FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

⌂  YWTC hasn't replied to my email (phone call)    — ​  WHY ?
  • Before asking, please read very carefully: This page provides answers to most questions !
  • If you'd rather engage with us face-to-face, you're welcome to drop by any weekend morning for a chat.

MEMBERSHIP 

1.  I AM APPLYING AS A NEW MEMBER   — ​ WHAT ARE MY CHANCES ?
  • The earlier, the better.​​​
2.  The MEMBERSHIP CAP — ​ HOW DOES THAT WORK?
  • Due to high demand, we cap the total number of Adult members.
  • Priority is given to returning (2023) YWTC members who have until April 30th to renew.
  • On May 1st, we begin accepting waitlisted New Members to fill the spots of members who haven't renewed.
  • In 2023, we reached our cap by the end of May, and closed the door to New Memberships. 
  • ​This year (2024), we are receiving a higher number of applications than in 2023.
  • Given this trend, we will reach our cap earlier than last year.
  • Applications received after the cap is reached will be placed on the 2025 waiting list.​​​
3.  CASH (CREDIT, DEBIT, CHEQUE) PAYMENT & PAPER FORM APPLICATIONS    — ​ ARE THEY ACCEPTED ?
  • ​​​No.
  • Handling of paper (cash, cheques, forms) ADDS TO THE WORK LOAD of our Executive Board.
  • To spare us the headache & save our time, we insist on electronic payment & online application.
  • It's the quickest, & most efficient way.
  • If you REALLY struggle with keyboards:  an Executive Board member is at the Club Sat & Sun mornings DURING THE FIRST SIX WEEKS OF THE SEASON (April to mid-May) to help members fill out online forms, accept cash & cheque payments, & issue membership shoe tags, & receipts. 
  • We  do not accept credit nor debit cards, & have no plans to change this policy.
4.  FAMILY MEMBERSHIP PLAN     — ​ can i apply ?
  • This attractively priced Plan is for parents with children under 18yrs of age.
  • The purpose of the Plan is to promote youth participation in our Junior tennis programs, & family tennis fun. 
  • The Plan is not for childless couples, couples with infants or children who are too young (under 5yrs) to play tennis.
5.  STUDENT membership IS A GOOD DEAL     — ​ CAN I APPLY AS A STUDENT?
  • Yes, our Student membership fee is a fantastic deal but is restricted to full-time students.
  • Student applicants must submit proof of full-time enrollment in a post-secondary educational institution (a recently dated tuition invoice, letter or certificate from the Registrar).
  • PDFs of the supporting documents mentioned above should be emailed to [email protected] at the same time as the Membership Application Form is submitted.
  • We reserve the right to decline Student applications that do not meet our eligibility standards.
6.  WHAT DOES THE MEMBERSHIP FEE INCLUDE ?
  • The Membership Fee gets you:
    1. Court booking privileges
    2. Invitations to our Opening & Closing Day BBQs
    3. Voting privileges at our Annual General Meeting (Adult members only)
    4. The right to bring one or more guests ($15. per person guest fee applies)​
  • Activities are offered a la carte—at extra cost—giving members the choice to opt in or out.
  • These include InterCounty, House League, Ladder, Tournaments, Round-Robin Socials, Clinics & private lessons from our Head Pro.
  • Activity fees cover new ball costs, food/refreshments, prizes, & administrative expenses.
7.  I WAS A YWTC MEMBER BEFORE   — ​ WHY MUST I PAY THE ADMIN FEE AGAIN ?
  • To be eligible for the renewal rate, you must renew your membership each year.​
  • If you skip renewing 1yr or more, then you must apply as a New Member & pay the Admin Fee again.
8.  TRIAL MEMBERSHIPS, TRIAL LESSONS    — ​ ARE THEY AVAILABLE ? 
  • No.
9.  FRACTIONAL (REDUCED RATE) MEMBERSHIPS FOR PART OF THE SEASON    — ​ ARE THEY AVAILABLE ?
  • No.
10.  What is the membership period?
  • The membership period is based on the calendar year, Jan 1st to Dec 31st.​

