March 10, 2010
|
March 10, 2010 |
|
|
 |
    
|
RLTC News Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Farewell to the Season Party and Awards Ceremony Thank you to those members who contributed to the sweets table - Mrs. Lambert, Milos Rajicic, Elly Clarke, Sheryl Parizeau, Michele Lejars, Clare Nippard, Andy Talbot, Nancy Marley-Clarke, Kathy Gillespie, Theresa Labonte, Micheline McElligott, Nadia Freeman, Suzanne April, and Nancy Hooper. The food was bountiful yesterday and the desserts just hit the spot. A lovely way to end our social season.
A reminder that our Clubhouse closes Monday, October 12th
Annual General Meeting Notice
Member Gavin Murphy is having a photographic exposition to help the cause of Osteoporosis
News from our Junior Instructor Nicholai Hill
Update from member Yvonne Malbasha "Daily explosions and gunfire are such a "normal" part of life here that they are mostly now just background noise for me. The first week I would cringe when I heard them. I guess the only reason we all got up in the middle of the night when the two bombs went off near our building was because they were so close that in fact we thought the Hamas post across the street from our building was the target. Heat is still relentless here, 1 day identical to the next . Last time it rained was in April and its not expected to rain till November. I felt the sand between my my toes this week, albeit through my sandals. The beach and water are extremely polluted so swimming and barefoot are out of bounds. Our freedom to walk is so tenuous. we are making the most of it. A lockdown can happen at any minute. Talking of walking, my early morning walk buddy has opted out and I haven't found a replacement.....yet. So its back to the stairwell. But there are 3/4 of us who have been going out every evening at 1700. It's dark already by 1830, so we time it to be back by then. The clock turned back an hour last weekend in Palestine. Someone forgot to tell the rooster it was only 1 hour, he has turned his clock back 2 hours and now has become my first wakeup call at 0345 followed by call to prayer at 0400. makes for a very long day indeed. Bed times are getting earlier-my body will be in for a shock when it has to adjust to my noon to midnight shift again."
And as always, dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Cheers, Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Men's A Singles Finals
Ladies Ladder Champion
National Capital Senior Men's Tennis League - Division A Winners
Thank you to member Richard Aubin for riding the electric clay court rolling machine this week for more than two hours. After our clay court tune-up last week, the courts were a little soft. By tamping down the clay with the rolling machine, it makes for a smooth and better playing surface. Our members thank you Richard!
Thank you to member Gill Kirkwood who came to my rescue when a bad computer virus attacked the hard drive of the RLTC computer. Gill spent a few hours getting rid of the invasive and destructive virus and I am grateful to him for his assistance in making the computer I work on operational again.
Sunday, September 27th Farewell to our Members Social
Another great week here at the RLTC. The weather has cooperated. Our courts were super busy this weekend. This week shows rain for a few days, so come on down before and after and looking forward to seeing many of you at our Farewell to the Season party next Sunday afternoon. And as always dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager, Cheers, Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Does the Man Ever Stop!!!
Former Board member John Taylor donated 4 green plastic chairs for the hard courts this week. Thank you John. The chairs get a lot of wear and tear and I am appreciative to replace some of the older ones with new ones.
Thank you for the TV loaner for the US Open Weekend
Men's B Doubles Final Karl Ruban and Jean Vachon played against the doubles team of Ron Macdonald and Gavin Murphy. Ron and Gavin won the match 6-3, 6-2. A great match to watch and congratulations to all players and to our winners.
Thank you to member Tasha Kern who brought organic salads, cheeses, fruits and nuts yesterday for our members to enjoy. She made some delicious individual salads as well and I would like to thank her for her generous donation and also for making wonderful food for the members in the afternoon. Again, when members contribute like this, I am so very appreciative.
There are still some consolation rounds to be played. Please arrange your own matches and post your scores. Men's B Singles - Michael Crystal vs. John Jones for the final Have a great time everyone.
Sunday, September 27th Farewell to Members, Adult Round Robin, Mini-Social and Trophy Afternoon
Member Greg Kane just wrote me from a mountain he is on in China. Wanting to know US Open scores. I love being connected like this. Take care Greg and don't fall off!.
A thank you to member John Bouza who will be umpiring the Men's Singles A final at 1pm today between Gordon Cudney and Tony Brunst. Having John "on call" like this is great. John is always the first one to step up to help when he can in this capacity.
Wednesday night Adult Round Robins are now being held at 5:30 p.m. and not 6:00 p.m. due to it getting darker earlier. The final Round Robin of the season will be Wednesday, September 30th.
Hope to see you here at the RLTC. Come and admire our new fountain. Enjoy the last few warm and sunny days of September. And as always dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Cheers Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Round Robin Information for our Members
Hours of Operation
Clay Courts Tune-Up News
Front Entrance is Completed
Men's A Doubles Tournament - High Drama - Week 2
Women's B Doubles Finals
Women's B Singles Finals
Play your Ladder Matches by September 15th please
Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank News
U.S. Open Finals Weekend coming up this Week: Huge thank you to Bleeker Stereo & T.V. for Donating the large T.V. for our members to watch
News on Members ranked at the Elmdale Open
Update on member Yvonne Malbasha from Gaza
September After School Tennis Clinics start this coming Week
Final Mini-Social, Mixed Adult Round Robin and Awarding of Trophies to our Champions of the Season
Visiting Pros from the Carleton University Tennis Centre
Team Interclub Event (OTTAWA & OUTAOUAIS AT ONEC) - September 18 to 20 Date Posted: 2009.09.04 To all tennis fans of Ottawa and Outaouais Ottawa New Edinburgh Tennis Club is pleased to announce a team tournament (details below). For a registration form please email denis_bureau@videotron.ca today. WHEN
OBJECTIVES
TYPE OF TOURNAMENT
EVENTS AND CATEGORIES
ORGANIZATION
SPONSORSHIP AND PRIZES
EXAMPLES OF PRIZES TO REQUEST FROM SPONSORS (TENNIS CLUB, SKI CLUB OR OTHER SPORTS SPONSORS)
DEADLINE FOR TEAM REGISTRATION AND TOURNAMENT RULES
Lots of information this week dear members. Hope to see you for one more week of tennis in the sun. We are experiencing a lovely Indian Summer and members are taking full advantage of the sunlight and warm temperatures. More tournaments this week. Junior after school tennis clinics start. Clay court tune-up on Thursday. US Open weekend with a large screen TV from Bleeker Stereo & T.V. Ladder matches. Round Robins. Busy. Busy. As always, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Cheers Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Season Ender Tuesday Night Exhibition and BBQ Night was a Smash The evening began at 5:00 p.m. with an exhibition match (organized by Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank) featuring member Konnor Fung-kee-Fung competing against Jeremy Gibbens-Schneider. Members really enjoyed watching these junior stars and the shots were amazing by both of them. At 6:00 p.m., we held our JUNIORS FINAL TOURNAMENT Boy's Under 14 Singles - Jack Warren vs. Colin Zed. Family and friends turned out for both camps and the patio was filled with members enjoying the match. The winner was Jack Warren 6-4, 6-4. It is inspiring to watch these juniors compete at such a high level and kudos to both for their court etiquette and determination under fire.
Congratulations to our 2009 Junior Champions
RLTC HOURS OF OPERATION
RLTC Warm-Up Jacket now available for Sale
Front Entrance Area Transformed
Last Ladder Match
September After School Tennis Clinics for our Juniors Our Monday, Tuesday and Friday clinics are available for a maximum of SIX students. Our Wednesday and Thursday clinics are available for a maximum of TWELVE students. As space is limited, please let us know as soon as possible which day your junior would like to participate. Don't let your kids miss out on the best in after school instruction at our tennis clinics. For the best instruction and environment, the RLTC is your junior's place to be. Reserve your spot today.
Women's Division A Championship Results Women's A Singles Final featured Maureen Boyd and Tracey Clarke. The winner was Tracey Clark. The match took almost 2 and a half hours. Women's D Doubles Championship final featured Maureen Boyd and Elly Clarke vs. Catherine Gaudreault and Lucie Vincent. The winners were Maureen Boyd and Elly Clarke. I watched this match and it went three sets with an 11-9 tiebreak. Three hours. It was getting dark and cold. It was absolutely mind-blowing tennis. I would like to thank John Bouza for umpiring the Women's A Division Singles Championship as well.
High Drama During a Men's A Doubles Match this Week
Goodbye to Two more RLTC Staff members
Thank you Members Round Robin and Mini-Social, Plus Trophy Afternoon for our Club Champions
Who can believe it is September already? But we should have a nice and not rainy Fall. I hope to see many of you out here in the coming weeks. Most of the staff is gone, so please be patient with me if you have to wait a bit for something, but I am here for you always, dear members. And as always, it is my great pleasure to be your Club Manager. Cheers Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Junior Tournament Fever this Weekend at the RLTC Under 14 Girls - Frances Grace Fyfe defeated Alexandra Parizeau 6-0. Junior Under 10 Boys - Ramin Akhavan defeated Patrick Wilson-Smith 6-4. Under 10 Girls - Alexandra Finless won in the competition. The Boys 14 and Under was hotly contested. Jack Warren defeated Simon Hicks 7-5, 6-4 to move to the final. Colin Zed defeated Matthew Fyfe 6-2, 7-7(0) to move to the final. The FINAL WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 25th at 6:00 p.m. Come on out and cheer Jack and Colin in this tournament final. Jack Warren was our 2008 Boys Under 14 champion. This will be great match to watch. Thank you to Sheryl Parizeau, Walter Grego, Ramon Tuli, Randy Hicks, Maureen Grace, Mr. Akhavan and Chris Denison for assisting over the weekend with this wonderful event as well. It was greatly appreciated. Nicholai - you did yourself proud running this tournament for us. You put your heart into it and it showed. It was an impressive weekend for our juniors.
Exhibition Night Tuesday, August 25th and Cheeseburger Heaven BBQ Night At 5:00 p.m., junior member and Ashbury College student Konnor Fung-Kee-Fung (who has competed in provincial tournaments and also in the last three years has played in international tournaments in Florida) will compete against Jeremy Gibbens-Schneider (ranked #1 in 2008 in the OTA Boys Singles under 14 and in March 2009 ranked in the top 10.) These two tennis phenoms will certainly put on a great show for members of all ages. This match will then be followed by our Boys 14 and Under finals - Colin Zed vs. Jack Warren. And our BBQ night will feature a menu for both adults and juniors - hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, desserts for the kids and some BBQ chicken for the adults. Wonderfully generous member Beata Garel-Jones will again be donating and cooking her delicious salmon, and bringing dessert. Prices will range from $5-$10 for dinner. Desserts are extra. I know you will enjoy watching both of these matches and we will also crown this year's Boys Champion as well. Come on down for a night filled with fun for all.
Information from President of the Inter-City Women's League and member Alana Abraham
Adult Tournaments This Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. we will be featuring the Women's A Singles championship. Come on down to see who is playing. This is always a crowd-pleaser.
Thank you to member John Bouza for making all our tennis court nets so perfect
Thank you to Board member Wally Gordon for his continued work here on the grounds
Former member is now New President of the WTA
Goodbye to Clubhouse Attendant Sophia Lal; Junior Instructors Nicholai Hill, Conor Robertson, Eric Nguyen and Eric Tawagi
September After School Tennis Clinics FIRST SESSION: SECOND SESSION:
And as always dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager, Cheers Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Thursday August 13th Exhibition and Chicken BBQ Night was Terrific We are holding a SPECIAL EXHIBITION night on Thursday, August 20th at 6:00 p.m. featuring Board member Dr. Hassan Moghadam versus member Andy Talbot. This will also be a Colonnade Pizza Night ($4 per slice for the best pizza in town). I will order a few different varieties. Last time we did a pizza night, we sold out of all the pizza. Come early, get a seat, get a ticket for a slice or two and watch two of our club's strongest hitters and most competitive players. Andy is a Tennis Canada lines judge and umpire. Also, three weeks ago, in the over 45 City championships, Andy lost in the quarter final against Iram Sied (on hard surface). Andy has also been team captain of the National Capital Tennis Association. He has also been on the board of the Elmdale and Ottawa South tennis clubs. He is a new member this year and we are delighted to have him. To play with Andy is to play with a gentleman. I call him my guardian angel when we play others in doubles. He gives his partner a real confidence boost and plays with finesse. Hassan Moghadam is the Membership Director on our Board and is always looking for a game here at the RLTC. Wait until you see him hit. It is poetry in motion. COME ON DOWN Thursday night. For a great match. Pizza. Mingle with your fellow members. We are closing in on September. Let's not wish the summer away. Our next Tuesday night Exhibition Night and BBQ night will be held on Tuesday, August 25th at 6:00 p.m. Working hard on the details on this one. Will be posted in my blog next Sunday!!
Tournament News
News on Member Yvonne Malbasha
Goodbye to RLTC Assistant to the Manager and Senior Clubhouse Attendant Gaby Lambert
Juniors Tournament
September After School Tennis Clinics FIRST SESSION SECOND SESSION:
Hope to see you this week on the courts dear members. Come by Thursday night for our special Exhibition night. Mark your calendar for August 25th for our final August exhibition and BBQ night. Say a fond goodbye to Gaby by Wednesday. Make sure your junior does not miss out on our upcoming tournament or September after school clinics. And as always, dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Tournament News
New Men's and Women's Tennis Clothing Line is Here!
Tuesday Night Pub and Exhibition Night is now the Thursday Night Pub and Exhibition Night this week only We will also have our popular BBQ chicken dinner night with various salads and desserts. $10 for the chicken and salads dinner and $13 if you want dessert. You can't beat the price, the home-cooked BBQ chicken and salads galore. Hope to see you on the patio this coming Thursday night.
Do you have any old VCR movies for children that you do not know what do with? Well, the RLTC could use some more movies for our summer camp kids when we have long rain days. Please drop them off at the front desk and we thank you so much for your donation.
Summer Camps
And as always dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Cheers, Vera Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Last Tuesday's Exhibition and Chicken BBQ Night
Tournament News: Men¹s and Women¹s Singles and Doubles Tournament Sign Up Cut-off Date: Tuesday August 11th at noon First Round times will be assigned starting August 13th. The player or players who cannot play at the assigned time are responsible for finding a mutually agreeable time and checking with the clubhouse in order to obtain a court. First round match format - either 8 game pro set or best of 3 sets - will be determined by the number of entries. There will be a consolation round. Please indicate whether you want to play in the A or B division. Entry fee: $15 per person (plus GST) for singles and doubles (please pay at front desk)
Thank you to Nadia Freeman for continuing to help beautify our flower beds and grounds with her flair for color, and design. Her dedicated volunteer work to this project is most appreciated. Catherine Murphy is part of this dynamic duo and their commitment and enthusiasm is absolutely wonderful. Also, Board member responsible for Grounds and Maintenance Wally Gordon has almost completed the step entrance to the hard courts. Wally has a few projects on the go here and he is always thinking of ways to improve, and maintain the clubhouse and grounds of our club.
Ladder Participants
Friends Across the Net - article featured in the OTA Summer 2009 magazine
Week 7 of Summer Camps
And as always dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Great Success at the OTA Masters Doubles Teaching Clinic: Prior to the clinic, Borden from Tommy & Lefebvre came with a full array of the newest tennis racquets available from T&L. Most of the clinic participants borrowed a new racquet and many will be purchasing a new racquet as a result of testing them out.
Clubhouse Clinic - Tennis Rules and Etiquette for Recreational and Club Players:
Tuesday Exhibition and Chicken BBQ Night - Tues. July 28th at 6:00 p.m.:
Thank you to Wally Gordon - Grounds and Maintenance Director: Thank you to member Andy Talbot who fixed the net on the outdoor ping pong table for the juniors to play on. And to member Catherine Murphy, who comes to work on our gardens.
Report from the Board of Directors: Legal Status of the Club The land titles have now been located and we have a copy that will be archived with the Club. The current land was acquired in four periods: 1937 ($2,250.00), 1948 ($1.00) 1956 ($4,000.00), and 1983 ($0.00). We now know that there is no concern about easements or encroachments.
"The Rockcliffe Lawn Tennis Club" (the "Corporation") is an Ontario Social Club (non-profit) Non-Share Corporation which was first incorporated on September 8, 1923 (although the first conveyance is dated January 9th, 1937). The Corporation owns the assets and any action regarding these assets must have prior approval of at least two-thirds of the members present at a special general meeting (article 3.17 of the By-Laws). The taskforce made a few recommendations to be implemented by current and future Boards. On behalf of all of our members, we would like to thank the taskforce members for volunteering their time and clarifying the situation. Dog Policy The Board is monitoring the situation and stands ready to go back to a no-dog policy unless some owners abide by simple rules:
Membership
Summer Camps:
Ladder Participants: Ladies: 1) Tracey Clark 2) Litsa Moghadam 3) Lorraine Groulx Men's: 1) Ian Ramsay 2) John Bouza 3) Ryland Coyne
Tournament News: Men's and Women's Singles and Doubles Tournament: First Round times will be assigned starting August 13th. The player or players who cannot play at the assigned time are responsible for finding a mutually agreeable time and checking with the clubhouse in order to obtain a court. First round match format - either 8 game pro set or best of 3 sets - will be determined by the number of entries. There will be a consolation round. Please indicate whether you want to play in the A or B division. Entry fee: $15 per person (plus GST) for singles and doubles Come out and challenge last year's winners: A Singles: Women - Maureen Grace; Men - Gordon Cudney B Singles: Women - Bea Hampson; Men - Gavin Murphy A Doubles: Women's - Lucie Vincent and Charlotte Ward; Men's - Marinus Wins and Tony Brunst B Doubles: Women's - Jan Matthews and Wendy Bryans; Men's - Sean Robertson and Matt Beck
Hope to see many of you Tuesday night at our exhibition and chicken BBQ night! And as always dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Cheers Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody July 14th Exhibition and BBQ Night
Tuesday, July 21st at 6:00 p.m. - OTA Tennis Clinic Night - $10 per person Tommy & Lefebvre Demo of the newest tennis Racquets - 5:30 p.m.
Wireless at the RLTC
Wednesday, July 22nd at 7:30 p.m. - Clubhouse Clinic: Tennis Rules and Etiquette for Recreational and Club Players conducted by member John Bouza
Past RLTC Board President Larry Lederman News
Summer Camps
It is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody First Pot Luck Dinner Night
Tuesday Night Chicken Dinner and Exhibition Night
RLTC Website
OTA Tennis Clinic
Tommy & Lefebvre Full Demo Fleet of Tennis Racquets
50 tickets at the Front Desk for the August 8th Qualifying for the Rogers Cup (Men) in Montreal
Clay Court Shut Down for Maintenance - Friday, July 17th at 2:00 p.m.
Summer Camps at the RLTC
Challenge Fellow Ladder Participants
As always dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody A huge thank you to Bob, Micheline and Brigitte McElligott for sponsoring the RLTC Sunday morning at Wimbledon Strawberries and Cream Social. Members were glued to the T.V. here at the clubhouse watching Roger Federer play Andy Roddick point for point. And Federer prevailed - winning his 15th Grand Slam Singles title. History was made today at Wimbledon. Everyone here really enjoyed the delicious shortcake, strawberries and whipped cream prepared by Sophia Lal, Rachel Murray, William Nippard and me. A great way to start a Sunday morning with world class tennis.
B Division Mixed Doubles Tournament Winners: Jan and Tam Matthews won our B Mixed Doubles Tournament playing against Clare and Darren Nippard 6-3, 6-4. Congratulations.
NCTA over 55 Championships - Men's Doubles News RLTC members Paul Henry (1) and Marinus Wins beat Yvon Roy and Shaheer Mikhail(2) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. They were the only players from the RLTC that were in the finals!
Men's and Women's Ladder is up and running. You can still sign up at the front desk.
Thank you to Board member Wally Gordon for the great new front door gate. Another successful project Wally.
Tournament News Due to the holiday period, we have decided to postpone the Singles Championships until later in the season. Watch out for the new sign up dates!
Summer Camps If you are still looking for the perfect summer camp experience for your child, think of our very popular half day mornings, afternoons or full day camps. Sign up with us at the front desk.
Pot Luck Dinner Night - Saturday, July 11th at 5:30 p.m. Come to our first ever pot luck dinner night. Price of admission is you bring your food that you would also like to share with others. We have 2 BBQ's if you want to BBQ. We will provide paper plates, napkins and cutlery. We can eat on the patio or on the grounds. Lots of fun. Informal. Great way to be with fellow members, enjoying delicious food and camaraderie with friends.
