Category: Announcements

As per the clubs current constitution, an AGM must be conducted within 5 months of the end of the membership year. However, given the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, prior to the end of the membership year, the club sought an extension of this time frame from Consumer Affairs. I can report that this extension was granted.

Before the reintroduction of Stage 3 COVID-19 restrictions, the club had intended on still holding the AGM at the club rooms. As the COVID-19 restrictions have once again tightened (returning to Stage 3 restrictions), the club will now be looking at conducting the AGM via a video platform.

The committee will be finalising the AGM details at the next committee meeting. So stay tuned for further details.

Once again the committee thank you for your patience and understanding.

Under Stage 3 restrictions, no tennis competition will be allowed to resume.

The six-week lockdown will run past the initial planned start date of 15th August for the Spring 2020 season, meaning that the original plan for the Spring 2020 Season (ten rounds plus finals with six teams per section) is now no longer feasible. The NEJTA is now moving on to their back-up plan: a season which comprises of seven rounds plus finals with eight teams per section. Essentially a half-season where every team plays every other team once followed by a normal finals bracket.

The first round of the Spring 2020 season is now set to Commence on 10 October, provided clubs have been allowed to open and operate by that time.

The NEJTA is committed to trying to run a competition in the latter half of this year if it is at all possible and safe to do so.

With the government announcing the return to Stage 3 restrictions for the next 6 weeks you may be asking how this will impact tennis. Tennis has been identified as one of the sports that can continue however we will need to comply with strict restrictions.

Therefore the following restrictions will apply effective midnight 8th July 2020:

• Casual play – singles only – maximum two people per court. In order to comply with these restrictions, the club can ONLY offer the use of The Lakes, South Morang venue to members and members of the public. All members and members of the public can book these courts using the Book-A-Court system. The Mill Park Members padlock, has been removed from the member entry gate at Mill Park venue
• One to one tennis coaching is okay. This means private and semi-private lessons only (if players are from the same household). Group lessons and Squads are on hold for the first 6 weeks of term 3. For all coaching enquiries please email coaching@vassallotennis.com.au
• Community competition must be cancelled until further notice. All planned senior and junior competition have been put on hold
• All other programmes and activity must cease until further notice
• Tennis equipment must not be shared
• Adhering to physical distancing (1.5m) and hygiene protocols is essential
• No one from outside a lockdown area may play at a facility within the lockdown area – and vice versa
• Details of everyone entering a tennis facility must be registered for tracking purposes. In order to comply, members and members of the public will only have access to South Morang courts via. the Book-A-Court systems to ensure we have a record of who is on site at all times.
• All indoor facilities must remain close including clubhouses/rooms

The Lakes South Morang venue will be monitored by Committee, Council and Police.  Any breaches of restrictions and subsequent fines issued, will be the sole responsibility of individual court booking parties.

If you have any questions please submit all your enquiries via. our Contact page.

On behalf of the entire committee, we thank you all for your patience and understanding.

As of Monday 1^st June, Council have advised that we can now have up to 20 people onsite at the one time.

Whilst the club rooms still remain closed, we no longer need to limit the number of courts available for use.

At Mill Park, the club lock will be placed back on the main entry gate.  All other external gates will have council locks on them.  And all internal locks on gates, will be removed therefore allowing members to use all courts.

The only restriction that still applies for Mill Park is you cannot sit around on the site and socialise.  So this means you cannot sit around the forecourt area for a chat.  At the moment, the courts are only open for playing tennis.

And of course, you must still adhere to social distancing rules.

At The Lakes, all courts will be available via BAC for use.

Again, the committee are very grateful for our members patience and understating with the recent restricted court availability.

On behalf of the committee, we all thank you for your patience in regards to re-opening our courts.

We can now announce that at of Sunday 17^th May 2020, we are OPEN with the following strict restrictions.

As you will be aware, the Victorian State Government announced a number of changes to the Stage 3 restrictions, some of which impact sport and exercise.

