May 5, 2020
Dear Newfield Member,
We hope you and your families are healthy, well and excited to play some tennis at your favorite Newfield Swim & Tennis Club.
Despite the unprecedented pandemic circumstances, your Board, together Peter Martin, our new Club Manager, have been busy at work preparing the Club and the courts for the upcoming summer season.
The courts have been rolled and resurfaced, lines are in, nets are up. Weather permitting, we plan on opening the courts to members for pre-season play this Thursday, May 7.
Based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the City of Stamford guidelines, we will be asking players to adhere to the following procedures to protect members’ health and safety, including:
* Review and adhere to USTA safety tips and recommendations prior to coming to the courts (https://www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/national/usta-statement-on-safety-of-playing-tennis-during-the-covid-19-v.html)
* Only paid-up members will be allowed on courts – no guests
* Court hours are Monday through Sunday 9am – 7pm
* Players will use exclusively online courts reservation system to book courts (sign up details at the bottom) – no walk-ins
* Regular rules re: court time limits (60 minutes for singles and 90 minutes for doubles) and max. 48-hour advance booking apply
* Face masks are mandatory to use coming from/to your car to/from the court (not on tennis court)
* A Newfield employee/attendant will be at hand at entrance to courts to verify players and answer any questions
* No children 14 years or younger are allowed on the court without an adult/parent supervision
* Maintain at least six feet apart from other players, do not make physical contact with other players
* Consider not playing doubles; certainly, no more than four players are allowed on court – no group lessons
* Avoid touching your face after handling a ball, racquet, or other equipment
* If a ball from another court comes to you, do not touch it. Players can return the ball with a kick or hitting it with a racquet.
* Viewing furniture, benches and water coolers have been removed for safety purposes
* No social activity should take place on tennis courts
* Play and go – all players should leave the facility immediately after play – there is no access to the club/locker rooms/bathroom facilities
Note that these rules, procedures and protocols are in effect for a pre-season play for now and we will communicate any updates as necessary.
Most imporantly, while we believe that by following these and other procedures players can minimize the risk of contracting Covid-19 at Newfield, it is sole responsibility of each player to decide whether to engage in tennis activities at the Club. We strongly urge everyone to strictly follow CDC and City of Stamford guidelines in making their decisions. (By accepting a court reservation, you agree to abide by applicable procedures and understand that any use of the Newfield Club tennis courts and facilities is at your own risk.)
Separately, Keith Bliska, our Head Tennis Pro, will be available for private lessons starting next weekend and will follow up with scheduled hours/availability and other info shortly.
Additionally, the Board continues to meet regarding opening other parts of the Club and we will communicate to all members any updates as we receive additional guidance from the state and local authorities.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Club Manager Peter Martin at [email protected].
We hope to see you all, safely distancing of course, on the courts. These are unprecedented times so let’s be smart about it and let’s do all we can do not spread this terrible virus while playing this wonderful sport.
Serve’em Up!
Carol Donnelly, President and Petr Marousek, Tennis Chair
Online Court Reservation System Registration
After some deliberations, we have selected Skedda as our online court reservation software. And while we have tested it and believe it provides the players as well as the Club Manager/Administrators all the necessary tools to book/cancel/communicate (in case of inclement weather, etc) in a user-friendly manner, it is a software we all need to learn to use. So, let us know if you have any questions.
The registration link is available here and also on the home page as well as on the tennis subsection of our club website: https://newfieldtennis.skedda.com/booking
IMPORTANT: While booking a court, please insert names of your playing partners/members into the “Notes” field so that the club attendant can verify all players at check-in, keep record and source contact tracing info should the health department require the information. Thank you!
Summer Update – May 16
in Club UpdatesMay 16, 2020
Hello Newfield Membership,
I hope this finds you healthy and enjoying the start of summer-like weather!
I know you’re wondering about the opening of the pool. We are too! We are awaiting permission from state and local authorities to consider opening, and thus far the guidance is indicating late June. In the meantime, the board will be reviewing protocols for feasibility with the primary focus being member safety. Once we feel we can open safely, we will proceed.
We are hoping to provide as much summer Newfield-style, as possible. We greatly appreciate your patience while we work through these unprecedented times.
For those of you using the tennis courts, PLEASE, PLEASE wear a mask from your car to confirm court reservation with attendant. Please wait to enter your designated court until the prior group has cleared, this will continue to allow for appropriate social distancing. Continue wearing your mask until you are on designated court, and please wear your mask when returning to your vehicle. This also applies to those coming for lessons with Keith and staff, please do not enter court until prior party has vacated court, you should not be waiting inside the gate. All of these protocols were distributed in email from Tennis Chair, and should be read prior to making any court reservations.
The board will be meeting via Zoom again early this week, and will report back on updates.
Stay well.
Carol Donnelly
NewfieldTennis Teams, Round Robin, Member-Member Season-Long Tourney
in Club Updates, TennisMay 10, 2020
Newfielders!
Our picturesque and well-prepared tennis courts opened last Thursday and, based on my feedback, players had a good experience and were respectful of our safety protocols. Thank you for that and we hope to see many of you out there soon.
There are and will be many ways for members to participate at our club tennis activities even in this peculiar year – open member play, pro lessons, league matches, round robins, a season-long member-member tournament, among others. Of course, it’s worth repeating that all participants will have follow the safety rules and regulations we have put in place at the Club’s tennis courts and grounds and are playing at their own risk.