CLUB ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS & LESSONS

1.  I DON'T KNOW ANYONE at ywtc  —  HOW DOes a newcomeR GET started ?
  • 1st, Join YWTC.
  • 2nd, Add your name to our Hitting Partner List.
  • The List shows names, contact info, playing level, and preferred times of other members looking for same.
  • Reach out to others to arrange a hitting session, or wait for them to reach out to you.
  • 3rd, Join our Monday Doubles House League.
  • All levels of play are accommodated at House League, plus you'll meet a lot of members as a bonus.
  • 4th, Attend our socials  where (Doubles) Round Robin is the name of the game.
  • 5th, Ask our Head Pro--he knows everybody's game--to match you up with someone your level.
  • 6th, Try some solo practice by taking advantage of our hitting wall located behind the Clubhouse.
​
2.  HOUSE LEAGUE —  WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT ?
  • All Adult & Teen members are welcome to join HL.
  • In HL, players of comparable skill levels are grouped for a friendly, relaxed game of doubles.
  • HL starts in May & ends in Sept:  About 20 sessions in all, INCLUDING official holidays.
  • You have a choice of Mondays (Beginner & Intermediate), or Wednesdays (Advanced). 
  • ​We run two sessions:  7pm, & 8:30pm.
  • To be fair, you'd start some weeks @7pm, others @8:30pm:  You do not get a choice of times. 
  • As there are more players than spots, we use a rotation system where members will occasionally have to sit out one week so others have a turn to play. 
  • HL members are eligible to register for free 6pm HL Clinics led by our Head Pro (participation limits apply.)
  • HL entails a one-time $20. fee to cover ball costs, & software for tracking players, scores, & schedules.
3.  I'M NOT INTO DOUBLES  —  WHAT DOES YWTC OFFER THE SINGLES PLAYER ?
  • For the competitive-minded Singles player, we offer the Ladder (a one-time $15. fee applies)
  • The Ladder allows you to challenge others to a Singles match at a mutually convenient time.
  • The fee covers the cost of software for Ladder administration, tracking match results, & standings.
  • Doubles accounts for most of the tennis played at YWTC, & is encouraged as it maximizes court usage.
4.  PRIVATE LESSON WITH THE HEAD PRO    — ​ what'S the rate ?
  • $70.  per hour payable via cash or  Interac e-Transfer.
  • If you're interested in semi-private (2 persons) or group rates (3 or more), the Pro will be happy to discuss.
5.  PICKLEBALL     — ​  is IT PERMITTED AT YWTC ?
  • No.
​6.  intercounty    — ​ WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR JOINING ONE OF YWTC'S icta TEAMS ?
  • To play for YWTC Intercounty Team, you must be a YWTC member.
  • Playing spots on YWTC  Intercounty teams will not be offered to non-members.
  • During the off-season, members are sent email invitations  to attend  Intercounty team practices.
  • These 2h-long indoor sessions are usually held Saturday evenings at Mayfair West (a fee applies) at monthly intervals (Dec ~ Mar)
  • An outdoor practice session (no fee applied) is also held at YWTC in early May, before ICTA plays begins.
  • Our Head Pro & Team Captains will jointly evaluate your performance at these practices, & will lay out your team options before the ICTA roster submission deadline.
  • Starting lineup players (home game only) will chip in to help cover the cost for new balls, & refreshment/snack expenses (the latter served at the Team Captain's discretion).
  • Note:   Intercounty consists of Doubles play exclusively.
7.  IS IT POSSIBLE TO SET UP SINGLES MATCHES WITH PLAYERS FROM OTHER CLUBS ?
  • Join Community Tennis Networks (CTN)  www.communitytennisnetwork.com/networks​​
  • CTN lets you connect with other Singles players in the GTA, and at your level.
  • CTN keeps it close to home:  Toronto West, Toronto East, Mississauga, Vaughan, Brampton, or beyond. 
  • Invite your opponent to play at York-Weston but you will be responsible for paying the $15. guest fee, and registering your guest into YWTC's online court booking system.
  • Or get invited to play as a visitor at another local club (fees may apply) !
  • Playing CTN matches gives you an ITF World Tennis Number, an ITF WTN ranking you can track, & your match score history.
  • Registration is free!  Plus they're giving away fantastic prizes!   What an amazing deal !
  • But wait, it's not actually free — You've already paid for CTN!
  • About 10% of your YWTC membership fee goes to the OTA each year (OTA runs CTN in conjunction with Tennis Canada).
  • So thank you very much OTA for giving something back!
8.  RAINED Out    —  ​how do i know if a program is cancelled due to rain ?
  • Check Status Updates for the latest info on court conditions, & program status.​

