Welcome to the 2013-2014 Tennis Season

                                    WELCOME TO THE 2013-2014 

                              TENNIS SEASON AT

                  THE PALM CREEK TENNIS CENTER!!!

                                                      November 6, 2013

Courts 5 through 8 are brand new and state of the art.  Courts 1 through 4 are scheduled for surface repairs yet this fall to get us through this season before they get the same makeover (summer 2014) that 5 through 8 received this summer.  By January 1 we expect the repairs to be completed giving us 8 good playable courts for our peak season.  In the meantime let’s all work together to utilize the new courts as much as possible.  We have open time slots where no play is scheduled (current schedule to be posted) and by being flexible and by using earlier and later day playing times than our “normal”, we can consolidate most of our play to the new courts.  At times we might have to use courts 1 through 4 to cover our needs.  Bear with us and know this is a temporary situation. 

We will be distributing (e-mail) and posting a new 1 page consolidated court schedule which will show organized play and seasonal independent group activity by organized group or seasonal independent group leader.  Information will show reservation by group, by court, and by time slot for a full week.  By viewing this form you will be able to easily keep track of organized and independent play activities you are involved or interested in – including ball machines and tennis lessons, etc.  You will also be able to see courts and time slots available for the week to plan pick-up matches with other players that won’t be a seasonally scheduled play situation.  From there you can go on the Reserve My Court.com website to make your reservation.

Social Tennis has been played at 8:00 to 9:30 each weekday morning so far this fall.  We plan to start our organized play activities for the season starting Sunday November 17 with the Sunday couples group hosted by Jerry and Doris Grayson (6267), and Jack and Lorna Lennox (7343) in the 1:00 to 3:00 timeslot on courts 1 through 8 as needed.  Starting Monday November 18, Social Tennis should move to the standard 9:30 to 11:00 timeslot.  From that point forward refer to the play schedule mentioned above for scheduling of your tennis activities.  Club volunteers will also be updating the Whiteboard in the near future. 

Starting Monday November 11, we will be ready to issue weekly/seasonal court bookings for groups who wish to schedule weekly court times and court designation for Independent groups of players.  If/when you have a group of players who wish to reserve a court and time please contact Jim Weaver (7284) to book your seasonal reservation.  As Court Utilization Manager Jim will have the final say of courts and court times available, and you can discuss available options with him.  Once the decision is made, Jim will notify Mike Murray who will update the 1 page court schedule. As needed, new schedules will be distributed and posted.   Your booking will be made in the name of the player who has booked with Jim and will be reflected as such on the schedule.  Club organized play activities will have priority over Independent play scheduling. 

2013-14 club dues should be paid at your earliest convenience.  Once again Helen Arnold has volunteered to head up collection.  Annual dues will continue to be $15 for individuals or $20 for couples.  You may stop by Helen’s place (site 865) - to pay dues.  Helen and Glenn Arnold and Sandy Murray will also be available for club member registration and dues at our Tennis Pavilion at the courts from 10:30 AM until 11:30 AM this Saturday – November 9^th.   Stop on your way to the Palm Creek Welcome Back party.  Please make her job a little easier and pay at your earliest convenience. 

In the near future, our social/activities calendar will be completed and distributed so you can block out those important dates on your calendar.  Also, in the near future more bulletin board postings will be put in place giving new players and existing players an overview of the many playing options available to Palm Creek Tennis Club members, and will provide the contact names and phone numbers of the people in charge of the various activities.  In the meantime, keep an eye out for any new players who might be joining us for the first time and provide what help you can in advising them of our numerous play options.  If needed, have them contact Glenn Carter (7485) or Penny Mason (6603) for additional information.

Welcome back – let’s have a wonderful, fun, and safe tennis season – at the best park of its kind in Arizona - PALM CREEK

Glenn Carter & Penny Mason

It's an Open Season for tennis!

