Club Description

The Arrowsmith Tennis Club is a Vancouver Island community club whose members come from the Oceanside area - Nanoose Bay, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Bowser - and beyond. The membership consists of all age groups including juniors (see under Juniors), but is weighted towards the retirement age. Court conditions permitting, play takes place all twelve months of the year. Of course, the weather often puts a damper (quite literally) on things in the winter, but depending on the year there are often quite a few days when the weather is good enough for outdoor tennis even in January. (The picture above on the right was taken in early January 2017 at 2 deg, the one on the left in early April 2017.)

The Club is fortunate in being able to use five of the six excellent community courts behind the Springwood School in Parksville and two of the three scenically situated courts on Veterans Way in Qualicum Beach. The times at which the Club has courts reserved in both Parksville and Qualicum Beach are listed under the Schedule tab. Play at these times is on a drop-in basis and tends to be doubles. In the evening, play is either singles or doubles.

During the summer season, in addition to the daily drop-in tennis, the Club organizes a number of social events and tournaments for singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.


Membership Info

The Arrowsmith Tennis Club welcomes players of all ages and abilities. If you want to try out the Club, you can play twice for free. After that, you are expected to pay the annual membership fee. We are happy to arrange for introductory games with current members. For more information please phone or email:

Debra Jensen, Membership Director
778-968-0523
44Limes@gmail.com

Benefits of joining the Club include drop-in play, Round Robin mixers and other tournaments, social events, online reservations for some courts, a program for juniors, and use of club equipment like a ball machine.

The annual club membership fees are $35 for adults and $20 for juniors (under 18 years of age). Members receive a club shoe tag, which allows them to play at the times reserved for our Club. (See Schedule.) The membership year runs from January 1 to December 31. New members have to pay the Club fee for the year at the time they join. Continuing Club members have until the end of April to pay the annual fee.

To join the Arrowsmith Tennis Club, see Debra Jensen or Garry Kaita at the courts or contact Debra as above. You can download the membership application form by clicking HERE. (The form will be displayed in a separate window. The controls needed to download the form will pop up when you move the mouse to the bottom of the window.)

If you are already a member and all your information is current, there is no need to complete another form. Debra Jensen and Garry Kaita will accept cash or cheques (made out to Arrowsmith Tennis Club) at the courts and distribute shoe tags. Alternately, please mail the completed form along with a cheque made out to Arrowsmith Tennis Club to this address:

Box 166
Parksville BC
V9P 2G4

We look forward to seeing you on the courts!

For other Club information, please contact

Ada Sarsiat
phone: 250.738.0687

or write to the Club's email address: arrowsmithtennis@hotmail.com






Winter Schedule

November 1 - March 31

Qualicum Beach Courts

Veterans Way, Qualicum Beach

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Courts 1 and 2, 9:00 am - noon, pre-aranged games.

Springwood Courts

behind (to the west of) Springwood School, 450 Despard Ave., Parksville

Courts 2 to 6 are reserved for Open Play Monday through Sunday, 1 pm - 4 pm.

There is organized play from 1:00 to 3:10 daily to which all Club members are invited. The first ten minutes from 1:00 until 1:10 are for warming up. Play begins at 1:10 and is divided into three 40-min sessions. At the end of a 40-min session, players change courts. The team with the higher score moves up one court, unless the team is already on the top court, and the team with the lower score moves down one court, unless the team is already on the lowest court. New players can drop in at the end of a 40-min session.

If there are an extra one or two players at 1:00 or at the 40-min points, they should be folded in at these times. If there are three extra players, they will play Australian doubles. At the end of the 40-min segment, the three extra players will move up one court while three other players will play Australian.

Sign-up.

Because of court cleaning, there will be no tennis and no sign-up Feb. 24 - 28 inclusive.

You are encouraged to sign up if you plan to play on a given day to let others know who is coming on that day. This is especially important if the playing conditions are 'iffy'. It is also important to cancel if you are not coming so that others are not given misleading information. To sign up (or cancel), click HERE.

If you sign up, you must be on your court punctually at 1:00 pm to be able to claim your spot. You can sign up or cancel until 12:30 pm of the day for which you are signed up.

Players who have signed up will arrange themselves in the order in which they are listed on the sign-up page. However, if court cleaning is necessary before play can begin, people who did the cleaning will have priority in filling court positions.

Players who have not signed up will use any of the places remaining and will participate in the play at 1:00 or, if they drop in later, will be folded in at the end of each 40-min session.