BEGINNERS & JUNIORS

1.  I'M A BEGINNER    — ​  WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO LEARN THE BASICS ?
  • Our Newbie Clinic is expressly for our beginner members (Adult & Teen).
  • Clinics are held each Saturday in May, June, July and August from noon to 2pm.
  • Requirements: Prepayment for 4 sessions (8 hrs total) & a sign-up minimum of four students.
  • It's a cost-effective way of getting an introduction to tennis fundamentals.
  • ​​We'll even loan you a racquet, if you don't already have one.
2.  MY KIDS      — ​ hOW DO I GET THEM STARTED IN TENNIS ?
  • YWTC's Junior Program caters to both the recreational player & the more serious-minded Junior looking to compete in tournaments.
  • Our After-School Program is a great starting point for the casual, recreational player: 5yrs of age is the minimum & 17yrs is the maximum.
  • The After-School Program runs weekdays 4pm ~ 6pm from mid-May to late June.
  • There is some flexibility in tailoring the After-School Program hours to suit parents' schedules.
  • The 2nd Option:  Our Summer Day Camp  teaches the full variety of strokes, & the rules of the game.
  • Camp runs 9am ~ 3pm weekdays throughout July & August.  Attendance can be tailored to your schedule, but 2h-long daily sessions are the norm. You can opt for 4h or even 6h per day, & choose all five weekdays, or less, as you prefer.
  • Kids looking to compete in tournaments will require private lessons from our Head Pro who has over 20 years of experience in leading high-performance coaching programs for Juniors who compete in Ontario Tennis Association, Tennis Canada, USTA, & International Tennis Federation tournaments.
3. Are beginners Able to Join Monday Night House League?
  • To play Mon House League, beginners are expected to have an 2.5 NTRP
  • NTRP stands for National Tennis Rating Program.
  • Developed by the United States Tennis Assn., NTRP provides a way of categorizing tennis skill levels.
  • NTRP levels explained:
    • 1.0: Just starting to play tennis.
    • 1.5: Working primarily on getting the ball into play, placing serve inside the box.
    • 2.0: Can rally five consecutive, slow~medium pace balls at 3/4-length of the court
                                 Can place one out of two serve attempts inside the box
                                 Needs more on-court experience, emphasizing consistency.​
                    •   2.5  Is ready to play league matches and low-level tournaments.
  • Beginners who have not yet reached the 2.5 NTRP are encouraged to enroll in our Newbie Clinic.
  • The Newbie Clinic will help beginners reach the 2.5 NTRP level.
  • Newbie Clinic are led by experienced, TPA-accredited instructors.

