NIIC – Div I collegiate tennis at NTC
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Archive for December, 2010
Bad behavior
Or bad manner?
Few weeks ago at the NTC, we got onto the court when its our time. The previous groups, about 8 men and 1 woman did not leave immediately. They gathered on the alley between our court and the adjacent court and talked.
Five minutes passed. There wasn’t a sign of leaving. Because of their large number of people, it was kind of dangerous for all of us.
I went over asked them to leave. The sole lady gave me a dirty look.
10 minutes elapsed and the talk was still going strong.
I went over again, asking them please leave. She looked at me and asking
“What’s the big deal ??”
I called the USTA ..
Finally they left at 16 minutes pass the hour. One lone guy would remain bit longer to change flaunt his awesome bod with extra 50 pounds.
IF the lady said something like, “oh .. just one more second and we’re leaving .. ” when I first asked, I won’t get up set. I’d picture myself probably telling her “oh .. go ahead and finish your business .. ” but instead she and her group completely ignored us.
As it happened, I ran into the woman yesterday at the Eastern year end holiday party, when new skipper was inaugurated and where grants were handed out. So she must be an active member of the local tennis community .. hence she should know the etiquette of the game? Or might not? Even if she doesn’t, don’t we all have decency and common sense? No? Am I asking for too much?
The fifth match of the season had completed and my team walked away with 9 points, barely enough to keep us in the first place, for the time being.
I checked 6 teams’ total number of player vs self rated players, as of today:
1 … 12/5
2 … 18/1
3 … 16/6
4 … 21/2
5 … 18/0
6 … 13/6
We’re not done yet
In the locker room at the Morrison Hill 摩理臣山道 public swimming pool. The two hair dryers mounted high on the wall. One was broken and one was being used by a little girl. I sat on the bench waiting for my turn. When the cycle was over, she tried to reach the On button but was too short. So I got up and walked over, meant to push it for her. But before I got close enough to push, she held up her hands, telling me
“I’m not done yet.”
I was very sad. In her young heart, she didn’t believe that some one was willing to help but to take it away from her.
“We’re not done yet.” The mother hissed behind me.
Oh well ..
The joy of playing tennis
It is a summer early morning. I tiptoe out of the house. The sun has just rise past the horizon, still tinted with a little orange hue. The flowers and grass are still wet with the morning dew. Birds, worms even the humans are still dormant. The streets are vacant. Even the famous Parking Lot of America, the Long Island Expressway (the part of Interstate highway 495 from East River to Riverhead is called LIE.) is empty. During the 12 minutes commute, my heart is longing, my body is inching, my eyes are so looking forward to the blue courts. After turning off the igniter in the park’s parking lot, I gather up my gears, the bag, water, balls and towel. I always feel the little path from the parking lot to the courts are too long, because I just wanted to hop onto it as soon as I parked my car.
The weekend morning tennis begins.
First come the greeting from my buddies. Yes, someone is always arriving there earlier than I do. I lace up my sneakers, apply suntan lotion and do a few passable stretches (knowing well that a good stretches help provide injury .. ) I am ready to work.
The first 10 to 20 minutes is always for warm up. The courts are usually filled. But it is still very quiet. The park goers are still resting at home. All we have are few tennis bums, blue courts and white clouds under the blue skies.
Sweats soon engulf me, drenching me and washing off my suntan lotion. The sun climbs higher and begins to heat this part of the earth up like a steam pot. A few seconds under the stingy shade feels so good but after retrieving the ball, I immediately return to the burning court. Because I love tennis, love to play it no matter what.
Two or three hours and few sets later, all the water bottles are emptied. The scorching sun seems could fry an egg on my back. My body begins to fall apart and my legs are no longer listen to me (mine). But I feel good, I feel great, I feel I could take on the world.
When I get back home, after a quick shower, it is just the right time to see my children begin to open their eyes, doing a few lazy stretches in bed.
“Good morning Mom!”
A big hug and round of kisses. My weekend has just officially start.
Year end ratings
The 2010 year end ratings are now available! Please be patient when using the ‘Find a Rating’ area as everyone is interested in their new rating.
The warning message at the tennis link on usta. Ha, the long awaited result of year long hard work .. who gets bumped up and who got dumped down. Joys and tears, I reckon? On Monday night when it first became available, the traffic was so heavy that it took minutes to load up. We’re a crazy group of people, not only wildly passionate about playing, that isn’t simply enough, we also care fanatically about how we measure up in our peers’ eyes.
My team of 12 payers has only one bump up: Simon, from 4.0 to 4.5. He’ll be ok to play on our Manhattan team as 4.0 but we’d have to forge ahead without him on our Queens team.
One of our ex-teammates, Anna was bumped up to 4.0 in fm 3.5 in Sept, the early rating. She won all her Women’s 3.5 and 4.0 in the summer (after our mixed season). Then surprisingly she got bumped back down to 3.5 at year end.
Kai did only mixed doubles as I did, but his rating type is M (Mixed exclusive Year-end Rating) while I got B (Benchmark – advanced to playoff or championship round), 同命不同运 or what?
Dan last played on usta league in 2001 as a 4.0 but this time around, he used the questionnaire and got a 4.5 rating. Hmmmmmm …. he hasn’t played for a decade and is over certain age limit .. .. Somehow, I felt the ranking system is bit crap shoot.
Our fourth match was against the team we played last during previous season Lillian. She came to the court with a glass of wine and showed me her new tattoo: her 5th on her right shoulder.
“It is real?” or watermarked..
“It’s real.” She replied with a pride. Apparently she’s a mountaineer and had conquered five out of the 7 hills in the world.
That’s some impressive record.
While playing, I recalled her comment about couples as partners would end up arguing; sometimes had nothing to do with tennis – would allow the domestic matters escalated into court like who left the toilet seat on (or off).
As matter of fact, I have three couples on my team this time – half are related. Don’t you feel a little incestuous 🙂 ..? Well, maybe the league is bit on the incestuous side, year in and year out, the veterans are far more out numbers than the newbies. (And the newbies like me … will soon become a vet too .. till pallbears carry me out ..)
So far, they all proclaim undying love, no argument PDA, just yet.
With last night win, our team is in the first place.. keep going kids!
