DATE: November 2010 [PDF]
Presidents Parley | From the Manager | Hunter's Advantage | Women's Locker Room Survey | Results | New Members | Last Month's News
The tenth board meeting of the year took place Oct. 11, 2010. The next board meeting will take place Nov. 8, 2010. The annual meeting of the Timberhill Tennis Club will take place on that date at 7:30 in the TTC clubroom. See Gary Quandt’s article for details. We will try to bring the members up to date about the state and health of the club and try to answer questions that the members have. Please participate in this meeting.
The board has been wrestling with a number of unpleasant problems this year. The truth is, real maintenance except for resurfacing the courts and parking lot has been neglected for years. Certain maintenance problems are dire. There is the eternal problem with the roof. Solving this problem with limited funds has proven to be a challenge.
A second problem is that of the women’s dressing room. It is smaller than the men’s room and smells of mold and fungus. It is poorly designed. The stalls are roughly the same size as those in an airplane. The doors open into the backs of women trying to use the mirror or sink and that area is so cramped that it is uncomfortable for two women to use it at the same time. During heavy use such as tournaments, the toilets have plugged up. The floor is difficult to clean and disinfect. The dressing room is unpleasant, poorly ventilated and unhealthy. We cannot solve all problems simultaneously,
Solutions have to be done in phases and within our means. We would like to try an imaginative method for raising the necessary funds. Read the article below about a proposal that, we hope, together with some help from the TTC, will yield enough money to renovate the women’s dressing room and also ventilate the men’s room. In the survey, many of you expressed a willingness to contribute to a well thought out specific project and we hope that willingness is still there.
It is time to elect a new board. There are nine candidates this year for five places on the board. The candidates are introduced and the election process explained in the article by Jim Krueger and Mark Koenig in this newsletter. The process is slightly different from that of previous years. The TTC will be facing many challenges this coming year and it is important to get the best board possible, an independent board consisting of innovative and imaginative thinkers that has the support of the membership. This past year we have had a diverse board representing the broad interests of the club and consisting of both men and women. It is important that the new board remains diverse. It will be a difficult year, but it is gratifying to see that so many members are willing to donate their time and efforts to the TTC.
This is a great club. It does need some TLC. We constantly hear and learn ways to improve our tennis, but rarely does anyone address the issue of having fun on the courts. We want to play in a superior facility in pleasant surroundings. We are working on that. But how often do we realize that the people in our club are nice? The old adage, “When in doubt, call it out!” doesn’t seem to hold here. Instead, generous calls seem to be the norm. When a ball from a neighboring court wanders into another court, the ball is gently returned to the neighboring players at the appropriate time, rather than simply whacked over to the other court. People are polite, in good humor. I love to play here. Enjoy yourselves.
See you on the Courts,
Ron Guenther,
President, TTC Board
Roofing Committee
The Board is reviewing bids for skylight replacement on courts #1-3 for
next summer. We are saving up monies to do that project next summer and everything
so far is on track for that. We have patched the roof so hopefully this winter
we can live through the leaking from the skylights. Money has been the thing
holding us back but by next summer we should have the $60,000 saved up by this
summer.
USTA League Meetings
The Winter/Spring USTA League season is just around the corner. We will have
a sign-up sheet on the bulletin Board in the clubhouse. If you are interested
in playing, just sign up and make a note of the team meeting date. This is a
very important organizational meeting to attend so put it on your calendar and
come to the meeting. We will discuss team goals, split teams if needed, elect
captains and many other aspects of the USTA League teams. The meeting dates
and times are listed below as well.
Men's 3.0 Dec. 16 @ 7:30pm
Men's 3.5 Dec. 14 @ 7:30pm
Men's 4.0 Dec. 15 @ 8:30pm
Men's 4.5 Dec. 14 @ 8:30pm
Women's 2.5 Dec. 16 @ 6:30pm
Women's 3.0 Dec. 15 @ 7:30pm
Women's 3.5 Dec. 15 @ 6:30pm
Women's 4.0 Dec. 14 @ 6:30pm
VOTE and the ANNUAL MEETING!
Put November 8 at 7:30pm on your calendar. Timberhill will host its
annual general meeting. This is your chance to sound off, listen to upcoming
projects, or tell us what direction you want your Board to take Timberhill in
the upcoming years! It will take place in the TTC clubhouse. If you cannot make
it but still want to sound off send any Board member an email. The ballot is
inserted into this newsletter. You must vote for no more than five candidates,
put your ballot in the smaller secrecy envelope, put the secrecy envelope into
the stamped envelope with James Krueger's address on it, sign the outside or
put your account number on it and drop it in the mailbox. Please vote, as we
need 25% of the ballots to be returned to make a legal election. Remember that
each membership, family, couple, single or junior membership has one vote, so
you may have to agree with your spouse if you are a couple membership.
Junior Rookies Tournament
Timberhill will host the Corvallis Rookie Junior Tournament Saturday November
6 for juniors just starting their tournament career. This is a one-day event
and the open to all juniors players 18 and younger. Entry blanks are in the
lobby so help yourself or register online at the USTA.com/TennisLink site using
the Tournament ID # 600117110.
