April 2021 – Update & membership renewal time
It’s great to be back!
We hope you’ve had the opportunity to get back on the tennis courts and start playing once more? From a personal perspective it all felt quite new and certainly my game has got a long way to go in getting back to where it was!! Nonetheless, regardless of how badly or well I was hitting the ball, it was so much fun to be back, to be in the company of friends and like-minded individuals once more.
Now, in the coming weeks and months we’ve got so much to look forward to both on and off the tennis courts. We’re currently piecing together a number of social activities, so do look out for the social media promotions as they pop up.
Currently, Men’s and Ladies’ team practice has started on Monday evenings from 6:00 p.m. onwards. We have entered 4 Men’s and 3 Ladies teams to do battle with other clubs in the Bristol and Avon area in the coming weeks, from 9th May. If you’re interested in playing do come along.
There will be a new singles ladder launch starting at the beginning of May, with an opportunity for you all to sign up and get playing, using a new app-based program. This will be completely free for those who are interested. Those who played at least one match in the existing ladder will be invited to an evening round robin tie-break event so we can declare a Winter Box Ladder Champion! The date for this is to be Friday 24th April from 6.00pm
The 2021 club tournament registration window will also open in May. The postponed 2020 Men’s Doubles final will take place on Saturday 1st May at 2pm. You are welcome, following national guidelines, to come and watch, and perhaps enjoy a glass of Pimms, too?!
Fitness and Wellness
Excitingly, a new fitness and wellness space is taking shape within the club grounds, no small thanks to Simon Ridley from Vibe fitness. Simon’s expertise will help us all to improve as tennis athletes. We will soon launch a new page on the website which will cover all the features and benefits of this exciting space –http://www.bathtc.co.uk/fitness-wellness/
In the meantime, Simon is offering a personalised induction session to club members at the very special rate of £10. To book, call or email Simon on 07753 451922 or simonvibefit@gmail.com (www.vibefitnessbath.co.uk).
Outdoor Socialising
From today, Monday 12th April, following Government guidelines, it will be possible to socialise and have a drink out on the decking (without the need for a pie!). As the clubhouse remains closed for the time being, apart from using the restrooms, we ask that masks are worn when inside, and that only those who have previously used the bar facilities, following the guidelines, continue to do so.
Membership
The club is particularly pleased to announce a very positive uptake on new memberships. With this in mind, we would like to invite all new members to an orientational evening of tennis and getting to meet the team. The scheduled date for this will be Friday 30th April from 7.00pm. Please do make the effort to come along to help share our knowledge and understanding of the club and how to get the most out of it. You’ll also get the opportunity to meet other new and existing members.
On the subject of membership, it is also time to renew prior to the May 8th deadline. The rates are the same as 2020/21. If your personal details are the same renewal can be made online at https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/BathTennisClub/Membership/Join. (Please make sure you login first, otherwise you may be presented with the new members rate and not the renewal rate). You can also make payment via bank transfer to Bath Tennis Club, account number: 60663405 sort code: 56-00-34. (Please text me once payment is done). Alternatively, you can pay by card at the club if you prefer. If you need to update your details, please either login to clubspark and make the changes or email the club, thank you.
Tennis Coaching
The coaching team Rich Little, Andrew Kettle and our new trainee coach Joe Blethyn, whilst very busy, do still welcome new inquiries. We have a full offering of individual, group and fitness-led tennis opportunities to get involved with. In addition, Bath Ace Coaching has its very own Slinger ball machine, which is available to hire at a rate of £10 per hour. A great tennis tool to help improve your performance, it is also a lot of fun to use. Simply call or email the club to find out more.
Club Security
This is a general reminder to all members and visitors. Should you find that you are about to leave the club with no one else present, can you please lock the clubhouse on your way out. If you don’t have a key, please call Andrew on 07823 321 993 who will direct you to the keysafe to access an emergency key. Also, after 6pm in the evening, if you are the last to leave the club, can we ask that in addition to the clubhouse, you turn off the floodlights, (boxes located in clubhouse by main door, key in switch), and proceed to close the entrance gate and apply the keylock chain (code 32093). Your diligence with this is an important aspect of the shared responsibility of our community amateur sports club. Thank you for your support with this.
Court surface update
The scheduled complete resurfacing of the hard courts is being finalised for the Autumn. In the interim, it’s important to understand that given their age and the natural erosion that has taken place, there are some slippery sections, especially around the baselines. This is made worse when the courts are wet. In particular court 5, being closest to the astro and boundary wall, has suffered erosion from the sand drift. So please do be mindful of this when playing, especially when it’s wet. As always do ensure you have the correct and appropriate footwear, with good tread as a minimum, and check that the courts are free of debris and appear safe before you begin to play.
We are looking forward to seeing you all playing and socialising appropriately at the club during the coming weeks.
Best wishes
Andrew & the Bath TC team.
