Club rules
Membership
Membership categories are as follows:
- Family - 2 parents (1 Child, 11 - 16 years)
- Family - 2 parents (2 or more children, 11 - 16 years)
- Senior - Over 21 years on 1st May
- Young Adult - 17 to 21 years inclusive on 1st May
- Junior - 11 to 16 years old inclusive on 1st May
- Day-time - over 18 years old. Restricted to playing week days up until 4 pm.
Senior membership includes social membership of Northallerton Cricket Club.
The Committee
Northallerton Tennis Club (the Club) shall be managed by a Committee which shall comprise at least a Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer but shall not be subject to any maximum number. The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting in each year, and subject to termination of office by resignation or otherwise, shall remain in office until their successors are elected at the Annual General Meeting next following their election. The Committee shall have power to fill any vacancy that may occur. Senior and Senior Family Members only may stand for election to the Committee and vote in such elections.
The Annual General Meeting of the club shall be held in every year not later than 31st March to transact the following business:
- to receive, and if approved, to adopt a statement of the club's accounts to the end of the preceding year;
- to consider and, if approved, sanction any duly made alteration of the rules;
- to appoint the officers and other members of the Committee;
- to deal with any special matter which the Committee desire to being before the members and to receive suggestions from the members for consideration by the Committee.
Subscriptions
The membership year will run from 1st May to 30th April of the following year. The annual subscriptions shall be fixed by the Committee and shall be announced at the Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions shall be due on the 1st May each year and shall be paid to the Treasurer. Members whose current subscription has not been paid before the 1st June in any year shall cease to be members unless a reason satisfactory to the Committee shall be given for the delay.
Shoe Tags
All members will be issued with a colour-coded shoe tag which must be worn at all times on the courts. Persons on the courts not displaying shoe tags and who are not signed-in visitors will be asked to leave the courts.
Keys
All members will be issued with a key that allows access to the courts via the gate in the fence that surrounds the pavilion. Senior members will also be issued with a key that gives access to the pavilion. Junior members do not have access to the pavilion unless accompanied by a Senior member. All members have the responsibility to ensure that both the pavilion and the outer gate are locked when leaving the premises particularly if they are last to leave the courts. The Club cannot be held responsible for loss of members' personal property.
All court gate keys are numbered and remain the responsibility of the member (or, in the case of family membership, all named persons on the application form) to whom they are issued. Under no circumstances must duplicate keys be cut. Lost keys can be replaced for a fee of £5.00. Keys must not be lent to other members or non-members. If a member allows a non-member to use his or her Club key to gain access to the Club premises, this will result in withdrawal of membership of the member who is responsible for that key and loss of subscription.
Use of courts
The courts are available to members throughout the year but care should be taken when the surfaces are wet or otherwise in a dangerous condition. It is the responsibility of individual members to decide if the playing conditions are safe. The Club cannot accept responsibility for injuries sustained on the courts. If any members are waiting to play then only one set of doubles must be played. Singles may only be played if no other members are waiting.
Tennis Balls
There is a supply of balls in the pavilion which are for the use of Senior and Student members only. There is a limit of 3 balls per court and members are requested to return the balls to the pavilion after use. Junior membership does not include use of the balls except on supervised Junior Club Nights.
Priority Use of Courts
All members have use of the courts at all reasonable times with the following restrictions:
- Senior Club Nights. Every Monday and Thursday throughout the season (the start of the season will run from April to September approximately - the Club notice board in the pavilion will display the exact dates which will be decided by the committee) from 6.00 pm to dusk. This is open to all senior members and invited junior members.
- Junior Club Nights. This will be supervised by at least one adult every Friday, 6.00pm to 8.00 pm, from the beginning of the season to the start of the school summer holidays. Junior members have priority on Junior club nights. Senior members will only be allowed to play if spare courts are available and there are no Junior members waiting to play.
- Matches. The Club enters several senior teams and one junior team in local leagues. Home fixtures are generally played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the season. A list of all fixtures will be posted in the pavilion at the beginning of the season. If three courts are required for matches then court 1 will be available for all members with Senior and Student members having priority over Juniors after 7.00 pm. If only two courts are required for a match then courts 1 and 2 will be available for all members with Senior and Student members having priority over Juniors after 7.00 pm.
- Club tournaments. Seniors - a number of tournaments will take place throughout the season. Dates will be posted in the pavilion. Entry to these is included in the membership fee and they are open to all senior members and invited junior members. These will generally take place on Sunday afternoons when all 4 courts will be used.
- Juniors - a junior tournament will take place during the season. All 4 courts will be used.
- Coaching. Junior coaching will take place over a number of weeks during the season between 10.00 am and 12.00 noon each Saturday. Courts may be available for general use subject to numbers applying for the coaching courses.
- Family Days / Play Tennis Days - these are occasional days that are arranged to introduce non-members to tennis. All members are welcome to play during these events.
[Diagram of courts here]
Dress code
Members are requested to wear appropriate clothing to enable safe and comfortable play. There is no restriction on the colour of clothing.
Shoes
It is essential that only non-marking tennis shoes are worn on the court to protect the playing surface and the safety of members. Members and visitors who are not wearing appropriate footwear will be asked to leave the courts.
Behaviour
It is important to respect other members of the Club and residents in neighbouring houses, therefore shouting, swearing, general bad behaviour and misuse of equipment, courts and Club or Cricket Club premises will not be tolerated by the Club and the committee reserves the right to expel any member who, in the opinion of the Committee, behaves in an inappropriate manner.
If balls need to be retrieved from the gardens of neighbouring properties it is essential that members must first obtain permission from the residents.
The Committee shall have the power to expel any member who shall offend against the rules of the club or whose conduct shall in the opinion of the Committee render him/her unfit for membership of the club. Before any such member is expelled, the Secretary shall give him/her seven days written notice to attend a meeting of the Committee and shall inform him/her of the complaints made against him/her. No member shall be expelled without first having any opportunity of appearing before the Committee and answering complaints made against him/her nor unless at least two thirds of the Committee then present vote in favour of his expulsion.
Visitors
Senior and Student members are allowed to sign in visitors. The name of the visitor and the member signing him or her in must be entered in the Visitor Book in the pavilion and the appropriate fee (to be decided by the committee) paid to a member of the committee as soon as possible. Money should not be left in the pavilion. Individual guests cannot play more than 6 times during any one season.
Junior members are not allowed visitors although exceptions can be made for visiting friends and relations if the committee gives prior permission.