QUAKER AURORA TENNIS CLUB
UPDATED QATC BY-LAWS AND
RULES & REGULATIONS
As reflected in the most recent QATC Member Newsletter, the Board has been made aware of various issues involving court reservations/utilization, including:
- difficulty reserving primetime courts for play (especially on weekends);
- members (including teaching coaches) manipulating the reservation system to book multiple courts — per day — beyond the established two-hour time limit; and
- members making — but then not showing up for (or canceling at last-minute) — reservations made days in advance for peak-use periods.
As a result, the Board has undertaken a deep-dive analysis of recent court utilization; Club membership levels; and a complete review of the QATC By-Laws and Rules & Regulations. The result of this multi-faceted approach are as follows:
- QATC has temporarily frozen individual and family memberships, at their current levels, for the remainder of the Club’s fiscal/seasonal year (through September 1, 2024). The purpose for doing so is due to current high court utilization. We will have a wait-list for new QATC applications, and we’ll re-evaluate membership levels after annual renewal invoices are sent out in August.
- The QATC Board overwhelmingly approved updated Club By-Laws and Rules & Regulations to address recent complaints.
The revised QATC By-Laws and Rules & Regulations are attached to this Newsletter and will be posted shortly on our website. We suggest all members take a moment to familiarize yourself with these provisions. The revisions are summarized as follows:
By-Laws
The Board has re-affirmed the Club’s founding mission as a year-round tennis facility that remains member-owned; not-for-profit; and a “family-first” social club for tennis enthusiasts of all ages.
Many members have expressed concerns that QATC has drifted from this primary purpose by permitting tennis instruction and ball-machine practice. While we encourage all members to improve their tennis games, our facility prioritizes playing — as opposed to training or teaching — which is abundantly available at other local public facilities (i.e, Southtowns; Village Glen; Miller Tennis Center).
Rules & Regulations
The approved changes to the existing Club Rules & Regulations are not substantial, but they have been made specific to reflect the necessity for all members to comply with our online reservations and in-house sign-in system, and to more effectively preclude anyone from bypassing built-in court usage restrictions.
- All members can make a reservation for and play a maximum of TWO hours of court time per day; an exception to this general rule is made for a person who is scheduled as a player in a regular “league” match.
- The number of persons permitted to play on any court at any time is limited to a maximum of FOUR (although a coach can instruct two doubles team from a sideline); the purpose of this new provision is to eliminate large-group clinics/drills or USTA Team Practices — these will no longer be permitted at any time.
- Members are limited to making ONE reservation per day; up to a maximum of TWO hours per reservation; and up to THREE active reservations in advance. There shall be NO exception to these rules.
- All participants to a reservation (player/coach/guest) should be reflected in the electronic “Your Courts” reservation system — as well as being manually (and legibly) recorded in the meeting room “sign-in” book. Our insurance carrier has emphasized that all people utilizing the Club must be recorded to ensure liability coverage (especially guests).
- Individual guests are allowed to play up to FIVE times per the Club’s seasonal/calendar year (September 1 – August 31); to be clear, the guest can play a TOTAL of FIVE times with various members (but, for example, two members cannot EACH invite the same guest five times).
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As a member-owned, not-for-profit indoor tennis facility, it is imperative that all members abide by these By-Laws and Rules & Regulations. With the anticipated cooperation of the Membership, we can maximize all members’ enjoyment and utilization of the Club’s facilities; maintain a stable and financially healthy Membership level; and embrace the QATC tradition of a “family-first” social tennis club — for years to come!
Question and/or Comments?
And PS:
- Next QATC Board Meeting: Monday, 6:30pm, May 13, 2024
- Spring Clean-Up: Saturday, 9am, May 18, 2024
Quaker Aurora Tennis Club 