Tuesday, July 14th Pub and Exhibition Night Our Head Pro Nick Mook Sang will be playing against James Cameron, the #1 ranked player in Canada in the age 55+ category. This will be a wonderful exhibition match to watch and we will be holding our $10 BBQ chicken night (with salads) as well. The dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the match at 6:15 p.m.
It is my pleasure, as always, to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody It was hot and hazy last few days here at the clubhouse. And the rain on Friday was like the heavens had opened up. I was at the back tool shed with grounds attendant Harley and we were totally soaked by the time we got back in the clubhouse. We also had large sized hail here. When it rains, it pours. We finished our very successful first week of summer camp. Yes it was hot, but the kids had a great time. First class instruction. Water, freeze and snacks breaks. The clubhouse was a happy place to be. When the juniors are around, they are always asking questions, or how they can help, and when I go out and watch them in the camps, they are doing drills, or playing King and Queen of the Court games, and a great time is truly being had by all. Our camps are filling up fast. Under the expert guidance of Head Pro Nick Mook Sang, and his team of junior instructors, your child can be assured of a wonderful camp experience. Don't hesitate to reserve a spot so you are not disappointed.
This past Tuesday evening, we held the Final match of the A Mixed Doubles Tournament featuring returning champions Maureen Boyd and Conor Robertson vs. Men's A Singles Champion Gordon Cudney and his tennis partner Catherine Gaudreault. The patio was filled to capacity with members coming out to cheer their favourites on. We held a terrific Chicken BBQ night as well, where for $10 you got BBQ chicken (masterfully cooked by Matt Beck), lots of salads and fruit tart desserts (donated by Beata Garel-Jones). It was a superbly played match on both sides and our A Mixed Doubles champions this year (and now for the third year in a row) are Maureen Boyd and Conor Robertson. Congratulations! Weather permitting, we will hold the finals of the B Mixed Doubles on Tuesday, June 30th at 6:30 p.m between Tam and Jan Matthews and the winner of the match scheduled for Monday, June 29th between George Pickering and Sheryl Green vs. Darren and Clare Nippard. We will also have another BBQ chicken dinner night for $10. The weather right now does not look very promising for either of these next two nights matches to take place. Please call the clubhouse for more details about our Finals night on Tuesday.
Tournament Director Maureen Boyd has also put up the sign up sheets for the Men's and Women's Division A and B Singles Tournaments. Our defending club champions are Gordon Cudney and Maureen Grace for the A Division; and Gavan Murphy and Bea Hampson for the B Division. Sign Up Cut-off Date: Tuesday, July 7 – 12 noon In past years, the club championships have been held in late August and early September. This year, we are holding them in July to reduce pressure on availability of booking clay courts at summer’s end when the light leaves us so much earlier. We look forward to seeing you in the tournaments!
Can't get enough of competitive tennis? Why not sign up for our Men's and Women's Ladder? The draw has been randomly slotted so you can start your challenges. We welcome new additions to the ladder at any time. Our reigning King and Queen of the Ladder are Peter Gonda and Maureen Boyd. Will you be at the top this year?
Have you been watching some of the exciting matches being played at Wimbledon? I am still rooting for Federer for the Men's Final on Sunday, July 5th. We will be holding a very special Wimbledon Strawberries, Shortcake and Cream Social beginning at 9:00 a.m. for our members coming down to watch the Men's Final. I would like to thank the generosity of Bob, Micheline and Brigitte McElligott for donating in such a special way for our members to enjoy this traditional Wimbledon treat. So come on down for Ontario strawberries, cake and whipped cream, served with a smile from our clubhouse staff. Last year, the Final went on for almost 5 hours as it was constantly being rained out. I cannot say how appreciative I am for the McElligott family for their gracious and generous offer to allow me to hold this mini-social in the morning. Thank you very much!!!
Have you been enjoying the wines being served this year at the RLTC? I would like to thank our Board President Charles Belanger, who has carefully selected the red and white wines this year for our members to savour. Charles also worked very hard at the Annual Social to make sure I had adequate wine supplies for our big party. A huge thank you for this Charles.
Stay tuned for our new gate at the RLTC. Wally Gordon has designed a new gate with a new look for the front gate entrance of the club. I can hardly wait to see it as I know that Wally has made some special things here for us all to enjoy at the clubhouse.
How quickly the summer is flying by....I hope we can run the Finals on Tuesday night with another chicken BBQ night. So looking forward to our special Wimbledon Sunday social (thanks again McElligott family!!!);I am coming back to lead the Round Robin on Monday at 10am - I can hardly wait to be back playing tennis. We have a super busy and filled summer camp week two. Don't forget to sign up for our tournaments, ladders and why not take a lesson or two with our Head Pro Nick Mook Sang or Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank. Again dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody What a festive week it has been at the RLTC! We kicked off our first Pub and Exhibition Night this past Tuesday with an unbelievable match between our two junior instructors Nicholai Hill and Eric Nguyen. It was Colonnade Pizza Night and we sold out of all the pizzas we ordered. This was very popular and judging from how quickly the pizza went, we will hold other pizza nights on our Tuesdays. We had a full patio cheering on two very skilled tennis stars. How lucky are we to have instructors of this calibre teaching our junior members. This Tuesday night at 6pm, come on down for a chicken dinner. For $10 a person, you will get two BBQ chicken skewers, and a selection of cold salads - potato, macaroni, cole slaw and tomato. And the bonus is you get to watch our "A" MIXED DOUBLES FINAL between defending champions Maureen Boyd and Conor Robertson vs. Catherine Gaudreault and our Men's Singles A Champion Gordon Cudney. Come and cheer your fellow members on and see if Maureen and her son Conor can hold on to their title again this year. The match will begin at 6:15 p.m.
Have you thought of joining our Men's or Women's Ladder this year? The last time you are able to put your name on the list is Tuesday night. The draw will take place on Wednesday. The cost is $15 plus GST. Lots of fun. Challenging tennis. Last year's champions were Maureen Boyd and Peter Gonda. Will they remain at the top of the ladder again this year? Stay tuned.
The Annual Social on Friday night is always a highlight for me of the entire season and this year, over 200 members attended and danced the night away. I was still here at midnight and so were lots of others. No one wanted to go home. It was a magical evening with no rain and the setting could not have been more perfect. The decorating came from the brilliant mind of Nicky Lang who was assisted by member Elena Venables. Nicky spent most of the week getting all the decorating items for the tables, the tent and grounds transforming a simple white tent and our clubhouse area into a gorgeous venue for the party. Donna Roberts also provided many items to add to the elegance of the evening. If you were here, you know how truly special the decorating was. And now on to the food – oh my gosh – the BBQ team has to be thanked for their hard work on the salmon, chicken breasts, hamburgers and hot dogs. Thank you to George Pickering, Jim Cody, Sean Dennehy, Andy Talbot, Nadia Freeman, Yvonne Malbasha and Richard Aubin for their BBQ expertise. Nadia Freeman came in early that afternoon to transform ordinary chicken into an Italian fantasy of flavour. Each year I have done this event I reach out to members for salad bar donations. This year 29, yes I mean 29 members donated to the extravaganza. Thank you to Catherine Murphy, Hilary McCormack, Mimi Leduc, Camille Power Therriault, Mary O’Keefe, Marianne Bournes, Lisa Zed, Nadia Freeman, Lisa Grego, Maureen Boyd, Alexandra Lambert, Sylvia Begin, Sheryl Green, Vera Cody, Chantal Gobeil, Yvonne Malbasha, Donna Roberts, Gaby Warren, Gloria Williams, Suzanne April, Michele Lejars, Lori Timmins, Betty Smallridge, Jana Clarke, Milos Rajicic, Nancy Hooper, Laurie Legallais, Barbara Berks, and Micheline McElligott. When all the salads were laid out on the buffet, it looked a mile long. And they all went. Each of them. For the wonderful dessert section this year, members Marilyn, Allan and Reba Wilson graciously donated the One Shot Twistee Soft Swirl ice cream/berry yogurt machines for everyone to have a serving or two of these cold confections. Soft swirl vanilla, chocolate and berry yogurt. What is more perfect than that on a lovely summer evening. Member Claude Bonnet, also donated delicious cake treats from his bakery/restaurant Le Moulin de Provence to complement the ice cream, as did member Beata Garel Jones. Judging from all the comments I heard about the food, everyone went away completely satisfied. The entertainment was a special highlight of the night. Our junior guests had been entertained for 2 1/2 hours by the Sugar & Spyce Entertainment Group. After the casino left, our band, direct from Montreal, set up and rocked the night away. Our members danced on the grounds, the patio and inside the clubhouse to the musical mastery of "The Cam and Reuben Band" featuring Ottawa's own Reuben S.D., Bouza (member John Bouza's son) on the guitar and Cameron Duayne Bentley III Roset on drums. They were fantastic. You could not sit down when they played. And everyone also sang along - when we remembered the words. During one of their breaks, member Sandy Lister's daughter Emily, a Canterbury high school music star performed acapella. I was standing near member Vivian Thompson as she watched her grand-daughter Emily sing "In the Arms of an Angel". I also had tears in my eyes. You could have heard a pin drop it. What a moment that was. If you are looking for a terrific band for an event you are planning, give me a call. I will put you in touch with Reuben Bouza. I have already asked them to be our band next year as well! Finally, I would like to thank my staff - my unbelievable staff - Gaby Lambert, Matt Beck, Harley Smallwood and Sophia Lal. Thank you to my team who I could not run the clubhouse without. Nor ever in my wildest dreams think I could run an event of this calibre and size without their focus, commitment and energy. Thank you also to Matt Beck's friend Sean Ebsary, who I hired to help Matt run the busy bar that night. It was controlled chaos in the clubhouse. Some of our junior members volunteered during the afternoon and evening as well. Thank you William Nippard, Chase and Audrey McRobie, Liam Timmins, and Clare Burrows for volunteering your time and effort for the Social. It was midnight and William was re-loading the drinks cooler as his parents watched. He had to be coaxed to leave. The volunteers were kept busy assisting my staff and they were certainly put to the test that night. This year's Annual Social - we knocked this one out of the park.
Our summer camps begin tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. We are running half day mornings, afternoons and full day camps for the next 11 weeks. If you are still looking for a wonderful tennis camp experience, look no further than the RLTC. We have the pros. We have the junior instructors. We have a great setting. We are ready to go. Hope your junior is signed up with us this year.
Our Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank is competing this week in the ITF $25,000 Waterloo Challenger Tournament presented by Blackberry. We wish her well and hope that she wins in her category. Go Rachel!
Don't forget our first ever Pot Luck Dinner on Saturday, July 11th here at the RLTC beginning at 5:00 p.m. We will provide the cutlery and the plates and napkins. You can participate if you bring food - and then share food with others who have brought food. We also have two BBQ's here if you want to show off your BBQ skills. This is our first Pot Luck. I will see how it turns out but I think it will be lots of fun and I already have dibs on Nadia's famous lasagna.
For the Monday and Friday morning Round Robins, as of tomorrow morning, we will have limited clay court usage at 10:00 a.m. for non-Round Robin players, as all the hard courts will be taken up by juniors for the summer camp. So if you are NOT participating in the Round Robins, try and get your game in at 9:00 a.m. to allow for the large amount of members who come each and every week to play in our popular Round Robins. Just a heads up everyone.
A great week has come to an end. To our male members, who are Father's, Happy Father's Day. Hope you were spoiled today by your children. Our summer camp program is beginning tomorrow. Our A division Mixed Doubles Tournament is Tuesday night. Last call for signing up for the Ladder. Our Head Pro Nick Mook Sang and Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank are busy booking lessons with so many of you. Lots of great tennis to come everyone. The Annual Social was fantastic. Another week has come to a close and as always, dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody PS. Sometimes things get by me -- it happens to the best of us. In my blog of this afternoon, I forgot to thank two members, who go out of their way to help me in each and every event that I do here at the RLTC. Catherine and Gavan Murphy. Catherine worked that kitchen on Friday night like nobody's business. And she is not only a good friend, a talented artist, hard working gardener of all my beds here at the RLTC and I love playing tennis with her.... and she really cares about things here at the club. Catherine, my sincere apologies to you and Gavan. It is with real friends like the two of you that I get the job done. I could not do it without you and I am sorry I forgot to mention your valued assistance at the party. Additionally, Gaby's mother helped in the kitchen and was supposed to be somewhere else -- but saw how busy we were and pitched in. Thank you, thank you. Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody What a beautiful day today at the club. Sunny, warm. Filled with members enjoying our courts. The tournaments are heating up - check the members moving up with their games. It is competitive. Lots of fun. Some of the shots I have seen are out of this world. I have to say we do have some members here who really really want to win. As the tournaments come down to the semis and then our final, I will keep you all posted on dates and times and the players. Lots of excitement to come, I can assure you.
Last Tuesday was to be our first pub night and exhibition night. Unfortunately due to the rain, we did not hold the match nor the BBQ. You would not believe the amount of members who called me and left a message "Oh no Vera - I have to cook tonight!!!" Well, this coming Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. (it will be great weather on Tuesday) we are going to hold an exhibition match between our junior instructor Nicholai Hill (whose bio bytes I sent you all last week) and new junior instructor Eric Nguyen. Eric is quite an accomplished tennis player and here are some of his accomplishments: 2005 Ontario Outdoor Closed Provincial U14 Singles Champion and Doubles Finalist; 2005 Outdoor National U14 Singles Quarter-finalist; 2006 High school Doubles Champion (National Capital Region); 2007 Ontario Outdoor Closed Provincial U16 Singles 3rd Place and Doubles Champion; 2007-2008 3 consecutive Top 10 National U16 finishes; 2007 U16 National Selection Tournament Champion; 2008 U18 National Selection Tournament Finalist; 2007-2008 Competed in ITF tournaments in Europe and North America: ITF Ranking in the top 700; 2008 ITF G4 Doubles Finalist; Switzerland ITF G4 semi-finalist; Ranking as high as #2 in Ontario and #6 in Canada for singles, and #8 and #10 for doubles. Also, as it looks like rain all day tomorrow - we might be lucky and have a great tournament to watch as well on Tuesday night. Come on down for a great night out with the family. Since our Annual Social is this coming Friday, I am not going to do a BBQ. We are having a PIZZA night - with pizza from Colonnade Pizza. If you want a slice, it is $5 per person. Colonnade Pizza is the best pizza in Ottawa and this will be a nice and easy way of having you all come down, enjoy the cold refreshments and then ask for a slice of your favorite type of pizza.
Our Annual Social is this coming Friday evening. So much work and effort has gone into making sure this is going to be yet another fabulous night. The kids will be entertained by the Sugar & Spyce Entertainment Group. Nicky Lang is decorating the space in the tent for me. And you know that is going to be fab-u-lous. Nadia Freeman is marinating the chicken, Italian style she says. Board Director George Pickering is doing his popular BBQ salmon. I have members queuing up to help BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs for the kids. Members Marilyn, Allan and Reba Wilson are donating the One Shot Twistee Ice Cream machine for the night - chocolate, vanilla swirl ice cream or berry yogurt are the choices. Thank you to the Wilson family for this generous contribution for all party attendees. If you still have NOT purchased your ticket, please do so by Tuesday evening, as I have to order all the meat and supplies on Wednesday. I would really like lots of people at the party. It is our one big social of the year. There is lots of buzz about it each and every year and I would love a huge crowd. Don't forget, this is the first year we are going to have music. Direct from Montreal, come and rock the night away with "The Cam and Reuben Band" featuring Ottawa's own Reuben S.D., Bouza (graduate of Rockcliffe Park Public School!) on the guitar and Cameron Duayne Bentley III Roset on drums. The band will go on after 8:00 p.m. We also have member Sandy Lister's daughter and member Vivian Thompson's grand-daughter Emily Lister coming to perform two musical numbers. She is singing acapella and is a Canterbury high school music star. We are thrilled that she is going to perform for us as well. How can you not want to come? Mixing and mingling with members; great food; music; fabulous ice cream; beautiful decorating and you and your family will go home saying "another great party!!". Don't miss out. Please reserve your spot.
Summer camp season is upon us and you are trying to find that perfect camp for your child. If they are are keen on tennis, have them sign up with us. We have first class instructors who work very hard to improve your child's skills each session. If you are coming down on Tuesday night to watch Nicholai Hill, you might want to know this information about him as well. Nicholai recently won the President's Cup at the Rideau Tennis Club, which is the tournament in which 16 of the best club players compete. Nicholai is one of our most popular junior instructors and he will be working every morning in our summer camps and teaching our juniors. This is the kind of quality instructor your child will have the benefit of. We want your child to have lots of fun, but also improve their tennis skills. Our camps begin Monday, June 22nd - half day mornings, afternoons and also full days. We get filled up quickly. Don't have your child miss out on this great tennis experience.
Our flower beds keep getting lovelier with Nadia Freeman and Catherine Murphy's dedicated work on them. I would also like to thank new member Andy Talbot for helping around the clubhouse this past week. He is always asking if there is anything that he can do for me here and I must say he is very pleasant to have around and is keen to assist when something needs attention. Thank you so much Andy. Thank you to these volunteers for caring so much about the RLTC environment.
Having talked to some members, we have thought of a neat idea for a Saturday night get-together. Saturday, July 11th we are holding our first POT LUCK NIGHT. If you want to attend, you have to bring some food. And then everyone shares. Example - Vera brings a Caesar salad - Nadia makes her scrumptious home made lasagna. I give her some salad. She gives me some lasagna. And so on and so on. If you want to BBQ meat, we have two BBQ's here. Price of admission is the food you bring to share and then get from someone else. It will be a smorgasbord for sure. And lots of fun. We have a great patio. Wonderful kitchen. Two BBQ's. The club will provide the paper plates, cutlery and napkins. You can buy your beer and wine here. How easy is that. We will see how it goes, but this will, if successful, become a monthly Saturday night party here at the RLTC.
I am in three book clubs and I know lots of other members here are in some as well. If you have a book you would like to share with a member, bring it to the clubhouse. I will put a sticker on it, like Chapters does, that says "Vera recommends" or "Maureen recommends", etc. A great way to re-cycle books and also to get a good read out there. If you have a book you just have to share because it was really special, bring it to the RLTC Book Sharers Society.
Finally getting some warmer days here at the club. Lots of members loving that and being here playing their favorite sport. Tuesday night will be a fun Pizza night - our Annual Social will be a great party to attend - our Monday and Friday morning Round Robins at 10am and Wednesday nights at 6pm are packed. Our Head Pro Nick Mook Sang and Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank are churning out lots of lessons. Our May after School Clinics were the most successful we have ever had. We have a wonderful summer of tennis activity and social events. The RLTC is really the place to be. Right now, we have a tournament match going on with last year's Mixed Doubles winners Maureen Boyd and Conor Robertson vs. Bob Roberts and Maureen Grace. The patio is filled with members cheering them on. I love when this happens. Busy week ahead, and as always dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody This morning I woke up so excited - it was the Roland Garros Men's Finals today at 9am. Federer vs. Soderling. As the Ottawa Citizen said "It's Federer going for history...". And what a morning it was. Federer won 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4 to claim the world's most important clay court title. Coming to his fourth Roland Garros final today, buoyed by a 9-0 career record over Soderling, Federer knew that winning today would tie him with Pete Sampras, who holds the record of 14 majors titles, and makes him only the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam. Defending champion Rafael Nadal, is plagued with knee issues and there is news that he might not be participating at Wimbledon. But today, was Federer day at Roland Garros. And it could not have gone to a more amazing player. And today, dear members, I participated in my first mixed doubles tournament with partner John Taylor against the formidable team of Carol Hart and Michael Crystal. And John and I won. That feeling of being on court, playing point by point, pretending you are just playing with friends or in a relaxed round robin -- it is simply nerve wracking. And speaking to other participants yesterday and today - everyone says they are nervous. Even if this is the only one I win, that is OK. I broke the ice. I loved playing with John. Our opponents were determined. And tomorrow is another game.
Our first Tuesday night Pub and Exhibition night begins on Tuesday, June 9th at 6pm. Our Head Pro has asked two of our finest junior instructors Nicholai Hill and Eric Nguyen (Nicholai plays at a U.S. university on a tennis scholarship and Eric is competing for a scholarship for the Fall) - to start our exciting Tuesday nights off with a flourish. Nicholai is a former top 10 Boys Under 18 in Ontario; Top 35 in Canada Boys Under 16; Winner of 5 provincial tournaments; currently playing on the Bryant University Men's Tennis Team and Winner of Brown and Dartmouth Intercollegiate Invitational Tournaments. This is Nicholai's second year with the RLTC and we are so pleased to have him as an instructor. Come down and enjoy a BBQ meal of sausages, hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers served with fresh salads. Bring the kids. Bring your friends. The RLTC is always the place to be on a busy Tuesday night of first class tennis, delicious food and camaraderie amongst the members. And the tennis will be the icing on the cake!