Slowly, but surely our tennis players are returning to our winter home here at Palm Creek.  We've been having a full four courts, and then some, for social tennis many mornings.  Foursomes have been getting together.  The 2013-2014 season has begun!  Come join us!  Our beautiful new courts are waiting for you!
Be sure to visit our Tennis Club table at the Welcome Home party on November 9 in Palm Park.


Photo courtesy of Sue Hepler

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!

.......and our weekly update from our new leadership, Glenn and Penny.....

THE

DECISION HAS BEEN FINALIZED AND IT IS GREAT NEWS:   

In conversation with Wendell Johnson on Saturday, he confirmed that budget approval has cleared the way for the resurfacing of courts 5 through 8 (the north bank of courts) using post tension concrete with work to be completed by the time next seasons play starts.  This is the same engineering technique that was used on the new Pickle Ball complex last summer, and It should assure many years of safe and stable court condition with minimal maintenance.  The hope/expectation is that courts 1 through 4 will be resurfaced during the summer of 2014.  In the meantime, those courts will be patched this summer to put them in similar condition as we started with this season.  We should all be grateful to the management of Palm Creek and Sun Properties for their ongoing commitment to our tennis club.  In addition we all owe Kate a pat on the back for her persistence and professionalism in keeping this important project in the spotlight.

DESERT CACTUS LEAGUE 2013-14:

In recent conversation with Orly Mayron who manages the Desert Cactus League we were informed that they have set their schedule for league play for the 2013-14 season.  Mens doubles matches will be played on Wednesdays at 2:00, Ladies doubles will play at 2:00 on Thursdays, and Mixed doubles play Saturdays at 2:00. This season we had two men’s teams involved in Cactus League competition.  We have MANY play options here at Palm Creek vs. some of the other senior communities in the area, so we are reshuffling our internal league schedules a little to allow those who wish to participate in Desert Cactus and Palm Creek  league activities to have minimal conflicts in the schedules, and so players won’t have to play in both leagues on the same day.  I will have more on that later.  In the meantime, if there is interest in our tennis club to continue and expand Palm Creek’s participation, we need someone to step up and take a leadership role for our Club.  That person will need to get  our teams organized with team captains in tandem with Orly Mayron 561-212-1641 --  orly@palmtennis.com.  She is more than anxious to see more participation from our club.  It seems that once the teams are put together and captains appointed and in Orly’s hands the organizer can turn the management over to the captains for the season.  Dave Pratt has been our coordinator this season and is willing to continue until a replacement can be found, but cannot continue into next season.  If you are interested in taking the coordinator role, talk to Dave.

While we are on the subject of Desert Cactus League activity we encourage you to turn out and cheer on Larry Merik’s team who will be playing their match on our home court on Friday March 29th at 2:00.  By the way, Larry’s team finished the 2012-13 season in second place in their division.   

2013-14 SEASON LEAGUE AND COURT UTILIZATION:

As mentioned above, we have reshuffled the league play schedule a little to minimize conflict with Desert Cactus and our internal leagues.  Top line, Ladies League will continue to play on Mondays at 11:00 to 1:00, Mens League will play at 11:00 – 1:00 on Tuesdays, Mixed will play 11:00 – 1:00 on Thursdays, and the Mens Intermediate will continue on Fridays 11:00 – 1:00.  

Social Tennis continues Monday through Friday in the 9:30 to 11:00 time slot with courts 5 through 8 reserved for Social play – recognizing that at times in the season not all those courts are needed.  

We will provide for ongoing tennis lessons, ball machine, Wednesday night couples, Saturday Round Robin + Mens Advanced play, and Sunday couples play in the schedule similar to this year’s schedule.  And, you will be able to make seasonal court bookings for those groups who play weekly or more frequently in the early November time period.  

EVENTS SCHEDULE FOR THE 2013-14 SEASON:

We are working to establish and confirm dates for the Events Schedule through The Activities Department before we wrap up the spring season.  We will communicate dates, times, etc. as soon as possible.

