Winchmore Hill Tennis Club

Click on Subject for Information

Social Tennis

Quiz Night

Subscriptions

Court Lighting

Court Rules

Court Security

Coaching

Visitors

Child Protection Policy Statement

Have you ever thought of giving it a go?
Have you considering returning to the game?
Are you looking for a new sport to take up?

We also run tennis camps during school holidays

Interested in joining? Call Ian [our Membership Secretary] or Sue [Chairman] 020 8342 1618

We have subscription rates for juniors, seniors, students, senior citizens and families.

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
The Winchmore Hill Tennis Club aims to provide an enjoyable environment for all juniors who wish to take part in tennis, other sport and social activities at the club

The club emphasises that young people have the right to be safe, secure and free from threat

The club acknowledges that young people have the right to be treated with respect and for their concerns to be listened to and acted upon

The club will ensure that junior members have specific programmes and facilities designated for them, with adequate provision

The club has procedures in place to help any young person who requests help and support on a confidential basis, in issues relating to child protection

The club will ensure that the Head Coach holds a full LTA Coach Licence and that other coaches are either Licensed or have signed the club self declaration form in relation to Child Protection

The club will ensure that any club members and volunteers who work with young children are aware of and apply the LTA Code of Conduct for Those Working with Children in Tennis, and have signed the club self declaration form in relation to Child Protection

The club has an adult member who is specifically responsible for young people. Her name is:

RUTH GOULDING and she can be contacted at (click here)

SOCIAL TENNIS
As mentioned in previous newsletters, it was felt that we needed to try to get more social tennis going. To that end we are suggesting an additional social evening on the second Friday of each month. The plan would be to play a few sets under the floodlights before adjourning to the bar for drinks. Anyone wishing to order in pizza or the like would be free to do so. Try popping along to one [or more] of the above dates if you can and we�ll see how it goes��.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
Next years subs are due on 1 May and the fees are as shown below. Although I think it would be hard to argue that they are not excellent value, you do have the opportunity to spread the cost over five months by setting up a standing order. The standing order mandate is available from the Treasurer. Simply fill it in and hand it to your bank. No doubt some of you are able to set it up on-line. In order that it is ready to pay out the first installment on 1 February, you need to submit it to your bank by 11 January. The membership application form and the standing order costs form should then be sent to Sue Palmer, our Membership Secretary, so that we know who has paid up.

Subscription Rates:

Senior	�200.00 (Deduct �20 if a fully paid up senior member of another section)
Family Membership	�380.00 Two adults (senior members) and two children. Deduct �20 if one senior member is a fully paid up senior member of another section.
Senior Citizens	�110.00 (Deduct �20 if a fully paid up senior member of another section)
Full time students	�100.00 (Deduct �10 if both parents are members of the Tennis Section)
Junior (U17)	�60.00
Junior (U10)	�30.00
Junior (U7)	�10.00

COURT LIGHTING
On 1 January, we shall be changing the cost of tokens to �2.00 each. Unfortunately, we�re not cutting the cost of lighting - each token will then supply light for a court for 30 minutes. This has been done to make the system more flexible [to prevent �4 being spent to finish the final game of a match, for example] If anyone has any tokens that they will not be using before that date, they may �sell them back� at �4.00 each at the pavilion bar. Obviously, the last day for doing this will be 31 December. All tokens put into the machine thereafter will only last for 30 minutes, regardless of how much they cost!

NEW COURTS - LIGHTING
Select the court that you wish to use by pressing the � button and then enter token[s].

The following displays may appear on the screen

EMPTY
The court is not illuminated

BUSY
The court is already illuminated

HOLD
The court lights have been extinguished and will not re-light until EMPTY appears [if tokens are entered while in the HOLD mode, the time will not run down until the lights are ready to re-ignite.]

To switch off the lights early, select the court using the � button and then press ESC.

The lights may stay on for a short time after the time paid for expired, to permit safe egress from the courts. A set of instructions will also be put up next to the meter.

PLEASE NOTE; that regardless of how much time is left �on the clock�, all lights will switch off at 10:00pm in order to comply with planning conditions.

The initial cost of tokens will be �4.00 each. One token will supply light to one court for one hour. It intended that tokens will be on sale at the club house in the bar [which is open just about every evening when they will be required.] Obviously, they can be bought in advance and kept until needed. Once on sale�within the next week or so, a notice to that effect will also be put up in the hut.