Tournaments started on Saturday and continued on Sunday. We have 16 teams in each division. Lots of action and friendly competition. Come catch some of the games. I will keep you posted on up and coming hot matches!!
Don't forget to sign up for the OTA tennis clinic on Tuesday, June 16th at 7pm - 9pm. Cost of clinic is $10 per person (plus GST). There is a sing up sheet at the front desk. Lots of drills. New tips to improve your game. Take your game up a notch and sign up soon.
Our Men's and Women's Ladders are also being set up and the cost of joining is $15 plus GST. The sign up sheets are at the front desk and Tournament's Director Maureen Boyd will be making the draw soon to set names up on the ladder. Challenge 2008 Women's champion Maureen Boyd and Men's Champion Peter Gonda for the top spot this year. I'd love to see lots of names on the ladder this year.
Are you still looking for a perfect summer camp experience for your child? There is no better tennis camp around than the RLTC. Great coaches. Half day morning or afternoons or full day options are available. Our wonderful junior instructors are getting ready for yet another busy teaching season with our junior members. If your child is looking to improve their game; meet new friends; spend the day in a friendly environment and go home with a sense of accomplishment - look no further. We are definitely the camp of choice for all your summer camp needs. Call us to reserve a spot for your child. I know they will enjoy their experience with us.
Have you noticed how pretty our flower beds are lately? Thanks to the hard work of Nadia Freeman and Catherine Murphy, the gardens, the front of the building beds, pots and containers, plus our large perennial garden, have been weeded, mulched and new flowers added. I would really like to thank them for their hard work in volunteering to make our grounds spectacular. I talked with Nadia yesterday and she has some wonderful plans for the grounds and if any of you would like to assist these two hard-working members, leave your name at the front desk and I will make sure that they get it. We love volunteers here at the RLTC!
What are you doing on Friday, June 19th? Have you marked down that this is the night of our annual Social? We have so much going on that evening. The Sugar & Spyce Entertainment group will dazzle your kids and ensure you have some free time to mix and mingle with your adult friends. Nicki Lang, who transformed the tent last year, is going to again work her magic for us this year. Members Marilyn, Allan and Reba Wilson have graciously donated the services of the Twistee Treat One Shot soft serve ice cream and yogurt machine (available from Iceco Ltd.) for the evening. Soft swirl ice cream and yogurt for everyone attending will complete the BBQ meal of salmon, chicken breasts, hamburgers and hot dogs. And again this year, I am reaching out to members to contribute their favorite salad for our Salads of All Kinds Buffet Extravaganza. Twenty-four women brought salads last year. Let's top this record. So please email me back if you can bring a salad that evening. Also, if you would like help us that night, put your name down at the front desk. To BBQ. Setup. Take down. Decorating. I never say no to our helpful volunteers. And guess what, this year we are going to have MUSIC. Direct from Montreal, come and rock the night away with "The Cam and Reuben Band" featuring Ottawa's own Reuben S.D., Bouza (graduate of Rockcliffe Park Public School!) on the guitar and Cameron Duayne Bentley III Roset on drums. And I sure that proud papa, member John Bouza, will be front and centre cheering his son Reuben on. How can you not want to come to this great party? Reserve at the front desk with the staff. You are guaranteed a perfect night of socializing under a beautifully decorated white tent filled with happy members.
Things are certainly heating up here at the RLTC. Tournaments. Clinics. Lessons with our Head Pro Nick Mook Sang and Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank. Tuesday Pub and Exhibition Nights. An OTA tennis clinic. Summer camps at the ready for your children. Round Robins each Monday and Friday morning at 10am and Wednesday night at 6pm that are always filled with enthusiastic players. An annual social that will rock your world. I'm telling you dear members, it doesn't get much better than this and as always, I am delighted (and a little tired right now) to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody This morning I woke up so excited - it was the Roland Garros Men's Finals today at 9am. Federer vs. Soderling. As the Ottawa Citizen said "It's Federer going for history...". And what a morning it was. Federer won 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4 to claim the world's most important clay court title. Coming to his fourth Roland Garros final today, buoyed by a 9-0 career record over Soderling, Federer knew that winning today would tie him with Pete Sampras, who holds the record of 14 majors titles, and makes him only the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam. Defending champion Rafael Nadal, is plagued with knee issues and there is news that he might not be participating at Wimbledon. But today, was Federer day at Roland Garros. And it could not have gone to a more amazing player. And today, dear members, I participated in my first mixed doubles tournament with partner John Taylor against the formidable team of Carol Hart and Michael Crystal. And John and I won. That feeling of being on court, playing point by point, pretending you are just playing with friends or in a relaxed round robin -- it is simply nerve wracking. And speaking to other participants yesterday and today - everyone says they are nervous. Even if this is the only one I win, that is OK. I broke the ice. I loved playing with John. Our opponents were determined. And tomorrow is another game.
Our first Tuesday night Pub and Exhibition night begins on Tuesday, June 9th at 6pm. Our Head Pro has asked two of our finest junior instructors Nicholai Hill and Eric Nguyen (Nicholai plays at a U.S. university on a tennis scholarship and Eric is competing for a scholarship for the Fall) - to start our exciting Tuesday nights off with a flourish. Nicholai is a former top 10 Boys Under 18 in Ontario; Top 35 in Canada Boys Under 16; Winner of 5 provincial tournaments; currently playing on the Bryant University Men's Tennis Team and Winner of Brown and Dartmouth Intercollegiate Invitational Tournaments. This is Nicholai's second year with the RLTC and we are so pleased to have him as an instructor. Come down and enjoy a BBQ meal of sausages, hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers served with fresh salads. Bring the kids. Bring your friends. The RLTC is always the place to be on a busy Tuesday night of first class tennis, delicious food and camaraderie amongst the members. And the tennis will be the icing on the cake!
Tournaments started on Saturday and continued on Sunday. We have 16 teams in each division. Lots of action and friendly competition. Come catch some of the games. I will keep you posted on up and coming hot matches!!
Don't forget to sign up for the OTA tennis clinic on Tuesday, June 16th at 7pm - 9pm. Cost of clinic is $10 per person (plus GST). There is a sing up sheet at the front desk. Lots of drills. New tips to improve your game. Take your game up a notch and sign up soon.
Our Men's and Women's Ladders are also being set up and the cost of joining is $15 plus GST. The sign up sheets are at the front desk and Tournament's Director Maureen Boyd will be making the draw soon to set names up on the ladder. Challenge 2008 Women's champion Maureen Boyd and Men's Champion Peter Gonda for the top spot this year. I'd love to see lots of names on the ladder this year.
Are you still looking for a perfect summer camp experience for your child? There is no better tennis camp around than the RLTC. Great coaches. Half day morning or afternoons or full day options are available. Our wonderful junior instructors are getting ready for yet another busy teaching season with our junior members. If your child is looking to improve their game; meet new friends; spend the day in a friendly environment and go home with a sense of accomplishment - look no further. We are definitely the camp of choice for all your summer camp needs. Call us to reserve a spot for your child. I know they will enjoy their experience with us.
Have you noticed how pretty our flower beds are lately? Thanks to the hard work of Nadia Freeman and Catherine Murphy, the gardens, the front of the building beds, pots and containers, plus our large perennial garden, have been weeded, mulched and new flowers added. I would really like to thank them for their hard work in volunteering to make our grounds spectacular. I talked with Nadia yesterday and she has some wonderful plans for the grounds and if any of you would like to assist these two hard-working members, leave your name at the front desk and I will make sure that they get it. We love volunteers here at the RLTC!
What are you doing on Friday, June 19th? Have you marked down that this is the night of our annual Social? We have so much going on that evening. The Sugar & Spyce Entertainment group will dazzle your kids and ensure you have some free time to mix and mingle with your adult friends. Nicki Lang, who transformed the tent last year, is going to again work her magic for us this year. Members Marilyn, Allan and Reba Wilson have graciously donated the services of the Twistee Treat One Shot soft serve ice cream and yogurt machine (available from Iceco Ltd.) for the evening. Soft swirl ice cream and yogurt for everyone attending will complete the BBQ meal of salmon, chicken breasts, hamburgers and hot dogs. And again this year, I am reaching out to members to contribute their favorite salad for our Salads of All Kinds Buffet Extravaganza. Twenty-four women brought salads last year. Let's top this record. So please email me back if you can bring a salad that evening. Also, if you would like help us that night, put your name down at the front desk. To BBQ. Setup. Take down. Decorating. I never say no to our helpful volunteers. And guess what, this year we are going to have MUSIC. Direct from Montreal, come and rock the night away with "The Cam and Reuben Band" featuring Ottawa's own Reuben S.D., Bouza (graduate of Rockcliffe Park Public School!) on the guitar and Cameron Duayne Bentley III Roset on drums. And I sure that proud papa, member John Bouza, will be front and centre cheering his son Reuben on. How can you not want to come to this great party? Reserve at the front desk with the staff. You are guaranteed a perfect night of socializing under a beautifully decorated white tent filled with happy members.
Things are certainly heating up here at the RLTC. Tournaments. Clinics. Lessons with our Head Pro Nick Mook Sang and Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank. Tuesday Pub and Exhibition Nights. An OTA tennis clinic. Summer camps at the ready for your children. Round Robins each Monday and Friday morning at 10am and Wednesday night at 6pm that are always filled with enthusiastic players. An annual social that will rock your world. I'm telling you dear members, it doesn't get much better than this and as always, I am delighted (and a little tired right now) to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody If anyone could tell me when our warm summer begins, actually begins, call me. This is ridiculous. This is the fifth day of rain in a week and it is so so cold right now. We had full courts all day until a minute ago, when everyone came off because of the rain. Members are trying to get warm in the clubhouse and watching the French Open. Who can believe that Nadal lost!!! The French Open King has been taken out. Federer fans rejoice.
Thank you to our junior members who turned out in full force yesterday morning for a successful start to our Welcome Back Members Day. They had a great morning of tennis and fun and games with our Head Pro Nick Mook Sang, Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank, and Junior Instructor Matt Beck. The kids were treated to snacks, refreshments and a pizza lunch. Borden of Tommy & Lefebvre came to set up a tennis equipment expo for us at noon, where our adult members were able to borrow racquets to test for our mixed Adult Round Robin which began at 1pm. All the courts were filled with enthusiastic members, who were glad to be playing after three days of rain. Following the Round Robin, which concluded at 3:30 p.m., tennis players came off the courts to enjoy a veritable feast of cheeses, dips, crackers, breads, meats and cold drinks. I would like to thank the following members who donated items to our cheese buffet - Suzanne April, Barbara Berks, Claude Bonnet, Maureen Boyd, Marianne Bournes, Nadia Freeman, Beata Garel-Jones, Chantal Gobeil, Clare Lalonde, Alexandra Lambert, Michele Lejars, Sandy Lister, Catherine Murphy, Clare Nippard, Mary O'Keefe, Milos Rajicic, Monica Taylor, Elena Venables, Yvonne Malbasha, Anke Magnus, and Gloria Williams. If you dropped off something to us during the day for our event and I have not mentioned you, my apologies. Please email me back and I will make sure to mention you next week. And now to the amazing Tommy & Lefebvre Fashions Show, featuring 8 women members who modelled fabulous tennis fashions and also casual wear; plus 6 men members who came out in the latest men's tennis wear. I would like to thank Nancie Lee Kortie of Tommy & Lefebvre who outfitted the models; selected from all of the T&L stores the very best items to suit each of the models; I would like to thank Kevin Pidgeon and Nathalie Tommy, owners of T&L; who for the fourth year in a row, have assisted me in making this event so popular. Even with their main store burning down a few months ago, Kevin told me my show will go on and it did. They have temporarily re-located their Bank Street operations to 680 Bank Street in the old Olympic Sports shop. For any of your sports needs, these are the people to go to. They could not have been more helpful to me in ensuring this show would be successful. Additionally, Kevin and I have been working on a new line of tennis shirts for men and women, Head hats and warm up jackets with the RLTC logo. We will have samples of this new line by next week. I can hardly wait to see how the new line looks. More on this in the weeks to come. Thank you to the following members who gave me such interesting personal anecdotes about their lives and looked fantastic!! WOMEN: MEN: Thank you to Michael Venables, who came to photograph the Adult Round Robin, Fashions Show and Wine and Cheese Social. As soon as Michael gives me a disc of the photos he took, I will have them up on our website -- our first social event of the season. The Welcome Back Day was special in every way. My staff worked so hard yesterday - hats off to Gaby, Matt and Patrick. William Nippard assisted us as well and Brendan Lucas helped download a program onto my computer, so that I have a more current Word Office Products system. Both Brendan and William were in my office making sure my computer was operating smoothly. Thank you boys! A Special Word of Thanks to RLTC Board President, Charles Belanger, and Board member John Taylor (Grounds and Maintenance) who came over early Saturday to roll the clay courts in order to ensure we could run the Adult Round Robin on drier clay at 1pm. Attendant Patrick Pickering assisted Charles and John with this task as well. After we cleaned up yesterday, we found a very expensive Montblanc pen. I have it in my office in a small Ziploc bag. If you believe you have lost your pen, please contact Vera directly. Thank you to all members, junior and adult who made yesterday remarkable for my team and I. There is nothing more important than our members, for the continued growth of our great club.
Our Clay Courts will be tuned up on Tuesday, June 2nd in the afternoon and evening. If you are wanting to come play on clay, please call first to see if they are ready to go. We will be having monthly tune-ups for the clay courts to ensure optimum playing conditions for our members.
The first Pub and Exhibition Night begins on Tuesday, June 9th at 5:30 p.m. We will be BBQ'ing sausages, hamburgers, hotdogs and veggie burgers. Salads will be served with the food. Nick Mook Sang is working on making this night special with a mystery exhibition match for our members to enjoy watching while they are eating. Come on down, be part of the hustle and bustle of launching our first exciting Pub Night.
Have you got your mixed doubles partner yet? Our deadline is Tuesday for the draws to be posted. Cost is $15 plus GST to register. This is lots of fun. Compete in a friendly way. See how far you and your team progress. Take on last year's winners Maureen Boyd and Conor Robertson for the trophy.
Our Men's and Women's Ladders are up and running. If you want to secure your spot, call the clubhouse to say you want to participate. The fee is $15 plus GST. Take on last year's champions Peter Gonda and Maureen Boyd for the top spot. Another great way to play lots of tennis with players of every ability.
Announcement: The OTA is coming back this year to hold a clinic for our members on Tuesday, June 16th from 7-9pm. Cost per person is $10. Lots of one on one instruction, free t-shirts, prizes. If you would like to sign up, do so at the front desk please.
How much do I love being Club Manager at the RLTC? There are so many reasons why I love this job. But as I said yesterday to everyone at the party, for me, it is all about the members. Helping. Volunteering. Pitching in. And to that end, I would like to thank Catherine Murphy and Nadia Freeman, who weeded the front garden, perennial garden and are going to be assisting in making our flower beds look terrific. How can I not love working here when I have wonderful members asking me how they can help me in making sure this facility is the nicest place any member would want to be. Catherine and Nadia will be working on our gardens over the season and if you see them hard at work, please stop and say thank you. I am sure they would appreciate it. I most certainly do.
Still looking for that perfect camp experience for your child this summer? Look no further than the RLTC. We have half day mornings, afternoons and full day camps for your active junior. Great instruction with first class coaches and instructors. Make sure your child does not miss out on a wonderful tennis camp experience. Call to reserve and we have forms at the front desk for you to fill out. What's more fun than tennis, playing in our junior park, having your kids in a safe and secure environment.
The Annual Club Social is being held on Friday, June 19th. Beginning at 6pm. Lots of fun for the whole family. Delicious BBQ salmon, chicken, hamburgers and hotdogs. And returning again this year, to popular acclaim and demand from all members, our Salads of All Kinds Extravaganza - members donated salads for the buffet. I will be emailing a lot of you in the next week, but if you read this, and just have to tell me you would love to bring a salad, please tell me what kind and I would be delighted to accept the donation. We had 24 different kinds of salads last year and everyone raved about the variety and quality. Let's outdo last year. The Sugar & Spyce Casino will entertain your children all night. This year we are going to have entertainment as well. So, make sure you sign up for this very special evening, mixing and mingling with your friends. Adults are $35 and children are $15. We would love to top last year's numbers. See you there!
So members, a rainy week but one filled with lots of excitement, capped off by the Welcome Back Day for our members. Lots of interesting things coming up for you to participate in. Don't forget to come out for our popular mixed Adult Round Robins on Monday and Friday mornings at 10am and Wednesday night at 6pm. Look forward to our pub nights which will be held all summer. The Annual Social -- a not to be missed event. Let's all hope the showers stop and the sun shines more days than not. See you at the Round Robin tomorrow morning (I am leading it) and as always dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Don't forget our Welcome Back Member's Day on Saturday, May 30th. At 10am until 11:30 am, we will have a Junior Round Robin followed by a pizza lunch. At noon, Borden, of Tommy & Lefebvre is setting up a sports equipment expo of the latest in tennis racquets and equipment for our adult members to use for the mixed Adult Round Robin beginning at 1pm until 3:30 p.m. Then we have our annual Tommy & Lefebvre Fashions Show using our own members as "models". We have 9 women and 6 men showcasing the newest in tennis fashions. This event is always such a hit with everyone and we expect quite a crowd to come and cheer on their brave friends participating in the modelling that afternoon. The show should start at 3:45 p.m., followed by a Wine and Cheese Social. Some members have volunteered to bring cheese, crackers, fruit, pates to add to the tantalizing array of food for everyone to enjoy. If you would like to bring something to the party, please let me know. I would be very appreciative of the donation. A fun Welcome Back Day - not to be missed!
Ranking information about our member Anke Magnus in the OTA yearbook - Anke is ranked NUMBER 1 in 2008, in Ontario, for the category O55. Congratulations to Anke for her well deserved success. You will not meet a nicer woman here at the club - she is one classy lady, filled with amazing tennis talent. If you have the chance to watch her play, you will understand how she deserves this title.
Our May After School clinics have a few more weeks until they are finished. Each day we have had maximum participation of our junior members in these fun-filled and challenging tennis after school clinics. Our Head Pro Nick Mook Sang, Assistant Pro, Rachel Cruickshank and our junior instructors Conor Robertson, Nicholai Hill, Matt Beck and Eric Tawagi are a first class teaching team working with juniors to improve their skills, all the time showing them just how much fun tennis as an activity can be. Our Summer Camps, both half day mornings and afternoons and full day camps begin June 22nd. If you are looking for a great summer experience for your child, we would love to have them come and be part of these very popular sessions. Come to the front desk and reserve a spot. I know they will have a great time!
Mark your Calendar - our standing room only Annual Social is scheduled for Friday, June 19th at 6:00 p.m. BBQ salmon, chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, salad bar extravaganza, ice cream cakes, luscious desserts -- Adult price is $35 and children price is $15. I have booked the popular Sugar & Spyce Entertainment group for the kids - they all want the casino back again this year. Great food. Music. Fun. Mixing and mingling with our members. If you are a new member, this is really the way to meet over 200 of the nicest people. We are a lively, fun group and this Social is always looked forward to. Is there something special you would like to have at the party this year, please talk with Vera or her staff. Are you a musician? Would you like to serenade the crowd? Are you part of a group that would like to be our entertainment? You would certainly be playing in front of an appreciative crowd. This is a great party. Don't miss this one.
A Blackberry message from Board member Maureen Boyd just came in to me - she is about to go do the Grouse Grind with her daughter Allison -- 2830 steps, 1.8 miles, elevation gain of 2800 feet to summit of 3700 feet. Yikes!
Our Mixed Doubles Tournament is fast approaching. The signup deadline is June 1st. Get your partner and come out and play. Put your names on our growing list. Last year we had a record turnout for signing up, so don't hesitate. Someone may have already asked who you wanted to partner up with. Don't be disappointed and don't be shy. Let's see if Maureen Boyd and Conor Robertson will keep their title this year again. Cost is $15 plus GST per person.
Maureen Boyd would also like our Men's and Women's Ladder to start soon. Cost is $15 plus GST. Here are the Ladder rules:
Our Adult mixed Round Robins have been a huge success so far this year. Sometimes we have 7 courts booked on Monday and Friday mornings at 10am and Wednesday nights at 6pm. I love leading the RR's and have been assisted by member Yvonne Malbasha and Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank when I am unable to lead them. Tomorrow morning is supposed to be perfect weather. Come on down.