BINGO CHAIRS AND TABLES BREAKDOWN:

As you have heard many times this activity is a very important part of our fund raising efforts for the club.  Please mark your calendars for the last 3 Monday nights of this season (March 25th, April 1st, and April 8th), and show up at 9:00 PM at the Ballroom -- if you are still here to help.  With many hands involved it really is short work - like 15+/- minutes.  Sieny is the leader of the process through March 25th, and Hank will head up the last 2 weeks.

Update....Annual Meeting...message from Kate

Hi all,

Lots to report:

Saturday Night at the Courts:

It was a glorious evening.  The weather was perfect, there was an abundance of wine and appetizers, some very entertaining tennis with lots of tricky shots and good finesse at the net and great “trash talking” from the gallery.  We also had a surprise visit during the singing of “God Save the Queen” from non-other than, you guessed it, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.  What a grand way to close the season and celebrate our new courts!!  We have quite a few people who took photos - some of which have been posted on the blog. (see below)  So, if you were not able to attend you will be able to view the photos on our blog and vicariously experience the evening.

Annual Meeting:

We started with a thank you to all of our members with a great pizza, and caesar salad dinner and then we started the meeting.  First order of business was to share that there is a rumor going around that Sun Communities is going to redo the tennis courts with a layer of post tension concrete.  Doug Anderson shared that he had heard from Jim Dawson, that they were going to redo the North Courts, currently numbered 5-8, this summer and courts 1-4 next summer. This has not been confirmed but from past experience, nothing is “cast in concrete” until they actually start the construction process.  But, it does sound like they are aware of the need to work on the tennis courts.

The new cast of volunteers to run the tennis club for the 2013/2014 season is now in place.  The nominating committee came up with an excellent idea for reorganizing the structure and making the jobs a bit more focused and hopefully less demanding.  The following people were voted into the new structure of the tennis club:

CHAIR PERSONS                                   Glenn Carter and Penny Mason

-Liaison with Park General Manager, Activities Director

-Marketing/Advertising the Tennis Club

-Invesitgate Free Tennis-related Banners for Courts

-Inventory to Activities Office

-Communication with Managers

-Fundraising Through Park Activities

            Chairs/Tables:                      Bingo                         Seiny Kouwenhoven

                                                            Craft Fair                   Herbert McMahon

                                                            Entertainment           Claude Farley

-Weekly Update to Members via Email                            Sandy Murray

FINANCE/BUSINESS MANAGER                                     Gerri Dey

-Inventory Report to Chairpersons for Park Management

-Budget to Chairpersons for Park Management

-Cash Flow

-Banking

-Financial Statements

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGERS                 Sandy Hurlburt

                                                                             Sandy Murray

                                                                                                                            

Membership Roster                                                             Helen Arnold

Email Contact List                                                                Sandy Hurlburt

Notice Board:                                                                        Mary Sullivan-Pondell

-Ensure all events are posted by persons in charge.

White Board                                                                          Jill Gaines & Kate Perrie

Tennis Club Blog                                                                 Mary Williams

Generic Sign-Up Sheets for all Events                            Mary Williams

Tennis Club Information Sheet for Activities Office and Club Notice Board

                                                                                                Mary Williams

COURT  UTILIZATION  MANAGER               Jim Weaver       

-Responsible for all scheduled play court assignments during the season

On Line Booking System.                                                  Mike Murray

White Board                                                                          Kate Perrie & Jill Gaines

