Tennis Clubmark is a club's opportunity to be recognized for achieving excellent standards. All types of tennis club are eligible to apply, including traditional tennis clubs, school clubs, tennis programmes based in parks, and those working within the commercial sector. Achieving Tennis Clubmark means the LTA endorses and supports a club's tennis programme, policies and procedures, action and development planning, and club management.

                                 starting 4 January 2010

Members’ Newsletter
 October 2009
 
1. Tennis Clubmark
 
We had a formal inspection by LTA officials in September and we are very pleased to announce that we have had a letter from the LTA approving our application for Clubmark accreditation.  Clubmark is a national scheme for raising the standard of local tennis clubs. To qualify we have had to show that we have adopted best practice standards defined by the LTA in all areas of our club, including the safety and welfare of our members. There are few clubs in the Wirral who have achieved this recognition of excellence. There will be a formal presentation to the Club in due course, (date to be announced).
 
2. We have a winner!
 
Leah Grant won the Flintshire Girls Grade 4 (14 and under) Tournament, beating Caroline Bromley of North Wales in the final, who is a 9.1 and also defeating another 9.1 girl in the semi-final. A fine achievement.
 
3. Coaching Programme
 
The November/December programme for coaching at all levels will be sent out shortly. The winter is the time to improve skills in readiness for the next Summer season and that means that the floodlit courts will be heavily booked for formal group coaching. We have a high number of U 12 and U14 members so we are putting on extra sessions with the aim of recruiting 50% of all these junior members onto the formal coaching programme. This means that the normal Friday night Junior Club night is now suspended so that it does not clash with the coaching.
 
This does not mean that young players cannot come down for social tennis at other times but these will either have to be during the limited daylight hours or on nights when floodlit courts are not fully booked for coaching. Parents are reminded that there will be no formal adult supervision of juniors during these non-coaching periods and that they themselves must assume responsibility for the welfare of these young players.
 
4. Floodlights
 
The floodlights have now been cleaned, repaired and re-focussed. As soon as the contractor has fitted the new meter boxes there will be a £4 per hour charge for the use of the floodlights for social tennis. The system will be as follows:
 
How will members get tokens? 
o   Members wishing to play in floodlit conditions (other than in club matches) will need to buy tokens in advance from the Membership Secretary, Rob Slade 07795 396982 (at £4 each).
o   Access to the box containing the meters is by use of the normal court key.
o   Because each meter lights 2 courts, members are expected to share the costs of the floodlighting where two games are taking place side by side. Members may not freeload using the light paid for by one set of players.
 
Coaching
o   The cost of the floodlights has been included in the existing coaching fees so Winter coaching will not be more costly to members.
o   The Head Coach will have a key to over-ride the token system so that coaching sessions, within the approved club programme, can be undertaken. No other person will have an over-ride key.
o   Non-club members receiving 1:1 coaching will be required to pay a fee of £4 per hour to cover the lighting costs of the session and the visitors fee. This will be collected by the Coach and paid to Rob Slade.
 
Matches  Before each floodlit match the Team captain will be allocated the appropriate number of tokens to enable the match to be played.