CLUB OPERATIONS & FACILITIES

1.  HOW IS THE CLUB RUN ?
  • YWTC is a non-profit, community-based Club operating under a seasonal permit issued by the City of Toronto's Parks, Forestry & Recreation Dept.
  • The Club is governed by an Executive Board elected annually by the Membership under the YWTC Constitution & By-Laws, a copy of which is found on this site.
  • The Club relies entirely on volunteers who contribute their time, & expertise to Club operations.
  • There are no paid staff positions at YWTC.​
2.  MEMBERSHIP FEES     — ​   WHERE DOES ALL THE MONEY GO ?
  • ​​Your Membership Fees cover our operating expenses: 
    • Maintenance & repair of the Clubhouse, and court surface.
    • Court equipment costs (LED lights, nets, windscreens, squeegees etc).
    • The seasonal permit fee issued by the City of Toronto's Parks, Forestry & Recreation Department.
    • Ontario Tennis Association membership fees.
    • Insurance.
    • ​Intercounty Tennis Association team registration fees.
  • Any surplus is set aside in a reserve fund for court resurfacing, a major project undertaken every 15y, or so.
  • ​By the Club Constitution & By-Laws, the Club Treasurer is obligated to present the Treasurer's report to the Membership at the Annual General Meeting held at the conclusion of every season.
​​​​​​​3.  HOW LONG IS THE CLUB SEASON ?
  • We are a year-round club, nets are always up, and play continues throughout the year.
  • As our Clubhouse is not winterized, it is closed in Oct/Nov and reopens in April.
  • House League, Intercounty start in early May, and continue until mid-September.​​
4.  THE OFF-SEASON     — ​   WHAT's going on at ywtc DURING THE WINTER ?
  • Nets are left up year-round for our members who enjoy playing at YWTC year-round.
  • The Clubhouse & Clubhouse washrooms are closed during the winter.
  • As winter tennis is inherently hazardous because of the danger of slipping & falling on the ice, winter tennis players are asked to sign liability waiver forms acknowledging the dangerous nature of winter tennis, that they are playing at their own risk, & that they assume all responsibility for the consequences of their actions.
5.  THE Clubhouse       — ​   What Does IT offer ?​
  • YWTC's first clubhouse shorturl.at/wAEJS was washed away by Hurricane Hazel in 1954.
  • Our current clubhouse was funded & built in the 1970s entirely with member donations. 
  • Modest but cozy, it offers:
                     ☺Lounge area with TV
​                     ☺Kitchenette
                   ☺Mens & Womens Washrooms, each with changing rooms    
                   ☺Free WiFi          
  • Regrettably, our Clubhouse does not offer
                   😥   Lockers
                   😥  Showers
6.  WHY'S THE entrance GATE LOCKED ? 
  • In response to repeated break-ins, theft of Club property, and vandalism, and on the advice of the Toronto Police Dept., and YWTC's insurer, the YWTC Executive Board and the City of Toronto's Parks, Forestry & Recreation Dept. jointly agreed on the need to improve Club security by installing a lock on the main entrance gate .
  • The access code for the main entrance gate is shared with Club members only.
  • For the personal safety of our members, and Clubhouse security, YWTC members are reminded to never share the access code with non-members.
  • YWTC members are instructed to open the gate during Public Hours (Sat 2pm~4pm & Fri 4pm~8pm) when requested by a member of the public .​
7.  is there A HITTING WALL ? 
  • Yes, it's right behind the Clubhouse !

GUEST & PUBLIC HOUR POLICIES

​​​1.  I'M NOT A MEMBER   — ​ CAN I PLAY AS A GUEST ?
​
  • Guests wishing to play must be signed into the court booking system by a YWTC member.
  • Unescorted guests (not signed in by a member) are not permitted to play (Public Hours excepted, see #2).
  • The member is responsible for same-day payment of  the $15. Guest Fee (per Guest) via Interac e-Transfer to
​                       [email protected]
  • Member's court booking privileges will be suspended if Guest Fee payment is not received the same day.
  • Cash payments are not accepted.
​​​​​​2.  I'M NOT A MEMBER, I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO'LL SIGN ME IN   — ​ CAN I STILL PLAY ?
  • All are welcome to play during Public Hours: Sat from 2pm~4pm & Fri from 4pm~8pm.​
  • During Public Hours, no sign-in is required & no Guest Fee is applied. ​
3.  ARE NON-MEMBERS (GUESTS) PERMITTED TO TAKE LESSONS from the head pro or participate in clinics ?
  • No.  Only YWTC members are permitted to take lessons or participate in Clinics.
4.  ARE NON-MEMBERS (GUESTS) PERMITTED TO participate in social events?
  • Family & friends of members are always welcome to attend our social events (the more the merrier).
  • With the sole exception of Ladies Night, non-members (Guests) ARE NOT PERMITTED TO PLAY in our House League, Round-Robin Socials, & Tournaments (including the Davis Cup).
5.  The entrance gate is locked     — ​ ​ HOW DOES A NON-MEMBER ENTER DURING PUBLIC HOURS? 
  • Kindly request the help of a YWTC member to open the entrance gate for you.
  • YWTC members are instructed to welcome all members of the public during Public Hours.
  • If no YWTC member is present during Public Hours, considering joining YWTC, and becoming a YWTC member.