Purchase and distribution of tennis balls, new and used.       To be determined

Coordinate with Captains weekly requirements for various groups on the courts

Social Tennis           Monday                                  Henry Coulombe

                                                Tuesday                                 Mary Sullivan Pondell

                                                Wednesday                           Roger Jensen

                                                Thursday                               John Blessen

                                                Friday                                     Jim Hemple

                        Spares:    Annamaria Penterits, Wayne Black, Ted Knowles

            Sunday Couples                              Jerry and Doris Grayson

                                                                        Jack and Lorna Lennox

            Monday Ball Machine  101            Hank and Glady Olson 

            Tuesday Lessons                            Mary Ellen Halm

                                                                        Rhoda Zaph

                                                                        Skip Nirenberg

                                                                        Walt Krahl

            Wednesday Mixed League            Jim Weaver, Janice Jensen

            Wednesday Night Couples            To be determined

            Saturday Round Robin                  Glenn Arnold

            Ladies League (Mon)                      Connie Emerson

Bonnie Morgan

                                                                        Zuzanna Seba

Men’s League   (Tue)                      Jim Weaver

            Men’s Intermediate  (Fri)                 Bob McConnell

            Ladies Advanced                             To be determined

            Men’s Advanced                              Mark Costello

            Cactus League                                 To be determined

            Inform Jim Weaver of Times for Special Tennis Events

            Tennis Club Tournament               Connie Emerson

                                                                        Bob Gibson

                                                                        Brian Younge

            Cancer Tournament                        Roberta Gill

                                                                        Charlotte Duckett

                                                                        John Blessen                      

            Member Mixers                                 TBA

EVENTS MANAGERS                            Helen Baggett   and   Marg Wildeman

-Liaison with PC Activities Office Director and Staff

-Book Rooms, Sound System,  Pavilion,  Chairs/Tables etc.

-Support Tennis Club Activities which may require a socializing aspect

Maintain Supplies and Binder of Information in Tennis Shed Bins  Marion Gavin

            Tennis Club Tournament                                                               Connie Emerson

                                                                                                                        Brian Younge

                                                                                                                        Bob Gibson

            Cancer Awareness Dance                                                             Nancy Restun

                                                                                                                        Penny Jacobsen

                                                                                   

            Happy Hours at the Pavilion

                        Fall Welcome Back                                                              To be determined

Arkansas Tennis Mixer                                                       To be determined

March Farewell Tennis Mixer and Social                        To be determined

COURT and EQUIPMENT  MAINTENANCE  MANAGERS

                                                          Walt Krahl   and   Glenn Arnold  

-Inventory beginning and end of season to Finance Manager and Chairpersons

-Wind Screens

-Sun Screens

-Courts

-Nets

Ball Machine                                                Hank Olson

Tennis Club Banner                                   Bob DeBonville

Willing participants:

                        Bob Fulton

                        Norm Bushee

                        Wayne Black

Its quite a team and it provides good omens for a wonderous 2013/2014 tennis season!

People Update:

I received this email from Larry Marik with more info on the concert in which he will be performing.  I hope that there will be a lot of tennis players in the audience to support Larry and this great concert!

Here is some information about the March concert.

Where - Palm Creek - Swimming pool area

Date - March 29th (last Friday of March)

Time - 6-8:30 ( 6-7 is Piano 7-8:30 Central Arizona College Jazz Ensemble)  

Tickets - get at office $10.00

Other info - will be mailed to all of us still here about a week before.

I hope this helps or just ask me when we see each other on the courts..

Thanks

Larry Marik

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you

When Mark and I were voted into our positions three years ago we thought that we were going to be immediately kicked out when we introduced the idea of an “online” tennis court reservation system.  But, you graciously put up with the “new fangled” idea and some of you even embraced it – thank you Glenn!!!  Now, its three years later and its time for us to “pass the baton.”  It’s been a wonderous three years due in large part to the amazing people who make up the Palm Creek Tennis Club.  So, to those of you who played tennis at Palm Creek this year and to those of you on the distribution list who have played tennis here in the past (and like to stay in touch with all the happenings) I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, a big thank you.  Thanks for all of your support, thanks for your warm and welcoming ways, and thanks for being open to new ideas and different ways of doing things.  I know that Glenn and Penny and their team will take this club to the next level.  And, isnt that exciting!!!  I am so enjoying the beautiful and fragrant flower arrangement sitting in front of me.   Mark and I want to extend a huge thank you to all who signed the very special cards and the unnecessary, but very generous gift certificate to BeDillon’s which will provide us with quite a few very nice dinners!! You guys are just too good to us!