Our Tuesday Night Pub and Exhibition Nights will start again -- everyone is asking me, Vera, when do they start!!!! Well, the past few Tuesdays have been so cold and the mosquitoes are terrible. So, look for information next week from me, but our BBQ's are back on TUESDAY, JUNE 9th at 6pm. Already Nadia Freeman, Yvonne Malbasha, Maja Solajic, Jim Cody, Catherine & Gavin Murphy have asked to volunteer on these incredibly busy nights. If your teenager is looking for community service hours, we can certainly use their help on Tuesday nights. This year, we will have 8 very special exhibition nights. But every Tuesday night from June 9th, come on down. Salads. BBQ hamburgers, and sausages. Perfect for the whole family.
Book a lesson with our Pros. Sign your child up for summer camp. Come to the Welcome Back Day this coming Saturday. Buy your tickets for the Annual Social. So much to do here at the RLTC. Become part of our volunteer team. Let's have a great season. And as always, dear members, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody Brrrrr! Who says summer is on its way. With the wind-chill this morning, it was minus 3. A few of our members have braved the cold, but are wearing hats, long pants and gloves. I played yesterday morning with some tennis friends, and as I was serving, Ralf, the unofficial clubhouse dog (dog of member Yvonne Malbasha) streaked across the lawn like a bolt of lightning. I stopped mid-serve to see what he was chasing. The largest groundhog I ever saw! It must have been feasting on our perennial garden, took one look at Ralf, and started scrambling to get under the tool shed in the back area. Absolutely hilarious. This week has been busy getting reading for our popular May after school clinics starting tomorrow, daily, from 4:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. Our juniors are attending these clinics in full force. Great numbers. We are excited about having them here. This is a 6 week program and we have children from the ages of 5 to 13 participating. Go Juniors! Don't forget to sign your child up for our summer camp programmes. We offer full day and half days again this year and we expect a record number of kids from the ages of five and up to register. All information on our summer camps is available on our website www.rockcliffetennis.ca I am delighted to have Gaby Lambert back on the clubhouse team. Gaby has returned from the University of Toronto and will be the senior clubhouse attendant and my assistant for the season. Please make her feel welcome. It is going to be an active summer.
I would like to thank Board member, John Taylor, responsible for Grounds and Maintenance, for the amazing work he has done this past few weeks to get the clubhouse grounds ready and perfect for our members. From putting out the furniture, to getting the Junior Park ready, to seeding the back area for the kids to play soccer on, to making sure the clay courts will be up and ready soon. John has been monitoring the water in all the court cells, grooming the courts to ensure smoothness, and yesterday, he was riding a motorized clay court machine for hours to get the clay tamped down in order to get them playable. However, the rain all afternoon yesterday was not kind to the courts, and they are simply too wet still to be played on. An email will come from me as soon as I can announce they are ready for our members to play on. John also sprayed all our weeks on the entire property with an eco-friendly product and then purchased a gadget to pull the dandelions out one by one. He was so excited about this tool. He spends countless hours here each week to help train staff on grounds duties, monitoring what needs to be done, fixing things, building things. From me to you John, this clubhouse grounds area would not be the same without your tireless commitment and dedication.
Our first official Round Robin starts tomorrow morning at 10am. Wednesday night at 6pm and Friday morning at 10am. Rachel Cruickshank, our new Assistant Pro, will be coming to meet with members, and also participate in the first round robin. Yvonne Malbasha will be kicking off the Round Robins by assisting me in getting everyone on the courts to play. The clay courts will not be available tomorrow morning. So we will have 4 hard courts to play on. Come out and have fun, meet Rachel and we have a new way we are running the round robins this year, so come and see how they will be organized.
Member John Blakney's daughter Jennifer Blakney, is a Cordon Bleu student who is providing healthy home-made cookies, squares, muffins for the Sweet Spot Cafe and her product will be on sale tomorrow. Jenn has a business called Tastes like More, Edible art by Jennifer Blakney. She also makes terrific cakes and pies. So if you like what we are selling, you can contact her directly to order other items from her. Her telephone number is 613-218-4519. Her website is tasteslikemore.blogspot.com. She has left business cards at the front desk for direct contact information. Her baking is really delicious and I am pleased to be able to offer this home-baked sweets option for our members to enjoy.
Our Welcome Back to all Members Round Robin, Sport Expo and Tommy & Lefebvre Fashions Show is being held on Saturday, May 30th. Mark your calendars for a day of fun starting with the juniors in the morning, adult round robin at 1pm, followed at 3:45 p.m. with the Fashions Show and Wine and Cheese Social.
The Ottawa Women's Inter-Club Tennis League is to launch their 2009 season at the end of this month, with league games to be played on Thursday mornings through June, July and August. The Club plans, as in 2008, to field a team in each of the Division I and II categories, and welcomes all players. Any RLTC Club member who would like to participate is encouraged to contact one of the team captains - Division I, Charlotte Ward at 613.744.4283 (charlotteward@rogers.com), or Lucie Vincent at 613.741.0776 (avincent@rogers.com); Division II, Clare Nippard at 613-695-1495 (scnippard@mac.com).
Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank is also offering a PROMO package tennis special for the months of May and June. Five private lessons for the price of $150 plus GST. Promo package has to be paid in full and lessons to be taken during May and June. All lessons for both Rachel and Nick are to be booked through the front desk.
Maureen Boyd, Board member responsible for Tournaments has asked that the following information be sent to our membership:
The 2009 Rockcliffe Lawn and Tennis Club Championships Save the dates! Start thinking about lining up your partner for the Mixed Doubles Tournament which, again this year, will be held in June. We hope to feature the A Division finals on our Tuesday June 23rd pub night. Last year¹s exciting final attracted more than 60 spectators who enjoyed some great tennis from the patio. This year, we will try holding the Singles Championships in July and the Doubles Championships in August. Please check the dates below. We realize that some of our members may be traveling but holding 8 separate tournaments in late August and early September put too much pressure on our court usage. Holding tournaments in July and August also allows spectators to watch matches throughout the season. Something new this year is the plan to hold an an Age d¹Or tournament so, if you are of a certain age, we would like to hear from you whether you would be interested in playing. We also plan to hold a one day diplomatic tournament on Saturday June 13th. More details to follow! Last year, we had the greatest number of tournament entries ever. We listened to your comments and suggestions and hope that this year¹s tournaments will be better than ever! Our 2008 Club Champions are listed below. Who is going to take the titles this year? Mixed Doubles Tournament: A and B Divisions Sign up deadline: Monday, June 1 by 12 noon Draws posted: Tuesday, June 2 Play begins: Tuesday, June 2 First Round Matches completed by: Tuesday, June 9 Quarter Finals completed by: Tuesday, June l6 Semi Finals completed: by Sunday, June 21 A Finals: Tuesday, June 23rd B Finals: TBD There will be a consolation round so everyone is guaranteed two matches. Play deadlines must be respected for the main draw. Round of l6 matches will be 8 game pro sets; quarter-final, semi-final and final matches will be best of 3 sets. Men¹s and Women¹s Singles: A and B Divisions Sign Up Cut-off Date: Tuesday July 7 by 12 noon Draws Posted: Wednesday July 8 First Round Matches completed by: Wednesday July l5 Quarter Finals completed by: Tuesday, July 21 Semi Finals completed: by Sunday, July 26 A Finals: Tuesday, July 28 B Finals: TBD There will be a consolation round so everyone is guaranteed two matches.Play deadlines must be respected for the main draw. Round of l6 matches will be 8 game pro sets; quarter-final, semi-final and final matches will be best of 3 sets. Men¹s and Women¹s Doubles Tournament Sign Up Cut-off Date: Tuesday August 11 by 12 noon Draws Posted: Wednesday August 12 First Round Matches completed by: Saturday August 15 Quarter Finals completed by: Tuesday, August 25 Semi Finals completed: by Sunday, August 30 A Finals: Tuesday, August 1 B Finals: TBD There will be a consolation round so everyone is guaranteed two matches. Play deadlines must be respected for the main draw. Round of l6 matches will be 8 game pro sets; quarter-final, semi-final and final matches will be best of 3 sets. Age D¹Or Tournament 65 Plus: After a bit of polling, there was a groundswell of support for holding a men¹s over 65 tournament. Details to follow. Junior Tournaments August dates to be announced Our 2008 Club Champions Mixed Doubles: Maureen Boyd and Conor Robertson Women's A Doubles - Lucie Vincent and Charlotte Ward Men's A Doubles: Marinus Wins and Tony Brunst Women's B Doubles: Jan Matthews and Wendy Bryans Men¹s B Doubles: Sean Robertson and Matt Beck Women's A Singles: Women's Maureen Grace Men's A Singles: Gordon Cudney Women's B Singles: Women¹s Bea Hampson Men¹s B Singles: Gavin Murphy Ladder: Women's - Maureen Boyd; Men's - Peter Gonda Juniors: Girls: Madeleine Warren; Boys: Jack Warren Boy¹s Doubles: Jack Warren and Matthew Fyfe
It is going to be a busy week! The weather will get warmer every day so I look forward to seeing you here at the clubhouse and on the courts. Come to our round robins this week. Sign your child up for summer camp. Enjoy some of Jennifer's tasty munchies. Watch your child in the May after school tennis clinics. Sign up for some lessons with Nick Mook Sang, our Head Pro. There is lots of excitement to come this year and as always, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody I'm back!!!!!!!!! And am so happy to be back everyone. Can hardly wait to see you, play some tennis with you, get you involved with all of our great social events lined up for this year. Have been on site since April 20th. Getting the clubhouse fully operational. My part time staff has consisted of new clubhouse attendant Patrick Pickering this past weekend; Gaby Lambert, my assistant and Senior Clubhouse attendant will be on site as of May 7th. Additionally Matt Beck will be joining us part-time mid-May as a clubhouse attendant and also a junior instructor. We are gearing up for a wonderful tennis season.
Our Head Pro is Nick Mook Sang and he has already been teaching lessons this past week. His hourly teaching rate for a private lesson is $45 plus GST and $60 plus GST for a group lesson of 2-4 people. We have a special PROMO package running for May and June with Nick = where if you purchase 5 lessons, the cost is $200 plus GST - this is a great way to tone up your tennis skills; if you are a new member and have not played tennis in a while - taking lessons improves your game a lot faster. We want you out there on the courts enjoying your summer. To book lessons or purchase our PROMO package contact the front desk at 613-749-5494. The PROMO package has to be pre-paid for all 5 lessons to take advantage of the special price. Our new Assistant Pro is Rachel Cruickshank. She will be assisting Nick with all of our tennis lessons, summer camp programmes, clinics, leagues, etc. Rachel is also available for hourly private lessons at $35 plus GST or $45 plus GST for a group lesson of 2-4 people.
For those of you have been playing this past week and checking on the status of our clay courts opening, here is an update. The contractor has been hard at work for a week to get the clay courts ready earlier than we have ever opened them before. The primary reason that the clay is not ready is that they are still drying out after the snow melt. The contractor felt the clay was too soft and if we played on them too soon, there would be many problems to face. If the clay is too soft, the nails that they put down so meticulously on the white tape, would come up and out. We have to let the poured clay sit for a few days to dry out. If it does not rain in the next few days, we should have them ready mid-week. I will send out an email right away to inform members the clay courts are ready for play. No one wants them open more than me. Patience for a few more days and then come on down and play your hearts out.
Our popular Adult mixed Round Robins begin Monday, May 11th at 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.; Wednesday night will begin Wednesday, May 13th at 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. and Fridays will begin Friday, May 15th at 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Come and meet Nick and Rachel. They will be organizing and participating in the Round Robin for the first two weeks and then I will be organizing and playing in them each week from then on for the remainder of the playing season. We are going to have lots of fun. There are going to be prizes. These round robins are a great way to meet other players, start up your own groups to play tennis during the week and also have lots of fun. All levels of playing ability are welcome and encouraged to participate. So mark the start dates down and we look forward to having you part of this very popular playing group of members.
Our Junior Program is going to be very busy this year, rivalling last year's tremendous success. Board member Beata Garel-Jones has worked on the May after school clinics and summer camp programmes and we are selling out fast for our after school clinics which begin Monday, May 11th, DAILY, from 4:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. All the clinics and summer camp information is available on our website www.rockcliffetennis.ca In the Junior section, you can download the forms, print them and mail them in. For the May clinics, if you want to reserve a spot for your child, call the clubhouse to make sure there is space available for the day of the week you have selected. Our junior instructors this year are Conor Robertson, Nicholai Hill, Matt Beck and Eric Tawagi. They will be directed by Nick who is responsible for the junior program this year. The kids have so much fun with us. They are already starting to come down after school to see what is going on. The outdoor table tennis tables are set up in the practice court. We have seeded the junior park so there is lots of grass for the kids to play soccer on. The swing set is up but still not usable as the seed in the park has to take and grow. Our junior members are so enthusiastic and excited when they are here. So don't forget to get your children signed up. Avoid disappointment.
We have a great website where you can learn all sorts of information, from our by-laws, to our dress code, to our membership policies, to event dates, to our photo gallery - bookmark it - I am always updating it with the latest information. www.rockcliffetennis.ca. The RLTC clubhouse officially opens at 8:00 a.m. Monday May 5 for the season. The coffee and muffins and juice will be ready. We are open 8am to 8pm until September when our Fall hours come into effect. I will notify you when the clay courts are ready to go. For those members who have still not paid their dues, we value your patronage and would appreciate payment either online or at the front desk in the next week. Membership dues assist us in the operations of this terrific tennis facility. Our members are so important to sustaining the level of excellence you have come to expect from me, our hard-working Board of Directors, my staff, our Pros and instructors. Our members are the life-blood of this Clubhouse. Without your continued support, your active participation in all the things we do here - well it simply would not be the same. I look at it that we are all on the same team. Drop by, come and see how we are doing, sign up for some lessons, get your child in a clinic or a camp - become part of what we do. For these reasons and so many more, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody The tennis club will officially open 8:00 a.m. on Monday, May 4th with the first organized round robin beginning Monday, May 11th at 10:00 a.m. Our Head Pro Nick Mook Sang, Assistant Pro Rachel Cruickshank, junior instructors Conor Robertson, Matt Beck, clubhouse staffers Gaby Lambert, Assistant to the Club Manager, Matt Beck and Harley Smallwood are on board to make this an exciting season for all members.
May after school clinics for ages 5 and up run daily from May 11th until June 19th from 4:15 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. Full day or half day program summer camp programs for ages 5 and up. All camps include on court tennis training, games, table tennis and soccer. Every Friday, campers will participate in mini-tournaments and enjoy a complimentary pizza lunch. In case of rain, we will have supervised games and crafts in our new Junior Park gazebo or in the clubhouse. Weekly sessions begin the week of June 22nd and run until September 4, 2009. Full day camps will run from 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Half day morning camps will run from 9:00 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. and afternoon camps will run from 1:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. Free supervision is available from 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Advanced level tennis camp will be arranged by our Head Pro. Registration forms for clinics/camps available on our website www.rockcliffetennis.ca.
Many adult tournaments this year; the return of our popular Tuesday night pub nights; boot camp clinics; refresh your tennis skills clinics; Annual Social will be held Friday, June 19th. There will be a diplomat tournament on Saturday, June 27th.
Contact Vera Cody, Club Manager who will be on site as of April 20th at 613-749-5494, at 465 Lansdowne Road North and visit our website for all other information. Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody I know, I know -- my final one! Next weekend is Thanksgiving weekend, so I will be in closing down operations mode, so today is the final of my series. I started the Weekly News because I really believed that informing the members would be a good thing. I love people and communicating is my forte, and so the blog was born. I hope you have thought it was informative, attention grabbing, folksy and that you found enjoyment in it. I certainly loved the experience of writing it. It kept me connected to all of you in a very personal way. It grew each week as people started sending me interesting information or Board Members added specific items that were important for our members to be kept up to date about. I also printed a hard copy of the news for those members who did not have access to an email account.
The weather for this upcoming week - temperatures from 12 degrees to 19 degrees by Thursday with rain projected next Sunday. The mornings are quite cool and the die-hards are coming out at 8am - but they are fewer and fewer. I am open until next Monday, when the clubhouse officially closes. Again, John Taylor, Board Member responsible for Grounds and Maintenance will be closing down the clay courts later in October and they will then be locked. The hard courts will remain open until the snow comes. I hear it is going to be a longer and colder and more snowy winter than last year. I remember coming in here last winter to check on the clubhouse and the patio was completely covered in snow and I could not see out the sliding doors at all. To think it could be worse is depressing. I will put out the outdoor booking board next weekend and those players coming out to play are encouraged to sign their names, first come, first served for their court preference.
I would like to thank the following members who contributed to our sweets table last Sunday, for our Final Round Robin, Mini-Social and Awards Ceremony: Andrea Camacho, Jan Matthews, Clare Nippard, Sheryl Green, Colin Robertson, Nicholas Garel-Jones, Catherine Murphy, Yvonne Malbasha, Nadia Freeman, and Maureen Grace (it was most appreciated) And wasn't it a party!!! Wow. All the courts were busy with adult and juniors participating in our final Round Robins. Nick Mook Sang supervised the Juniors and Nick Patterson, our Adults. Conor Robertson supervised a ping pong tournament to keep the younger members occupied while their parents participated in the tennis. Nick Patterson had some contests for the Adults at the end and then everyone came off the courts for some delicious food. It is hard to plan a party not exactly knowing how many people would attend. But all the sandwiches, cheese platters, sushi and delicious cakes and sweets were eaten. When the awards were handed out to our Club Champions, member Carol Hart took photos of all the winners. These photos will be on our 2008 Club Champions Wall next year. Additionally, Carol took lots of candid photos during the afternoon and Christopher Duffy, our Web Host Manager, will be putting them up on our website this coming week. If you were unable to attend the afternoon, take a look at our Photo Gallery to see some great photos of that day. Our website is a great way to stay in touch and Christopher re-designed it for us this year with input from the Board and myself. Guess what, the Board gave me a trophy too -- for Best Club Manager - I would like to thank them for this wonderful honour and I have a special place at home for it. It touched me very much. If you are still not sure who our club champions for 2008 are, all of our hanging plaques have been changed to reflect the names of our Club Champions for this year. And the website has a full list of names as well.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO OUR MEMBERS - mark your calendar for our ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the RLTC to be held on Sunday, November 9th at 2:00 p.m. at the Rockcliffe Park Community Centre, located at 380 Springfield Road. A formal email notice will be sent out 10 days prior to the Meeting, but I just wanted you all to have a heads up about this important annual meeting for our club. The Board of Directors looks forward to your attendance and participation.
I would like to acknowledge my Clubhouse staff and thank them for their efforts this season. We worked together to ensure your on-site experience would be special. My Assistant and Senior Clubhouse Attendant Veronique Belanger-Lejars was a shining example to all the other attendants. Her performance, her work ethic, her enthusiasm and her leadership, and most importantly, allowing me the freedom to do my job without worrying about who was handling the clubhouse affairs when I was off-site, was exemplary. We made an amazing team and I am thrilled she enjoyed her experience here. Margaret Seaborn, Gaby Lambert, Matt Beck - all new as attendants this year - made me very proud of their accomplishments. Sean and Conor Robertson who assisted us when we were overwhelmed with the work load were all part of my very effective team. Our pub nights became legendary this summer - I heard people saying "What is going on Tuesday nights at the RLTC?" It was the place to be. We were packed. People enjoyed the atmosphere we created. Our exhibition nights were well attended and we worked hard. And not one member of the team complained. Each of us put our head down to get it done and we did it with flair. To each of my staff, I wish them great success at school this year as I know they will apply their strengths towards their studies. This was a great group of young women and men, and I could not have been luckier in selecting these exceptional candidates. It was a pleasure to have worked with them all.
I would like to thank the Board of Directors for their steady stewardship this year -- their effective leadership - their hands-on contribution - and for giving me the opportunity to be the Club Manager. Each of them were there for me in this journey and it truly was a privilege to work with them and honour their commitment to me in all the ways they did. Having been a past Board member, I know the amount of time required to make this Club run the way it does. It does not happen by magic. These are the quiet heroes but the ones that gave me the support and the encouragement I needed to make sure each day would be a wonderful one for all of you.
And lastly, thank you dear members for this special season. I have felt buoyed by your spirit, your belief in me - and this made me work all the harder. I wanted you all to love coming here, as much as I loved managing the facility. I will never forget this and as we wind down our very successful season I would like to say that I had a blast and I hope you did too and as always, it was my pleasure to be your Club Manager! Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody It seems every time I write about running tournaments on the weekend, we get rained out. It is so disheartening. We have great matches and players to play their games, and it is simply not happening. And because of that, finals are not scheduled yet as we have more teams to play. But I will keep you all posted as our FINAL schedule becomes more firm.
