Emily Goodin 303-998-1851

13. Kathryn Bernheimer 494-5431

Women's Doubles

Mary Ann Strobridge 303-447-0713

1. Mara Hotaling 303-499-6869

Julie Bosworth 499-1511

2. Babs Nelson 303-494-1960

Jane Polkinghorne 303-499-5869

3. Polly Rothberg 447-2696 Ruth Bolles 499-0920

4. Joan Nagel 449-5135 Hanna Hartman 938-8370

5. Emily Goodin 303-998-1851 Donna Louie 303-494-2026

The following rules have been compiled to regulate BTA ladder play and to keep it fun and fair. Not every situation is covered. If players have questions about the interpretation of a rule or a situation not covered by one of these rules, they should contact their Ladder Section Captain. The current ladder is posted on the BTA web site and published in the monthly BTA newsletter.

Requirements for active and inactive status:

To be considered active, you must be a BTA member in good standing (2002 dues paid) and must be 16 years or older. Players may become inactive due to absence, illness or injury for a maximum of 14 days during the season without affecting their ladder status. To become inactive, players must notify their current ladder captain in advance. Failure to notify the ladder captain will result in being dropped to the bottom of their current section.

You may participate in up to four of the following ladders:

· Men’s or Women’s singles

· Men’s or Women’s doubles

· Mixed doubles

· One age group (you must reach the minimum age by the end of the current calendar year)

Posted ladder positions for the 2002 season: BTA members who were on a 2001 ladder and who paid their 2002 BTA dues by April 19, 2002 will retain their position if they choose to rejoin the ladder at the beginning of the season. Initial ladder positions for 2002 are determined by assigning players to their final position within the ladder division (singles, doubles, etc.) on which they played in 2001. Players wishing to join the 2002 ladders, but who did not play on the 2001 ladders or failed to pay their 2002 dues by April 19, 2002 MUST CHALLENGE ONTO THE 2002 LADDER. To be listed on the ladders posted in the June 2002 newsletter, players must challenge onto the ladder by May 17, 2002 (in other words, between May 1 and May 17). If players play challenge matches after the newsletter deadline, then they still will be considered as being on the ladder; however their names and positions will not appear until the next newsletter. Players are numbered continuously within a ladder division. However, for ease of recording, players should report their scores to the Ladder Chairperson in charge of the section in which they are placed at the time of the challenge. If a challenge results in a player moving to a new section, this result should be reported to the previous Ladder Section Chairperson and to the new Ladder Section Chairperson.

To maintain your status on a ladder:

Players must play at least once during the period from the 18^th of one month to the 17^th of the next month. Players who do not play at least once during this period will be dropped to the bottom of their current ladder section. If they do not play the following period, they will be dropped even further -- the bottom of the next section (this is to encourage players to play on a regular basis). Players in the #1 position are not be required to challenge and will maintain their position unless they lose to a challenger.

Ladder season dates:

• Play on the BTA ladders begins on May 1, 2002 and ends on September 15, 2002.

• Sectional ladder playoffs will be conducted between September 19, and October 27, 2002.

• Standings as of September 15, 2002 will determine the players who will participate in the sectional playoffs.

Challenging:

1. Players new to the ladder may challenge on at any position. A win (by play, not forfeit) secures that position. A loss gives them the one-time option of challenging onto a lower section. A second loss means the new player starts at the bottom of the ladder.

2. Players may challenge up to 5 names above their position. Players should call their Ladder Section Chairpersons to confirm positions before each challenge, as positions can change frequently. Invalid challenges (e.g., 6 or more positions up) will not be counted. However, if a challenge is valid at the time it is made, then it is a valid challenge at the time it is played. (For example, if position #13 challenges position #8 on Tuesday, then it is a valid challenge match when they play on Saturday, even if during the week positions #14 and #15 moved ahead of #13 by winning matches against #11 and #12.)

3. Challengers should propose 3 different times to play in a 10-day period (i.e., Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., Saturday at 9:00 am, Sunday at 1:00 p.m., etc.). Players should accept one of these times or respond with 3 other times within the same 10-day period (see exception below). If the challengee does offer three times, but none are acceptable to the challenger, then the challengee's ladder status remains the same, and the challenger must play someone else.

4. If challenged, players must accept at least once in a 10-day period regardless of the number of challenges they initiate themselves. Accepting more than one challenge in a 10-day period is at the discretion of the players. The only exception to #3 and #4 is for those players who have declared themselves inactive (see above).

5. A player may not challenge the same player consecutively, except the top two positions of each ladder.

6. Both players/teams should arrive on time at the chosen site. Each side must provide a new can of balls with the winner receiving the unused can. Matches are the best 2 out of 3 sets and tied scores at 6-6 will be broken using a 12-point tiebreaker, played according to USTA rules (first to a score of 7 by a margin of 2 points). If the challenger wins, then he secures the position of the player challenged and the loser moves down one position. If the challenger loses, then the ladder is unchanged.

7. Scores must be reported by phone to the Ladder Section Chairperson. For accuracy, both players/teams should report the set scores, time and date of the match. Only valid challenges will be counted (see #2 above). When players leaves scores on a Ladder Section Chairperson answering machine, it is vital that they speak slowly and clearly, spell their names and provide their phone numbers. This will help avoid misinterpreting the information.

Disputes:

Any concerns should be reported first to the appropriate Ladder Section Chairperson. The Ladder Section Chairperson will decide whether or not to contact the BTA Ladder Coordinator. The player(s) will be notified of the decision. If the player(s) is still not satisfied that a fair decision has been made, he/she may then contact the BTA Ladder Coordinator (Greg Withers, 443-7462) directly.

