2015 ULSTER COUNTY TENNIS TOURNAMENT

66^th ANNUAL ULSTER COUNTY OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT

DICK SMITH MEMORIAL, July 16-26^th, 2015

Application Information

Sponsored and run by the Mid-Hudson Valley Tennis Association (MHVTA)

in cooperation with the City of Kingston Parks and Recreation Department

When? Thursday, July 16-19^th for all doubles events, and July 23-26^th for all singles events.

Where? Kingston High School (401 Broadway, Kingston), Forsyth Park (Lucas Avenue, Kingston), and Ulster County Community College (Stone Ridge).  If we have more than 16 singles players or 16 doubles teams in a draw, the first round will be moved ahead to the Tuesday evening before the dates listed above.

What is important about the tournament?  We are running all the doubles events during the first week of the tournament from Thursday, July 16^th to Sunday, July 19^th.  All singles events will run during the second week from Thursday, July 23^th to Sunday July 26^th.  All open events are for anyone.  Sr. events require each participant to be 50 or over.  Super senior events require each participants to be 60 or over.  For participants in the B-level events, you self-rate and should be a 2-3.5 level player based on the USTA rating scale from 1-7.  The tournament directors reserve the right not to accept a B level applicant if it is determined that the applicant skill level is too high.  We want to make the B tournaments for those at that skill level and want to prevent “sandbagging,” a sad phenomenon when a high level player intentionally plays at a lower level to get rated lower so the player can dominate the lower level.  This totally ruins the concept of the USTA rating system to provide competitions for people at similar skill levels, and we want to avoid this.  There are no age restrictions for the B level tournaments, so if you are a new player in your 20s or older, you qualify as long as your skill level fits the description above.

What happens if there are more than 16 people in a draw?  How will you get that completed in four days?  If this happens we will have to have some people play a qualifier round to get to the round of 16 the weekend or weeknights before the tournament officially begins on Thursday evenings for the doubles and singles. We will schedule this for the Tuesday night before the tournament begins, but both players or doubles teams can complete it even before that.

When are entries due by?  July 4^th.   (Absolutely no entries allowed beyond July 4^th!!)  The draws for all the events will be started Monday, July 6^th and completed no later than July 10^th   That’s why we need your entries by July 4^th.

Where can I find the Official Draws once they are completed?  They will be posted no later than July 11^th at Forsyth Tennis Courts, emailed to all participants who provide an email address, and at the following websites:

www.midhudsontennis.blogspot.com  or www.kingston-ny.gov/content/120/1112/default.aspx (click on parks and recreation and find tennis).

What is the entry fee? $25 per singles event; $50 per doubles team event.  Your entry fee is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  EARLY BIRD SPECIAL – $20 for each singles event and $40 for each doubles event if paid and signed up by June 25^th.   NOTE – in doubles events there is the option of only one person from a doubles team who needs to pay for a doubles event and that person will register both players on that team.

How do I sign up?  Fill out your registration form with a check made payable to MHVTA to MHVTA, 48 Dewitt Mills Road, Hurley, NY 12443. NOTE: The entry must include the check or else it is not an entry. 

Who is the Mid-Hudson Valley Tennis Association?  The Purpose of the Mid-Hudson Valley Tennis Association is to grow and enhance the development of tennis in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley and surrounding areas by providing community tennis programs and services to adults and youths and to support organizations and programs that enhance the lives of people through tennis and education programs that are based on health, fitness, character-building, and self-improvement. It is dedicated to building, improving and maintaining public tennis courts and facilities in order to improve the quality of life of children and adults through tennis.  MHVTA was formed in 2011 as a not-for-profit corporation to raise funds to repair these public courts and to promote tennis programs for players of all ages in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

Who benefits from the proceeds?  All proceeds will benefit the NJTL program to develop Jr. Tennis players as well as make improvements for the tennis courts at Forsyth Park. 

What is the maximum # of events per player?  Three doubles events and one singles event. If you sign up for two or three doubles events, expect to play multiple doubles matches in one day.  Use discretion.  A minimum 1-hour rest period between matches will be granted unless waved by the players who have to play more than one match in a day.

What is the time commitment expected from the participants?  You must be able to play Thursday or Friday evenings from 5:30 P.M. on and all day and evenings on Saturdays and Sundays if you play singles or doubles. You must be able to play when assigned or risk forfeiting at these times. You must bend to our time frames.   We cannot run a tournament around your schedules.

Tentative schedule:  Thursday and Friday evenings will be early round matches with the semi-finals and finals planned for Saturday and Sunday on the respective weeks for the doubles and singles events.  The awards ceremony and picnic for ALL events will conclude after the singles finals on July 27^th at Forsyth Park.  The awards ceremony and picnic will happen on Sunday, July 27^th. 

What happens if it rains?  How will that change the schedule?  Rescheduling due to rain is at the sole discretion of the tournament director(s).  All decisions by the tournament director(s) are final.  For example, if it rains on Thursday, July 17^th, those matches might be transferred to Friday, with a second match played Friday or two matches played Saturday to catch up.  YOU must be flexible to our schedule, as we cannot run a tournament around everyone’s individual schedules.

Can you change a scheduled match in the early rounds? Yes but ONLY for matches before the semi-finals and finals if you can play your match before the scheduled time and as long as all participants agree when and where to play.  You are responsible to set up the match time with your opponent(s) and complete it before the scheduled date and time by the tournament director.  It’s up to you and your opponent to do that and inform the tournament director of this.  However, for all semi-final and final matches in all tournaments, you must adhere to the tournament schedule, as we want spectators to be able to come see those matches and know when they are played.  No changes in the schedule and place of matches can be made without prior permission of the tournament directors. 