Lastly, with a tear in my eye because I am going to miss these weekly chats with you, I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to come into your “home” every week and share the excitement and energy of our great tennis club.

It has been one amazing ride,

Kate  

Saturday Night at the Courts - A Black Tie Affair

March 16 was a perfect evening for the Tennis Club Annual Black Tie Affair - Saturday Night at the Courts.

As guests arrived, wine bottles were placed in appropriate groupings and opened so they could "breathe" before the festivities began.

To start the Opening Ceremonies a group gathered before the American Flag to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" and before the Canadian Flag to sing "O Canada".

In honor of the pinnacle tennis event, Wimbledon, we sang the British "God Save the Queen"........and suddenly....

Her Majesty, the Queen, and Prince Phillip arrived to share in our gala event.

Party go-ers mingled on the court enjoying wine and appetizers and settled in to watch the exhibition tennis event...

three sets of tennis played by Bev Argo, Mary Ellen Halm, Mark Costello and Manfred Sohni.

We thank our President, Kate Perrie and husband, Mark Costello, and their committee of helpers who planned a wonderful evening.

A good time was had by all!

Weekly Update - March 10, 2013

Hi all,

First things first.  I sent a late evening email to Ann Lykens, Activity Manager,  advising her of the increasing problems with the tennis courts including the hole in court 5 and the lifting of the surface on courts 1, 3 and 5.  Ann obviously forwarded my email to Wendell as Wendell and Jim Dawson were out on the courts the following day inspecting the courts.  Skip was on the courts and he provided some user input.  Wendell then called and requested a meeting with me.  He told me that he has a meeting scheduled with Sun Communities and he is contacting the gentleman who put in the pickleball post tension concrete courts.  He did not promise anything but I think he heard our concerns of the safety issues regarding the current condition of the courts.  As I get any further updates I will share them with you.

Bingo this Monday (tomorrow!) 3/11 9PM and Entertainment chair set ups on Wednesday 3/13 -3PM and Sunday March 17^th -3PM

-Bingo

This week the bingo take down on Monday is much easier as we just rearrange the tables and chairs for the craft fair on 3/12.  But that doesn’t mean that we don’t need your help.

-Entertainment – Our last two entertainment chair set ups for the season!

1.    Wednesday 3/13 at 3 PM  The Wednesday chair set up takes a little longer as we start with no chairs on the floor and need to set up the entire ballroom

2.   Sunday 3/17 at 3pm – This is our last entertainment chair set up and it should be easier as there will be chairs on the floor from the Sunday Church service. 

Please mark your calendars right now and come out and help Sieny with Bingo and Ken Swanson with the entertainment chair set ups – If you can fold or unfold a chair you can be a big help!

 

Saturday Night at the Courts – 3/16

The weather is forcast to be just perfect and Opening Ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm at the tennis courts on Saturday, March 16^th.  Remember to bring a bottle of wine for the wine tasting tables, as well as an appetizer to share.  We will have appetizer tables scattered around the back of court #6 as well as power strips for any crock pots.  The forecast is calling for a high of 83 degrees and 0% chance of rain – a much better night.  If you have something scheduled and won’t be able to make it right at 6:30,  don’t worry, you can drop in anytime.  We will have the court lights on until the park overrides the timers and then we will go to candles.  Its going to be a beautiful evening and it should be lots of fun!  Break out your black and white – “creative black tie outfits” and join in!