How about that U.S. Open? And what happened to Murray in the final against Federer? I mean, I can play like that...That third set was not pretty. John Bouza has sent me a great link about what he believes is the greatest shot Federer has ever made. Do go onto it, it is amazing. Here is Roger Federer hitting an overhead, topspin, LOB for a winner! Wait for the replay. Best shot I’ve ever seen!! (JB) http://sportsnewsupdate--touhid.blogspot.com/2008/09/unbelievable-tennis-shot-at-us-open.html
Members Evelyn Hustwitt and Anke Magnus came in this past week to play and told me that they had both competed in the recent 2008 Metro Label Senior Outdoor Nationals in Toronto. Evelyn placed #2 in the 70 plus category - what an achievement this is. Anke placed 6th in the 55 plus category. She lost 10-8 in the third set in the consolation final. Both of these members are champions and I congratulated them on their outstanding efforts on behalf of all of our members.
The weather is getting chillier and our clubhouse will be closed the first week of October, and our members start looking at options for winter tennis play. I have attached letters from Sportheque owner Larry Greene discussing the rates for RLTC membership. Additionally, Board Member John Taylor has provided the following information about Carleton University's indoor winter tennis deal - $298 + GST includes access to the tennis dome (Crosscourt tennis centre), pool and fitness centre - see http://www2.carleton.ca/athletics/facilities/tennis.php . Carleton staff may also get further discount. John says that for his buck, they have the best indoor courts in Ottawa. Director of Tournaments Maureen Boyd has checked with the OAC and we do not get a special deal there other than the $620 package they charge for an 8 1/2 month Sept 1 to May l5 full membership. I hope this information is helpful. If there is any member who would like to play at Sportheque at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday mornings starting mid-October with Eve Hampson, June Lindsey and Joan Kingston, please email me back so I can put you on their team. I have played with these ladies for two years and cannot continue this year, and have enjoyed the experience a lot.
Our two main pros Nick Patterson and Nick Mook Sang are available to teach private lessons for the next few weeks and Nick Mook Sang is working at the OAC this winter, if you would like to continue lessons with him at that sports facility.
Tennis Tip of Week from Head Pro Nick Patterson: Weight transfer is the key to generating power on ground strokes so make sure your contact point when you hit the ball is in front of your body so your weight can be transferred into the ball.
CLAY COURT MAINTENANCE - remember that as of 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 18th, we are adding our final layer of clay to the clay courts for optimal playing conditions. Our hard courts will be at a premium as we are having some tournament matches scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. There is also the possibility, that if the clay courts are simply too wet for this new top layer to be applied, that this will not happen on Thursday. So call during the day on Thursday to get up to date on the number of courts available for Thursday. The phone message on Thursday morning will also reflect this information.
Our Final Round Robin of the season will take place from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. for both juniors and adult members. We will follow this with a mini-social of sandwiches and sweets. Our awards ceremony will also take place during the social with trophies being awarded to our champions for 2008. If you are able to contribute to our food table, please email me back -- I love when my wonderful members are able to help me out with their generous donations.
Check out the web-site www.rockcliffetennis.ca - our Photo Gallery now includes the great photos taken by Carol Hart for our FINAL PUB NIGHT of Masters Level tennis featuring Wally Gordon, Faz Reza, Roy Greenhalgh and Harold Fireman. Also, there are great shots of Gordon Cudney in his exhibition match against Daniel Alfredsson. I am now current with all submissions to the website and I hope you have enjoyed looking through the photo galleries which have showcased all our special events this summer. Thank you to Catherine Murphy for assisting me in getting Carol's photos to our Web master.
What a weird day of weather. When I came in this morning, there were tree branches on all the courts and the place looked a mess because of the storm last night. Now the sun is out and shining. Students from Ashbury College are here with P.E. Teacher Jan Matthews improving their tennis skills. Board Member John Taylor is on-site making sure the grounds are back into tip-top shape for our members. I am already feeling nostalgic as the last few weeks of being here full time come to an end. But I intend to make each remaining day a special one, and each day is special for me when you, the members, come out to play, call me about how the courts are, and come and visit this wonderful facility. It is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody FINALS TOURNAMENTS at the RLTC on SUNDAY!!! Here is a schedule of tournaments for Sunday - hope to have you come down and cheer our finalists on. Ladies B Division Singles Final - Sunday at 9:00 a.m. Bea Hampson vs. Carol Hart Men's B Division Singles Final - Sunday at l0:30 a.m. following Ladies Final - Richard Aubin vs. Gavin Murphy - John Bouza to umpire Men's A Division Singles Final - Sunday at 4 p.m. Gordon Cudney (2007 Champion) vs. Conor Robertson (2007 Mixed Doubles Champion) - John Bouza to umpire Cheers, Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody The rainy weather ruined our Saturday plans for many tournaments to be played. As I am writing, the LADIES DIVISION A Doubles FINAL has just finished. Lucie Vincent and Charlotte Ward won 6-2, 6-3 against Maureen Boyd and Else Philipp. Charles Belanger umpired this competitive final and we are hoping the rain will hold off for much of the day as members are trying to re-schedule yesterday's matches. I will keep everyone posted when another final is scheduled. UPDATE: LADIES DIVISION A SINGLES FINAL to be played on Wednesday, September 10th at 5:00 p.m. Maureen Grace vs. Maureen Boyd. A good match to come on down to watch.
You know how to create magic? Here is a special recipe - take one active tennis club, add wonderful members, stir in terrific Tuesday Night PUB NIGHTS, such as this past Tuesday, fold in volunteers who helped us get through the busiest evening we have held since our Annual Social in June, shake it up with a celebrity athlete, spice it up with a MASTER's LEVEL tennis night and what do you get -- the perfect Tuesday closer of our PUB NIGHTS for the season. Thank you to Wally Gordon, Faz Reza, Roy Greenhalgh and Harold Fireman for putting on such a great show for us. We cheered you on. We admired your skills. You are all an inspiration to each of us and the crowd was behind you all the way. And then, for our second exhibition match, featuring Gordon Cudney and our star athlete Daniel Alfredsson, captain of our Ottawa Senators Hockey Team it was so great watching all of our members excited over having him here playing at the club. The juniors came in droves. The adults filled the standing room only patio. We sold out of hamburgers and Charles Belanger went to get more supplies. I have never seen the clubhouse so filled with cheer. The planning for this took place over the long weekend. I received the confirmation phone call from Nick Patterson and Gordon Cudney on Saturday afternoon of the Labour Day weekend. Most of my staff have gone back to school and Monday all the stores were closed. John Bouza planted the seed with me about having Alfie here for the Wooden Racquets Night. Nick told Gordon about my wish and this is how dreams come true. A huge thank you to Gordon on behalf of all the members for having Alfie come. That afternoon, John Taylor and I were on site getting the courts and clubhouse ready. At one point I looked at John and said" What if nobody comes?" During the night, when happy chaos ruled, John looked at me and said "What if nobody comes!!!" Charles Belanger, our Board President called the event an "impromptu" Social. The weather was warm and beautiful. I had emailed some members to ask for salad or sweet contributions and I would like to thank Andrea Camacho, Trudy St.John (who left her office to deliver hers), Barbara Berks, Beata Garel-Jones (for her amazing poached salmon contribution), Monica Taylor, Larry Lederman, Michele Lejars, Ole Bredberg, Sharieh Reza, Nadia Freeman and Clare Nippard. And now to the volunteers who helped in the kitchen and outside, who cleaned up, served, helped with the bar and were simply amazing. Thank you to my two main BBQ guys - Richard Aubin and Jim Cody, who never left their posts all night filling all the orders. To my staff Veronique Belanger-Lejars, Margaret Seaborn (who came back from her trip to the Nunavut region and when I found out she was home a few days before heading to Queens University, I asked her to come), Matt Beck, Conor Robertson and to members Nadia Freeman, Yvonne Malbasha, Gavin and Catherine Murphy, Charles Belanger, Michele Lejars, Cheryl Rodrigues and to junior members William Nippard and Matthew Fyfe who took the orders and ran back and forth delivering food to all. I looked out on the courts and the grounds and there were people everywhere. And it was truly magical. The Board has decided to make a donation to the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health. Daniel Alfredsson is the spokesperson for the You Know Who I Am Am campaign. We encourage our members to visit the website www.youknowwhoiam.com to learn more about this cause and to support it. If you would like to add your personal contribution to the RLTC donation, please either telephone or email me with your pledge. This was very special to have him come to our club and I think it would be a nice thing to do to honour him in this way. Gordon Cudney gave it his all against Alfie and the scores were 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. We all know how great a player Alfie is on the ice, but to see him play a wicked game of tennis was a real thrill for the two hundred people who were here on Tuesday.
A report from Charles Belanger, Captain of the Division A team, the Rockcliffe Rangers, who won the City league championship for the fifth consecutive year. This year there were only four teams since Rideau Tennis had merged its two teams into one. The competition was a bit stiffer but the ten players who participated throughout the summer responded with brio. These players are: Charles Belanger, John Bouza, Tony Brunst, Alan Cohen, Peter Gonda, Paul Henry, Greg Kane, Bob McElligott, Ian Ramsay and Marinus Wins. Congratulations to all.
Our Inter-City Women's League held its final Round Robin and Luncheon Thursday Sept. 4th at the Ottawa Tennis & Lawn Bowling Club in Ottawa South. Former Rockcliffe pro and current Rideau Club member Evelyn Hustwitt arrived at 8:30am ready for action. She organized the double matches throughout the morning. Lots of fun, lots of tennis was had by all. The luncheon was fabulous with every team member contributing a gift. Numbers were called and gifts distributed. The balcony rocked with lots of laughs and genuine camaraderie. The highlight of the event was the announcement of this season's winners. Rideau Red came in first place capturing the Division 1 trophy. Rockcliffe was not far behind in second place. Rockcliffe played an outstanding season for our first year in Division 1 considering that Rideau Red has won every year since the League's inception. Rockcliffe came in a very close second place in Division 2, despite splitting the strength of their team between Division 1 and Division 2. Thank you to all our team members in both Divisions. Division 1 – Maureen Boyd, Anke Magnus, Lucie Vincent, Hanneke Boadway, Elly Clarke, Else Philipp,Catherine Gaudreault, Charlotte Ward Spares: Carol Hart, Alana Abraham, Bea Hampson Division 2 – Alana Abraham, Carol Hart, Elizabeth Leslie, Sheryl Green, Clare Nippard, Pat Padmos, Yvonne Malbasha, Kyle McRobie, Lynn Lafontaine A special Thank You to our Inter-city President Alana Abraham and our Captain Maureen Boyd. They both weathered the rains this season re-scheduling matches and keeping everyone in play.
The Board of Directors would like to thank Gary and Lisa Zed for their donation to our Juniors Park. So many families have enjoyed this added feature to the RLTC this summer and it has been a huge hit with the kids.
If you haven't visited our web-site lately, and would like to catch up with all the events we have been holding this summer, visit www.rockcliffetennis.ca and go to the Photo Galleries. We have had some wonderful photographers taking photos for us - Carol Hart, Catherine Murphy and Michael Venables. Every picture tells a story and there were great memories this year.
The condition of all our courts is very important to our Board and John Taylor, Board member responsible for Grounds and Maintenance has been a hero this summer with all his hard work and efforts in ensuring these courts are always in optimum playing condition. Last week, John, along with members Richard Aubin and Sean Dennehy dug up the back corner of Court #1 to try and find the leak which has been pestering us most of the summer. In the heat and humidity, these three men dug, sawed 2x4's, shovelled gravel and clay and temporarily repaired the plastic that holds in the water near the retaining wall. This was a big job and I know that our members are appreciative of their labour. NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS - the hard courts will be powerwashed on Wednesday, September 10th starting at 8:00 a.m. for their yearly cleaning. Additionally, Canada Court Supply will be doing a final clay addition to our clay courts on Thursday, September 18th from 4:00 p.m. Sorry for the inconvenience, but these are necessary to our courts improvements strategy this year. This is being done for your playing enjoyment.
Member Catherine Murphy wanted to share this story with me about her Father, who she brought to the clubhouse last week to watch some matches. He played here in the 1930's and I always enjoy hearing stories about our history and I am going to share this story with all of you. The Willis-O'Connor's lived across the street, which is now the Embassy of Israel residence. His mother, Hyacinth, played and had an underhand serve. His sister Melody Massey played there too. In the 1930's the area was wild - countryside/gravel roads. The neighbours were the Wrights, the Kemp-Edwards - all on the lakeside of Lansdowne and the Douglas's were on Fairview. The Beaments were on the corner. and there were the Wilkes down the street. Otherwise it was all fields. Hugh Raymond (Hippo) said that he played in the junior tournaments. He played against Fred Bronson, Digby Veits, Hugh Douglas. As he lived across the street he'd just go over and there would be a bunch of people and they would play. The club wasn't that organized in those days. He also said the membership was $25.00 in 1937! There were the same number of courts in those days too. Then Catherine asked her Father what else could he remember and with a smile he said that in the Fall one year two partridges got caught in the fences around the courts and his dad picked them off and they had them for dinner! He said the deer were always around the area too. He also remembered that one particular year Mr. Archdale, the Headmaster of Ashbury, won the tournament. Thank you Catherine for sharing your Father's special memories!
Our Final Adult Round Robin Closing event will take place on Sunday, September 28th at 1-3pm, followed by the awards ceremony for adults and the juniors. A mini-social will be planned for 3 pm. The clubhouse will then officially close the first weekend of October but might be extended a few days dependent on the weather.
Head Pro Nick Patterson is holding his STROKE OF THE WEEK on Monday evening with the theme the OVERHEAD - a great shot to master. This is followed by CARDIO tennis at 7:00 p.m. Both clinics cost $12 plus GST and an email or phone call to confirm your attendance would be most appreciated. Round Robins are scheduled for Monday and Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. The Junior Round Robin League training will no longer be available on Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. If an alternate date comes up, Nick will contact his junior members directly. Nick is also available for lessons during the week for those of you wanting to get one on one personal instruction to ramp up your game.
As it gets colder here, and the leaves start to fall, my great summer memories here at the RLTC keep me warm. What a year it has been dear members. And this week's FINAL PUB NIGHT was a splendid way to cap off a very socially active season. I am a huge SENS fan and to have Alfie here was really cool (can I say that at my age - well it was!) and people were just thrilled to be here. It was the first day of school. Parents were getting back into their routine and to have this place as packed as it was, and everyone in such a great mood, offering to help in any way they could, it was extremely heartening. I love making people happy and my team surpassed themselves in this event and a special thanks to Veronique for her outstanding work that evening. I cannot say it enough, this job would simply not be the same for me if she was not at my side. Have a great week. Come down to play and also watch our tournament matches and as always, I am so pleased to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody It's Tournament Time at the RLTC - Come down and watch The RLTC is a hotbed of tournament action right now. The last few nights we have had great matches. I have some announcements about what is coming up this weekend. If you have the time, why not come down and enjoy our patio, order a cold drink, munch on our snacks and watch fabulous tennis! Friday, September 5th 4:30 p.m. George Pickering vs. Karl Ruban 5:30 p.m. Gordon Cudney vs. Paul McElligott Saturday, September 6th 9:00 a.m. Louis Lamontagne and Darren Nippard vs. Gill Kirkwood and George Chastain 10:00 a.m. LADIES DIVISION A SINGLES FINAL Maureen Boyd vs. Maureen Grace Then, great men's doubles matches - 10:00 a.m. Bob McElligott and Ian Ramsay vs. Hassan Moghadam and Jean Francois Siroit 10:30 a.m. Tony Brunst and Marinus Wins vs. Julio Sevilla and Patrick Clarke Sunday, September 7th 10:00 a.m. LADIES DIVISION A DOUBLES FINAL Maureen Boyd and Else Philipp vs. Lucie Vincent and Charlotte Ward Sure the U.S. Open is on, but the RLTC is the place to be! Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody I'm back!!!! Who missed me? I certainly missed being here at the clubhouse and I would like to thank my amazing assistant Veronique for her outstanding work while I was away for a few days. I left the clubhouse in her entirely capable hands and it was great working with her again when I returned. I have been blessed with terrific staff here this summer and I would like to thank the following clubhouse attendants who have finished their summer hours with me as they have returned to University - Margaret Seaborn (Queens); Gaby Lambert (U of T); Sean Robertson (UBC), Talia Poleski (Guelph). Due to increased membership, and the huge success of our summer camp programme, popular PUB NIGHTS and other social events, the clubhouse attendants were busier than they have ever been, and this team was truly exceptional. Good luck to them all and I am certain all of our members benefited from their professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication to our clubhouse. Matt Beck, Veronique and I will be manning the clubhouse during September and please note that I am closing the clubhouse at 7:00 p.m. as of September 1st. It gets darker sooner now and the closing hours reflect this. Additionally, as I am short staffed, your patience would be most appreciated.
The Tournaments for singles, doubles for our Gentlemen and Ladies is in full swing. The level of competitiveness and sportsmanship is inspiring and when I am able to go on the deck to watch, there are moments I am left speechless. I know. I know. I love playing tennis when I am able with my busy work schedule, but watching all of you who have participated this year in record numbers really makes me happy. Tournament Director Maureen Boyd will provide a complete update for next Sunday's blog. Our finals will be games to come and watch and I will keep you posted.
Our final Round Robins for the season will be held on Sunday, September 28th - starting at 10:00 a.m. for the juniors and then 1:00 p.m. for the adults. We will have a mini-social event to close our season officially following the Adult Round Robin. More on this in the next few weeks. Trophies will be awarded to the juniors for their champions at the adult social event which will be held at 3:00 p.m. Our Adult Champions will also be recognized for their outstanding efforts this year. Are you one of our members who will be on my Wall of Champions for next year? Bask in the admiration of fellow players at our last event of the season.
Our summer camp programme concluded this past Friday -- WOW -- our attendance numbers were through the roof. I am very pleased to have worked closely with Junior Program Director Beata Garel-Jones and Assistant Pro Nick Mook Sang in the development of this 11 week program. We are already planning for next year and we hope if your child enjoyed themselves this summer, that the RLTC will be your first choice for tennis camp next year.
Our Adult Mixed Round Robin will be held tomorrow (Monday, September 1st) and the Clubhouse is open at 8:00 a.m. RR is at 10:00 a.m. supervised by our Head Pro Nick Patterson. Nick has the following tennis clinics this week: Monday, September 1st at 6:00 p.m. - STROKE OF THE WEEK -- this week the theme is the Volley. I love this shot and I have really improved my technique this summer. A great weapon to have in your strategy arsenal. Following STROKE OF THE WEEK is our CARDIO TENNIS clinic at 7:00 p.m. All clinics are $12 plus GST. Please email or call us to pre-register. NICK's HEAD PRO TIP OF THE WEEK: As the U.S. Open unfolds, Nick suggests you visit the website www.usopen.org for all the latest and greatest news about your favorite players.
You know the contest I was holding to see who would guess the header that was incorrect on our website - Well, member ANNE WOOD won - she guessed correctly that players do not congratulate themselves until the game is won at 6-4 and not 5-4 as noted on the site header. Anne is currently working for CARE Tchad, in Abeche, Tchad in Africa. One of the nicest emails I received this year was from Anne - who told me that my weekly email was already a source of great comfort as she tries to cope with Abeche's heat and dust. During the Wimbledon Weekend, she told me she was able to catch some tennis on the satellite T.V., but she missed our Strawberries and Cream Wimbledon Sunday. She tells me that the biggest sport is dodging the donkeys and military pick-ups as they careen down the dirt streets. Take care Anne. You are missed here at the RLTC.
As promised, and advertised, we are holding our FINAL PUB NIGHT on Tuesday night. I have written in the past few weeks about the MASTERS LEVEL tennis night starring Wally Gordon, Roy Greenhalgh, Faz Reza and Harold Fireman. So many of you have told me you were coming to watch, and enjoy the BBQ dinners we serve. This exhibition match will begin at 5:30 p.m. Not only is this a great match to come and enjoy, but I have some news. Singles Champion Men's A member Gordon Cudney will be bringing a special guest that night, who will play a match with him at 6:00 p.m. This celebrity athlete is a very private man and I am honoured that he is coming to play. I would suggest to you that you also bring a chair that night, because it will definitely be standing room only. I do not want him overwhelmed and I really want him to enjoy the experience of mingling with our members and thank you to Gordon, and to Nick Patterson, who knew that I really wanted him to come play this year, and you see, wishes are answered if you wish hard enough. If you would like to bring something for the sweets table, or a salad to contribute, I would be so appreciative. I am not asking for an RSVP from all of you, but if you call me or email me and say you can bring something, there will be a big hug from me. So, let's have fun Tuesday night - it will be a perfect evening and let's enjoy the fact that the RLTC is truly the place to be with our special guest, our special MASTER LEVEL players and of course, all of you.
