tennis, life and a few things in between

One of my dear teammates has the misfortune to have to collect match fees from other mates on the team for me. Six matches in a row.

The pay records on Metro

This Manhattan mixed 7.0 team is my largest, and also the team that I had the most online payments:
17 out of 60 (my math is terrible – I paid 66 instead of 60; one mate paid after I satisfied the season = 67 match fees in the account)

When I captained my first team in 2009, I did send out the note telling the mates where to pay and when was the deadline. Only one veteran paid 6, out of 66. I should not complain because the percentage is improving over the years.

Each league runs differently. The Metro winter teams need to be paid in full by a deadline (usually a month after it starts); the summer teams pay to the club directly where it plays, like the Long Island winter. (I never played on the LI summer team.)

My very first season on the job: Queens 7.0 mixed 2010

There must be a reason that the Metro winter needs us to pay it in full while the season is just under way. Because it will take them four months to issue a refund (canceled court, over payment ..) without an explanation. As if fiduciary doesn’t exist.

My current team: Manhattan 7.0 mixed 2013

It’s during my third captains’ meeting, when I learned that most captains/teams made the players to pay online, before the deadline. One of the captains said to me,
“Irene, don’t be shy about asking them to pay, this is a business.”
I never thought this as a business. But after many seasons and teams, I began to feel the burden of ‘reminders’ and ‘instructions’ when no one listens -:). It may still seem fun to the mates but at times, it certainly feels like a work for me. What’s the button says?
Work is for people who don’t play tennis.

Slowly, I’m starting tennis again. Wednesday we just hit for about an hour. Last night I played the full two hours: Pete/I vs Dan/Jess 6:4 but we lost to Jenn/Michael 7-3 in tie break in spite of having a match point when Pete was serving at 5 to 4. I hit an easy put away shot long. Today I/Wah won over Michale/I 1 (almost got a bagel!). Kai/I was down 5-2 but .. eventually lost in tie break. We won the 10-point super tie break handily tho.

The weather wasn’t too nice (clooudy) but all the courts were taken, some were still wet! There was a group Cantonese speakers. The three adults playing next to us were very cordial, retrieving our balls without any complain. However, when one of kid came over to talk to them, he just walked onto our court without any regard that he’s interrupting us.
Come on, a little common courtesy?
I called out to them, the adults disbursed but the kid walked extra slow, almost stalking on the court. What on earth did he have to do that?

I got two more signatures for Denise