Entries close on Saturday Oct. 30 at 5:00pm
New Accounting Provider
The Board of Directors has hired a new accounting provider for the club. Moore
Accounting Solutions owned by Helen Moore has started providing accounting services
effective October 1. The services will be less expensive but more importantly
we will strengthen the clubs internal controls by some of the services she provides
which will better protect the clubs assets. Helen can be contacted at 541-265-2951
or contact a board member for additional information.
Just a couple of things to mention this month. First is to keep your eyes open in the clubhouse for the signup for the inaugural Mid-Valley Challenge Cup, which is a NTRP adult team match against Albany Tennis Club. The time and date is to be announced, but it's looking like it'll be set for a mid-December weekend day. We'll need doubles and mixed doubles players at the 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 levels of play, and it should be a really fun competition against our neighbors to the east. Call me with any questions--by the time you're reading this, a date and time should be set. On the junior side of the net, we're running our second one-day Rookie Tournament on November 6. This is a great chance to get kids that know how to play matches, but have little match experience, into competition in a low-key way. While still talking about the junior program, we have implemented a series of skills tests into the Junior Development Program that must be passed to move from one level clinic to the next. This is something Colby and I are very excited about, as it creates a set of goals for the kids in each class to work toward, and should highlight quite clearly areas that need to be improved upon. We will offer the tests on dates to be announced once per session, and the cost is $5 for TTC members. Let us know if you have any questions about this aspect of the program. Last, a yearly reminder that we have quite a few new members to the club. If you see somebody you haven't met, please introduce yourself and welcome them to the Timberhill Tennis family!
Anyone who has spent some time at the club has noticed that the restrooms have some long-standing issues that need to be addressed. Issues like the size of the restroom facilities, poor ventilation, mildew concerns, and smells have been much discussed over the years, but only cosmetic changes have occurred which have failed to address the underlying problems. Understanding that it would be cost prohibitive to address both restrooms at the same time, a phased approach was developed to address the women’s restroom first, and then follow with the men’s as funding allows.
As a result of the poor condition and lack of privacy of the restrooms, many club members avoid using the restroom and shower facilities. This is not only inconvenient to our members, but is an embarrassment when we host other teams and/or events at the club.
Kim Schlessinger and I have been asked to research and design a new women’s restroom/dressing area for your consideration. To that end, we have utilized a local contractor to develop some preliminary plans (see display at the club), and develop an estimate for construction.
The proposed project would improve the women’s restroom by expanding into the unused space between the existing restroom and court #1. The additional space would allow the construction of a dressing area/lounge and a re-design of the existing shower/toilet area. There would also be some improvements related to ventilation in the men’s locker room and ADA requirements, but the work does not require that the entire facility be brought up to ADA standards at this time.
The estimated cost for the first phase of the project is $45,000. We have met with the club’s Board of Directors, and received general support for the project as long as funding could be identified. While there is some ability to redirect some of the club's existing cash reserves to this project, we need members to step forward through a pledge drive to fund at least half of the cost of the project through donations.
Please take a look at the survey below and let us know your opinions. There is also a pledge form included where you can support the project with a donation.
Kim and I are very excited about making this project a reality, and making a facility that we can all enjoy and be proud of.
Sally Clark
USTA results
Fall USTA League results as of October 15, 2010
Mixed 7.0 Doubles "Rice" 0-0
Mixed 7.0 Doubles "Gottfried" 0-1
Mixed 8.0 Doubles "Gottfried" 1-1
Mixed 8.0 Doubles "Schmitz" 0-2
Senior 3.0 Women's "Vajda" 1-2
Senior 3.5 Woman's "Shields" 0-1
Senior 3.5 Men's "Rice" 2-0
Senior 4.5 Woman's "Edinger" 0-0
Senior 4.5 Men's "Koski" 0-1
Super Senior 7.0 Men's "McDonald" 2-3
Congratulations to our USTA One Doubles League Men's 3.5 and Woman's 4.5 teams.
The USTA One Doubles Team of Dale Kern, Steven Chapman, Robert Rice, and Michael Laport finished second in the Northwest Sectionals Championships held at the Yakima Tennis Club, losing to the Seattle area champion 6-2-7-6. In reaching the finals, the team of Dale Kern and Steven Chapman won three matches over teams from Spokane, Olympia, and Portland. Earlier the TH-Rice 3.5 One Doubles team had won the Southern Oregon area championship going undefeated in league play.
Mary Christensen and Patty Youngren played well at regionals in Yakima. They took the scenic route because Washington isn't very good about putting up signs on their highways like Oregon. It was beautiful and they got there eventually. In the morning the first person they saw at the motel was Bob Rice. That was a nice greeting to lost sojourns. They missed winning their first match in a tiebreaker by 3 points. Having lost the first set in a tie breaker and coming back and winning the second set 6-4, They won our next match easily and the people they lost to in the first round, lost to the people they were going to play next. If they beat them they would have succeed to the final round. They ended up losing to them in a tiebreaker by two points having won the first set 6-4, losing 2-6 and losing the tiebreaker 10-8. Oh so close, but oh so good tennis and good people. Washington, won this time, but look for them next year. The weather was great. (My sock line just gets more drawn.)
