MINUTES - ANNUAL CALTA  MEETING - MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2011

                                                (rescheduled from January 10 due to weather)

 

IN ATTENDANCE:

Executive Board:  Linda von Grotthuss, Nancy Pitcairn, Pamela Doggett, Lynn McNally

Directors At-large:  Donna Shoaf, Carole Davie (absent – Dara Craven)

Division Coordinators:  Beth Briggs, Theresa Stanton, Natalie Baker, Cheryl Bolek, Trish Richardson 

 

Teams represented (Sign-in sheets established that 30 of 53 teams were represented.):

Division 1 – CIT, CTC2, FCC1, FCC2, LTP, MAY, MPR, SNF, WLD (absent – CTC1, MIL)

Division 2 – DNW1, DNW2, FCC2, LEG, MPR, SBK, SNF, WLD (absent - DAN, FCC1)        

Division 3 – CTC, KWH, MPR1, MPR2, SNF, STA3  (absent – BKY, CCC, DNW, FCC, ION, MAY, STA1, STA2)

Division 4 – CTC1, CTC2, DAN, MPR (absent – DNW, MAY, PKW, SBK, SNF)

Division 5 – FCC, MPR, PKW (absent – CRO, CTC, LEG, LTP, PNF, WOO)


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I.  CALL TO ORDER (at 10:00AM)

     A. Welcome address

          1. Role of the CALTA Board

                a. through the annual meeting - establish a forum for ideas and opinions from our members

                b. primary function – provide/maintain structure to accomplish the smooth running of weekly schedule
                                                    – coordinating 53 teams (currently 734 dues-paying members and 126 subs)

    B. Introduction of CALTA Board members

        1.  Executive Board Members (all four in the second year of their fifth two-year term):

                      President, Web master and Scheduler – Linda von Grotthuss

                      Vice President, Rules Committee Chair and assistant Web master – Nancy Pitcairn

                      Secretary and Junior Recognition Committee Chair – Pamela Doggett

                      Treasurer – Lynn McNally

         2.  At-large Members (staggered 3-year terms): Donna Shoaf (3rd yr), Carole Davie (2nd yr), Dara Craven (1st yr)

         3.  Division Coordinators (one-year terms):   Div.1 - Beth Briggs, Div.2 - Theresa Stanton, Div.3 - Natalie Baker,
                                                                                       Div.4 - Cheryl Bolek, Div.5 - Trish Richardson 

                             - responsible for communication between Board and captains and for weekly score reporting
                            - full voting members of the CALTA Board

 

II.  MINUTES OF THE 2010 ANNUAL MEETING

   - having been posted on the web site for months, in the interest of time, and as there were no questions, it was agreed to dispense with the reading of the minutes.

 

III. FINANCIAL REPORT – 2009-2010 ACTUAL; 2010-2011 BUDGET

    - there being a budgeted shortfall from the desired ending reserve level for the 2010-2011 season, the Board has determined that a dues increase, from $25/year to $30/year, is necessary beginning with the 2011-2012 season. A minimum reserve of at least $3,000 is advisable, especially if we should need to outsource the scheduling programming, which is currently done at no charge.         


MEMBER QUERY: Would it be better to jump the dues up to $35? Will $30 allow enough cushion?

 BOARD ANSWER: The raise to $30 should be sufficient.

 

MEMBER QUERY: Is it a software or programming issue?

BOARD ANSWER: The need is for a programmer, preferably with a tennis background, who could take over the existing program with the understanding that it requires a great deal of manual manipulation and knowledge of the local tennis scene.

 

MEMBER QUERY:  So is the $30 amount etched in stone? And, if so, when will it take effect?

BOARD ANSWER: Yes, the Board has voted unanimously to raise the dues beginning with the 2011-2012 season.

   

IV. WEBSITE AND E-MAIL COMMUNICATION

 - this is our major source of communication with our members. The website contains virtually everything needed to know to participate in CALTA.  Check the website often.  Check the latest postings on the home page, check your roster, and continually check your scores -- the scores and totals are input manually, and errors can occur. 

