A few tweaks would enhance the experience of participating in the USTA Florida Adult League Southwest Regional Championships.
Despite the hard work Bonita Bay staff put in getting the courts ready for the event, by my second match on Friday, nearly every bounce was a bad one. I asked Rob Vinal, head pro at Bonita Bay, if the rumor I had heard, that he was directed not to groom the courts, was true. He confirmed the rumor. Really? Yes.
Courts have been groomed prior to matches in almost every significant tennis event that I have played. I don't get why that would not be standard at USTA Florida regional and/or sectional events? Surely NTRP players rate the same courtesy as other tournament players.
Directors of a state or nationally sanctioned tournaments, with hundreds of participants, care just as much about getting matches on and off on time as the Director of USTA league tournaments. So why would USTA Florida policy (per on-site representative Linda Kleitch) preclude court preparation before matches? If a facility has the personnel and is willing to groom courts before matches, why not allow it? The players this past weekend would have appreciated it.
Another component of the weekend that drew less than positive comments from players was the way courts were assigned. The ability to root for your team members, to look over and draw or give inspiration from or to team members contributes considerably to the team experience. Putting team members on courts so remote from each other that little of the above is available detracted from the weekend’s experience.
Having played collegiate events and USTA team events in the past, I know that it is feasible to assign courts so that teammates can be close enough to maintain the atmosphere of team play.
With a few minor tweaks a good event can evolve into a terrific one.
