HELSBY TENNIS CLUB

Terms and Conditions of Play and Membership

1. MEMBERSHIP
   1. Membership is open to all age groups, gender, religions, ethnicities etc.
   2. Membership is obtained by paying the appropriate fee, which is displayed on the website. Various categories and costs of membership are offered.
   3. Payment of the membership fee is an acceptance of all Helsby Tennis Club terms and conditions, rules and policies.
   4. Membership of Helsby Tennis Club is for recreational purposes only.
   5. Membership is renewable annually from 1st April each year.  All existing members should renew their subscriptions within 2 weeks of this date to remain eligible for use of the courts.
   6. New members can join at any time of the year, subject to paying the appropriate fee.
   7. All full members of Helsby Tennis Club are entitled to apply for LTA Advantage Play+ membership
   8. Helsby Tennis Club is an affiliated club to Helsby Community Sports Club and all Tennis club members are also required to be member of the main Club, for which the annual fee is included in the Tennis Club Membership fee. All members’ details will be passed to the main club.
   9. Every member has the opportunity to represent the club in competitive tennis, but they must offer themselves for selection to the club’s team captain, whose decision on team selection is final.
   10. Every new member has the responsibility of making themselves aware of club policies by reading the documents, which are available in the clubhouse.
2. USE OF TENNIS CLUB FACILITIES
   1. All players must comply with COVID19 or other regulations applicable at the time of play, as stipulated by the government and the LTA
   2. Players must leave no litter on court or the surrounding area and members are empowered to challenge any person flouting this rule
   3. In order to gain entry to the courts players must prebook using the Clubspark booking system available online or by the booker app.  An individual court access code will be provided for use for the time of booking only, at the time of confirmation.  Any member found allowing those who have not booked to access the courts would be subject to an explanation to the Tennis Club Committee – if this explanation is inadequate, expulsion by the club may follow with no refund on fees paid. Any non-member found allowing those who have not booked access to the courts may be asked to leave immediately and refused future access to the courts.
   4. Any person found gaining access to the courts by a means other than the official gate access, will be subject to expulsion and in extreme circumstances criminal prosecution.
   5. The court gate must be closed by the last player on court and the clubhouse locked at the end of each playing session, by the last member on court.
   6. Players must take care of the courts, nets, fencing and clubhouse facilities.  Any damage should be reported to a committee member promptly.
   7. Appropriate tennis footwear must be worn to protect the playing surface – shoes, sandals, non-tennis boots etc. are not allowed on the courts and failure to wear appropriate footwear will result in some form of sanction to be determined by the committee.
   8. Only articles connected with playing tennis are allowed on court – any person bringing bicycles, skateboards or other extraneous items can be immediately expelled by any member.
   9. Animals are not allowed on the courts at any time
3. CLUBHOUSE AND COURT USE
   1. All court hire must be prebooked as above.
   2. Players under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
   3. Prospective members are allowed to use the facilities on a trial basis provided a fully paid adult member accompanies them.  A maximum of three free trial sessions are allowed before joining the club is required.
   4. Floodlights are automatically programmed, payment for which is made at the time of booking. Any problems with the lights should be promptly reported to a Tennis Club committee member.
   5. The use of the clubhouse is available to all full members.  Access is via a numberpad; the number for which is regularly changed and advised to all full members.  Any member found passing on this code to a non-member would be subject to an explanation to the Tennis Club committee – if this explanation is inadequate, expulsion by the club may follow with no refund on dfees paid.
   6. Any litter must be placed in receptacles provided and all facilities within the hut left in a clean and tidy state.
4. PLAYING ETIQUETTE
   1. Helsby Tennis Club has full LTA affiliation and therefore plays by normal LTA rules.
   2. Players must make all possible efforts to avoid disruption to adjacent matches (retrieval of loose tennis balls, unnecessary shouting, lack of care when changing ends, walking on and off court etc.)
   3. All matches, junior or adult, are of equal standing
   4. Racket holders, ball containers and drinks should be stored neatly by the side netting – they should not be placed around the end of the nets where they present a tripping hazard.
   5. When there is no third-party arbiter present any disputed line call should be resolved by replaying the point.
5. GUEST PLAYERS
   1. All players must wear appropriate footwear and abide by all Helsby Tennis Club rules
   2. Visitors playing with members are allowed but will be charged a fee, which will be posted in the clubhouse. Guests must sign the visitor’s book within the clubhouse and no more than 3 visits per year are allowed. This rule does not apply if they are attending bona fide club coaching sessions
   3. Junior members can only bring non-members if accompanied by an adult, with the same limitations as adult guest visitors of three sessions unless attending bona fide club coaching sessions.
6. COACHING
   1. Coaching via the club LTA coach and their assistants is available to all members and non-members (see limitations above)
   2. Information on the Head Coach including Qualifications is on display in the clubhouse.
7. SAFEGUARDING
   1. The Club Safeguarding policy is available on the website and in the clubhouse
   2. The Club Welfare Officer will co-ordinate with the LTA Safeguarding team where appropriate
   3. Any individual who has any concerns about safeguarding should immediately report to the Welfare Officer.
8. WELFARE OFFICER AND COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
   1. The Club Welfare Officers details are displayed in the Clubhouse and on the website, at all times
   2. If any member has a disagreement with how the club or another member/committee member has acted, then a formal complaints procedure exists.  The Welfare Officer operates this complaints procedure and their decision is final.  If the complaint is against the Welfare Officer the policy dictates who will oversee the process.
   3. Failure to use the formal complaints procedure, having first had insufficient resolution by the committee, invalidates the complaint.
9. SOCIAL EVENTS/CLUB PROMOTION
   1. The club will, from time to time, organise social events and social tournaments.  All members and prospective members are encouraged to attend and help with the organisation.
   2. Any arrangement for sponsorship, promotion, advertising etc. should be agreed via the tennis club committee rather than on an individual basis.