COURT RULES
Obviously, these courts have cost a ~~small~~ fortune! We must therefore ensure that they are looked after. To that end there are a few moans�

We have already found cigarette butts on court. This is totally unacceptable ; the courts are made of plastic and don�t mix well with direct heat! Similarly, chewing gum has been found on court. It gets embedded in the weave and looks a right mess� as well as producing a dodgy bounce! I was told of one local club where the courts are covered in the stuff. It sets a very poor impression. Rather a lot of litter [banana skins, drinks bottles etc] is also being found on court. It is planned to place bins on the court area. In the mean time please ensure it is not left on court. There is a bin by the hut at present. Can we also please ensure that glasses from the bar are returned once finished with. It�s not fair to expect the bar staff to come over to tidy them up and if left could be used in vandalism. People have also been found having a bit of a kick about on court � including the grass courts! I would ask that all members do their bit in challenging such behaviour if they come across it. It is appreciated that non members may be using the courts at quiet times and may be responsible for some of these problems.

That difficulty will hopefully be resolved in the near future once locks are fitted to the gates. [including the grass courts] They will be combination locks and the code will be e-mailed to those of you who have given e-mail addresses. The remainder will be told by phone.

VISITORS
We have paid out a lot of money for the improvements in our facilities and every member contributes towards that. It seems fair therefore that we should carefully control who makes use of them. All members have been issued with a shoe tag [this year�s is green] which helps to identify members to each other and prevents embarrassing questions being asked of a member that you may not recognise. A regularly updated list of paid up members is also pinned up in the hut [to which we all have a key]. Everybody has a duty to challenge any non members found using the courts. Membership packs are available in the hut and in the club house for any prospective non members. Anybody wishing to try out the courts before joining will be welcome to do so for free on their first visit when they should be given a membership pack and encouraged to join up. Any other non members wishing to play [guests of existing members] will be charged �3.00 per head per session up to a maximum of three occasions in a year. A guest book is available in the hut. Please enter your guests� names prior to playing. [again to save any embarrassing situations] The fee should be given to any committee member who will then mark up the entry as �paid�. I am aware that there are differing opinions re this policy, however your committee is concerned that if you don�t pay towards them, you shouldn�t reap the benefits of the courts. If anybody has strong feelings re this matter, then it may be suitable as an agenda topic at the next AGM.

COURT SECURITY
Listen very carefully � I shall say this only once��.
From November, the courts will be secured with padlocks to ensure that only those who pay for the courts are able to benefit from them. It will also hopefully deter the vandalism that the club as a whole has been suffering in recent weeks spreading to the courts. The gate [closest to the hut] to the all weather courts will be secured by a combination padlock. The code to the padlock will be made available to all Tennis Section members.

Simply set the numbers to A line up [from left to right] with the marked line and �....pull the metal knob [A]. The bolt of the padlock will then be released. To relock it, ensure the numbers are lined up and then push the bolt in the direction of the arrow until it clicks. Spin the dials and that�s all there is to it! The second gate to the all weather courts will remain locked during winter to reduce the risk of treading muddy footprints onto court. During summer months, it and the grass courts will be accessible by similar padlocks, all with the same number. The locks will be fixed to the gates by chains so that they do not become lost. Whenever you are the last person off court, please remember to lock them. It may become necessary to change the combination from time to time, however this will only be done once all members have been notified.

COACHING
An introduction to Darren Plank, Tennis Coach at Winchmore Hill

Hi,

My name is Darren Plank. I have recently joined the tennis section at Winchmore Hill as the Head Coach.

I have been coaching for 18 years and have LTA Part 2 qualifications and am fully licensed. My range of coaching is anything from beginners to county standards of all ages.

I have been at David Lloyd for 12 years and was Head pro there for 2 years. I have coached alongside some top coaches and gained valuable experience, which I hope will be of great value to Winchmore Hill.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sue and the Committee for the welcome that I have received since I have joined.

We are currently in the process of putting together both adult and junior programmes for the Club, which will be put on the web-site as soon as they are finalised.

Alongside me will be my business partner, Roy Eastwood. Roy has been coaching for over 20 years and has a full LTA licence. We put together a very popular junior programme at Harrow and so Roy and I are hoping to get juniors in this area involved in our programme at Winchmore Hill.

I can be contacted on 07960 071478 or darenpla@hotmail.com

I look forward to meeting you all soon

Darren