BLTC Newsletter - March 2021
After a late, but short, winter snap, it's time to get the "all clear" from your partners, physios, osteopaths, and Ms Sturgeon that it's safe to venture onto court and say 'Hi' to old friends and...
New Members - This is our second of regular updates to all members in 2021 and, along with our website and emails, we have a presence on Facebook, Twitter and (just recently) Instagram too. Clearly, outdoor sports clubs have done well across the country in the last year and BLTC has been no exception with over 100 new members. While this is a fantastic opportunity for the Club, and for you and your families, I recognize that it presents challenges that I hope we can rise to. A measure of our success will be when you renew once again in 2022 and make Keith, our Membership Secretary, very happy!!
Covid-19 and Court Protocol - It looks likely the clubhouse will remain closed for a while, except for toilet access and switching on floodlights, with masks to be worn inside. Please pay attention to the notices and signs until April when we re-enter the phased return to normality. We are about to purchase some outdoor seating/benches and prepare the veranda, patio and grounds for you to enjoy, so please be patient in the meantime. We all know how easy it is to linger after playing for a chat, but please be mindful of other players coming after you, and access to the car park access - you may be asked “politely” to move on.
SAY HI - SAY HIT? - This is our new version of an old idea. If you’d like to play singles or doubles, but don’t know who to ask, it’s a great way to ease yourself into the Club, make new friends and find some new muscles!
Buddies for March/April:
Ladies - Karen Gorman 07841-946735, or Fiona Berlouis 07963-043461, or Ashley Donnelly 07432-838694
Gents - John Perkins 07496-253655, or Andy MacGregor 07972-544314, or Phil Waterfield 07803-705524
Send them a text, book a court, and you’re off! (see the Clubhouse noticeboard for these details and updates)
Clubspark and Court Booking - As the Club transitions from the old website to the new LTA ClubSpark format, you will be using it to book courts, rather than just turning up. Please, if you have booked a court then find you can't play (or you don’t fancy playing in 30⁰ heat!), please, please, cancel your court - and free it up for someone else. Repeat offenders will receive a reminder (and you don’t want to get in our ClubSpark lad Andy’s bad books!). With lots of new faces across all membership categories, court space at peak times (10am - 12pm, 3pm - 5pm, 6:30pm - 8pm weekdays and 10am - 4pm weekends) will be in high demand - especially coming out of lockdown and into summer. Court use will be monitored, so keep your court bookings to 2 hours maximum at any of these times. This is subject to review by the Committee.
Club Teams and Match Practice - For those looking to compete, we have over 18 teams from Mini Red to Over 60s (no, I don’t qualify for years yet!) in West of Scotland leagues and National Competitions. For more information, see the Teams page on the website, and contact the relevant team captain. Alternatively, ask Gordon (our Head Coach) or contact me. Match Practices will be starting next week for our adult teams - with the ladies teams on Tuesdays, and the men's teams on Thursdays.
Tennis Balls - Rob Murdoch, our Ball Convenor, provides our teams and tournaments with tennis balls. Once the season is underway, used match balls will be for sale (for a very reasonable price). If you do mis-hit a ball out of court, please recover it (unless it is over Jubilee Path or in Glenn’s garden – ask around!). Once the balls resemble a squaddies first day of basic, we have a recycling bin for tennis balls (ask a member where it is).
Day Members - For all you Day members, several of whom have joined this last year, a big welcome too. I've spoken with many of you and, as doubles is now permitted, we will not only set up a "Day member/Senior daytime playing member" Chat Group on WhatsApp to arrange games, exchange news, recipes, warm-up suggestions; but also a Doubles Ladder or Box League for gentle sets! Watch out for details on this before the end of March.
Juniors, Minis, and Parent/Guardians - Coaching continues, and I hear the forthcoming Easter Camps are nearly full (5th to 14th April). You can find the full timetable and book courses through Gordon Wilson's Class4Kids website at https://gw-tennis.class4kids.co.uk/. Remember parents, it doesn’t matter if you haven’t touched a racquet since school, we allow free play for your budding stars to show off what they’ve just learned (just borrow and return equipment if necessary).
Coaching - Alongside group and individual coaching from Gordon and his team, there are Coffee Morning Tennis sessions twice a week, Improvers/Rusty Racquets sessions, and later in the year Drills nights too.
ATTENTION **** ATTENTION *****
- Over the next fortnight, (weather permitting) the courts will be getting their bi-annual moss treatment. It is hoped that this will be done early in the day, but it is essential for court maintenance - so please bear with us and adhere to the instructions on any temporary notices.
- We are waiting for a date for the Mini Court to be painted following its re-surfacing last autumn. Again, notices will be posted to keep you informed.
- Finally, Scottish Water contractors Morrisons will be commencing resilience pipe replacement in the area from Wednesday 31st March - and lasting 5 to 6 weeks. This obviously clashes with Easter and will result in significant road obstruction from Roman Road down to our Club entrance.
- If you can leave the car at home or at Bearsden Cross, please do that. We have been kindly offered the temporary use of the Maxholme car park (entrance with two pillars on Roman Road) for child drop-off. Or you can simply bring your bikes!
Have Your Say - We are still looking for submissions for our photo competition, either tennis-themed or with Covid memories. These will be used for a collage or a clubroom canvas so please send to Carolyn Miller if you can. Susan Burns, our Tournament Convenor, recently conducted an online survey for a Box League app trial, and it is hoped that we can construct another to hear comments, suggestions and criticisms in order to maintain Bearsden LTC as a vibrant, welcoming, active, and inclusive community club - supporting not just tennis but healthy activity and social enrichment.
Have a great 2021!!
For the BLTC Committee
Phil Waterfield (President, 07803-705524, president@bearsdenltc.org.uk)