CHAIRMAN'S CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 3 JUNE 2020

Posted 3rd June 2020

Following the further relaxation of the restrictions imposed by Government, the Committee has been looking at the options for how we proceed over the coming weeks. We have considered several competing issues – including the entirely understandable desire of members to get back on court quickly and often, the needs of our coaching programme with the restrictions they must now observe. Throughout, we have taken account of both the Government advice and the guidance issued by the LTA.   Naturally, we have made the safety of everyone our overriding priority.

Judith and I have worked as quickly as we could to design and implement a new regime.  Jake’s coaching programme is expected to resume from Monday 8 June so we are aligning all the changes around that, and arrangements for everyone will change with effect from Monday 8 June.  

For the period up to Sunday 7 June, the existing 1 hour slots will continue.  Courts already booked can be used for doubles play as well as for singles.

From Monday 8 June most of the slots on the carpet courts will be for 90 minutes – again with 15 min gaps between bookings. PLEASE BE AWARE THIS IS NOT A RETURN TO OUR PREVIOUS “NORMAL”! As a club we do not want groups larger than 4 to be organised at this time so no one should be swapping courts during their booked session.  We will not be reinstating open club sessions on Saturday afternoons at the present time.

With the new found freedom to play doubles comes a responsibility on members to behave responsibly and cautiously.  The virus is still circulating widely in the population and “lockdown fatigue” is naturally beginning to set in.  But this is not the time to forget social distancing and good hand hygiene. Please READ CAREFULLY the guidance below. It takes a lot more words to explain the subtleties of the new arrangements whereas STAY AT HOME was easily conveyed in just 3 words!

The court booking system will shortly become available once more.

BOOKING YOUR COURT

• Ensure you have booked a court – do not turn up unless you have a booking.
• Most slots on the carpet courts are intended to be for 90 minutes and on the hard courts (when coaching isn’t taking place) they are generally 60 minutes long. But it has been necessary to create a few slots which do not fit this pattern so please check thoroughly what you are booking.
• Please book the entire slot even if you do not want to play for the full time.  We don’t want other players turning up to your court before you have properly left.
• As before courts may be booked up to a week in advance.
• Please cancel any unwanted courts if your availability changes.
• Only paid-up club members are allowed to play – with one exception. Non-member parents of Colts who are members are permitted to play but ONLY with their Colt-member child (who by definition should be of primary school age).   Juniors (who typically will be at secondary school) must play with other club members.

BEFORE YOU START PLAYING

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before leaving home (or use an alcohol gel if washing hands is not possible)
• Ensure you have booked a court –  see above
• Be aware that onsite toilet facilities will not be open so please be prepared before you leave home!
• Remember to carry your access fob when you leave home – you will need it as the gates are being kept closed
• Take hand sanitizer with you….
• ….and a full water bottle, and do not share food or drink with others
• Only take the minimum amount of equipment with you that you need to play
• Arrive as close as possible to the time of your booking – walk from the car park via the front of the clubhouse, around the marker poles and after playing please return to the car park via the rear driveway

SAFETY FIRST

• Clean and wipe down your equipment, including racquets and water bottles before and after use  
• Please leave the court promptly at the end of your allotted time so that it is empty for the next players
• Ensure you take all your belongings with you at the end of the session and do not leave anything on court
• Avoid congregating on or around the court after playing to allow safe access for others
• Both singles play and doubles play is now permitted with people from outside of your household, as long as you remain 2 metres apart as far as possible – meaning that four people from different households can now play doubles
• We are not providing club (shared) tennis balls at this time so please continue to bring your own
• Stay at least two metres away from other players (including during play, if you change ends as well as before and after play)
• Do not make physical contact with other players (such as shaking hands or high five)
• Avoid chasing the ball down to another court if other players are using it
• For doubles, consider agreeing in advance which player will take the shot if a ball travels to the centre of the court

To reduce the contact on common surfaces we ask that players do not try to alter the height of the net – it should already be at the correct height.  And we have removed the padlocks so the gates to the courts stay open all day. But if you are the last person to leave please ensure ALL gates to ALL courts are closed to reduce the incursion of foxes, who eat the tennis nets and leave their trademarks everywhere!

Finally, please be aware that some work is due to be carried out on the MUGA in the week starting 22 June.  We are installing post holes so we can remove the portable net and install a standard adult net on a permanent basis. We do not yet know the exact dates but this might lead to cancellation of some bookings during that week in order to accommodate this work.  More about that as and when we have further information.  Enjoy the club.  Enjoy tennis. But please STAY ALERT!

NIGEL JORDAN

CHAIRMAN

OLD WILSONIANS’ LAWN TENNIS CLUB