Middlebury Indoor Tennis
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
 

Contents

1  What is my grip size?
2  What about tennis elbow?
3  Tennis shoulder / shoulder impingement?
4  Which racquet should I use?
5  Do you have Junior / Short-Term / Family Memberships?
6  How do I schedule an official USTA Match?
7  Can we get extra warm-up time for our USTA Match?
8  Can we get Practice Time before our USTA Match?
9  What are the USTA time-limit rules?
10  Can we get the USTA rate for non-official matches?
11  Can you help me get tickets for . .?
12  What is my NTRP level?
13  Oops, I forgot my . . . . , now what?
14  What about outdoor (clay!) courts?
15  How do I write my check?
16  What is the surface?
17  Can I have a copy of MIT's Membership List?
18  Can you suggest a partner (of such and such level)?
19  Can I leave my . . . . here? For someone to pick up later?
20  To what, or whom, do the names of the courts refer?
 

1  What is my grip size?

Grip sizes usually range from less than 4" for juniors to 4 7/8" for the largest hands. The difference even 1/8" makes is surprising. Too large a grip can strain your hand, and prolonged use of too small a grip can injure your hand, wrist, and elbow.
One method for finding your grip size is this. Note your palm's three main creases. Hold your hand flat, with the fingers alongside one another, and measure from the middle crease of your palm, up the line between your middle and ring fingers, to a point equal to the height of the tip of your ring finger. For the average woman, this measurement will fall between 4 1/8" and 4 3/8", for men between 4 1/2" and 4 3/4". Juniors will usually measure less than 4".
If you're between eighths, consider the larger grip, but a slightly small grip can be fattened up easily with an overwrap. Overwraps can't fatten a grip effectively more than 1/8", because each layer of overwrap adds to the rounding off of the bevel edges on your handle.
For junior racquets, getting the "ideal" size might be difficult. Just try to get a racquet that's fairly close. For juniors, a grip slightly large is preferable to slightly small both for the reasons stated above, and because they will grow into it.
Another method is to grip a candidate racquet, and see if the index finger of the other hand fits between the gripping ring finger and the palm pad. If there is no, or little, room the grip is small; if there is a gap, then the grip is large.
For what it is worth, a lot of tennis people at MIT have smallish grips according to the guidelines above. This might be in part because 4 3/8 and 4 1/2 are so much more common in stores (and in the MIT pro shop) than the sizes at the small and large end of the range. But, MIT pro Franz Collas uses a large grip according to the guidelines.
For more information, you might try
tennis.about.com/library/weekly/aa012699.htm
or a Google search.

2  What about tennis elbow?

Tennis Elbow or Lateral Epicondylitis is a condition when the outer part of the elbow becomes painful and tender, usually as a result of a specific strain or overuse.
Symptoms: The outer part of the elbow is painful and tender to touch. Movements of the elbow, and also movements which involve lifting, with the hand on top, hurt.
Causes: Although called tennis elbow, lateral epicondylitis is much more commonly seen in people who are over using their arm doing something else. It could equally well be called "woodsmans elbow."
The most common cause is over use of the muscles which are attached to the bone at this part of the elbow - the muscles which pull the hand backwards (the wrist extensors). All the extensor muscles of the hand attach to the elbow at the outer part. If they are strained or over used they become inflamed, which means they are swollen, painful and tender.
Rarely the inflammation comes on without any definite cause, and this may be due to an arthritis, rheumatism or bone spurs. Sometimes the problem is partly or completely due to a neck problem, which is causing pain in the elbow via the nerves from the neck.
Diagnosis: Look for for tenderness over or near to the bony bump on the outside of the elbow, and see whether the pain gets worse when you bend the wrist back (extend it) against resistance. In the event of both these signs being present, it is likely that you have tennis elbow.
A doctor might also examine your neck, as this may be the cause, or part of the problem. After all many of the things that might strain your elbow might also put a strain on your neck.
Treatment:
For what it is worth, rest IOHO (in our humble opinion) is the key, plus not over-doing it in the first place.
For more information, see
medinfo.co.uk/conditions/tenniselbow.html
or WikiPedia;
Tennis Elbow.

3  Tennis shoulder / shoulder impingement?

See:
WikiPedia/Impingement syndrome;
Shoulder Impingement;
Rotator Cuff Tears;
Rotator Cuff Tears and Treatment Options;
Frozen Shoulder;
Shoulder Injuries in Tennis by the USTA;
PT Corner: Keeping shoulder tuned;
webmd.com/..impingement-syndrome.

