Tennis Welcome Letter

Welcome to BOC Tennis 2024 Season!

The tennis season begins at the end of April and lasts through October. In addition to ample court availability to play with your friends, we provide many opportunities to meet new players, work on improving your game, and also test your game in competitive play.

Volunteering
The BOC has a long history of being a volunteer organization where the volunteer efforts of the members result in a strong sense of community, and the cost of operating a first class club are kept reasonable. The big push is at the beginning of the year when we need to prepare the club for the upcoming season. This includes laying down the lines, setting up nets, cleaning up the winter debris, and preparing the clubhouse. Your help keeps the maintenance cost down for the club.

However, many volunteer opportunities are available throughout the year. If you would like to participate but can’t make it to the workdays, or you wish to contribute in a different way, contact any member of the tennis committee.

Dues

The membership fee is $275 for the 2024 season, which is considered an excellent rate for a club like ours. We have had to go up a little on our dues this year to keep abreast of rising costs, but always strive to keep them as low as feasible while raising enough to be able to maintain the facility and programming we’re all used to.

For those who are so inclined we have a discretionary contribution option as part of the registration. We greatly appreciate any extra contributions, and of course a contribution can be made at any time throughout the year.

We also have a scholarship program designed to make access to our programs possible for those who are struggling to make full payments. Please contact any tennis committee member for details.

Court reservations
The BOC online court reservation system is accessible at YourCourts.com. Please go to this site and sign in. If you are a new member, you will be given login information as soon as your registration and payment have been processed. The site will lead you through the steps to reserve a court. In addition, there is a computer in the clubhouse with 24/7 DSL access to the reservation system. This system and both websites have proven to be a successful mechanism for members to make and cancel court reservations, communicate club news, and provide forms for league, ladder, tournament, and summer program registration.

Finding people to play with
There are a number of ways to meet other players. We have a number of club events and programs that promote interaction and afford the opportunity to meet other members. Last summer the tennis committee worked closely with new members to help them find other members of similar ability to play with, and we will continue with this initiative in 2024. The tennis committee members, know most of the members and have the knowledge and experience to match players of similar abilities.

You can sign up for an individual or small group lesson. Larger clinics may be available later in the season. Contact club pro and program coordinator Jacob Miller for more information.

Holiday mixers
Traditionally we have holiday mixers running from 10am to 3pm on Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. They offer round robin doubles play for everyone and a barbecue cookout. Club pros and volunteers facilitate the round robin until 2pm. Members do their own matching for the last hour. The club provides the cookout main course food (burgers, hot dogs, rolls, soda, chips, condiments, etc.) Members bring a salad or dessert to share. The holiday mixers provide an excellent opportunity to meet new tennis partners while enjoying a fun day of tennis. If it rains the mixers are not rescheduled.

Doubles leagues

The doubles league is equally fun and rewarding. Check on the BOC website to see when the doubles leagues will start. Doubles team schedule their own matches. Play is two sets with a 10-point tie break in lieu of a 3^rd set. We will be setting singles evenings for those players who prefer singles, but don’t have regular partners.

Clinics
Adult clinics will be available this season. Sharpen your game and pick up new skills in a friendly group environment with players of similar skill level. Great way to meet new players! Contact club asst. pro and program coordinator Ed Powers (edpowersvt@gmail.com).

Youth Tennis Program
Programs for children are an important part in the development of the BOC. Please remember that children are granted membership at no additional charge when they are signed up with an adult membership. The BOC allows tennis members who are Big Brothers/Big Sisters through the local program to include their little sister/brother as a family member at no cost. A membership for a youth not connected to any adult membership is only $40 for the season.

We will have several options for youth programs. Contact Jacob Miller for information about individual, or small group youth instruction.

TENNIS CLUB RULES AND MEETINGS
This is a casual club and there are not many rules. The rules we have are largely based on common sense and courtesy. We welcome new ideas. Feel free to contact any member of the committee to discuss ideas for improving the club, express concerns, request clarification.

We have an easy-to-adhere-to dress code, which we’ve found allows us to be casual and expressive while still being respective of others. Here it is:
1. We ask that everyone wear a shirt.
2. We ask that clothing not be offensive in style or message.
3. We ask that appropriate footwear be worn so as to protect our playing surfaces.

You are also welcome to attend and speak at committee meetings. If you would like to have an item on the agenda please contact the chair, Joe Meyer, prior to the meeting. We are looking for new committee members. If you are interested in volunteering your time in this way you should contact a committee member. Meetings are generally held second Monday of the month, 5:15 p.m.

BOC clubhouse
Questions regarding the daily upkeep of the clubhouse can be addressed to any committee member.

Final reminder
To make the season more fun for everyone, please cancel your court reservations on the computer system promptly when you do not intend to use the court. It can be helpful to others even if you cancel only an hour before your reservation starts. For those who want a court when they are all booked it is a good idea to check the reservation calendar frequently. Also, please make sure your footwear is flat-soled and made for soft court play. Running and workout shoes have soles that are too aggressive and will damage clay courts. Making repairs to the courts is time consuming, sometimes expensive, and renders the courts unusable until the work is finished.