People Update

I would like to invite all my tennis friends to the Central Arizona College Jazz Ensemble performance here at the park on March 29th.  The program entitled "All That Jazz" will feature a 12 piece jazz ensemble which I have played in for the last two years.  I play in three music groups at CAC and the Jazz band is a lot of fun.  For those of you who do not know I am a musician who plays woodwind instruments.   I have been doing this for well over 45 years. including R & B bands, Jazz Bands and Classic Rock.

I would love to see those of you who are still here on the 29th and I think you will enjoy the band and the charts we will play.

By the way I do play the saxophone left handed also...

See you all on the tennis courts.

Thanks 

Larry Marik

Annual Meeting-March 17^th San Tan Room – 5pm

Its time to close down the 2012/2014 and start looking forward to the 2013/2014 season.  Our nominating committee of Wayne Black, Gwen Black and Penny Mason have done an extraordinary job with a slight reorganization and a wonderful slate.  I will be emailing their slate shortly before the meeting.  The meeting will be held in the San Tan Room starting at 5 pm.  Its also a free pizza night for all of our members and their spouses.  So, make sure you save the date and enjoy the last tennis club event of the season.

Speaking of Next Season

The wheels are already turning in the minds of next years Cancer Awareness chairs.  Penny Jacobsen asked me to send out a request to all of our tennis club members.  During your spring/summer in your home area or during your spring/summer travels, pick up a bottle of wine from the region to bring back for the Cancer Awareness event – sounds like the makings of a great wine tasting or an interesting auction.  But, whatever we know it will be fun.

Couples Tennis – Change for the remainder of the season

There will be no couples tennis next Sunday 3/17 going forward.   For the remainder of the season couples tennis will be moved to the Wednesday night tennis.  Wednesday night you just need to show up – no sign ups – and everyone gets to play!

Tuesday Evening Red Neck Tennis and Happy Hour

Our Arkansas tennis buddies have another great idea!!!   Red Neck Free For All Tennis Event this Tuesday 4 pm to 6 pm. No sign up. Just show up prior to 4pm.  The weather is going to be just beautiful so grab your racquet and join in!

To answer a lot of people’s questions – my back is improving slowly but surely as is my elbow – but I am still not ready to hit any balls, golf or tennis.  So…

Hope to see you on the courts soon,

Kate

Palm Creek Annual Tennis Tournament - Results

 The Palm Creek Annual Tennis Tournament was held February 20-25 amid moments of not-so-great weather.  Competition was friendly and a good time was had by all.  The club celebrated the end of the tournament with a tasty dinner in the Sauguaro Room.  Pictured below are the winners of the various categories.

Women’s tournament winners   (left to right):

Women’s A

First Place – Bev Argo/ Mary Ellen Halm     

Second Place – Connie Emerson/Penny Jacobsen

Women’s B

First Place –Mary Sullivan Pondell/Debbie Plummer   

Second Place –Sieny Kouwenhoven/Sandy Murray

Women’s C

First Place – Rita Yates/Doris Grayson        Second Place – Marci Ingram/Janice Jensen

Men’s Tournament Winners (left to right)

Men’s A

First Place – Robert Burns (absent)/ Skip Nirenberg

Second Place – Manfred Sohni/Maurice Parobec

Men’s B

First Place – Jim Weaver -  Walt Krahl

Second Place  -  Bob Hetzler/Gar Wildeman

Men’s C

Second Place – Glenn Carter/Dave Pratt

First Place – Mike Murray/Dave Davies (not pictured)

Mixed Doubles Tournament Winners  (left to right)

Mixed A

First Place – Mark Costello/Bev Argo      

Second Place – Maurice Parobec/Marg Wildeman

Mixed B

First Place - Jim Weaver/Connie Emerson    

Second Place – Roma Sohni/Bob Hetzler

Mixed C  (not pictured)

First Place – Helen and Don Baggett

Second Place - Sandy Murray/Dave Davies 

We filled the Sauguaro Room to enjoy friendship among our members and a tasty meal.