| What's
Offered in Men's USTA League Tennis |
| updated:
4/3/2009 |
| Day
of Competition |
| Skill
Level |
| Age
Groups |
| League
Seasons |
| League
Format |
| Cost |
| Other
Fort Worth Tennis Opportunities |
| League
Dynamics (player numbers per level, etc) |
| |
| Day
of Competition |
| Fort
Worth Men’s USA League Tennis is played on Saturday. Occasionally,
make-up matches may be played on other days of the week when
required. |
| |
| Skill
Level |
| Teams
are formed of players of similar ability and are categorized
by level using the National Tennis Rating Program’s (NTRP)
guidelines. |
|
|
Players
obtain computer ratings as they play league (and sanctioned
tournament) matches where scores are entered into the TennisLink
system. |
|
|
A dynamic
rating is computer generated with each new match score entered
in the system. |
|
|
Rating
lists are updated annually for all computer rated players
and mid-year postings are made available for players whose
rating has changed since the last annual posting. Players
are allowed to compete at a level equal to or higher than
their rating, but not lower than their rating. |
|
|
Players
without a computer rating may enter a league with a self-rating
based on the NTRP guidelines. |
| Fort Worth has men’s leagues for the following
NTRP levels: 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0. Leagues are delineated by level in Adult, Senior
and Super Senior age groups. |
| |
| Age
Groups |
| Leagues
are offered in four different age group categories where
player numbers will allow: |
|
|
Adult – players
must be, or turn, 19 years old or older by December 31 of
the year the league is being played. Players
compete with other players of equal skill level or rating. |
|
|
Senior – players
must be, or turn, 50 years old or older by December 31 of
the year the league is being played. |
|
|
Super Senior – players
must be, or turn, 60 years old or older by December 31 of
the year the league is being played. |
|
|
Super Senior Plus – players must be, or turn, 70 years old or older by December 31 of
the year the league is being played. Age
is the only requirement for players in Super Senior Plus
leagues. |
| |
| League
Seasons |
|
|
Adult Spring Championship League – mid-March through mid-June (teams begin forming
in January and may add players up to the third match). Teams winning the spring league advance to
the Texas Sectional tournament in August and compete against
other local winners for the opportunity to represent Texas at the National Championships held
in the fall. |
|
|
Adult Fall League – September through November (teams begin forming in July and may add
players up to the third match). Teams
winning the fall league contribute players to a collective “Team
Fort Worth” for an indoors, team doubles tournament hosted
by the USPTA. This tournament is held in Houston one weekend in January. |
|
|
Senior League – January
through February (teams begin forming in November and may
add players up to the third match). Teams
winning the seniors league advance to the Senior Sectional
tournament held in September and compete against other local
winners for the opportunity to represent Texas at the National Championships held
later in October. |
|
|
Super Senior League – late June through early August (teams begin forming in late April
and may add players up to the third match). A
combined rating format is used in the Super Senior League
where the sum of a doubles teams rating must not exceed the
level they are playing (6.0, 7.0 and 8.0). Teams
winning the Super Senior league will represent Fort Worth in the Super Senior Sectionals tournament
in September and may advance to further competition. When there are only enough players to form
one team, and depending on level, a team may advance directly
to Sectionals. |
|
|
Super Senior Plus League – typically these players are playing in lower age group
leagues (Adult, Seniors and/or Super
Seniors) but may form a team to go directly to Sectionals. |
| |
| League
Format |
|
|
Adult (Spring league) – 2 singles and 3 doubles lines
per team match for levels 3.0 – 4.5. The
2.5 and 5.0 levels play 1 singles and 2 doubles lines per
team match. |
|
|
Adult (Fall league) – 1 singles and 3 doubles lines
per team match for levels 3.0 – 4.5. The
2.5 and 5.0 levels, if held, plays 1
singles and 2 doubles lines per team match. |
|
|
Seniors – 3
doubles lines per team match (singles are not played in Senior
League Tennis). |
|
|
Super Seniors – 3 doubles per team match (singles
are not played in Super Senior League Tennis). |
|
|
Super Senior Plus – 3 doubles per team match (singles are not played in Super Senior Plus League Tennis). |
| |
| Cost |
| A
$25 league fee (per league played) and a USTA membership
(valid through the duration of the league) are required.
Other costs are associated with home matches where the home
team player pays the court cost (for himself and one opponent),
provides tennis balls and a drink following the match. |
| |
| Other
Fort Worth Tennis Opportunities |
| Many
of the Fort
Worth tennis facilities have their own programs open to the public. Such programs include facility leagues, group
drills and private lessons. Links to tennis facilities web
sites can be found on the Links page. |
| |