If you or your child has accidentally left items at the club this summer, we pick them up and place them in our LOST AND FOUND chest, or hang clothing in our change rooms. If items are not picked up by the end of season, we will donate them. And thank you.
This Labour Day Weekend Sunday is so beautiful here - the sun is out, lots of members are here and I am as always, so happy to your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody What a festive night this past Tuesday PUB night was at the RLTC. Our first ever wooden racquets tennis exhibition match, organized by John Bouza and featuring members of the fuzzyballers team including Tony Brunst, Bob McElligott and Al Cohen. This outstanding men's team came dressed in the shorts of the past (think short, and quite tight) but Bob McElligott came onto the court in ivory colored pants, a cardigan and jaunty fedora to complete his ensemble. He looked terrific and played very well with all the layers he was wearing. The foursome put on quite a show for the packed patio audience and I was so pleased that many members came and tried out the wooden racquets and played with the white tennis balls. The Clay courts were booked all night with members trying out the different racquets and getting used to the heft of the racquet and trying different techniques. Thank you to Board President Charles Belanger for officiating the match. John arrived at the club with a bag filled with vintage racquets he has collected and I put some of them out for the members to touch and feel. He then brought some of the first aluminum racquets that were ever manufactured and his team progressed from playing with wood to then using some of the first modern style tennis racquets. I would like to thank John for also donating a wonderful book to the clubhouse called "Tennis: Game of Motion" by Eugene Scott. John also brought me an interesting sheet of photos that I have posted on the Men and Women's Ladder Board. It shows photos of John as the official chair umpire at the Civic Center in 1982 where he officiated a game between JIMMY CONNORS and BJORN BORG (Jimmy is my favorite of all time) and in one of the photos it shows Jimmy Connors standing stop a Dunlop equipment container and holding the back of this very tall umpire chair that John is sitting in, challenging one of John's calls. Do have a look next time you are in.
I would also again like to thank member Carol Hart for taking photos of this event. These photos will be posted on our website in the next week. The web-site is being updated with many photos in the photo gallery of our Mixed Doubles Finals Tournament, Wooden Racquets Exhibition and Junior Tennis Camp programs. Please check our web-site for news that you may have missed while at the club.
This coming Tuesday evening's PUB NIGHT we will have a special BOARD OF DIRECTORS exhibition match featuring Bob Roberts, Beata Garel-Jones, George Pickering and Maureen Boyd. These are Directors responsible for Special Projects, Junior Program, Treasurer and Tournaments. So come on down to watch their match and stay to enjoy a BBQ dinner, cold refreshments and the pleasure of mixing with fellow members. It really is a nice way to spend an evening.
Tuesday, August 19th, our PUB NIGHT will be the finals of the JUNIORS TOURNAMENT. Last year's Junior Boy Champion, Liam Murray, has unfortunately broken his arm while at camp and will not be participating this year. Liam broke his arm on the first day at camp, had it set here at CHEO and returned to camp for the two week period. Good for you Liam!! I know that the Junior Boys under 14 were looking forward to challenging you, but there is always next year. Our JUNIORS TOURNAMENT is scheduled for August 15th through to August 17th. The categories for our tournament are Junior Girls U-14, Junior Boys U-14 and Junior Boys U-14 Doubles. Entry fees for the tournament are $10.00 (this includes a pizza lunch on Saturday, August 16th and a tournament T-shirt.) Each junior is guaranteed two games. Please sign up at the front desk before August 11th for this exciting event! If you have not seen some of these juniors play, then do come out on the night of August 19th to see the RLTC future stars on court.
Our Junior Round Robin will be held on Monday, August 11th at 4:00 p.m. with our Assistant Pro Nick Mook Sang and his team of junior instructors. This is a great way for your juniors to prepare for our Tournament and to improve their skills. All juniors over the age of 8 are welcome to this session each Monday.
We have three weeks of summer camp left and what a terrific season it has been for the enormous number of juniors we have welcomed to the RLTC. Our numbers have been truly outstanding and the children have greatly benefited from first-class tennis instruction with our Junior Pros and instructors, as well as augmenting their outdoor experience playing outdoor ping pong on our two outdoor tables; sliding and swinging on our new play structure; eating and having quiet time in the new junior building and kicking a soccer ball around in our playing field. There is lots to do and I enjoy touring the grounds seeing what all the kids are doing -- concentrating on hitting the ball; being competitive in the King and Queen of the Court; they work so hard and the coaches enjoy their teaching time as much as the kids like being part of our camp experience. If you are looking for that perfect camp for your tennis loving child, we really are the best game in town.
To my regular and faithful readers, you all know that member Wally Gordon built our umpire chair. And then two members took the chair home to sand it and stain it forest green. Thank you to Michele Lejars and Charles Belanger for doing this for us - the chair is perfect and with all the tournaments we have here at the clubhouse, we are going to get lots of use this year and for many years to come.
Wally Gordon is busy yet again and has constructed new steps coming out of and entering into court #5. The project is still not finished and John Taylor, Director responsible for Grounds and Maintenance will complete it by levelling the steps firmly into the ground and putting pavers around them. If this works well at the court #5 gate, Wally may be persuaded to do this for the main entrance into the hard courts area. Wally is a real treasure here at the Club and is always looking to see how he can make improvements and build things. His graciousness and generosity are much appreciated. And his drop shot is to die for.
I would like to thank member Yvonne Malbasha, a paramedic, for conducting a CPR course for my clubhouse staff this past week. Yvonne has already trained us on the new defib machine that hangs on the front of the main desk of the clubhouse. She is an excellent teacher and my staff and I have benefited from her intensive training sessions.
Our Mixed Doubles games and finals tournament was such a success with over 27 teams competing that we are hoping to duplicate the tennis fever at the clubhouse by holding our Gentlemen's and Ladies' A and B Division Singles and Doubles Tournaments. If you are looking for a partner, no worries, just leave your name on the sign up sheet and we will make sure you have one. Maureen Boyd, Director responsible for Tournaments is on the job and will find a perfect tennis partner for you. There are so many keen players here at our Club. Do not be shy. Sign up and play. Push yourself a little. You can do it!! Maybe it is your year to be on our Wall of Champions. Entry signup cut-off for all is noon August 13th and the entry fee is $15 per person. We will try and post the draw late Wednesday afternoon. We are actively recruiting members for our men and ladies doubles events. Don't miss the sign-up deadline and avoid disappointment by getting your name in now. Also, for our Men and Women's Ladders players, please don't forget to play your Ladder matches if you have signed up this season.
Our Adult Mixed Round Robins supervised by Head Pro Nick Patterson have been packed with members each Monday and Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. If you have still not participated in them, come on down and join the happy members who try not to miss any one. HEAD PRO TIP OF THE WEEK -- for a great resource for all things tennis, go to website www.tennisdrills.tv. STROKE OF THE WEEK - First Serve - Monday, August 11th at 6:00 p.m. followed by CARDIO TENNIS at 7:00 p.m. Don't forget our popular DROP IN clinics on Wednesdays at noon. Cost for all teaching clinics is $12 plus GST and pre-registration either by phone or email is recommended. Nick Patterson is available for private and semi-private lessons as well as Nick Mook Sang, our Assistant Pro. If you are a new tennis player wanting to improve your skills or a seasoned member wanting a one on one intensive hour of instruction, give us a call. Our Pros will customize that hour just for you. Bring your questions. And you will leave more confident in your playing ability.
The RLTC Rockcliffe Rockets Junior Team practise is being held this Tuesday, August 12th at 4:00 p.m.
In an effort to get the water off the hard courts as quickly as possible, after all the rain we are experiencing lately, Nick has built three carpet water removers. They are stored in the practice board area. You won't believe how easy it is to drag them behind you and how quickly the water disappears. Do not use them in large lakes of water, but if there are small pools and areas that are stubbornly not drying, hitch yourself up to one and the water really magically goes away. Please then remember to hang them back where you got them from.
That's all for this week -- hope the rain finally stops once and for all. I constantly check the weather forecast and radar to see if we are going to be hit. This past week each and every day it rained at about 4:00 p.m. I say, enough. We have lots of summer left. Lots of fun things that are taking place here at the RLTC. If you have any interesting tennis news, please provide me with the information. Our members really enjoy reading about everyone. Another great week of summer camp coming up. Fun PUB night theme. Sign up for the tournaments. Just do it. And as always, thank you for the pleasure of being your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody The Adult Mixed Round Robin is ON for tomorrow, Monday, August 4th at 10:00 a.m. Come on down!! No STROKE of the WEEK at 6:00 p.m. and no CARDIO TENNIS as it is a holiday. This week's DROP IN Clinic will be held on Thursday at noon. Cost of all clinics is $12 plus GST. Please email or call us to pre-register so Nick knows how many courts to book. Head Pro Nick Patterson's Tennis Tip of the Week: By alternating between hitting topspin and slice (underspin) you keep your opponent off balance,not allowing him to get comfortable because the ball is bouncing differently. Practise for the Junior Team the Rockets will be held on Tuesday at 5:00 pm this week. There will be no Junior League matches scheduled for August. Play will resume in September. Inaugural Roman Cup Ottawa Junior Tennis Cup Fundraiser a Huge Success: On Thursday night at the Rideau Tennis Club more than $21,000 was raised for Junior Tennis Development. Over 20 of Ottawa finest tennis instructors played in a Pro/Am with 44 players. Among the players was Ottawa Senators Captain Daniel Alfredson, who showed he is as comfortable on a tennis court as he is on an NHL rink. Nick had the honour of being one of the organizers along with Rideau Club Manager Nancy Kirkwood, Rideau Tennis Executive president Brenda Pfaus, RLTC member Michael Cowpland and his wife Marlen who were event Co-Chairs and also donated $10,000 to seed the fund. Tennis Canada Hall of Famers Dale Power and Jim Boyce (OTA executive director) played and were co-auctioneers. RLTC members Anke Magnus, Glen St. John and Barry Padolsky were very generous in their donations of prizes and funds.
The Junior Round Robin scheduled for 4:00 p.m. with Assistant Pro Nick Mook Sang will not be held tomorrow. They will start again on Monday, August 11th. The summer camps this week begin on Tuesday. We have 4 weeks of summer camps left. The numbers have been very strong and we are pleased that so many juniors have signed up for great tennis instruction, and lots of outdoor play in our new Junior Park. If you are still looking for a great camp for your children, we have half days (a.m. and p.m.) and full days.
Last week I noted that Board of Director responsible for Special Projects, Dr. Bob Roberts, was in Toronto for the R. Nadal vs. N. Kiefer final played at the Rexall Centre at York University. Bob was very impressed with the tennis facility - one of the best he has ever seen. The right angle and the right vision. Bob said that the Toronto tournament had 10 of the top men players in the world as well. Nadal on T.V. looks so bulked up and short. But Nadal is 6'1" tall and he looks it in person. Bob saw a group of women at the final who were holding up a sign that read "WHERE IS FEDERER?". Member Catherine Gaudreault would be asking this very question!! Nadal plays in tight shorts that go below the knee. So tight that they pull and rub his knees. Bob saw that Nadal actually puts Band-Aids on his knees in order to stop the chafing. A mystery solved. It is a preventative action he takes to help with the friction caused by the tight shorts. During one rally, Bob counted 18 shots in a row between the two players and not one of the shots was "in the box". They play outside the lines of the court -- and the angles just keep coming for the returns. I asked Bob if he had been in Toronto on business and he told me that he was attending the World Congress of Cardiology which meets at a different location every four years. Bob was there to receive the LIFETIME of ACHIEVEMENT award. There were 18,000 cardiologists at the conference, which was held in the formerly named Sky Dome. Congratulations to Bob for this wonderful award.
Richard Aubin and Bob after playing their match also talked about the prize money for the Rogers Cup. First prize for winning the Men's Final was $900,000. But first prize for the Women's Final will be $450,000. Richard said that there is great controversy and discussion taking place about this. At Wimbledon the prize money is equal. There is talk that women will play the same number of sets as the men or that the men will soon be playing best 2 out of 3 instead of 5. It will come down to equalizing the payments for finalists or the amount of games played.
Wally Gordon, or Wally the Builder as I like to call him, has yet again built something for the clubhouse. On the clay courts, we have water coolers on wooden stands, but we have not duplicated this on the hard courts. We have recently purchased new water coolers and Wally has built us two identical wooden stands to hold them up. We are having them varnished and will have them on the courts for next week. Thank you again Wally for building the umpire chair, the cedar shelf in the kitchen and now the wooden cooler stands. I am very appreciative as everything you have done has enhanced our facility.
Our very busy Tuesday night Exhibition Night featuring WOMEN's CHAMPIONS, Evelyn Hustwitt, Anke Magnus, Christa Cameron and Maureen Boyd got started early at 5:30 p.m., but due to traffic, Christa arrived a half hour late and the match had already started, with Head Pro Nick Patterson stepping in for her until she was ready. Member Julio Sevilla warmed up with Christa and then Christa took over from Nick and a great evening of tennis began. Evelyn and Christa beat Anke and Maureen in the first match. And then the players mixed it up. It was tennis at its most competitive and 40 members came out to enjoy the evening, watch their exhibition and have a BBQ dinner.
This coming Tuesday evening, is our TURN BACK THE CLOCK ONCE UPON A TIME wooden racquets and white tennis balls exhibition match on court #1 (with members John Bouza, Al Cohen, Bob McElligott and Tony Brunst) and I will open courts #2, #3 and # 4 to players. The fun starts at 6:00 p.m. PUB night is still on and we will have lots of BBQ food available for you to enjoy either before, during or after the exhibition match. We will provide wooden racquets and the white tennis balls, so this is going to be lots of fun. John Bouza has been so helpful is organizing this evening for us and I have also attached a photo (photoracquets) to the e-mail for you to see John's personal collection of wooden racquets - he has over 40. To those of you who have not played with them before, it is a different game no question. But remember, this was how tennis used to be played for centuries. Thanks to John for the great idea, for having a few members of the fuzzyballers tennis group come and play in the exhibition match and then for bringing wooden racquets for members to use. Thank you also to John Taylor's son for purchasing the white tennis balls for us for this event from Toronto.
Trivia: Did you know that John and Monica Taylor were mixed doubles partners and champions at the Navan Tennis Club a few years ago? And thank you again to John, Director responsible for Grounds and Maintenance, for putting the new net on court #4. He worked on Thursday here in the rain, and was not deterred. He got it done, without complaint, and he has been here responsible for so many of the improvements and the new additions that have made this tennis club the quality facility that it is today, and that you all enjoy when you are here. Our Board of Directors, each in their own way, and in their special sector on the Board, have made this year a true pleasure for me to work alongside them. They really are the unsung heroes who are hard working volunteers to ensure that the RLTC is a terrific tennis club for each member. As Club Manager, I could not do this without them and I know we are all benefiting from this year's Board team.
The Rideau Tennis Club held the OTA Ontario Open Tournament featuring Men's Singles, Ladies Singles, Men's Doubles, Ladies Doubles, and Mixed Doubles from August 1st through to August 4th and we had some RLTC members playing. Nicholai Hill, one of our Junior Pros and his partner Michael Sutcliffe played one of the best matches of their lives. They beat Nicholas and Jason Savage-Pollock, two very good college tennis players 6-3, 7-6 (8-6 in the tiebreaker). He also played in the first rounds against Andrew Gill and Chris Kvas and they won 6-0, 6-0. Nicholai is playing in the quarterfinals as I am writing this newsletter against the second seeds. Nicholai is one of our excellent tennis instructors for our Junior Tennis Camp program and we are proud to announce his outstanding results. I have attached a photo of Nicholai and his partner in action at the event. Nicholai is in the white hat -- note the height of his serve toss.
Wednesday night's Mixed Round Robin was quite eventful I understand, as the Swiss Embassy residence across the street from us, was having a very large party. The next time you come to park your car in our parking lot, please note that we have a private parking sign. Well, there were so many people going to the Swiss Embassy event, and many of them diplomats, that their drivers parked their cars in our lot and our own members could not park. So John Taylor, Nadia Freeman and Wally Gordon went out to advise the drivers that they had to move or they would contact the police. Many of the drivers did not want to move their cars as there is nowhere really to park on this street except our lot. But all three of our vigilant members stayed out there for most of the evening to make sure that RLTC members could get their cars into our lot and participate in the Adult Round Robin. We also have the Israeli Embassy residence on this street and two weeks ago, one of our members was having a lesson on court #1 (there were no other members there at that particular time) and the coach she was having the lesson with went to retrieve one of the new balls that they were using. Now, our member did not see where her ball had gone when she asked the coach to get the ball, but it went over the hedge and onto the property of the Israeli Ambassador's residence. Our hard-working coach jumped their hedge to retrieve the ball. I mean, it was a NEW ball. I did not know what was going on until I went out on the patio deck and saw two police sergeants looking around the grounds. I went out, introduced myself to them and asked if I could help them with something. They were very polite and said they were looking for a tall man dressed in tennis whites who was caught on surveillance tape launching himself over the hedge at the residence to try and locate an errant tennis ball. Between the time the ball was retrieved when there were no other players but one member on the court, the ROVERS men's league, who have a group clinic on Mondays at 1:00 p.m. with Nick Patterson were now occupying two other tennis courts. The police sergeants dilemma was that there were now 10 men all about the same height, all dressed in tennis whites now playing. And so when they went looking for a tall man with a tennis ball who was dressed in tennis whites, they could not believe their eyes. All the men were tall. All had tennis balls. And all were in tennis whites. I could only imagine the line-up. They all looked the same!!! We got the situation straightened out to the satisfaction of the police, but it was an interesting story to talk about.
Thank you to Peter Gonda for donating beautiful crystal wine glasses to the club from the Czech Republic.
JUNIORS TOURNAMENT scheduled for August 15th through to August 17th. Finals will be played on PUB NIGHT on Tuesday, August 19th. The categories for our tournament are Junior Girls U-14, Junior Boys U-14 and Junior Boys U-14 Doubles. Entry fees for the tournament are $10.00 (this includes a pizza lunch on Saturday, August 16th and a tournament T-shirt.) Each junior is guaranteed two games. Please sign up at the front desk before August 9th for this exciting event! A not to be missed fun tennis experience for all juniors.
Another great week here at the RLTC. A quieter than usual weekend due to the August 4th civic holiday but a busy week nonetheless with lots of other activities. Hope to see you Tuesday night for the wooden racquets PUB night. Have your child sign up for the few more weeks of camp we have. If you have any interesting tennis related information, I would love to receive it. This week, and as always, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody It's a hazy and humid Sunday afternoon here at the Clubhouse as I write my newsletter and the week was filled with lots of activities for all our members. We had 29 kids in our junior camp this week and it was wild. Our Tuesday night Pub Night was well attended and we did not have a special theme for the evening, so it was not crazy busy. But this week, hold on to your hats. Come on down for an amazing night of Exhibition Match tennis featuring WOMEN CHAMPIONS. The evening will start at 5:30 p.m. And here is the roster: Member Anke Magnus, #17 in the international ITF ranking; Maureen Boyd, RLTC 2007 Women's Ladder Champion and current 2008 Mixed Doubles Tournament Champion; Evelyn Hustwitt, who I will write about next and Christa Cameron (former Ottawa Ladies champion). Come for a BBQ dinner and stay and watch first-class tennis. We had a huge turnout for our Men's Exhibition Champions Night two weeks ago and we hope to repeat that on this coming Tuesday evening. Here is some interesting information about Evelyn Hustwitt. Evelyn is ranked #2 in Canada in the over 70 years of age category. Her best world ranking was #13 in the 60 years of age category. In 1957, 1958 and 1961, Evelyn played Women's Doubles at WIMBLEDON!!!!! And of course she was a revered coach here at the RLTC from 1990-1997. For those of you who know Evelyn, she is a joy to watch, she is gracious, has a great sense of humour and is one of the fittest women I have ever had the pleasure to meet. This will certainly be great tennis to watch and I hope we have lots of people coming out to cheer on these amazing women players.