Final Results of the 2010 "Ted Carlson" All Comers NTRP tournament held at Timberhill Oct. 8-10 Timberhill members are in bold print.
Men's Open Singles: Lorne Bulling (Corvallis) def. Reid Martin (Lake
Oswego) 6/1, 6/2
Men's 2.5 Singles: Alex Castle (Philomath) def. Adrian Schalk (Corvallis)
5/7, 7/6, 10-8
Men's 3.0 Singles: Colton Wright (Corvallis) def. Ben McNair (Corvallis)
6/2, 2/6, 11-9
Men's 3.5 Singles: Gopi Kasi (Corvallis) def. Russ Blunck (Monmouth)
6/3, 7/5
Men's 4.0 Singles: Jordan Coons (Olympia) def. Ken Lefton (Corvallis)
6/2, 3/6, 10-8
Men's 4.5 Singles: Richard Boudreau (Forest Grove) def. Alex Masak (Beaverton)
default
Women's 3.0 Singles: Katie Bauer (Corvallis) def. Maysa Shakibnia 7/6,
6/3
Women's 4.0 Singles: Jane Brass-Barth (Corvallis) def. Jane Fortner
(Corvallis) 6/0, 7/5
Men's 3.0 Doubles: Colton Wright - Kasey Wang (Corvallis) def.
Keith Daniel - Bruce Pritchard (Corvallis) 6/4, 6/2
Men's 4.0 Doubles: Larry Rogers - Sam Stern (Corvallis) def. Ken
Lefton - Ralph Gleffe (Corvallis) 7/5, 6/0
Women's 3.0 Doubles: Katie Bauer (Corvallis) - Lindsay Beattie (Olympia) def. Maddy Corbin - Maysa Shakibnia (Corvallis) 6/2, 6/3
Mixed 3.5 Doubles: Grant Gleffe - Claire Meunier (Corvallis) def. John Donel - Maria Matos (Corvallis) 6/0, 6/1
Ibah & Cecelia Wahba 541-207-3201: Cecelia plays at the 3.0 level and her husband Ibah is starting playing regularly. Their kids Joseph (8) and Maria (5) are playing at the advanced beginner stages.
Neville Mehta 541-908-1073: Nevile plays at the 4.0 level and enjoys playing in the evenings or weekends
Tom Menshik 541-754-2032: Tom is a 3.5 player who enjoys singles, but will also play doubles.
Brett Johnson & Helen Tenica 503-801-3368: Brett is a 4.0 player who has some flexibility in his schedule. Helen plays at the 3.0 level.
Tom Chase 541-753-5716: Tom is retired and plays at the 3.0/3.5 level.
Rich Bergeman 541-757-3415: Rich is retired and plays at the 3.0/3.5 level.
Doug Clark 541-990-1298:Doug plays at the 3.0/3.5 level as well.
James Lucas 541-752-0235: James is retired and plays at the 3.0/3.5 level.
Jun Xing 929-6688: Jun and his son Wilson are just starting out their tennis career's
Jack Van De Water 541-908-6243: Jack is a 3.5 level player who can play weekday evenings.
Rudy & Vidya Schalk 541-745-0330: Rudy is a 3.5 player and his son Adrian (12) is an upcoming junior player. They can play singles or doubles.
Robbie & Melissa Allen: Robbie is a 4.0 level player and Melissa is just starting her tennis career.
Ashley Fisher & Chris Christensen 520-401-9541: Ashley plays at the 3.5/4.0 and Chris is a 4.5 level player both enjoy singles, doubles or mixed doubles Evenings and weekends are their best time.
Cary & David Doyle 745-7040: Cary plays at the 3.5 level and David is a 3.0 level player. Their daughter Caroline (11) is an advanced beginner player.
Maysa Shakibnia 541-829-0210: Maysa played singles on the Corvallis High School team last year
Daina Vitolins & Rory O'Neill 503-385-5687 Daina & Rory play at the 4.0 level and will play singles, doubles or mixed doubles.
Rosco & Brooke Huebner 541-908-2976: Rosco plays at the 4.0/4.5 level and can play mostly weekends and evenings doubles or singles. Brooke is just starting her tennis career.
David Hilton & Heidi McGowan 541-224-2477: David plays at the 4.5 level and his daughter Caitlin plays on the Corvallis High School tennis team.
If you are looking for substitutes for your group or just looking for a new game to play with, please feel free to give these new members a call and set up a match. If you see someone you don't recognize, make an effort to welcome all these new members to Timberhill.
Looking for substitutes or new people to play? Please feel free to use these
new members to fill-in play times, or you can join our Timberhill Yahoo Group,
check out our substitute listings in the TTC clubhouse, or check out our Web
directory. Access to that involves a user and password.
User: ttc
Password: GaryandHunter
There are lots of ways to find other players as well as joining up to play in
many of our programs. If you really get desperate for players you can always
call or email Gary and he can help you out as well.