Blocking tennis courts for lessons, league matches and maintenance

A club is more than free play. There are lessons from the coach, league matches on Saturday, a social evening on Wednesday and the occasional maintenance job. All of those need courts, and members need to know in advance which courts are not available.

Plan the season in advance

Sit down with the coach and the league coordinator before the season starts. Put every regular activity in one schedule: day, time, number of courts and period. Then reserve those courts in the booking system before members start booking.

One-off or every week

• Weekly: lessons, training groups, social evenings and league matches.
• One-off: a tournament, a club championship, an open day or court maintenance.
• Several courts at once: a league match often needs two or three courts at the same time.

Make it visible on the board

Blocked courts should be clearly visible on the board, with a short description such as “Coaching” or “League”. Members then understand why a court is not available and do not try to book it. That also prevents irritation at the bar.

Leave room for members

It is tempting to block many courts for activities. But members who can never book at peak times will leave. A rule of thumb: keep at least half of the courts free for members at every time of day, also on league days.

Maintenance without surprises

Plan maintenance at quiet moments and block the courts well in advance. Members who already have a booking at that time should hear about it personally. Check before blocking whether there are existing bookings.

With a clear schedule and the right tools, activities and free play go hand in hand.