What are players responsible for? One can of championship USTA approved tennis balls per event (winner gets the new can); each player is responsible to bring enough water for proper hydration in the summer months.  Finding out their starting times; players will be defaulted for arriving more than 15 minutes late of an assigned match.  Only the tournament director(s) can default a player.  The winning player or team must immediately report the score to appropriate personnel to find out the next scheduled match. This is important in order to keep the tournament running smoothly.

What is the scoring? For all open events, two out of three sets with a 12-point tiebreak at 6 all.  For all Senior events, B level events, and Super Senior doubles best of three sets with a super tiebreaker (first one to 10 points) in lieu of a third set. Scoring may be changed or modified at the sole discretion of the tournament director(s) for all rounds.

A polite request for tennis etiquette:  We remind all participants that this is a public event, and even in competitive situations appropriate sportsmanship and behavior is expected.  We will (if necessary) impose penalties for infractions for ball and racquet abuse, obscenities, or unsportsmanlike behavior. We ask that all participants follow the USTA code of conduct, be fair in line calls, not foot fault, and ask for help if there is an unclear situation. 

Who can I call or email for more information? Scott Taylor at 845-750-8542 or taylortennis1@gmail.com or Tom Turco at 845-389-1488 or ttur73@yahoo.com (Co-directors) or email mhvtennisassociation@gmail.com. 

NOTE:  ALL decisions regarding the Tournament are the sole discretion of the Tournament Director(s).

66^th Ulster County Open Tennis Tournament/Dick Smith Memorial 2015 Application Form

Sponsored by the Mid-Hudson Valley Tennis Association (MHVTA)

 in cooperation with the City of Kingston Parks and Recreation Department

Please Print VERY clearly and return by July 4^th to MHVTA, 48 Dewitt Mills Road, Hurley, NY 12443:

Entry Fees: $25 for each singles event; $50 for each doubles event.  EARLY BIRD SPECIAL if paid by June 25^th – $20 for each singles event; $40 for each doubles event.

Name_______________________________ Phone: Home_____________________  Cell/Work_____________________

Address__________________________________________________________________________________ 

Email Address ______________________________________________ @ ___________________________

Doubles Events (held from July 16-19^th); limit—up to three doubles events

Open Men’s Doubles name and partner _____________________________ and _________________________________

Open Women’s Doubles name and Partner __________________________ and ________________________________

Open Mixed Doubles name and partner ______________________________ and ________________________________

Sr. Men’s Doubles (both 50 and older) name and partner _________________________ and ________________________

Sr. Women’s Doubles (both 50 and older) name and partner ____________________ and __________________________

Sr. Mixed Doubles (both 50 and older) name and partner ____________________ and __________________________

Super Senior Doubles (each person must be 60 or older) _________________________ and ________________________

B Level Men’s Doubles name and partner _____________________________ and ____________________________ 

B Level Women’s Doubles name and partner _____________________________ and ____________________________ 

B Level Mixed Doubles name and partner _____________________________ and ____________________________ 

Singles Events (held from July 23-26^th); limit-one singles event

Open Men’s Singles name _______________________________________

Open Women’s Singles name _____________________________________

Sr. Men’s Singles (50 and over) name ______________________________

Sr. Women’s Singles (50 and over) name ___________________________

B Level Men’s Singles __________________________________ 

B Level Women’s Singles ______________________________

Liability release:  In consideration of my participation in the Ulster County Open Tennis Tournament and its related events and activities, I the undersigned, acknowledge, appreciate, and agree that:

1. By condition of this release, I acknowledge the inherent risk of playing in an athletic event, (including but limited to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, or heart attack) and declare that I am in good physical health and have had a physical check-up by a certified physician within the last calendar year.

2. I KNOWINGLY AND FREELY ASSUME ALL SUCH RISKS, both known and unknown, EVEN IF ARISING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES or others, and assume full responsibility for my participation.

3. I willingly agree to comply with terms and conditions for participation. If I observe any unusual significant hazard during my presence or participation, I will remove myself from participation and bring such to the attention of the nearest official immediately.

4. I, for myself and on behalf of my heirs, assigns, personal representatives and next of kin, HEREBY RELEASE, INDEMNIFY, AND HOLD HARMLESS The Mid-Hudson Valley Tennis Association, its members, officers, officials, agents and/or employees, other participants, sponsors, advertisers, and, if applicable, owners and lessors of premises used to conduct the event (RELEASEES), The City of Kingston, Kingston City School District, Ulster County Community College from any and all claims, demands, losses, and liability arising out of or related to any INJURY, DISABILITY OR DEATH I may suffer, or loss or damage to person or property, WHETHER ARISING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES OR OTHERWISE, to the fullest extent permitted by law. I HAVE READ THIS RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT, FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS TERMS, UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE GIVEN UP SUBSTANTIAL RIGHTS BY SIGNING IT, AND SIGN IT FREELY AND VOLUNTARILY WITHOUT ANY INDUCEMENT.

5. I acknowledge that I have read the application information and agree with its contents. 

Participant’s Signature _______________________________________ Age _______ Date __________________________ 

Parent’s Signature if participant is under 18 ______________________________________________________