FAQ From MEMBERS!

Q:     I sent in my membership few weeks ago, but the cheque hasn’t been cashed yet. Am I registered as a member and can I start playing?

A:     Cheques received don’t always get cashed right away. Our membership director first must process the application, make up the shoe tags and pass them on to the monitor at the front desk for pickup by the member. Cheques then get passed on to our treasurer, who completes further processing before depositing. Assume that once you have sent in your money that you are a registered member and you can start playing right away. Keep checking with the monitor until you find your shoe tag available. If you don’t find your shoe tag by the end of May (or within a few weeks of applying for membership), then notify the monitor and we’ll investigate.

Q:     I sent in my membership fee weeks ago. Is someone going to send me a shoe tag? Do I have to wait?

A:     There’s no need to wait! Come on out to the courts and start playing right away. It may take a couple of weeks for your shoe tag to arrive at the Clubhouse front desk. Just keep checking with the monitor on duty until it’s available.

Q:     Can a guest of mine play who is not a member?

A:     Certainly. For only $5/day, any non-member can play. See the monitor on duty. Encourage them to join as a full member so they can play with you the whole summer!

Q:     I signed up for the Houseleague weeks ago, but I haven’t been called. Am I registered on a  team?

A:     Just like your membership registration, if you’ve sent in your application & payment to join our Wed or Fri league, assume you will be on the team. We keep registration open until mid May, and then the teams need to be assigned by volunteers so that we can get the program started in early June. Just wait until you receive a phone call in early June.

Q:     What’s your court reservation policy?

A:     There is no pre-booking of court time. Simply come out to the Club and report to the monitor on duty, who will put you on the first available court. During busy times, play will be limited to 30 minutes, so please respect this policy. In general we try to keep 2 courts open for drop-in players, even during our busy times (Mon-Fri evenings). The court availability schedule is posted in the Clubhouse and always check our website at www.markhamtennisclub.com for updated information.

During the times when the Clubhouse is closed, and there is no monitor, limit your playing time to 30 minutes if others are waiting. It is also a good idea to check the calendar or phone the Clubhouse, to avoid pre-scheduled Club activities. Please be aware that young children should never be left unattended on the Club property without adult supervision.

Q:     My (junior) friend and I were playing last Monday night and were asked to leave the courts. I realize it was busy … we were told something about “adult time”. What’s the story?

A:     Simply put, you were playing during Adult Priority hours while adults were waiting to play. Juniors playing with other juniors should stick to the Junior priority hours (4-7pm, M-F). Likewise, adults can be asked to leave during junior hours if the courts are busy and juniors are waiting to play. These hours are posted in the Clubhouse, but to summarize them here:

·        Adults have priority over two Juniors weeknights after 7pm

·        Juniors have priority over two Adults on weekdays 4-7pm, and Saturday, 9-1pm (3 courts)

·        Women’s intercounty matches have priority 9am-1pm, Mondays & Wednesdays (all 6 courts)

·        Mixed intercounty matches have priority 7pm-10pm, Tuesdays & Thursdays (3 courts)

·        Mixed intercounty practices have priority 9am-1pm, Sundays (3 courts)

·        Round robin matches have priority 7-10pm, Sundays, Mondays & Fridays (3-4 courts)

·        Houseleague matches have priority 7-10pm, Tuesdays & Wednesdays (3 courts)

Q:     Are the courts furthest away from the Clubhouse (courts 4-6) public courts? Can I play there without paying?

A:     NO and NO. All six courts are property of the Town of Markham and are for member use only. We do offer public hours (large metal signs are posted at the entrances to courts 1-3 and courts 4-6), and the signs stipulate that even during those times, non-members must pay a guest fee. In general, we allow non-members to play anytime as long as they’ve paid their guest fee. Please see the monitor on duty to pay your fee.

Q:     I’m by myself and don’t really know anyone at the Club. How do I get started playing?

A:     Don’t be shy! There are plenty of organized activities at the Club that don’t require you to bring a partner. Check this website frequently - it contains all kinds of information about the programs for the summer. Print off what you need and keep it handy by the phone at home. Here is a sample of some of the ways for new members to get involved:

1.      Join our Tuesday or Wednesday houseleagues. Register online for these popular activities. We continue signup for these right until the middle of May, so new members still have the opportunity to get included in one of the leagues.

2.      Add your name to our “Looking for a Game” list in the Clubhouse. See who else has put their name there and you can call or email them.

3.      Sign up for our singles ladder that starts in June! Signup form is in the Clubhouse.

4.      The club offers drop-in round robins three nights per week from 7-10pm.  Sunday night will interest beginner to intermediate players, Monday night caters to the more advanced players (NTRP rating of 3.5+), and Friday nights welcome a mix of both adults and juniors.  The monitor on duty will arrange a doubles match for you, so this is also a good way to meet others. Just show up each and away you go! Cost is only $2.

5.      If you are a female and available Tuesday mornings, why not drop by the Club between 9am and 10am and join in on some ladies doubles!

6.      On request, the monitor will set up the ball machine each Saturday between 9am-10:30am for adults, and 10:30-noon for juniors. For only $1, you can hit with the machine! Of course you can rent it at other times for yourself. Talk to the monitor for details.

7.      Sign up for lessons with Mike! A good way to get started and fine tune your skills! Forms are online at this website.

8.      Sign up for our various social activities throughout the summer. Usually you don’t need a partner to join in! Signs are posted in the Clubhouse as events occur.

Q:     I submitted my online form using your website, yet I didn't receive any email confirmation. Did I do something wrong?

A:     Submitting a form ONLINE is a 3-step process. If the first step is not completed properly, your data will not be saved in our online database.

• STEP 1: Select the form you desire, fill out the required information, and press the SUBMIT FORM button. At this point, your data is saved and a unique ENTRY ID number is assigned to your registration. As well, if you've provided a valid email id, you will also receive an email confirmation immediately. The email will contain all your registration information. This provides a way for us to confirm your data is saved. You may have filled out the form but simply printed the screen without ever having pressed the SUBMIT FORM button. Or, you may have mistyped your email id. Please check your form information carefully, and remember to press the SUBMIT FORM button.
• STEP 2: Once the SUBMIT FORM button is pressed, you will be taken to a second window that allows you to edit your form to make corrections, print your form, or delete it and start again. The Edit, Print, Delete options are shown to the right of your entry form at the top of this window. If you press the EDIT option, the form data you just entered will be displayed in the form further down in this window. You can then make any changes you like. You must scroll to the bottom of this window, and press SUBMIT FORM again to save your data. At this point you will receive another email confirmation of your changed data.
• STEP 3: Printing your Form: The proper way to print your form is to select the PRINT option at the top of this window. It will show the proper ENTRY ID, which is proof your data was saved. If you do not see this entry id #, then your form submission did not work properly, so you should start again. While in this window you can also DELETE this form and start again, or enter multiple forms. Once you have completed everything, press the CHECKOUT button and you will be taken to a final window indicating your registration is now complete.
• If after all this you are unsure about completing your form properly, contact the Membership Director and they can validate your entry quite easily.
• By following these simple steps, processing your form will be more efficient and save the MTC volunteers a lot of extra effort.