4  Which racquet should I use?

With no apology to Peter Schickele, "if it feels good, then it is good!"
Other than that, we have an authority on racquets at MIT, Franz Collas, and some racquets available to try out. Hidden in some closets are some (let us say) classic racquets, now unavailable anywhere else, and well broken in. Make us an offer, we probably will not refuse.
You might also look at racquetresearch.com which gives endless statistics and mathematical analysis on racquets and suitability for various levels of play and sensitivity to tennis elbow and tennis shoulder.

5  Do you have Junior / Short-Term / Family Memberships?

For juniors and students, even college and graduate students, there are two. For a really short term, like a trial period for kids not sure if the will play a lot or students home from school for a while, there is the Junior/Student Short Term unlimited play card at $20 per week, 3 week minimum, with 1 day advance reservations possible. For a year commitment MIT offers the Student Membership at $400 per year, due at enrollment, including free court time with reservations up to 4 days in advance (Example: call Monday for the following Friday, or earlier).
For people visiting for a few weeks or more, or those not permanently residing in the area, MIT does have available a Short Term Membership, with 5-day advance reservations, at $120 for the first month, $100 for each following month. Shorter terms are not available.
The above arrangements bring with them the standard Member discount on lessons and clinics. However, that discount is not available to family members, as is the case with our standard 1-year membership at $720 per year, which can be paid in monthly installments.
Families can join at $130 per month with a 1-year commitment, which covers up to 4 family members, including a 7-day advance reservation privilege for all, and the usual discount on lessons and clinics. (Rates for larger families available on request.)

6  How do I schedule an official USTA Match?

The local team captain contacts the MIT office to find out what times are available - not previously booked or not used by regular clinics, drop-in events, or other individually organized games. Usually, the office will advise captains to use Saturdays or Sundays, and suggest not splitting the afternoon down the middle. In other words, Sunday 12-3 and 3-6 or 1-4 and 4-7 are better than 2-5.
Then the captain secures agreement with the opposing team captain on a specific day and time, and books the match at MIT a 2 or 3-to-4 hour slot for 3-or-5 match ties, respectively. (Booking of a 4-hour slot is needed only on the rare days when there is a potential for a serious jam-up of the schedule.)
Postponements are disruptive to the scheduling and are to be avoided, but in any case reported as soon as known. A postponent that is not announced to MIT in advance (that is, a default) creates a moral obligation on the teams involved to submit the court fees that would have been paid for the matches (that did not happen). In fact, the USTA-VT has directed one defaulting captain to submit 16 times $9 = $144 to MIT in compensation for the error.

7  Can we get extra warm-up time for our USTA Match?

USTA rules state that warm-up starts at Match Time.
("3.3. Warm-up time limit: 10 minutes, including serves begins at the scheduled time the match is to be played.")
Many of our USTA Matches are scheduled at the end of our tennis day, meaning weekday evenings after 6:00pm or weekends after 3:00pm. In those cases there is no definite ending time, so there is no need for special warm-up time on the front end. In the case of mid-day matches, such as 11:00am to 1:00 or 2:00pm, we try not to schedule anything directly following.
MIT has not yet had to force on captains the unpleasant match-ending and tie-break rules that come in play if there is a time limit.

8  Can we get Practice Time before our USTA Match?

Yes, at standard MIT rates. MIT will not take reservations from either team within an hour before their scheduled match in order to increase the availability of MIT for other customers.
Click here for the policy on "Warm-Ups, Practices and Scrimmages."

9  What are the USTA time-limit rules?

These rules are a bit complicated, and have been changing slightly as the years go by.
Best is to consult the Vermont USTA web site.
MIT strives to keep the latest rules in the lobby and on our web site.

10  Can we get the USTA rate for non-official matches?

MIT's standard rates apply in most cases, meaning $9.00 per person for USTA official matches, and $20.00 per non-Member otherwise. Seniors may Thursday afternoons, 12:00-3:00 at half price; and walk-on non Member juniors playing with a parent need only $8.00.
Of course, players involved in non-official matches can divide the court fee any way they please among the various Members and non-Members. For example, a match composed of half Members and half non-Members could "assess" each player $10.00 in court fees, payable to the MIT office.

11  Can you help me get tickets for . .?

Oh, Yes! Though MIT's partnership with Grand Slam Tennis Tours of Stowe we can help get really good tickets for all the majors, plus the Davis Cup, NASDAQ, Pilot Pen, etc. Even better, MIT Members can get a discount of 15% on guided tours of such events. See grandslamtennistours.com.

