Standard Tennis Court Provision and Playing Facilities Matters

1.  General Tennis Byelaws

The general tennis bye-laws of the Club shall apply to all activities carried out by Sheen Tennis Academy (STA) in the performance of its responsibilities under its Agreement with the Club:

1. Bye-laws relating to the use of the Club’s tennis playing facilities must be adhered to, both in letter and in spirit, to ensure fair and efficient use of courts for the benefit of all. Coaches must respect the rights of playing members, and particularly the rights of Youth members, to use their designated courts without hindrance.
2. Coaches ceding priority on any given court should do so immediately and voluntarily. Courts must be vacated promptly by coaches at the end of their permitted time if they are required by other eligible members.
3. No play is permitted before 8.30am on any day, at which time all courts are generally available.
4. Play may be prohibited at any time in the event that weather conditions make play unsafe or may otherwise be suspended at the sole discretion of the Club.

 2.  Primary Court Designations

1. Courts 1 to 6 are primarily designated as available for general play by Senior members including Off Peak Senior members during their permitted times of play. Off Peak Senior members’ permitted hours for general play are weekdays until 6pm and weekends 2pm until 6pm.
2. Court 6 is designated a Youth court after 1pm on Saturdays and after 12 noon on Sundays. Senior members, or the coaching team, using Court 6 at these times must vacate it if Youth members wish to play.
3. Courts 7 & 8 are primarily designated for use by STA under this Agreement and also by Youth members. Mid-week coach-led sessions for members, currently on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, may use Courts 4, 5 & 6 sequentially. During these times, Court 8 must be available for general play and is not then available to Coaches. Court 7 remains a coaching court for use by STA.
4. On Saturdays, STA will have priority on courts 6, 7 & 8 from 8.30am – 2pm for both children’s group and individual coaching, but must give up Court 6 from 1pm if it is required by junior members. If no juniors require Court 6 at this time, it may continue to be used by STA.
5. These primary court designations are subject to the Bye-laws below relating to Club Mix-ins; match play; and Youth and Coaching activities.

3.  Club Mix-ins

1. On Saturdays from 1030-1230, courts 1-5 are allocated for the Club Senior Mix-in. Courts 6, 7 & 8 are allocated to Coaches, but may be used by the Mix-in if not required by STA.
2. On Sundays from 10:30am and 12 noon throughout the year, courts 1-7 are allocated to the Club Senior Mix-in, and all other members and Coaches must vacate these courts if required for Mix-in participants who have priority at this time. Court 8 is allocated to STA at this time.
3. On Wednesdays after 6pm in the summer months, as published on the Club website, Courts 1 to 6 are available for use by members in the Club Senior Mix-in/BBQ if required. Courts 1 to 3 will be allocated first to the Mix-in, but Courts 4, 5 & 6 sequentially must be vacated immediately by all other members and by STA if they are required for Mix-in participants who have priority at this time. Courts 7 & 8 remain designated for the use of STA during these times.
4. On the first Friday of every month between 9am and 11.30am throughout the year or otherwise as published on the Club website, Courts 1 to 3 are designated for use by members participating in the Club Off-Peak Senior Mix-in. During such times Courts 4, 5 and 6 are designated for general Senior play only and Courts 7 & 8 remain designated for the use of STA.

4.  Matches

1. Senior Inter Club and Club Tournament matches which have been validly booked in advance in accordance with the Club’s Court Booking Regulations have priority at any time on Courts 1 to 6.
2. Only one Inter Club match is permitted at any time and such matches may book a maximum of two courts during Club Mix-in times. Match captains when booking courts must check that no other team match has been booked at the same time.
3. If an Inter Club match has been booked then only one other internal Club tournament match is permitted during Club mix-in times. This is to ensure that a minimum of three courts are available for Club Senior Mix-ins.
4. Junior team tennis (formerly known as ‘AEGON’) matches which have been validly booked in advance in accordance with the Club’s Court Booking Regulations may use Courts 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. If at weekends, such matches may only take place after 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. During such matches, no coaching nor any other Youth play may take place on any courts. Courts 1, 2, and 3 are designated for general Senior play only at such times.
5. A court may be booked for an internal box league match but not during the weekend Club Senior Mix-ins, nor on Wednesday evenings during the Club Senior Mix-in/BBQ. An internal box league match may be played before these times or after but if started and not finished, the court must be vacated immediately by 10:30am on Saturday or Sunday. It is important that internal box league matches do not take place during Senior Mix-in times.
6. Courts may be temporarily booked on three dates for an external match for the short period between offering dates to the opposition and the opposition confirming their choice of dates. Match captains must clear the dates being held within the booking system as soon as possible after a date is agreed.
7. For internal Club matches it is not possible to book more than one date for the same match, for example as a rain reserve booking.

 

5.  Youth Play, Tennis Camps, and Coaching Activities

1. General play by Youth members is not permitted before 1pm on any Saturday or before noon on any Sunday throughout the year. Subject to this and to Match and Mix-in priorities as above, Court 6 is designated a Youth court at any time when STA is using both Courts 7 & 8.
2. The designated courts for Club Tennis Camp sessions held during school holidays are 4, 5, 6 and 7. These courts must be booked in the Club Booking system by STA. At such times, Court 8 is designated for general Senior member play if required. However, Court 8 may also be used for Tennis Camp sessions by STA at such times provided always that it must be immediately vacated on request by Senior members who then have priority for general play on that court.
3. On Friday evenings between 5pm and 7pm during the months of April, May, June and July Courts 3 to 6 and Courts 7 & 8 are all designated Youth courts. During such times only Courts 1 & 2 are available for Senior members for general play.