Saturday Afternoon Tennis!

Spring is in full force and summer is on its way, so come join us for lots of fresh air and a ton of great tennis!

Because the courts are starting to get really crowded on the weekends, I'm moving back to the 12-members-only morning and afternoon session format that we used last summer in order to make sure we leave enough space for locals to play. With two sessions per day, this actually means there are more slots for our group than there have been recently with just one larger session, so it works quite well.

The 12-member limit, though, means that people who RSVP and then don't show up are being really unfair to members who would have come if only there had been an open slot, so Erik-Peter and I reluctantly decided on two new rules for the crowded summer weekends.

1. Don't RSVP and then fail to show up! If you do this three times, we're going to have no choice but to kick you out of the group. We know, this sucks rotten roadkill, and we really hate to do it, but it sucks even more when people don't get to play tennis because someone else takes up an RSVP slot and then doesn't use it. Of course we'll make exceptions for genuine emergencies and really bad weather, but short of that, all you have to do is to change your RSVP the night before the event. Please help us make this group work for everyone and change your RSVP if you're not going to come. It only takes a second!

2. If you come to the courts without having RSVP'd (perhaps because there were no slots left) then out of respect for all the other people who use the courts, we won't be able to offer you play time (and tennis balls) if the courts are crowded. Of course you're welcome to wait for a court just like everyone else, but you'll be on your own.

We hate to make any rules at all, but sometimes they're necessary to keep things running smoothly, and we're sure you'll agree that these rules are both reasonable and fair.

On a lighter note, pretty soon I'll have to start getting to the park even earlier in the morning in order to secure courts for the group, so as a small incentive for early birds to help me out, I'll waive the event fee for anyone who arrives early enough to help snag a court for the group. With a full event, we need three courts, so that's up to five free spots every day.

If you've never been to the courts before and you need a guide, please let me know beforehand, and I'll try to arrange for someone to meet you at the University Deli (the courts are in Columbia University territory) a little before the event.

One important note: the water fountains hadn't been turned back on the last time I played, and there are no stores or concession stands anywhere near the courts, so make sure to bring anything you want to eat or drink with you.

Now on to the fun stuff! There are three ways to get to the courts: by walking or biking up through the park, by walking down along the river from 181st St., and by getting off the subway at 168th St. and Broadway right by the University Deli. The last one is the only route I know, so that's what I'll describe.

The 'A', the 'C' and the '1' trains stop right by the deli, but be sure to check for weekend service advisories, because the MTA has been suspending some lines on the weekends lately to do track and signal work.

http://www.mta.info/n...

You can also take a few different bus lines to get to the deli.

http://www.mta.info/m...

In case you are new and get lost, please bring your cell phones! My number is 646-505-8066.

Detailed directions from the deli to the courts are available here.

If you're new to the courts, I suggest printing them out so you can refer to them en route!

Here's the National Weather Service Detailed 7-Day Forecast.

http://www.crh.noaa.g...

And for good measure, here's NY1's Seven-Day Forecast too.

http://www.ny1.com/ny...

If bad weather forces me to cancel the event, I'll let you know by email as early as possible.

And last but not least, between covering the fees Meetup.com charges organizers and providing a full basket of tennis balls for everyone to play with, including a bunch of new cans every day so that we're never stuck playing with old, dead balls, it winds up costing us well over $750 per year to run this group (maybe even over $1,000) so please remember to pay the $2 event fee. It's about the best deal you'll find for playing tennis in the city!

Best regards,

Paul Idol
646-505-8066