SAVE THIS PAGE FOR YOUR INFORMATION

LEAGUE REPORT

CHAIRPERSON: Sylvia Henderson

The BTA is filling its current league teams quickly, thanks to the awesome Rating Clinic held on April 6. If any of you missed the clinic and still need to be rated for league play, give one of these Pros a call, Rob Scott of The Ranch Country Club and Duke Paluch of The Harvest House Sporting Association , to set up a private or group rating session.

There are several leagues still to be registered and time to register them. Deadlines are fast approaching, however. Next to be registered are:

USA SENIOR DIVISION (50+)

3 Doubles matches played each week

Team information and money to league coordinator: June 4

Season starts: July 7

Contact: Colleen Weaverling @ 303-666-6275

CTA TWILIGHT LEAGUE

2 Singles/1 Doubles matches played each week

Team information and money to league coordinator: June 9

Season starts: July 22

Contact: Colleen Weaverling @ 303-666-6275

The Fall leagues will have deadlines before we know it:

CTA WOMEN’S FALL LEAGUE: July 2

ITA FALL MIXED DOUBLES LEAGUE: July 9

But, now it’s time to get down to the work and fun of Spring league play. A few reminders to help the league season go more smoothly:

· NO CELL PHONES allowed on the courts during league play. This is a new USTA rule for 2002.

· Captains must report match scores within 72 hours of completion of the match.

· The home captain must call the visiting captain about a week ahead of the scheduled match to inform them of court information, directions, water and bathroom availability.

· Captains should exchange lineups before the warm-up and match begin.

· Remember to relax and enjoy the match. EACH POINT IS PRECIOUS!

Call Sylvia if you have really good snacks and I’ll join you for the social time.

INDOOR TENNIS COURTS AT VALMONT PARK

Jim Swiggart has set up a link at his website to keep people posted on what is developing with regards to the Parks and Recreation Board and the City Council. He will up date the site as necessary. Go to:

www.10s.com Click on “The Tennis Center at Boulder”

The BTA hopes to hold a public meeting in May to show interested people plans, and to inform them what they need to do to have this happen. Unfortunately we have been unable to find a place big enough to hold everyone. As soon as a time and place are known we will put up notices at courts and on the BTA website as well as trying to reach many by e-mail. When you hear, spread the word. Thanks.

INCIDENTAL NOTES

LAST RATINGS CLINIC

IS BIGGEST EVER

With exceptionally good weather on Saturday, April 6, the BTA held its last Ratings Clinic at the South Boulder Rec Center. It was a busy day as some 60 people were given a visual NTRP rating by pros Rob Scott of the Ranch and Duke Paluch of the Harvest House.

Thanks to Sylvia Henderson, Valerie Walls, and Ann Larson who were on hand to help run the clinic, make sure that no one with a current was re-rated, and provide some refreshments. Armando Gingras fielded well over 130 phone calls and scheduled the participants with few hitches.

This is the last Ratings clinic because the USTA is changing the rating system to one based on self-rating and a running computer-generated rating based on results of your match play.

Editors note: Armando deserves a standing ovation for having done this for many years. THANK YOU, ARMANDO!

MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the BTA allows you to play on the Ladder, in our Leagues, and other activities. You will receive the monthly newsletter keeping you up to date on what is happening in the tennis community.

Your membership is for the calendar year, no matter when you join..

A membership page will be published in the Spring listing names, telephone numbers and NTRP ratings or your own best estimate if you are not rated.

Extra membership brochures are available at Boulder Recreation Centers, East and South as well as at Rocky Mountain Racquet Specialists, 2425 Canyon Street and on our website.

USTA AFFLIATION

The BTA operates as a nonprofit organization. We are an Organizational Member of the United State Tennis Association, the Intermountain Tennis Association, and the Colorado Tennis Association. However, membership in the BTA does not include membership in the USTA. You will still need to join the USTA directly if you are interested.

THANK YOU, VOLUNTEERS

Many people have offered their time. We appreciate their help and will contact them soon if they have not yet heard from us. The ideas presented are great. THANKS!

If you have not yet volunteered and the BTA is important to you send in this form after checking the applicable boxes. Or send your volunteer choices to our e-mail address.

VOLUNTEER FORM

Committees

€ Drop-In Play € Ladder Play

€ League Play € Publicity

€ Newsletter € Indoor Tennis Facility

Tournaments and other Events

€ Ned Crow Tournament

€ Icebreaker Social

€ Recycle Charity

€ Socials

Other Ideas

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ICEBREAKER

Saturday, May 11, 9am – 11am

The Annual BTA ICEBREAKER will be held at the Centennial Courts. It is open and free to all BTA members. It is a Round Robin Format. You do not need a partner but you should arrive around 8:30 – 8:45 to register, so play can start at 9.

For more information call Mary Prassa 303-543-2135

PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

BOULDER CO

PERMIT NO. 646

OFFICERS FOR 2002

BOARD MEMBERS

HOW TO REACH

THE BTA

BTA LADDERS 2002

CHAIRPERSON: Greg Withers

LADDER STANDINGS MAY 2002

BTA LADDER PLAY RULES 2002

LEAGUE REPORT

CHAIRPERSON: Sylvia Henderson

USTA AFFLIATION

PRSRT STD

BOULDER CO

P.O. Box 912

Boulder, CO 80306-0912

DATES TO REMEMBER