Winter Season: Nov. 1, 2019 - March 31, 2020

The Club has made arrangements with Westwood Lake Tennis Club in Nanaimo for play in their bubble at the following dates and times. We will be playihg on three courts each time.

  • Sunday, January 12, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
  • Sunday, January 19, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
  • Sunday, January 26, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
  • Sunday, February 2, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
  • Sunday, February 9, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
  • Sunday, February 16, 4:00 - 6:00 pm

If you would like to participate, please let Ada know via email in which sessions you are interested.

The cost will be the same as last year, $16.50 per person per session.

Fees will be collected on the day of play before play begins, and the 2020 membership fee of $35 has to have been paid as well. It too can be paid when you arrive on the day of play.

Our Club will provide the balls.







Juniors

Starting in the last week of April 2019 annd continuing through much of September, the Club has tennis for juniors (age below 18) every Tuesday from 3:30 - 5:00 at the Springwood courts. Registration and the annual junior membership fee of $20 can be paid on the first day, Tuesday, April 30. Players can join at any time. We welcome the parents' participation. One or more adult Club members will be present to assist, organize games, and give hints on play. For more information, please call Jill Trelawny at 250-954-3474.

Juniors may also participate in the Club's other regularly scheduled tennis activities as listed on the website under Schedule and in special events like Round Robins and Club tournaments as listed under Events and Tournaments.




2019 Tournaments

Saturday, June 22: ATC Oceanside Open Tournament. Men's and Ladies' doubles. This event is open to all comers, members and non-members. Fee: $15/participant. The fee includes prizes, refreshments and lunch. The tournament format will depend on the number of participants. The registration deadline is Wednesday, June 19. To register, email Don Lefler.

Saturday, July 27: ATC Mad Hatter Mixed Doubles Tournament. You sign up individually. Participation is limited to twelve ladies and men each.

To sign up for the tournament, click HERE. or email Greg Bach. Greg will transfer your name to the online sign-up list so that this list is a complete list of registrants. The deadline for signing up is 7:00 pm on Wednesday, July 24.

For the first round, partners and court assignments are determined by draw. For the next round, winners move up one court, losers down one court. The winning and losing teams split and partners are chosen by spinning a racket. Each round has a time limit determined so that players who start out on Court 1 can make it to Court 6 (King's Court.)

Play starts at 9:00 am and will continue until about 1:30 pm. If bad weather forces the event to be canceled on Saturday, the event will be rescheduled for Sunday, July 28.

There will be a refreshment break, and a light lunch will be served.

Mon, Aug 19 to Sat, Aug 24: ATC Club Championship Tournament With BBQ. Ladies' and Men's Singles, Ladies' and Men's Doubles, Mixed Doubles. Matches begin on Mon, Aug 19. Finals will be played on Sat, Aug. 24. Entry fee: $5 per person and event. To register, please contact Greg Bach by Aug 16, 19:00 h. The tournament format will be determined by the number of entries. Entrants will be contacted by Sunday.

Trophies will be awarded on the final Saturday at the conclusion of play and food will be provided.




Club Membership and Fees

Arrowsmith Tennis Club welcomes players of all ages and abilities. We are happy to arrange for introductory games with current members. There is no obligation for the first two sessions. For more information please phone or email:

Sue Rehill, Membership Director
250-947-9743
44Limes@gmail.com

Benefits of joining the Club include Round Robin mixers and other tournaments, social events, online reservations for some courts, a program for juniors, and use of club equipment like a ball machine.

The annual club membership fees are $35 for adults and $20 for juniors (under 18 years of age). Members receive a club shoe tag, which allows them to play at the times reserved for our Club. (See Schedule.) Fees are due in April. Anyone joining at a later date pays the full amount for the year.

To join the Arrowsmith Tennis Club, see Sue Rehill or Garry Kaita at the courts. You may download the membership application form by clicking HERE. (The form will be displayed in a separate window. The controls needed to download the form will pop up when you move the mouse to the bottom of the window.)

If you are already a member and all your information is current, there is no need to complete another form. Sue Rehill and Garry Kaita will accept cash or cheques (made out to Arrowsmith Tennis Club) at the courts and distribute shoe tags. Alternately, please mail the completed form along with a cheque made out to Arrowsmith Tennis Club to this address:

Box 166
Parksville BC
V9P 2G4

We look forward to seeing you on the courts!