I really like to plan our Tuesday nights here to make them entertaining for all of you and John Bouza, who was such an outstanding Umpire for us in the Mixed Doubles Finals Tournament, and is an active leader of his Sunday group the fuzzyballers, came to me with a great idea. I have taken his idea and have created the TURN BACK THE CLOCK ONCE UPON A TIME TENNIS night for Tuesday, August 5th at 6:00 p.m. On court 1 we will have 4 fuzzyballers playing with wooden racquets and white tennis balls in an exhibition match and I will open up the 3 other clay courts that night for people who want to come out and play with wooden racquets. Fun Fact: The origins of the modern tennis racquet can be traced to the 14th century when players bound strings made of sheep gut into a wooden frame. Balls at this time were made of a wad of hair, wool, or cork wrapped in cloth or leather.The heads of these racquets were more oval in shape and smaller than today's racquets, and the handles were very long. From 1874 to 1967, tennis racquets were made of wood and did not change very much in design, though their construction improved dramatically. The wooden tennis racquets of the period were heavy (many weighed in at an impressive 14 ounces), lacked manoeuvrability (thanks to their weight and balance) and were low in power (the head size was only 65 square inches). Then came the T2000 from Wilson in 1967 and everything changed. Starting with aluminum and then switching over to today's composites of graphite, carbon fiber and titanium, and racquets have never been the same since. Fact: Do you know why tennis balls were changed to the colour yellow? Because white tennis balls could not be seen well on television. Doesn't this PUB NIGHT sound like lots of fun! We have a few wooden tennis racquets here at the club, and John Bouza will bring some of her personal collection, but if you have your own, please bring it that night. Let's turn back the clock for a few hours and see what happens.
The Tennis Centre West Ottawa recently hosted the NCTA Over 35 and Over 55 Championships. The tournament featured some great matches played by Ottawa's tennis veterans. RLTC members Marinus Wins and Paul Henry teamed up to defeat Bruce Ramsay and Bill Fletcher in a tight three set match in the Over 55 Men's Doubles Final. Tidbit: Marinus and Paul have played tennis together since their Carleton University days.
Maureen Boyd, Director of Tournaments provided me with the following information on the Mixed Doubles Consolation Round Finals played this past Wednesday evening. I was in the Round Robin that night and played two courts away from this great evening of tennis. It was also the first time we have used the WALLY GORDON Umpire Chair. And thank you to Talia Poleski, Junior Pro, who was our official umpire of the match. At times it seemed like there were two different matches going on. Sean Robertson and Charlotte Ward were dominant in the first set, winning it 6-2 with Sean's booming serve and Charlotte's consistency. But between the first and second set, new members and husband and wife team Else Philipp and Poul Kristensen refined their strategy and came back to win the second and third sets 6-0, 6-0 using the alleys effectively and dividing their opponents. Congratulations to Else and Poul who left Thursday to return to Denmark for a well-deserved break from their Ambassadorial responsibilities. Maureen has also given me an update on the Women's League mid-season standings -- Division 1 and Division 2 are both in a strong second place position in their respective divisions. You go girls!!! Maureen is in total sign-up mode recruiting members for the Gentlemen's and Ladies' A and B Division Singles and Doubles Tournaments! If you don't have a partner, she will help find you one -- don't be shy or you will be left out. Entry signup cut-off is August 11th and the entry fee is $15 per person. On one PUB NIGHT, Maureen who was a little despondent in the amount of members signing up for the Mixed Doubles went into over-drive that night and recruited 27 teams. So if you see her coming at you, run!!!!! Only kidding. Maureen is absolutely terrific in her role as Tournaments Director and is diligent in ensuring we have lots of members participating in the many different kinds of tournaments we hold. I really enjoy working with her and promoting these tournaments because it is a great way for our members to compete and be challenged and participate. Sign up and maybe this is your year to be an RLTC champion.
Head Pro Nick Patterson is available for booking of private lessons and continues his weekly tennis clinics. This Monday evening at 6:00 p.m. his stroke of the week is FIRST SERVE. A great way to improve your serve which is for many, the most difficult part of playing tennis. Come and conquer your fears about your serve. Nick will then follow his Stroke of the Week clinic with the CARDIO TENNIS clinic at 7:00 p.m. Cardio Tennis is a new, fun group activity featuring drills to give players of all abilities an ultimate, high energy workout. Cardio Tennis includes a warm-up, cardio workout, and cool down phases. If you are looking for a great new way to get in shape and to burn calories, you must try Cardio Tennis. Also, why not drop in and participate in his drop in clinics on Wednesdays at noon? Meet fellow members. Ask for tennis tips to improve your game. Nick will customize this clinic for you. For all of Nick's clinics, pre-registration would be much appreciated. Cost of all clinics is $12 plus GST. Call the Clubhouse to reserve your spot. Tennis Tip of the Week: Depth of Ground strokes: Your goal should be for both your forehand and backhand ground strokes to land ideally within 1 foot of the baseline. This allows you to keep your opponent pinned in the back of the court and therefore you control the point. Information about our Rockcliffe Rockets Junior Teams - If you are a junior member of our teams, don't forget your weekly practise on Tuesday at 4:00 pm. Our next Junior League match is set for Saturday, August 9th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the RLTC. Nick Patterson attended a Rogers Cup Tennis Coaching Seminar this weekend conducted by Tennis Canada in Montreal during the Women`s Rogers Cup. He looks forward to bringing back and sharing with our members the latest techniques in tennis coaching. Here is a reminder about the upcoming Roman Cup Ottawa Jr. Tennis Development Fundraiser to be held on Thursday, July 31st from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Rideau Tennis Club. It starts with a special Pro/Am Round Robin and is followed by a Silent Auction and Dinner. For further information, please contact Nick directly at 613-292-2431 if you want more details. You can also register at the Rideau Tennis Club by calling 613-749-6126.
Our summer junior camps are in full swing and have been very well attended. If you are looking for a perfect tennis activities camp for your child, the RLTC is the place to be. Assistant Pro Nick Mook Sang and his trained core of juniors pros and instructors are having a great summer teaching this program and with the addition of our new Juniors Park in the back of our grounds, we can offer a rugby playing field, outdoor ping pong tables and a wooden play structure with swings and a slide. The kids eat a nutritious lunch made daily for us by Arturo's Market on Beechwood. Lots of great tennis. Fresh air. Exercise. Good food. And wonderful kids to be in camp with. And a lovely environment for juniors to be in for a half day or full day camp experience. Why not sign your child up with us. We still have 5 weeks left of this program, so think about having your child participate in one of the most fun camp experiences they will ever have. Nick Mook Sang is also holding the Junior Round Robin for children over the age of 8 years old each Monday at 4:00 p.m. They will learn to improve their tennis playing with these supervised Round Robins and we hope to have them sign up for our JUNIORS TOURNAMENT scheduled for August 15th through to August 17th. Finals will be played on PUB NIGHT on Tuesday, August 19th. The categories for our tournament are Junior Girls U-14, Junior Boys U-14 and Junior Boys U-14 Doubles. Entry fees for the tournament are $10.00 (this includes a pizza lunch on Saturday, August 16th and a tournament T-shirt.) Each junior is guaranteed two games. Please sign up at the front desk before August 9th for this exciting event! A not to be missed fun tennis experience for all juniors.
Last week I wrote about member Yvonne Malbasha attending the Roger's Cup tennis weekend in Toronto. Well, member Paul Bernier wrote me to say he also attended the event and really enjoyed a super day watching the experts. He said it was an outstanding combination of qualifying matches and training routines of the top players. Among the latter, highlights were seeing Nestor, Nadal, Murray, Djokovic and Gasquet. Paul wishes he was still there! I have attached a great photo that Paul took of Nadal serving. So please open the file attachment to see his amazing serve. I had the T.V. on briefly this afternoon and watched Nadal win the Roger's Cup Finals in Toronto at about 3:30 p.m. Two major wins in as few weeks -- first Wimbledon and now the Roger's Cup. He certainly looks unstoppable. When they move to the U.S. Open in a few weeks, it will be interesting to see if Federer comes back from his recent losses. Come on Roger!!!!
Member David Clendenning dropped by while I was outside watching some of the fuzzyballers awesome Sunday afternoon tennis, to tell me that he and fellow member John Blakney went to Montreal yesterday to watch the Roger's Cup qualifying event for Women. While they were there they also saw members Paul Bernier and Gavan and Catherine Murphy enjoying a few hours of the qualifying rounds. David told me it was not as memorable nor as active as the Men's tournament in Toronto he visited last year, but still quite enjoyable. President of the Board of Directors Charles Belanger also went to Montreal yesterday for the event with his son-in-law and gave me lots of information. What is a qualifying event you ask? When a City hosts a tournament, organizers will offer places to players for the tournament who are not of a high ranking, have been injured and not played a lot and therefore could not get a place in the tournament. Several young Canadians came to try for a qualifying position. Also foreign nationals. These players are close to being top notch players and are given a chance to qualify. Once they qualify, they become part of the official players roster. Among the qualifiers there is a ranking order. The 12 qualifiers will join the 41 players already accepted into the main draw based on their ranking, plus the three wildcard entrants: Canadians Marie-Eve Pelletier, Stephanie Dubois and Sharon Iceman. The main draw is made up of 56 players – the top eight seeds of which have first round byes. In Saturday’s qualifying action, all of the Canadians were bounced in the first round. ValérieTétreault of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., pushed 10th seeded American Ahsha Rolle to the limit but eventually bowed out 6-1, 3-6, 6-3; while Eugénie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., fell 6-3, 6-4 to 17th seeded American Abigail Spears. Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa was knocked out 6-4, 6-3 to No.11 Katie O’Brien of Great Britain; while Montreal’s Mélanie Gloria put up a good fight against ninth seeded Croat Jelena Pandzic, falling 6-2, 6-4. Marianne Jodoin of Varennes, Que., and Ottawa’s Élianne Douglas-Miron were also eliminated, falling to American Audra Cohen and Britain’s Melanie South respectively. Rolle, is ranked #10 in this system. Canadian players Marie Eve Pelletier, Alexandra Wozniak and Stephanie Dubois are are on the official players list. The #1 ranked player on the list is Ana Ivanovic. #2 is Elena Yankovic and #3 is Maria Sharapova. Charles saw two games. Sesil Karatantcheva from Bulgaria vs. Cara Black from Zimbabwe. Charles told me that these two hitters are as good as it gets. However, they could not hold their serve and that is why they are in the qualifiers. The second game he saw was ValérieTétreault of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., vs. Ahsha Rolle the U.S. player. Tétreault lost in three sets with many rain delays. Charles also told me that member Bob Roberts was in Toronto this weekend and went to the final today where he saw Nadal win. I am going to ask Bob for some information about this for next week's blog.
So, the fuzzyballers have stopped playing and are enjoying some food and drink on our patio. Oh yes, I had the awning raised 6" for the tall members who were bumping their heads. It turned out to be a beautiful day here at the Clubhouse. Am getting ready for the Tuesday night exhibition match, so mark it on your calendars as well as next Tuesday's special Turn Back the Clock night. It was a great week here. I am crazy happy in this job as your Club Manager, and as always, to the wonderful members who make my day each and every day, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody All sorts of interesting weather this week in Ottawa. Rain. Extreme humidity. Hazy days. And then glorious days like Saturday. So many of you must be away as it has not been overly busy during the day, but it is crazy busy after 6pm. I usually work the afternoon and evening time slots, and I so enjoy seeing a friendly face or grabbing the chance to see some wonderful tennis as I look out over all the courts from the Clubhouse. I'm writing this at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon -- no one is here but me. So quiet. Very lonely. But my Sunday regulars, the Fuzzy Ballers have called and some have journeyed down to check the play-ability of the courts, and it is simply not possible. It is dangerous to play on wet hard courts. Even with our best efforts in squeegying the hard courts, the water comes up and through -- they need heat from the sun and air drying of the wind in order to be completely safe. So please, be careful. If the clubhouse is closed due to inclement weather and you really want to play, squeegee your court but make sure it is not slippery. We do not want injuries caused in this way. We were hoping to have held a fantastic Tennis Exhibition this past Tuesday evening during our popular Pub Night. I went out in the morning and purchased all the delicious food for the BBQ and then the rain started in the late afternoon, and we cancelled the event due to the heavy downpour. The courts were simply not playable. HOWEVER -- this coming Tuesday evening (July 15th) at 6:00 p.m., come on down for a BBQ dinner and sit and watch a tennis exhibition that will leave you wanting more the next week!! Head Pro Nick Patterson and Jamie Low (former NCAA Div 1 college player; Butler University tennis star and our own very popular RLTC Junior Pro) vs. Samir Bhatnagar (Barrhaven Tennis Club Men`s Singles Champion, Staff Sergeant with Ottawa Police Service and Matthew Perry's doubles partner years ago here at the RLTC) and John Payette (former Lincoln Memorial University tennis player in Tennessee and former professional soccer player). You can't miss this one. We are going to have incredible exhibition matches for your viewing pleasure on as many Tuesday evenings as we can. Women's champions. Nationally ranked players. It's all about the tennis here and I know you will enjoy coming out as much as we like planning the perfect evening for you.
Our clay courts are renowned in the City and we are very careful in their maintenance and upkeep. To keep the courts at their best, we have to re-surface occasionally. I know I have written that they will be done in the past few weeks, but the weather has hampered the efforts of our clay specialists and it looks like it might happen on Thursday, July 17th at noon. We will get it done as quickly as possible, so your patience is appreciated. I would like to thank John Taylor, Director responsible for Grounds and Maintenance, Richard Aubin and Sean Dennehy for their hard work in repairing the erosion problem on Court #2 this week. John has been a key component this year in terms of all the improvements you see in the facility and his friendly face, diligence, and enormous amount of time he spends here with help I need to make sure this facility is in tip-top form is outstanding. John is one of my RLTC heroes and I am grateful to him for being here when he is able -- I could not do what I do without his support, his physical assistance and his strong work ethic. John has also reported on the dry areas on the clay courts and here is some important information. During the past few weeks several members have asked about the dry areas on the clay courts - particularly in the area of the baseline on Court 1. After discussing with several club members familiar with the Hydro Court underground watering system, we think the problem is likely due to clumping of the gravel and clay in the underground cell which is preventing the water from fully saturating the cell. We have noted that the dry areas are shrinking in size indicating that the water is slowly penetrating into the clump. As such, in time, the courts should return to normal.
If you are interested in attending the July 26th qualifying round for the Rogers Cup (WOMEN's) to be played at STADE UNIPRIX in Montreal, I have 50 complimentary tickets available for our members. To reserve your ticket(s) please call the front desk and give us your name and we will hold the tickets for you. If you are in the Clubhouse, the tickets can be taken right away. This is a great opportunity to see the tennis stars we watch on television, up close and personal. And it would be our pleasure to give you a ticket for this special event.
Nick Mook Sang, Assistant Pro and the Pro responsible for the Junior Summer Camps program, wanted to hold a Kick-Off Junior Round Robin event (and BBQ) today at 4:00 p.m. but due to the heavy rain, it was cancelled. But it is re-scheduled to tomorrow Monday, July 14th at 4:00 p.m. It is great to see our future tennis stars out there having fun, improving their skills, getting fit and just plain having a good time. Our next Juniors Round Robin event will take place on Monday, July 21st at 4pm (no BBQ to follow). So if you have an active child over the age of 8, who can rally from the base line, can serve and keep track of their score, bring them to this supervised program. This program will run each Monday at 4:00 p.m. from July 21st for the remainder of the summer. If you haven't visited the RLTC recently, the changes will astonish you. Take a walk at the back of our property, where the new Junior Park is. The wooden gazebo structure, swing set and slide play set, rugby nets playing area and two outdoor ping pong tables (in the practice court area) are available for your junior to use while they are on the grounds. Our summer camps are filled with lots of children of all ages, and different levels of playing ability. When they need some down time, the kids love to go to the back park area to unwind. If you are looking for that perfect summer camp tennis experience, we are able to provide your child with excellent tennis instruction, tasty nutritious lunches and outdoor activities that will keep them busy. We have full day camps, mornings only or afternoons only. No matter which option you choose, we know your child will have a great experience. Call us to reserve a spot as our summer camps program is very popular.
Head Pro Nick Patterson continues to run our Stroke of the Week class on Monday evenings. This week his theme is the Drop Shot. Did you see the way Nadal killed Federer with some of his! Unbelievable. This is a great shot to utilize and when it is done well, it is irretrievable. So come and learn how to perfect yours. The class is at 6pm until 7pm for a cost of $12 plus GST. Then we follow that clinic with our CARDIO TENNIS class at 7pm until 8pm. If you haven't taken advantage of that class I encourage you to try it. It is geared to make you physically fit, improve your fitness level and you will be exercising in a way that uses the best of your tennis skills. A great way to work out. Our drop in clinics are still on Wednesdays at noon. It is always better to pre-register for all of Nick's clinics so we know how many courts to book and Nick knows how many members are coming. TENNIS TIP OF THE WEEK: Serve and Drop Most players practice their serves by taking a basket of balls and hitting one after another in the deuce court and then in the ad court. A more productive way to practice serves is to add a second shot to your routine. When you play a match, your opponent will return most of your serves. Why not practice what to do next? Ideally, practice serves with a partner and hit an aggressive second shot after the return but don't play out the point. If no one is available to hit with, serve a ball and then drop a second one and hit a ground stroke. This will help you back up your serve with more effective second shots. There is a great website: www.tennisplayer.net that answers lots of your tennis questions. Rockcliffe Rockets Junior Team news: The RLTC hosted teams from OTLBC, Rideau Tennis Club, Orleans Tennis Club yesterday afternoon for a great afternoon of tennis competition. (visit the website: www.tennisscores.com. Thank you to our junior member Colin Zed, Matthew Fyfe, William Nippard, Liam Timmins and Philippe Piche for representing our club so well. At the same time, over at the General Burns Tennis Club, Jonathan and Conor Zed-Finless and Saman Akhavan were battling players from General Burns, OTLBC and Glens. Again, the RLTC juniors did us proud. Team Practise for all juniors interested in playing for our two teams is always Tuesday at 4 - 5pm. There are two local tournaments coming up on July 25th - 27th for junior players at the Rideau Tennis Club and August 8th - 10th at the Orleans Tennis Club. see www.ottawatennis.com for more information. The Roman Cup Ottawa Junior Tennis Development Fundraiser is being held at the Rideau Tennis Club on Thursday, July 31st at 6pm. For more information on this great event please visit the website www.ottawatennis.com or call Nick Patterson at 613-292-2431.
Maureen Boyd, Director responsible for Tournaments (and what a great Mixed Doubles tournament season we have had!!) wants all our members to know that we have a men's and women's ladder and players are raring to go. Now that Wimbledon is over, it is time to demonstrate your own prowess in singles by climbing the singles ladders. Players may challenge up to three positions ahead of them. If the challenger is not granted a match within l0 days, they automatically trade places with their opponent. Matches are 8 game pro sets with a tiebreak at 7 all. If you enjoyed playing in the Mixed Doubles tournaments, why not sign up for the the Gentlemen's and Ladies' Singles and Doubles Tournaments. Please sign up by Monday, August 11th. The draws will be posted August 14th. Round of 16, if required. and quarter finals begin August 14th and must be completed by August 25th. Semi-finals begin August 27th and must be completed by September 4th. The Singles Finals for both Men and Women are September 8th and the Doubles Finals for both Men and Women are September 7th. So start finding a partner and planning your strategies! Cost of participating is $15 per person, plus GST.
So, quiet here now, but not for long. The weather forecast for this week is sunny, hot and hazy. We have lots of kids in the summer camp. Great programs this week. Can't wait to watch the Tennis Exhibition event on Tuesday night Pub Night. Hope lots of you come on down to take advantage of the non-rainy week as they are a rarity. Don't forget to include the RLTC in your summer planning activities. We really are the place to be this summer. And as always, because of all of you, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody I can hardly hear myself think and type! The clubhouse is crowded with members here to watch the Men's Final of Wimbledon Sunday - Federer vs. Nadal. And Nadal is winning. But it is hard fought. It is a divided clubhouse at the moment. So many members rooting for their favorite of these champions. And everyone is enjoying the fresh strawberries (purchased by Veronique yesterday in the Byward Market) shortcake and whipped cream. Delicious. When members are happy, I am so happy! Thank you to my staff - Veronique, Margaret and Talia for coming in super early this morning to wash, slice and dice the freshly picked strawberries with me. Members starting arriving before 9am to watch the match on our wonderful 60" Hitachi television, delivered and installed on Friday afternoon, compliments of member Steve Bleeker, of Bleeker Stereo and T.V. I am very appreciative and our members are certainly have a thrill this morning watching that giant screen.