GAMETIME & COURT BOOKING

1.  ERROR MESSAGES     — ​    WHY DO I KEEP GETTING THEM WHEN TRYING TO BOOK A COURT ?
  • Members cannot book Court 4: Only the Head Pro enjoys booking privileges for #4, our teaching court.
  • If the Club's online court reservation system is showing Court 4 as not booked, then members can use Court 4 on a walk-on basis.
  • Court 4 users must always respect the automatic hourly changeover rule.
2.  IS THERE A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HOURS I CAN PLAY PER WEEK ?
  • Yes, and no.
  • Yes — The limit is six hours of court time per week when using the online court reservation system.
  • No —  You can play as long as you want on courts that have not been reserved (are 'open') as a 'walk-on' (no reservation). 
  • Court 4, our teaching court, is always 'open' & available for 'walk-ons' if not reserved by the Head Pro. 
  • However, if you see members on the patio waiting for an open court, you should respect the automatic hourly changeover rule, & vacate the court so others can have a turn to play.

EMAILS, EMAIL LISTS and COMMUNICATIONS

​​1.  EMAILS & MAILING LISTS     — ​ CLUB POLICIES
  • To minimize the number of unsolicited emails the Club sends to its members, the Club maintains numerous email lists based on activity interests indicated on the membership form.
  • Activity mailing lists include eg Intercounty, Ladder, Ladies Social, House League, & more.
  • Members, when filling out their membership form, can choose to opt in or to opt out of these various lists.
  • Unfortunately, emails are not 100% reliable (for reasons explained in #2 below)
  • Status Updates is 100% reliable, & is the primary way for the Club to communicate news to its members.
  • We strongly suggest that you bookmark www.ywtc.ca/status-updates.html 
  • Make it a habit to regularly check Status Updates  to see what's going on at the Club.
​
2.  i Don'T RECEIVE EMAILs ABOUT CLUB EVENTs    — ​ why?
  • The Club sends out emails based on activity interests indicated by members on their application form. 
  • If you were expecting an email but didn't receive anything, it could be for one of several reasons:
    1. Capricious mail servers occasionally blacklist YWTC.CA's outgoing mail server (beyond our control)
    2. As a result, YWTC emails may land in the spam/junk folder where they remain unread
    3. Or even worse, YWTC emails may be rejected as undeliverable, and bounce back
    4. Your name is not on email list for a particular activity because you failed to check the box for that particular activity on your application form
    5. Emails are sent to an email address no longer used by the member, or the inbox for that account is rarely, if ever, checked by the member
    6. The email address is invalid because of a typo (input error) made by the member on the Application Form
    7. ​​Emails bounce back because the mailbox is full
  • www.ywtc.ca's Status Updates page is the primary way the Club communicates news to its members.
  • To stay informed about Club news & upcoming events, make it a habit to check the www.ywtc.ca's Status Updates page on a regular basis.
  • We suggest you bookmark www.ywtc.ca/status-updates.html on your browser.
​​
​​​3.  MAILING LISTS     — ​  HOW DO I SUBSCRIBE  / UNSUBSCRIBE ?
  • A copy of your completed membership application form is sent to the email address provided. 
  • Save this copy for your records as it contains a useful link should you wish to subscribe to or unsubscribe from (one or all) of our many mailing lists, or to correct or update your information at a later date.
  • If you did not save the copy of the form, contact [email protected] & we'll send you the link so you can edit & manage your preferences.
​​
4.  SOCIAL MEDIA  — DOES THE CLUB COMMUNICATE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA like FACEBOOK, oR OTHER  ?
  • No.
  • Our website's Status Updates page serves as our Club's bulletin board, & is regularly updated.   ​

GOOGLE FORMS

​​​1.  I DON'T HAVE A GOOGLE ACCOUNT     — ​   HOW DO I FILL OUT THE CLUB'S GOOGLE FORMs ? 
  • You do not need a Google account to fill out one of YWTC's Google Forms.
  • YWTC members routinely fill out our Google Forms without any problem whatsoever when logged into their Sympatico, Bellnet, Hotmail, Yahoo, or many other types of non-Gmail accounts.
  • Make sure your browser is logged into your non-Gmail account when trying to fill out a Google Form. 
  • If you are experiencing difficulty with filling out one YWTC's Google Forms because you don't have a Google account, we'd advise you to humbly ask a digital native to help solve your problem.