General Information About the Arrowsmith Tennis Club

October 2019 - October 2020 Executive

President: Ada Sarsiat

Vice President: Renee and Loren Guenette

Secretary: Erica Monderman

Treasurer: David Fraser

Membership: Debra Jensen

Social Program: Martine Blue

Tournament Director: Greg Bach, assisted by John Suttie and Don Lefler

Junior Program: Jill Trelawny

Communication: Jim Cameron (email)

Past President: Paul Arnell

October 2019 - October 2020 Officers (not on the Executive)

Court Maintenance: Paul Arnell, assisted by Garry Kaita and Marlin Snyder

Assistant to Treasurer (fee collection): Garry Kaita

Website: Hans Laue

Membership List

Click HERE to see the up-to-date membership list with phone numbers and some email addresses. If you wish to have your email address added or deleted from the list, please call Hans Laue (250-594-1786) or Debra Jensen (778-968-0523).

Newsletters

Click HERE to see or download the most recent Newsletter and earlier ones.

Email Notices to Club Members

Most of our members are now being contacted by email. Please contact Jim Cameron at arrowsmithtennis@hotmail.com if you have email and are not being contacted in this way or if you are changing your email.

You can also contact Jim about any other Club matters by using the email address above.

Court Maintenance by Club Members

Throughout the year, but especially in the fall, leaves and needles need to be cleaned off the courts. The Club is assisting the City in this task and is asking for volunteers who together with others will help maintain the courts in good condition. Paul Arnell (email) will coordinate the activity. To sign up for a two-week period, click HERE.

A leaf blower, brooms, garbage can, and squeegees are available in the Storage Room at courtside. Ask a member of the Executive for the key combination.

Sunshine Person

Sue Wilson is our Sunshine Person. Ph: 250-248-7280. Please let Sue know if someone is ill or if there is a bereavement in the family, so she can send a card.

Racquet Stringing

John Suttie, an experienced racquet stringer and member of our Club, will string your racquet. You can contact him at 250.951.5696 or jdsuttie@gmail.com.

Murray Hough (250.753.0048) is an experienced racquet stringer who lives in Nananimo.

Tennis Lessons

Alan Oslie (250-954-0471) is a member of our Club with experience in coaching juniors and adults, including our juniors and beginning adults who may become Club members. He is available for private and small group lessons at times to be mutually agreed. Give him a call.

Evie Seeton (250-228-8889) is a member of our Club and an experienced instructor. She is available for individual and group lessons. Give her a call.

Adam Kivell is a member of the Club who competed at the Open level in Canada and has experience in coaching able-bodied and wheel chair tennis athletes. He is available for private, semi-private, and group lessons as well as singles and doubles clinics. You can contact Adam at a.kivell@hotmail.com or 250-738-6087.

Gordon Verge is a qualified instructor. Call Gordon at 250-594-2000 for single or group rates.

Ball Machine. The Club has a Silent Partner - Edge Star ball machine which is available to all members (juniors only with supervision of an adult member). Members must have received instruction on how to use the machine before using it for the first time. Contact Paul Arnell at 250-729-1271 for instruction. For information about the machine, click User's Manual.

Parking

The Springwood School parking lot must NOT be used by tennis players during school hours.

Club History

1975 - The Qualicum Beach Tennis Courts were built. Louise Dwyer was on the Recreation Commission and instrumental in pulling together the funding by means of a of 1/3 Town, 1/3 Rotary, and 1/3 Provincial grant.

1978 - The Qualicum Beach Open Tournament was started.

1983 - The Arrowsmith Tennis Club was formed with Fran Jones as the first president and Meep Verbrugge as a major organizational force. 66 members. The Club was based in Qualicum Beach with some play at Ballenas High School. There were a morning of ladies only, a fun day of mixed play, and a singles ladder. Some current members, Christine Aubin, Louise Dwyer, Jim Henderson, George Klimek, Stan Saunders, Rita Stevenson and Dorothy Watson, were among the original members of the Club.

1984 - Presidents Betty Gerbracht and Louise Dwyer. 43 members.

1985 - 1989 - President Jim Martin (35, 68, 34, 56 members).

1990 - President Noel Edwards, 65 adults, 5 juniors.

1991 - President Judy Wood, 128 adults, 38 juniors. This was the first year in which there were tournaments for Club members only - juniors, adults, and seniors (over 55). These tournaments attracted many new members. The junior boys tournaments had under-14 and under-18 events and attracted 24 in singles and 14 pairs in doubles. There were singles and doubles ladders, regular round robins (at Beach Acres). New also was an "Open" junior tournament, with other clubs attending. The Club was incorporated.

1992 - President Judy Wood. 114 adults, 57 juniors. There was an opening junior tournament at the beginning of the season in May and a final junior tournament which attracted 36 entries including 9 girls.