Junior camps are filled each week with active and keen juniors who are enjoying their tennis camp experience with us. With the addition of our new play structure complete with slide and swings, there is just so much to do here at the RLTC. They can enjoy the outdoor ping pong tables, the new Junior Park gazebo building, the play structure and new this week, the rugby nets. We keep them busy and active. And the tennis instruction, directed by our Junior Pro Nick Mook Sang is first class. Whatever your child's tennis playing ability. We will find the perfect spot for them. So call us to reserve your child. The camps are extremely popular. You do not want your child to miss this wonderful opportunity to learn tennis or improve their current skills at our fabulous facility.
There was something missing in my life last week and I wonder if you missed it too. It was difficult to compete with all the great fun on Parliament Hill for Canada Day, but I know some of you are saying -- I missed the RLTC Tuesday Night Pub Night. Well, it is BACK!!! And it is back with a bang. Tuesday night we will be holding an Exhibition Match -- and, wait for it -- here are the players participating. Head Pro Nick Patterson, Assistant Pro Nick Mook Sang, and Samir Bhatnagar (from the Barrhaven Tennis Club) and surprise mystery guest (an amazing tennis player) who will dazzle us with their tennis prowess. A not to be missed Tuesday night at the clubhouse. So come on down for a BBQ dinner - sausages, hamburgers, veggie burgers or hot dogs -- ranging in price from $5 - $7 - with delicious salads. Sit and watch the game, enjoy a cold refreshment and a BBQ dinner, under our new awning. If you are looking for a laid back social night, where you can come and hang with friends, fellow members, you can't beat what we offer on Tuesday nights. Hope to see you.
Don't forget to sign up for our Clinics organized by Head Pro Nick Patterson - all clinics are $12 plus GST. Pre-registration would be appreciated. This week's STROKE OF THE WEEK IS: the LOB (Monday, July 7th at 6:00 p.m.) And what a great shot that is to have in your tennis arsenal. This clinic is followed by CARDIO TENNIS at 7:00 p.m. If you haven't tried this clinic, and you want a clinic that will get you fit, work you for the hour, and you really know you have worked out, all incorporating tennis skills, this is the class for you. A great way to get fit and tone. Our drop in clinic runs each Wednesday at noon. Another terrific chance to improve your skills. The HEAD PRO TIP OF THE WEEK IS: Overhead - get sideways and point up at the ball with your non-racquet hand to help you hit the ball up high and in front of your body. TRAINING TIP: do wrist curls to strengthen your wrists and forearms. JUNIORS LEAGUE PRACTICE REMINDER: Tuesday, July 8th from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. with Head Pro Nick Patterson. The RLTC hosted junior tennis teams from the Ottawa Tennis and Lawn Bowling Club, General Burns and Glens on Saturday, July 5th from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Thank you RLTC team mates William and Matthew Arnold, Jonathan and Connor Zed-Finless and Saman Akhavan for playing for the Rockets team. At the same time we were hosting, members of our team were also competing at the Rideau Tennis Club. Thank you to team mates William Nippard, Simon Hicks, Matthieu Meunier and Liam Timmins. Additionally, thank you to Junior Instructor Conor Robertson (and current 2008 Mixed Doubles Champion, along with Maureen Boyd) for running the matches for us here at the RLTC. During August 1st through to August 4th, the Rideau Tennis Club is hosting the Ontario Junior Open Roman Cup. On Thursday, July 31st there will be an Ottawa Junior Tennis Development Fundraiser from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. A Pro/Am Doubles Round Robin from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and a Silent Auction and BBQ from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (rain or shine). If you are interested in attending this event, please contact 613-749-6126 by July 28th. Proceeds to the Pro/Am and Silent Auction will go towards the "Roman Cup" for the Ottawa Junior Tennis Development Fund.
I inadvertently forgot to thank Rosemary MacDonald for her delicious salad contribution for my Salads of All Kinds Buffet for our Social. When members reach out to help in this way, it is very important for me to thank them for their generosity. Way to go Rosemary!
It is now 1:30 p.m. in the afternoon. Wimbledon had a rain delay and the clubhouse cleared out with members going on court to play. Federer is down two sets, but winning the fourth. Oh oh. Can I have a favorite - absolutely - and it is Roger all the way. He is a great grass court player and poetry in motion to watch. Nadal has his head down. Totally focussed. No matter who wins, these are the best players in the world. One is in awe.
If you are interested in purchasing some photos taken by member Carol Hart that were taken during our Opening Round Robin Social afternoon, which featured the members Models Fashions Show, I have a DVD that Carol has put together. There are specific instructions on the cover of the DVD noting how to order the photos from the Internet, or you could borrow the DVD for 2 days and take it to a photo shop to order the photos for yourself. Thank you to Carol for not only taking outstanding photos of that day, but for this DVD that you can now order your own photos. It is in my office and you can sign for it and then return it.
So members, another busy week has come to an end. I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful weekend in the sun. It has been another fun week here and there is so much more of the summer to enjoy. See you Tuesday night at Pub Night. It will be nice to see which kids are in the camp this week. Always fun to watch the popular Round Robins. Thank you to my amazing clubhouse staff which outdo themselves each and every week. Your hard work is noted by all members. And as always, and I am never tired of telling you, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody Weekly News from the RLTC from the Desk of Vera Cody And what a week it has been dear members! The absolute highlight of the week was the Annual Club Social on Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. We all know how rainy this past week was and no matter how hard you work and how much you plan, the weather is one thing that cannot be controlled. It was drizzly all day during short periods and at 5:00 p.m. it did rain hard for a few minutes. And then, the sun came out. The huge white tent (this year 20' by 70') covered the lawn and my clubhouse team, Veronique, Margaret, and Gaby worked alongside volunteer Victoria Loeb to place all the tables, chairs, linens, balloons, glassware, china to create a magical setting for the celebration of our 85th Birthday. Sean Robertson who has been added to the clubhouse team worked tirelessly getting the BBQ area prepared and Talia Poleski, Junior Pro, assisted in the Clubhouse as well. I would like to thank Charles Belanger for getting my wine and party balloons, Nick Patterson for getting all the ice cream cakes for the kids, Deborah Seaborn who chauffeured me around all week long to all the places I needed to get to to fully stock the kitchen for the huge party this became. A special thanks as always to Board Member Beata Garel-Jones, who brought an amazing array of desserts for the sweets table. Also, I would like to thank my husband Jim who picked up things all week long when he was available and for working alongside Jack Murta in the BBQ chicken pit the entire evening. Thank you to Sean Dennehy and Richard Aubin for cooking the hamburgers and hot dogs and to Board member George Pickering who BBQ'd more salmon than ever this year. The BBQ guys cooked all evening and kudos to them for an outstanding effort. The food was delicious and I would like to thank the following members who donated salads to the Salads of All Kinds Buffet. I did not have a chance to eat until much later on in the evening and there was no salad left to sample - but what an amazing selection we had. Thank you to Alana Abraham, Sylvie Begin, Barbara Berks, Maureen Boyd, Janet Fanaki, Leigh Harris-Fowell, Amanda Jackson, Gilliane Lapointe, Laurie LeGallais, Michele Lejars, Mimi Leduc (who vacuumed the clubhouse after all the guests left - what a great job!), Micheline McElligott, Kristine McGinn, Pam Murray, Lyn Murta, Clare Nippard, Mary O'Keefe, Pat Padmos, Camille Power, Donna Roberts, Margaret Seaborn, Maja Solajic, and Lisa Zed. I was overwhelmed with everyone wanting to help and it was so deeply appreciated. When one creates an event there is lots of things to think about - the theme, the colours, the food, the staffing, the guest list. But nothing makes more of an impression to people than the venue -- how the party looks -- the atmosphere -- the decorating. And when you have friends like I do, and I am blessed, and when you know a creative spirit like Nicky Lang -- one needs to say no more. Nicky and her daughter Allie arrived Friday and started creating their magic. The tent, the lawn, the garden, the entrance to the clubhouse - they put lanterns and globes of light everywhere. Flowers, arrangements, decorations in my colour theme of white and lime green. Nicky opened up her heart, her warehouse, her home to me and the result was breath-taking. Member Catherine Murphy took wonderful photos which I am going to have placed on the website as soon as possible, so those who did not have a chance to come this year will be able to browse through them at your leisure. You will be blown away by what you see. It was a party not to be missed. The evening was perfect. 210 members had the time of their lives and I was thrilled with the comments my staff and I received all night long for our efforts. It was a rewarding experience and it could not have happened without the members support in purchasing tickets, my incredible team of workers, the volunteers, and the after help we needed to get the clubhouse back to normal and the grounds in tip top shape for all of you. As members mingled with drinks at the beginning of the evening, Club President Charles Belanger kicked the night off officially with some major announcements. The Club Social was the perfect opportunity to recognize and celebrate our many generous members who have supported the club improvements in the last two years. Board member Bob Roberts, Director for Special Projects, singled out Dr. Allan Wilson, Marilyn Wilson and Reba Wilson as the major sponsors for the new Junior Park and led members there for a ceremonial ribbon cutting. The Wilson family have been active members of the club for more than 23 years and feel very strongly that the club is one of the cornerstones of our community. They were presented with a plaque to be hung in the club with the following inscription: In sincere appreciation of the generous support provided by Allan, Marilyn and Reba Wilson for the Junior Park in 2008. Others who contributed to the Junior Park and whose contribution will be acknowledged in the clubhouse are the Moghadam, Nippard, Tuli, Bonnet and Vecchio, and Potter families. Bob paid special tribute to the outstanding role that Beata Garel-Jones is playing at the RLTC. In addition to leading the Junior Program to its first year of full-day play and expanded choice of programs and highly trained instructors, Beata has contributed to the Junior Park and was the major benefactor for the new kitchen (and our popular Sweet Spot Café). The plaque to be hung in the clubhouse acknowledging her key role reads: In sincere appreciation of the generous support provided by Beata Garel-Jones and family to a broad range of club improvements in 2007 and 2008. Lastly, Bob paid tribute to the Fuzzyballers who joined together to purchase a defibrillator. Since Bob is one of the Fuzzyballers, he felt he could make a few jokes about how it was perhaps in their self interest to provide this life saving device and told us the impressive statistics of early intervention. A picture and plaque will be hung of the Fuzzyballers who are: Charles Bélanger, John Bouza, Tony Brunst, Bill Clarke, Alan Cohen, Paul Henry, Greg Kane, Bob McElligott, Ian Ramsay, Bob Roberts, Glen St-John, David Wilkins, and Marinus Wins.
Mixed Doubles Tournament Forecast: Exciting Matches Still To Be Played Rain played havoc with the tournament schedule last week. Match after match had to be cancelled and rescheduled. We thank all our tournament players for their flexibility in changing their plans to try to fit in with the weather. Despite the rain, we have had some exciting matches. Yesterday one of the main draw semi final matches was played. Last year's tournament winners, Maureen Boyd and Conor Robertson played the number three seeds, Elly Clarke and Gordon Cudney. In a match that featured several long service games, overhead smashes, and spirited rallies with a few unforced errors thrown in, Maureen and Conor beat Elly and Gordon 6-2,6-4 to move on to the finals. Referee John Bouza was in the chair, borrowed specially for the occasion, officiating and keeping the audience informed of the score. The second semi-final of the main draw is to be played today - Sunday at 6 p.m. weather permitting. The number 2 seeds, Beata Garel-Jones and Jamie Low, are scheduled to play the number 4 seeds and last year's finalists, Charles and Veronique Belanger. Again, weather permitting, the finals are to be played at 6 p.m. Tuesday night. Come to watch and stay for our beer and sausage pub night. The Consolation Round is still being played -- we will send out an email when the final matches will be played.
Are you still looking for the perfect summer camp experience for your children? We have full day, half day morning and half day afternoon and teens camps -- something for everyone. Great tennis instruction for all levels of play. Nick Mook Sang, our Assistant Pro is managing the summer camps program for us with a team of dedicated and talented junior pros and instructors. We have outdoor ping pong, they can play rugby, we have a beautiful newly built Junior Clubhouse building - when it rains they will have tennis chalk talks, crafts, colouring, books to read, games to play. We will keep your child happy this summer and what a great place for them to be. Drop them off and have no worries. They will be taken care of, fed nutritious lunches and snacks and learn and improve their tennis skills for the length of time they are with us. The RLTC tennis summer camps are the ideal solution for your child this summer. Call us -- we will save a spot for them!!
Head Pro Nick Patterson has created some terrific tennis teaching clinics for our members and they are very popular. We have changed one of the clinics from Thursday to Monday in order to give you even more lesson opportunities. STROKE OF THE WEEK - Mondays at 6pm - 7pm - cost is $12 plus GST - THEME THIS WEEK - Passing Shot CARDIO TENNIS NOW FOLLOWS STROKE OF THE WEEK ON MONDAYS - now at 7pm - 8pm MONDAYS - and no longer on Thursdays. Cost is $12 plus GST. DROP IN TENNIS CLINICS still continue on Wednesdays at noon for one hour. Cost is $12 plus GST. To all you NEW MEMBERS -- we are having an Adult Round Robin just for you!! Come and meet other new members on Thursday, June 26th at 6pm until 8pm. Nick Patterson will be organizing a fun few hours for all of you. We have had a great amount of new families join our Club and this is one of the ways we would like to say Welcome and Thank you for your membership. NICK's TIP OF THE WEEK - Follow the Ball - When going to the net after either a serve or an approach shot, follow the path of the ball. This allows you to cut off your opponents angles, making it more difficult for him to pass to you. We would like to thank member Randy Hicks for repairing our ball machine. Wow! The RLTC has its own Junior Tennis Teams. On Saturday, June 21st, it was a busy day for the Rockcliffe Rockets #1 team. We hosted General Burns Tennis Club. Thank you to Jonathan and Conor Zed-Finless and William Nippard for representing our club so well. Over at the Rideau Tennis Club, at the same time, the Rockcliffe Rockets #2 team battled teams from Rideau, Ottawa Lawn and Tennis Club and Orleans. Than you to Simon Hicks, Victoria Loeb and Matthew Fyfe for playing so well for the RLTC. A special thank you to Maureen Grace for helping organize the team. FYI - Junior Team practices will be held every Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Each week I think to myself, what am I going to write about? Well, what a week of activities, events, things to come, lessons to book, clinics to take, and tournaments to view. Do come out on Tuesday night for our FINALS TOURNAMENT. We have a very special umpire that evening - our own member John Bouza -- and I can tell you this will be one of those matches that will be one for the record books. Our semi-finals are this afternoon at 6pm and then I can hardly wait to see who will be in our final on Tuesday. We had over 25 teams competing for this - a record for the RLTC. Come and have a snack, a BBQ dinner, a cold drink - mingle with other members and be wowed by what you see on the court that evening. I am signing off now and again, and as always, it is my pleasure to be your Club Manager. Vera Cody 2008 Season Open The RLTC Clubhouse officially opens at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, May 5th. Come on down. The coffee will be on! Club Manager Vera Cody will be ably assisted by Veronique Belangers-Lejars (Assistant to the Club Manager; Senior Clubhouse Attendant) and Margaret Seaborn (Clubhouse Attendant). The staff are all eager to attend to your requirements in all areas. Our first mixed Round Robin begins Monday, May 12th at 10:00 a.m. Our evening mixed Round Robins will be held starting Wednesday, May 14th at 6:00 p.m. Our second Round Robin of the week that is held in the morning will take place on Friday, May 16th at 10:00 a.m. This weekly schedule will continue until the end of September. Nick Patterson, our Head Pro, will be there to organize these popular Round Robins for all of us. If you are interested in setting up a credit card Tab with us, please provide this information directly to the Clubhouse Management and staff at the front desk. This makes it easier for you to purchase food, take a lesson and have your child participate in the May after school clinics or summer camps, by simply stating Put it on our Tab. Please ensure who is allowed in the family to use this credit card information. All data is kept confidential. Every few weeks, we will reconcile the member's tab accounts, and each member will have a printout of their credit card usage attached to their sheet in the Members Tab accounts book. If you ever need to check on your tab, please ask the staff to assist you. We are offering a special promotion for private tennis lessons with Head Pro Nick Patterson and Assistant Pro Nick Mook Sang - 5 lessons for $200 (plus GST). This promo is valid for the months of May and June only. The promo package has to be booked by June 15th for completion by June 30th and the offer is valid only when paid in full upfront. New Tennis Professional Staff The sub-committee tasked with the search for a Head Pro consisted of its chair, Maureen Boyd, as well as Beata Garel-Jones and John Taylor. The committee also profited from the experience and advice of Paul Henry and Anke Magnus. After an extensive process of advertising, shortlisting, interviewing of four candidates, reference checking and wide consultation, the committee made its recommendation, which was unanimously accepted by the Board. The Board is delighted to inform members that we have hired Nick Patterson as our Head Tennis Professional and Nick Mook Sang as Assistant Pro.
In the next few weeks, Nick Patterson will be putting together a program that will take our tennis club to a new level - offering a range of clinics, men's and women's intercity league practices, group and private lessons to complement our popular traditional weekly round robins - programming that will involve more members and appeal to our members' range of skills, ages, and wishes. We are particularly pleased to announce that Nick will be offering members the chance to try cardio tennis -- one of the most popular new ways to get your exercise and your tennis in one session. Your Board is thrilled at the energy, enthusiasm and excitement of our new Pros and we are confident you will be too. Introducing The New RLTC Club Manager
Her fund raising prowess at Fern Hill School, Elmwood School (10 years), and Ashbury College (2 years) are legendary. She has been the President of the Rockcliffe Park Garden Club for the past six years. Having owned her own successful retail gifts store; co-owned a desserts and cookie company; holding the position for six years of Vice President of a communications/marketing firm; managing administrative services for one of Ottawa's high tech leaders; eight years broadcasting experience in Toronto - her diverse employment history have all contributed to the successful individual that Vera Cody is today. We look forward to her taking over operations of our Club and know that she will create an exciting tennis environment for our members of all ages. Vera is a respected leader in this community and the Board is delighted to have her with her business skills, positive outlook and proven history of achievements. |
|||
Larry was asked to organize the visit of Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan to Carleton U on July 6th. They met the President of Carleton, Roseann O'Reilly Rundte, the Chancellor of Carleton, The Right Honourable Herb Gray and The Chancellor of Ottawa U, Huguette Labelle. This was followed by a luncheon with faculty and students from both Universities and then a meeting with students from both universities. They were in Canada for a State visit leaving from Vancouver for Hawaii and then Japan. This was the first visit to Canada by an Emperor and Empress of Japan. The last time The Emperor was here was when he crossed Canada by train as the Crown Prince in 1953 on his way to the coronation of Elizabeth II in London. Congratulations Larry on this wonderful honour. I have attached a photo of Larry with The Emperor and Empress. 
Nick Patterson comes to Rockcliffe as an experienced and enthusiastic Tennis Canada certified teaching professional with more than 26 years of teaching experience as well as a wealth of knowledge of tennis program design and delivery. He is very active in the Ottawa tennis community and has sat on the tennis executives of the Barrhaven Tennis Club and Rideau Tennis Club. He is on the board of directors of the NCTA charged with coordinating junior interclub league play and with designing a program to improve school tennis instruction in Ottawa. Nick is presently the program director at the Cross Court Tennis Centre located at Carleton University where he teaches junior and adult private and group lessons and organizes adult round robins as well as junior tournaments. Some of our members may know him as the tournament director for the 1st annual Kunstadt/Crosscourt Winter Open Singles 2008 Winter Championships, responsible also for corporate sponsorship as well as media coverage. For the past three summers, Nick was the Head Pro at the Barrhaven Tennis Club where he promoted and ran junior and senior tournaments, a stroke of the week program, and provided junior interclub coaching and junior clinics. He also taught last summer at the RA Centre Tennis Club and has taught internationally with the Sport du Soleil organization in Cuba.
Nick Mook Sang has an impressive tennis background as a national level player and coach. A graduate of Canterbury High School, he played nationally as a junior and for the University of Toronto Varsity Squad. Since then he has coached juniors and adults from beginner to national level players. At present he is coaching elite juniors for Tony Roth's Noble School of tennis at the Ottawa Athletic Club. Previously he was a tennis professional at the North York Tennis Association where he coordinated programs, hired coaches and motivated students to produce their best possible tennis. 
After an extensive search for the Club Manager position, the Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Vera Cody will be our new Club Manager for the 2008 season. Vera has been a fixture in community leadership in the Village of Rockcliffe Park for more than 10 years, starting as Resources Manager and Technical Advisor for the Rockcliffe Park Public Library in 1998. The Board of the Rockcliffe Park Residents Association then hired Vera as their Recreation/Community Coordinator prior to amalgamation. Subsequently, the City of Ottawa retained her services for three more years and the Community Hall became the largest revenue-producing recreation facility in the region in its size category. Vera sat on the RPRA Board as Chair of Community Events for five years, including three years as Vice President.