The directions of the Victorian State Government as relevant to tennis are that sport and exercise activities can resume from Wednesday 13 May 2020 if:

• you can keep your distance (at least 1.5 metres apart).
• you are not doing your activities indoors .
• you can do them with a maximum of 10 people .

What does this mean for your tennis club?

• Gatherings of no more than 10.
• Singles or doubles only.
• Small group coaching. Consider that the parent/guardian of younger children may want to have line of sight of activity, in line with the Victorian Childsafe Standards.
• Clubhouses/rooms to remain closed.
• Social distancing must be practiced at all times.

The committee has been working with local council to ensure the club meets its obligations and requirements as set out by government and Tennis Australia.

The club is committed to ensuring the development of our Junior members and as such have reserved specific times as set out below for coaching purposes.

To adhere to these restrictions, the club will re-open courts 5 & 6 only at Mill Park venue with the exception of the following days and hours:-

MILL PARK (Courts 5 & 6*)
EXCLUDING the following times for Coaching
Monday	4.00pm-8.00pm
Tuesday	4.00pm-7.00pm
Wednesday	4.00pm-7.00pm
Thursday	4.00pm-9.00pm
Saturday	8.00am-11.00am

Outside of these hours, as Mill Park does not have a booking system, if someone is already on the court when you arrive, you will need to negotiate access with these parties yourself.

And in order to make this fair and reasonable for all members to access the courts, social hitting is for a maximum of 1 hour.

At South Morang courts the BAC system has now been reactivated to allow members and the public to hire courts 1 & 2 with the exception of the following days and hours:-

SOUTH MORANG (Courts 1 & 2*)
EXCLUDING the following times for Coaching
Monday	4.00pm-9.00pm
Tuesday	4.00pm-7.00pm
Wednesday	4.00pm-7.00pm
Thursday	4.00pm-9.00pm
Friday	4.00pm-8.00pm

When using either venue for social hitting, you are expected to only have 4 people on a court at all times and maintain social distancing. Anyone wanting to watch you play, must do so from outside the courts.

Please note: Any breaches could result in the Council closing down our venues, a termination of your membership and or a personal monetary fine issued by relevant authorities.

The committee is currently considering extending the current membership year to take into account the closure of the courts. We will communicate shortly the specific details and impacts to all members.

*All other courts to remain closed until further restrictions are lifted

Mill Park Tennis Club are delighted with the announcement of easing of restrictions by State Government in Victoria, we are now in the process of working towards reopening our courts at South Morang and Mill Park for coaching and social hitting. Unfortunately competition is still not permitted under these restrictions.

There are quite a few guidelines that we must be adhered to in order to make the courts available. Until we can confidently adhere to these guidelines, we can not open up the courts. Please rest assured, we are working on this as quickly as we can.

Below are a list of guidelines that must be adhered to at all times by members and guests once courts at South Morang and Mill Park are reopened.

The NEJTA Committee have decided to suspend the current season indefinitely. The Committee are working on a number of contingencies for how to handle the season in a shortened form when tennis does resume depending on how long the shut down will be in place. The Committee will let the Junior Secretaries know of these contingencies at a later date.

Read the full statement here

Junior Singles Club Championship

The Junior Singles Club Championship has been postponed to a later date yet to be decided.

Mixed Doubles Club Championship

The Mixed Doubles Club Championships previously scheduled for May 2020 has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled.

It is with great sadness that Mill Park Tennis Club will be closing it’s gates to all members and guests at both Mill Park and South Morang venues. This closure is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice.

The committee thanks you for your patience and understanding in these uncertain times and hope to see everyone back soon.

 

• All competition games have been suspended
• Club rooms to remain closed
• Social tennis is still allowed in groups of 4 or less

If you are having a social hit please ensure you are following the appropriate health authority guidelines for safe social distancing of 1.5m and that you are following correct hygiene practices.