1993 - President Kathy Sturrock, 125 adults, 41 juniors. Judy Wood organized a Ladies B Interclub league.

1994 - President Kathy Sturrock, 114 adults, 40 juniors. Casino night raised $11,000 for new courts. The Ladies B Team won the island championship.

1995 - President Frank Scott, 114 adults, 6 juniors. The first "I Can't Believe I Won This Trophy" mixed tourney was held. Judy organized a fall mixed Interclub league and Arrowsmith won. The "Open" Junior ceased.

1996 - President Robert Stovall, 117 adults, 10 juniors.

1997 - President Robert Stovall, 94 adults, 2 juniors. Club casino raised $14,000. The Club offered $30,000 to Qualicum Beach toward building new courts - declined. The Mixed Team won Mid-Island league.

1998 - President Glenn Simpson, 100 adults, 8 juniors. The Club contributed $34,550 toward the addition of three courts at Springwood in Parksville, with the proviso that the Club get preferential use of court time. The final round robin was played on the six Springwood courts October 18.

1999 - President Glenn Simpson, 93 adults, 8 juniors. The Club times of Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and men's Sunday mornings were moved from Qualicum to Springwood and the fees raised from $20 to $25. (A few members preferred not to move and formed a Qualicum Club). The Qualicum Open became the Arrowsmith Open and moved to Springwood. The Mixed Team won the Mid-Island league. A second ladies team was entered in the Interclub league.

2000 - President Bruce Pepper, 108 adults, 1 junior.

2001 - President Louise Dwyer, 107 adults, 7 juniors. Gordon Verge started junior strategy sessions. The Mixed Team won the Mid-Island league.

2002 - President Louise Dwyer, 126 adults, 7 juniors. A club e-mail account was set up to provide improved communication with members. The Ladies B Red Team wins the Mid-Island league.

2003 - President Bob Urquhart, 120 adults, 21 juniors. A storage shed was built at Springwood at a cost of $4450. The website was developed to better publicize Club activities. The Ladies B Red Team won the Vancouver Island championship.

2004 - President Bob Urquhart, 128 adults, 18 juniors. Due to organizational difficulties, the Arrowsmith Open tournament was canceled, effective starting 2005. The Interclub mixed and ladies leagues too ceased due to the lack of an organizer. Future emphasis is being placed on tournaments for members only.

2005 - President Liz Court, 123 adults, 25 juniors.

2006 - President Liz Court, 118 adults, 23 juniors.

2007 - President Ron Morrisroe, 113 adults, 19 juniors.

2008 - President Ron Morrisroe, 112 adults, 19 juniors.

2009 - President Bob Sage, 117 adults, 19 juniors.

2010 - President Bob Sage, 108 adults, 8 juniors.

2011 - President Dave Chappell, 121 adult members. In Winter 2011, four indoor tennis sessions at the Westwood Club were arranged for 12 participants. A rebound net for practice hitting was installed against the fence on the north side of Court 2.

2012 - President Hans Laue, 123 adults, 1 junior. Westwood indoor play was again arranged in the winter months. Wind screens were added to the south fence. A new court allocation system for the Round Robins was introduced.

2013 - President Hans Laue, 122 adults, 19 juniors (the Club's Junior Program was restarted under Jill Trelawny), Westwood indoor winter tennis continuing, MWF 12-2 sessions restructured (for somewhat more challenging play with both men and ladies participating, starting punctually at noon with court changes every 40 min), online sign-up system introduced for the MWF 12-2 and the evening sessions, our ladies team won the 3.5 mid-Island Interclub League and placed second in the Miele Provincial Tournament, a squeegee that really works was acquired and a keypad lock installed on the locker room to give all members access to court cleaning equipment. In September 2013, the City installed new nets on Courts 4 and 6.

2014 - President Frank Johnston, 116 adults, 24 juniors (the Club's Junior Program continued under Jill Trelawny), Westwood indoor winter tennis continuing, the ladies' team again won the 3.5 mid-Island Interclub League and got to compete at the Miele Provincial Tournament held at Whistler, and a second of the good squeegees was acquired. Fees were raised from $25 to $35 for adults and from $5 to $10 for juniors.

2015 - President Frank Johnston. As a result of Frank Johnston's efforts, the City resurfaced all six courts in 2016.

2016 - President Paul Arnell. A battery operated ball machine was acquired, along with Babolat pressure-less balls for the machine. Visits with the Comox Valley Tennis Club at Springwood and in Comox were arranged.

2017 - President Paul Arnell.

2018 - President Ada Sarsiat.

2019 - President Ada Sarsiat.