Here is a brief list of some of our adult happenings:
Tennis Leagues
As most of you are aware, the Newfield Club participates every year at summer-long the inter-club Fairfield County Tennis League, fielding three men’s and two women teams. And subject to visiting as well as our players follow our safety rules and procedures and as an exception to our “members only” rule, we intend to participate this year as well. Given the unusual circumstances of 2020, the team captains and us want to ensure that there is enough interest among members/players to take part this year. The matches take place in clubs around Fairfield County on Wednesdays at 6pm (men’s Team 1 and 2), Thursdays at 6pm (men’s Over 50) and on Friday mornings for the women’s teams, starting the week of June 3.
Kindly confirm your interest in participating in the league (be it every week or just once in a while): to our Tennis Head Pro Keith ([email protected]) for women’s teams and to me ([email protected]) for men’s teams. Thank you.
Round Robin
Rick’s Round Robin is a Monday 5pm-8pm men’s doubles outing. Our own Rick Mattice is a master of ceremonies, matching players according to their abilities. So come out and play, for all or part of the fun late afternoons at Newfield. Each week by Saturday, please email Rick ([email protected]) to let him know that you’re coming so that he can make the appropriate court reservations and record players for tracing purposes, if necessary. Thank you.
Keith will follow up with a similar offering for women, should there be interest.
Member-Member Championship
Similarly to last year, we will hold a self-scheduled, season-long, member-member tourney in all categories (singles, doubles, mixed). Again, please let Keith and me know if you’re interested in participating and what category by May 17th sign-up deadline and will follow up with format and rules separately. Thank you.
Also, once the restrictions are further eased (we hope soon!), Keith will follow up with further information re: junior programs sign ups, junior team try-outs and league. We appreciate your patience.
Finally, while Keith and I are writing here to the whole membership to make sure we don’t miss anyone interested in taking part in these activities, going forward we will communicate primarily through a “tennis only” or “team roster only” email lists so as not to overwhelmed your inboxes with unnecessary emails.
So, friends, it’s time to start working on those overheads!
Petr and Keith
Pre-Season Tennis & Protocols
in Club Updates, TennisMay 5, 2020
Dear Newfield Member,
We hope you and your families are healthy, well and excited to play some tennis at your favorite Newfield Swim & Tennis Club.
Despite the unprecedented pandemic circumstances, your Board, together Peter Martin, our new Club Manager, have been busy at work preparing the Club and the courts for the upcoming summer season.
The courts have been rolled and resurfaced, lines are in, nets are up. Weather permitting, we plan on opening the courts to members for pre-season play this Thursday, May 7.
Based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the City of Stamford guidelines, we will be asking players to adhere to the following procedures to protect members’ health and safety, including:
* Review and adhere to USTA safety tips and recommendations prior to coming to the courts (https://www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/national/usta-statement-on-safety-of-playing-tennis-during-the-covid-19-v.html)
* Only paid-up members will be allowed on courts – no guests
* Court hours are Monday through Sunday 9am – 7pm
* Players will use exclusively online courts reservation system to book courts (sign up details at the bottom) – no walk-ins
* Regular rules re: court time limits (60 minutes for singles and 90 minutes for doubles) and max. 48-hour advance booking apply
* Face masks are mandatory to use coming from/to your car to/from the court (not on tennis court)
* A Newfield employee/attendant will be at hand at entrance to courts to verify players and answer any questions
* No children 14 years or younger are allowed on the court without an adult/parent supervision
* Maintain at least six feet apart from other players, do not make physical contact with other players
* Consider not playing doubles; certainly, no more than four players are allowed on court – no group lessons
* Avoid touching your face after handling a ball, racquet, or other equipment
* If a ball from another court comes to you, do not touch it. Players can return the ball with a kick or hitting it with a racquet.
* Viewing furniture, benches and water coolers have been removed for safety purposes
* No social activity should take place on tennis courts
* Play and go – all players should leave the facility immediately after play – there is no access to the club/locker rooms/bathroom facilities
Note that these rules, procedures and protocols are in effect for a pre-season play for now and we will communicate any updates as necessary.
Most imporantly, while we believe that by following these and other procedures players can minimize the risk of contracting Covid-19 at Newfield, it is sole responsibility of each player to decide whether to engage in tennis activities at the Club. We strongly urge everyone to strictly follow CDC and City of Stamford guidelines in making their decisions. (By accepting a court reservation, you agree to abide by applicable procedures and understand that any use of the Newfield Club tennis courts and facilities is at your own risk.)
Separately, Keith Bliska, our Head Tennis Pro, will be available for private lessons starting next weekend and will follow up with scheduled hours/availability and other info shortly.
Additionally, the Board continues to meet regarding opening other parts of the Club and we will communicate to all members any updates as we receive additional guidance from the state and local authorities.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Club Manager Peter Martin at [email protected].
We hope to see you all, safely distancing of course, on the courts. These are unprecedented times so let’s be smart about it and let’s do all we can do not spread this terrible virus while playing this wonderful sport.
Serve’em Up!
Carol Donnelly, President and Petr Marousek, Tennis Chair
Online Court Reservation System Registration
After some deliberations, we have selected Skedda as our online court reservation software. And while we have tested it and believe it provides the players as well as the Club Manager/Administrators all the necessary tools to book/cancel/communicate (in case of inclement weather, etc) in a user-friendly manner, it is a software we all need to learn to use. So, let us know if you have any questions.
The registration link is available here and also on the home page as well as on the tennis subsection of our club website: https://newfieldtennis.skedda.com/booking
IMPORTANT: While booking a court, please insert names of your playing partners/members into the “Notes” field so that the club attendant can verify all players at check-in, keep record and source contact tracing info should the health department require the information. Thank you!