By Greg McAfee, Men’s League Vice President
As we approach another spring Men’s League season, I’d like to give you some tips on preparing your roster, and I will answer a few questions that always come up during this period.
First, for you captains: Contact all your returning players and make sure they are committed to playing this spring. Find out how much they plan to be available. This will help determine if you need to add players and to make sure you are not adding anyone who doesn’t want to be on the roster. Players: Please proactively reach out to your captain and let them know this information.
Second, be sure to pay for your 2024 ALTA tennis membership. We get a lot of requests for folks to be added back on a roster when they were not included due to their membership not being paid.
Third, let’s talk about leveling. Initially, your team is placed at the level based on the average of your team’s top 10 individually ranked players. If you are adding a higher ranked player, you can recalculate your team’s average and use the Roster Placement page in the roster kit to find out where your team likely would be placed. It’s also best to get players added during the open roster period or during the roster correction period. Players wanting to be added after the schedules come out may see their ratings change higher if they played on a winning Mixed Doubles team and that might affect their ability to join a specific team.
Finally, and certainly not least, this is a recreational league. Everyone wants to play tennis and have a good time. No money is on the line, no endorsements are at risk, so please be kind, courteous, and welcoming to your opponents. In recent seasons, we have seen an uptick in bad sportsmanship, and it is up to you to turn that around. If a call on the court doesn’t go your way, just remember that one point isn’t going to make or break the match or the season. Even if it does, remember you are out there for exercise, community support, and maybe a bag tag if you are fortunate.
Registration for the spring season opens on January 1. So, as you are sitting around watching bowl games, go ahead and login and pay your 2024 dues and get ready for some great competition and fun in the spring.
