Dear All
Bear with us - its a long one! But please read to the end.
With the C-19 situation on going and changing it seems from day to day. We wanted to update everyone with some positive news to focus on and some information on how TBLTC is planning to operate at this difficult time.
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The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has specifically advised us that tennis is one of the best examples of social distancing in practice, and so should be encouraged as long as the guidance permits.
Guidance with regard to advised social distancing measures (defined by Public Health England as spending no more than 15 minutes within a 2-metre distance of someone) is provided on the Government website, with this stating you can currently exercise outdoors if you stay 2 metres away from others.
At Theydon Bois LTC we are doing everything within our power to keep our members informed on the current Government and LTA guidelines whilst striving to try to provide a healthy environment for members to come down and play.
The LTA have provided the club with this advice below. We ask that you take the time to read it and visit the weblinkprovided below for further detailed and up to date information.
From today TBLTC will be implementing the following procedures and LTA recommendations
• Closure of the club house, including changing and toilet facilities.
• All group coaching and social sessions are now cancelled.
• We ask that you use clubspark to book courts on line if possible.
• No equipment will be provided by the club until further notice.
• Activity should only take place where travel to and from the courts can be done in a way compliant with social distancing advice, with players not travelling together unless they are part of a group residing in the same place
• Activity should be in line with the Government’s advised social distancing measures at all times (defined by Public Health England as spending no more than 15 minutes within a 2-metre distance of someone), including when arriving to and departing from a court
• If you are not confident that you can adhere to the social distancing guidance when undertaking tennis in a doubles format, you should only have two players per court
• Players are advised not to change ends during play
• Coaches to avoid close proximity when giving feedback, or when players are resting
• Ensure no physical contact between players during warm-ups or games
• No extra-curricular or social activity should take place
• Players should sanitise hands before and after a tennis session without exception
• Players use their own tennis balls and do not share rackets
• Avoid touching your face
As all group coaching, social sessions and internal competitions are postponed, the coaches will be running 1-1 and 1-2 coaching sessions using new tennis balls and encouraging people who are under 70 and have not been in contact with or showing symptoms of Covid-19 to come down and play, again whilst heeding the LTA and governments guidelines regarding social distancing and hygiene.
If members want to organise a hit amongst themselves or if the nominated adults want to bring their junior/mini members to come and let off steam for an hour on the courts then we advise that there is a maximum of 4 people per court plus the club will no longer provide any equipment. So please bring your own balls and rackets. A recommendation from the LTA regarding tennis balls is Players could have their own tennis ball(s) clearly marked with their own initials and ensure that they are the only person to touch that tennis ball with their hands. For other tennis balls, other methods could be used such as lifting with a foot and racket or scooping up from the ground with the racket.
We recommend that you book courts on line through clubspark to avoid an excess of people on court. Observing social distancing when leaving the court if others are arriving and again sanitising before and after your session.
Dave and Jamie are available to coach and give advice if required.
Please note again the clubhouse is out of bounds for water and restrooms!
There is more information on the LTA website which we ask you to visit and take note of;
We promise the courts will remain in operation until instructed otherwise and while our recommendations are followed although it is at your discretion whether you decide to visit the courts. Unfortunately, at the moment the floodlights will not be available for members use.
We are hoping to leave the courts unlocked during the day but if you arrive and they are locked, we ask you to use gloves or sanitise your hands before and after using the padlock. Please leave the courts as you found them and take personal rubbish and water bottles home.
As your new chairwoman, this communication as we should have entered into a new exciting and competitive season, is not the one I would ever have imagined to have to send but Dave and I plus the rest of the committee are doing our best to keep the club open and hopefully continue to provide an enjoyable diversion in the fresh air to our loyal members for as long as we can in these uncertain times.
If you have any queries or questions please do not hesitate to email the club or me on fionafalco@me.com or any coaching enquiries then email Dave on theydonboiscoaching@gmail.com
Please take good care of yourselves and others. If everyone at the club works together to heed the advice given, take on board the changes, we will get through this and hopefully soon be back playing tennis without fear and restrictions.
Kindest regards
Fiona and Dave