 

V.  DIVISION STRUCTURING AND SCHEDULING FOR THE 2011-2012 SEASON

This process begins when the Board has received all “Continuing Team Forms” (available on the website in early May) and “New Team Forms” (now on the website).  These forms are due by May 31.  All teams are listed in order of their performance from the previous year.  Next to each team are any requests, notes, etc. as to positional changes requested. New teams are slotted in according to skill level and division request. The divisions need to be constructed within certain size parameters (i.e.,  9 or 10 teams playing 3 rounds, or 13 or 14 teams playing 2 rounds, or, in special circumstances, a smaller 4-round division) in order for the schedule to work.  Then, the Board looks to see if there are any "natural" breaks. The Board makes every effort to put every team in the position it requests, but it is not always possible.  A perfect example is the format of Division 1 this season.  It was originally structured to have 14 teams playing 2 rounds, through having "moved up" 6 teams from Division 2. It was felt that by moving up the 6 teams as a block, instead of just one or two teams, the competition would be equitable. Unfortunately, three teams dropped out just prior to the start of the season, leaving a very uncomfortable situation in Division 1 – not enough matches, three byes every match day, and, once again, an unequal level of play. The Board has agreed that a different approach will need to be taken with Division 1 in the future. In fact, if it is necessary to have a division with 11 or 12 teams, then that will be considered – with perhaps a later start in the season or all of January off. There are options.

  

MEMBER COMMENT:  We are one of those teams moved up to Division 1. It should be understood that, if you consistently win or are at the top of your division, you will be moved up. Then you are the new kid on the block and have to pay your dues.  And it would have been fine if all six teams had stayed.

      

MEMBER QUERY:  Did all 6 teams have to move up? Could some have stayed in Division 2?

BOARD ANSWER:  All six had to move up to make the structure as well as the competitive level work.

 

 MEMBER QUERY:  We were told that, as a new team, we had to be in Division 5.  Do all new teams start there?

BOARD ANSWER:  No.  There is no rule that says a new team must start in the lowest division.  In past years, many new teams have started at a higher level.  It was a coincidence that the four new teams this season were all considered to be at the Division 5 level.  The Board looks at each new team’s request, and at the playing level of its players to the extent that that information is available; then the Board determines the appropriate level of play for that team.

  

MEMBER QUERY:  Can we start later in January, or even February?

BOARD ANSWER:  In order to fit in all the matches with reasonably spaced make-up dates, we need to begin in January.  And it should be noted that, on average, February and March usually exhibit worse weather than January.

  

MEMBER QUERY:  We have too many matches to make up. Would more make-up days in the schedule be possible?

BOARD ANSWER:  Again, we make the schedule based on the average weather trends.  If we were to reduce the number of matches to incorporate extra make-up days, and then it didn’t rain, we would regret the lost play.  And please note . . . there are a number of extra days available for make-ups in January prior to USTA start-up, and matches do not have to be made up all together.

  

MEMBER QUERY:  We have several courts to make up to finish a complete match. Do you want partial scores?

BOARD ANSWER:  Yes, it would be helpful for everyone if we could keep the score tallies in the website as current as possible.

VI. RULES AND CAPTAINS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

 Last year’s rule changes were reviewed and confirmed for continued use:

  1. CALTA will continue to use the Coman tie-break format.

   2. Substitutions (not changes among players already in the line-up) will be allowed in the line-up prior to 9:45 (10:00 in a verifiable emergency).

   3. The home Captain must inform the visiting Captain of the surface selected for each position prior to line-up exchange.  If this is not done, the line-ups may be altered after the fact.

   4. If a cell phone rings on court, the offending side loses the point.  If it happens on an adjacent court, a let may be called.

   5. CALTA will still allow the 90-second change-over after the first game, but will incorporate the 2-minute allowance between sets one and two. The 20-second rule between points remains.


Other rules issues discussed included:

 

           1.  a confirmation that no points are awarded for a match not played.

 

MEMBER QUERY: What if the one team wants to play a make-up and the other team doesn’t?

BOARD ANSWER:  We do not want to see full match forfeits,;this may be an occasion where the Board needs to be brought into the matter.

 

            2.  a clarification of Rule 12 regarding forfeits in partially rained-out matches; it was determined that the rule was clear -- an issue of semantics, i.e., discussing a match as that which consists of 4 courts of play or a match as one individual court of play.  As discussed and voted on, the rule will be rewritten as follows:

 

If play on a court has not begun and is unable to start because of weather conditions, substitutions can be made for any reason in the line-up for that court prior to the start of the rescheduled match.  If one or more courts have been forfeited and if play has begun on all the other courts, the forfeit(s) will stand. If play has not begun on all the other courts and weather intervenes to prevent the start of a court, any forfeited court(s) can be rescheduled along with the court(s) on which play has not begun.