12  What is my NTRP level?

The NTRP (National Tennis Rating Program) goes from 1.0 to 7.0, where 1.0 means you just now picked up a racquet for the first time, and 7.0 means you might win Wimbledon. Most teaching pros in Vermont are 5.0; it is fairly unusual for a recreational player to reach 4.5; if you can maintain a slow speed rally you are at least a 2.5. In other words, most of the local players are 3.0 and 3.5, maybe a 4.0 if one has a great serve, can place the ball well, rushes the net in doubles and seldom makes an unforced error. If you know a player with a rating (you can find all local and Vermont-wide ratings on our web site) then you can pretty well guess where you stand.
But do not be too intimidated by the NTRP jazz. 3.0s, 3.5s, and 4.0s can often have interesting games, especially in doubles, and most particularly in our Round Robins.

13  Oops, I forgot my . . . . , now what?

MIT has demo racquets, and junior racquets. No worry about that (if you are not too picky).
There is a long row of used shoes behind the first steel beam on the right hand most court, thanks to donations and abandonments. You might find a serviceable sub there. Of course the pro shop has shoes for sale; while we try to keep the most common sizes in stock, there is not every size at every time.
We do have some towels tucked away in some closets. Although we do not wish to be in the business of supplying towels on a regular basis, they are available for a $3.00 rental fee.
Usually, there are lots of stale balls behind that same first steel beam on the right hand court. Take all you want. New balls are for sale, or you can borrow a few from the office's baskets of balls meant for the ball machine.

14  What about outdoor (clay!) courts?

MIT does not plan on building outdoor courts.

15  How do I write my check?

Checks can be made out to "MIT" or "SoJo" as appropriate.
"MIT," Middlebury Indoor Tennis LLC, supplies the Court Time, Memberships, Balls, Drinks and Snacks, and the items that can be found in the Pro Shop. "SoJo," SoJo Tennis LLC, provides the Clinics, Lessons, Summer Camp Sessions, Racquets, and Stringing.
MIT can accept MasterCard and Visa for all payments. SoJo does not have a credit card account, and so needs a check or cash in payment.
Sometimes people wonder about the origin of the name, SoJo. MIT Pro Franz Collas constructed "SoJo" from letters in the names in his family.

16  What is the surface?

MIT's Courts are PlexiCushion "Prestige" (the top grade of PlexCushion) with the PlexiPave acrylic top coat finish with grit for medium-to-slow speed. Since installation in 2001 the courts have speeded up some. PlexiCushion is made up by repeated layers of rubber grains in a slow-curing liquid binder. In 2007 the Australian Open decided to change to PlexiCushion, and discontinue ReBound Ace, an Australian product.

17  Can I have a copy of MIT's Membership List?

The MIT Membership List is not available to the public. We do maintain a "Partner Bank" - a list of people, Members and non-Members alike, who are willing to be called for a game. Check on the desk in the MIT public area.

18  Can you suggest a partner (of such and such level)?

We try to accommodate such requests, including giving out names and numbers of Members and non Members alike. The MIT "Partner Bank" (see above) is available to all. We maintain in the Lobby and on our web site a list of all local players with an official NTRP level.

19  Can I leave my . . . . here? For someone to pick up later?

MIT rents to Members a limited number of lockers (so as to be sure we have some for daily use) for $50 per year. A number of players are storing new balls and practice ball baskets in our HVAC equipment rooms, and some players leave shoes, racquets, etc, unsecured in in the locker rooms. So far, all this has proceeded without apparent loss.
Within reason, anyone can leave something to be picked up in the upper or lower viewing areas - obviously at your own risk. Common items for private exchanges are racquets and photos. Please do not ask MIT or SoJo staff to keep watch over any of your own items.
If someone forgets something valuable, like a wallet with driver's license and money, we will tuck it away in a relatively secure place as best we can, but there is no guarantee of security.

20  To what, or whom, do the names of the courts refer?

Court #1
"Frost"
Named for Robert Frost (1874-1963).
Frost is perhaps the most recognized name associated with Vermont, Middlebury and, certainly, Ripton. Frost won four Pulitzer Prizes for poetry, and nearly every high school student has read several of his poems. From the 60s to the 90s he spent summers teaching at the Bread Loaf School of English. The Bread Loaf Writers' Conference gained prominence during his tenure.
 
Center Court
"MacIntire"
Named for Wilson MacIntire (1935-2010).
MacIntire had been active, with great generosity, in local tennis for two decades, most notably via the creation in Shoreham of a two-court, lighted facility which was built with $92,000 of private donations, USTA grants and municipal contributions. Many juniors and adults got a start in tennis from him, not only on-court but from management of volunteers and equipment.
 
Court #3
"Painter"
Named for Gamaliel Painter (1743-1819).
Painter served with Ethan Allen at the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, built the first house in Middlebury, cooperated in the founding of Middlebury College, and was a major benefactor of the College.
 
 
Printed: Oct 28, 2010