League play results in net fun and net funds

by Rebecca Brennan

In-house tennis leagues can be a bonanza for an indoor tennis facility if the program is prepared in a positive and thorough manner. Often leagues are approached by people who have a "moan-and-groan'' attitude and the result is a staff dreading the possibility of planning and implementing league play.

In order to have a successful league program, it is imperative that it receive special attention. This is the recipe used at the Glenview Tennis Club where, in 1989, in-house league play celebrated its 10th successful year.

A philosophy to define the goals for forming in-house leagues should be established before launching the program. Being a service industry and a recreational facility, a tennis club may be motivated to institute league play by one or several reasons. Consider any of the following goals as an impetus for starting league play in a facility. One goal should be to give community newcomers an avenue by which to become affiliated with a club. Another goal should be to answer a need for an interim program between lessons and self-formed groups. A third goal should be to offer the challenge and fun of competition at a controlled level. The final goal to consider is to fill seldom used courts (late night and afternoon times) with a revenue-based program.

If these objectives are of value to your facility, the League Play For Net Fun And Net Funds is for you.

Back to the term "special attention." A staff position, tennis league director, should be created to assure that leagues get the attention they require. Hire a league director who can handle leagues from top to bottom, which means facilitating tryouts, doing weekly rotations, calculating scores, establishing rules, choosing league substitutes, sending schedules, etc.

This one person knows every league player and his or her ability level. In turn, the league participants know they can direct questions or problems to the league director. In this way, the desk staff is not overwhelmed with league difficulties and conflicts of information are avoided.

"By accomplishing flexibility and movement, vitality of league play should remain at a high level and stagnation will be limited. The result of a league program does net funds as well as publicize the fun of net play.

The league director should be a visible employee spending at least 15 to 20 hours weekly in the club while possessing above average playing abilities, but not necessarily holding a pro status. The success of the league program in Glenview can definitely be attributed to the employment of a league director who spearheaded all in-house league play and set the tone for a well organized and exciting activity.

Designing a means to accommodate flexibility and creating movement among skill levels within the program are two key suggestions to enhance league play.

The manner in which the Glenview Tennis Club provides flexibility is through the use of clinics. The clinics are integrated into the league scheduling and a player may be drawn out of a clinic into league play to rotate with other players in case of an emergency or absenteeism. This move allows players to continue competitive play without losing the correct balance of players on each court However, clinics are never cancelled for minor reasons, only in case of emergencies.

Movement from one league to another is the second method used to maintain interest and a well balanced league system. Players love striving for a position in a higher league, so the leagues should be tightly categorized to assure a chance for advancement.

This will keep play at a compatible level. By accomplishing flexibility and movement, vitality of league play should remain at a high level and stagnation will be limited. The result of a league program does net funds as well as publicize the fun of net play.

About the author

Rebecca Brennan is the manager of the Glenview Tennis Club. She serves as the Racquet Sports Division Coordinator for the Illinois Park and Recreation Association Facility Management Section. She is responsible for pioneering and refining the league system used at the Glenview Racquet Club.