 

MEMBER QUERY:  Is there a limit on how many dates can be offered for a make-up?

BOARD ANSWER:  No . . . and you have until the end of the season to complete all your make-ups.

 

MEMBER QUERY:  How do you handle a make-up when you are splitting up a match?  Do you have to give away your line-up in advance?

BOARD ANSWER:  No. You can just agree to play position 1 on Tuesday, position 2 on Thursday, etc.

 

                  3.  regarding subs.

                 The issue of subs is determined by Board vote (per the CALTA Charter).  Prior to voting on this issue at the end of the current season, the Board wanted input from the captains and had offered several options for the captains to consider and discuss at the meeting: 

a. should the number of subs on a team be further limited -- perhaps to 3?

b. should the number of times a sub is allowed to play be reduced -- also perhaps to 3?

c. should subs be required to pay dues?

 

MEMBER QUERY:  Could subs just pay a lesser amount?

BOARD ANSWER:  No, the accounting and paperwork would be too difficult.

 

MEMBER QUERY:  What if we kept the dues at $25 and charged all subs?

BOARD ANSWER:  That would not equate to the amount we would realize by raising the dues to $30.

After group discussion, an "informal vote" was taken; all the captains present, except one, were in favor of eliminating the "subs" category and agreed that all players on a CALTA roster should be dues-paying members. 
[note: With this clear consensus as input, the Board subsequently met and voted unanimously that "subs" would not be allowed in the 2011-2012 season.]

 

         4.   new rules in the USTA that affect us. The only change that we in CALTA will have to assimilate concerns the reversal of an out call.  Previously, if a ball was called out, and then reversed, the point would be replayed as long as the shot hit by the person or team that called the ball out landed in the court.  Now, the team that reverses the call loses the point.

      
      5.
    miscellaneous reminders: 
            Captains were urged to review the Rules and the Captains' Responsibilities documents and were reminded that

a. serving refreshments, if you are the home team, is required by rule.

b. matches start at 9:30. Get those line-ups exchanged in a timely manner!

 

MEMBER QUERY:  Are we required to go to a different location than originally scheduled?

BOARD ANSWER:  Not if you do not have enough advance notification,  and  if it would be an inconvenience.  The Board will step in in case of disagreements as to what constitutes “inconvenience”.

 

MEMBER QUERY:  Why don’t we play by strength lists, and is "stacking" allowed?

BOARD ANSWER:  It is the CALTA philosophy that anyone can play anywhere they want. We do not recognize ratings, and only judge team records when placing teams in a division.

 

VII.  JUNIOR RECOGNITION PROGRAM

 CALTA’S Junior Recognition Program has now been in existence for 9 years. In that time CALTA has given out 236 grants totaling almost $65,000.  Only $2,000/year is derived from dues -- which means that all the rest has been raised through the generosity of our members at our annual fundraiser at our year-end banquet. The generosity of the CALTA membership, both through ticket sales and donations of items for the fundraiser, has been outstanding, and this year, more than ever, programs such as the CALTA Junior Recognition Program are much needed in the tennis community.   

One change will be made to the program this year: in the past  the notifications have gone out in March with an April 15 deadline for nomination submittals.  Because of many schedule conflicts, both within CALTA and in the Charleston area tennis community, the time-frame will be shifted to the Fall.  Notifications will go out September 15, with a deadline of October 30 for submittals.

 

VIII.  ANNUAL AWARDS LUNCHEON

 This year’s luncheon will be held on May 10 at the Omar Auditorium.  As usual, there will be a wonderful assortment of food and drink, award presentations and photo sessions, and our annual fundraiser benefiting the Junior Recognition Program.  One small change – we will no longer be calling numbers to announce fundraiser winners.  Instead, the tickets will be blank on both sides (2" x 2") and members will be asked to write their names on their tickets (or bring pre-printed labels to attach).  While this puts a small burden on our members, we feel that being able to announce names instead of numbers will make the process go much smoother -- and will be more interesting for everyone.  Members are urged to bring adhesive labels in lieu of handwriting their names on their tickets and tickets will be available the day before for those purchasing a large number.

 

       There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12PM.