Activity Buses:
Practice will end at 4:50 p.m. Activity buses should leave at 5:00 or sooner. If parents decide to pick up players and take them home from practice, they must do so before 5:00.
Tennis Attendance Policy
Having good attendance at tennis practices and meets is an important part of being on a team. If you are ever absent from practice or a match, it is your responsibility to bring a note from your parents or have them email me before you miss a practice or a match. The only exception is if you are absent from school all day. If you miss practice or a match without a prior note, you may be dropped lower on the ranking ladder. For example: as a matter of fairness to those players who are at practice, if you have been challenged or you have made a challenge (and you are not at practice), you automatically forfeit that match. Of course, you may re-challenge that player at a later date. Bottom Line: As a team, we are committed to helping each other grow to be better players. Having good attendance at tennis practices and meets help us move toward this goal.
Tennis and Minnesota Weather
In Minnesota, the weather can be 85 degrees one week and 40 degrees the next week! Tennis players should be prepared to play in a variety of weather conditions. If it’s raining outside at the beginning of practice, the practice will typically be moved indoors to the cafeteria. Practice may end early if it starts to rain toward the end of practice. Otherwise, practices will be held outside regardless of the temperature or wind.
All tennis matches start approximately at 3:40 p.m
What to Bring to Practice and What to Wear?
Players should bring a tennis racket and a full water bottle to practice each day. Players should wear good supportive athletic shoes and shorts or long work-out pants with pockets for holding tennis balls.
What Will Tennis and Practices Look Like?
About 60% of FRMS Tennis players are new to the sport. So, we spend time during the first part of our practices working on technique: serving, stroke mechanics, moving your body on the court, etc. During the second half of our practice we typically play team games that help practice those skills and techniques. The games are usually everyone’s favorite part of the practice. Also, during practices, I use the back tennis courts (sport courts) to have players challenge each other to establish rankings. My two main goals of the tennis season are to help players develop their tennis skills and to have fun doing it!
Spectator Etiquette at Tennis Meets: Unlike some sports (basketball, hockey, etc.), spectators are expected not to make any comments about how the players are playing their match. Certainly, feel free to yell out, “great serve!” or “nice rally!”. Other than this, spectators should watch the matches quietly. If players appear to need help playing the game or calling the scores/points correctly, let one of the coaches know. At the middle school level, it is common to have players who are just learning to play the game.
Tennis Meets & Playing Twice: Sometimes we have tennis meets against schools who have more players on their team than we do. If this is the case, it is my responsibility as a coach to find players from our team to play twice and sometimes three times, so that all opposing team players have a chance to compete. Before taking your player home from a tennis meet, please check-in with me to see if I need your player to play twice.
Tennis Team Jerseys: Each member of the tennis team will be assigned a team jersey to wear at all tennis meets. These jerseys will be returned to the coach at the end of the season. Players should be careful not to lose the jerseys. The replacement cost for a jersey is $40.
Pizza Party!!
A pizza party will be held usually the last practice before our last match. ½ of a large pizza and pop will cost $6. Money (cash) for the pizza party should be given to the coach prior to the party.
Tennis Information Sheet
**Please Return This Page to Mr. Schaaf by Monday, April 22nd**
I have read the above information. This form must be signed by a parent/guardian and turned in to Mr. Schaaf – office in the Media Center - no later than Monday, April 22nd.
Player's Name_____________ Home Phone _____________
Parent(s) Name
Printed____________________________________________
Parent(s) Signature_________________________________________
Parent(s) Cell phone numbers___________________________________________
Emergency Contacts: Name(s) and Relationship(s):
Name______________ Phone # __________________
Name______________ Phone # __________________
Name______________ Phone # __________________
______ Yes, my son/daughter would like to order pizza ($6) for the pizza party. His/her pizza choice is:
Pepperoni Sausage Cheese
______ No, my son/daughter does not want to order pizza for the pizza party. He/she will bring in his/her own food to eat during the party.
