Arrowsmith Tennis Club

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 located West of Springwood Elementary 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, Round Robins and tournaments for singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. At all times of the year, the Club offers online reservations for some courts and use of the Club equipment like ball machines and squeegees (to remove rain water)..

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 join the Club and pay the annual membership fee.

To join the Arrowsmith Tennis Club, fill out the membership application form and give the completed form to Lis Bang (Membership Director, ph: 250-752-5065) or David Fraser (Treasurer, ph: 250-644-4276) or mail it to the Club's post office address given below. 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 Membership Application window.)

The annual club membership fees are $35 for adults and $20 for juniors (under 18 years of age) and $70 for families (parents and any number of children under 18). Members receive a Club shoe tag, which allows them to play at the times reserved for our Club. (See Schedule.) Of course, they can play at any other times as well when courts are available.

The membership year runs from January 1 to December 31. Continuing Club members have until the end of April to pay the annual fee. New members have to pay the Club fee at the time they join. If they join before November 1, they have to pay the entire fee for the current year. If they join on November 1 or later, they have to pay the fee for the current year, but this fee will be valid for the coming year as well.

If you are already a member and all your information is current, there is no need to complete another form when you pay your annual fee. David Fraser will accept cash or cheques (made out to Arrowsmith Tennis Club) at the courts and distribute shoe tags. Alternately, please mail a cheque made out to Arrowsmith Tennis Club to this address:

Box 166
Parksville BC
V9P 2G4

You can also pay the Club fee via e-transfer. For instructions on how to do this, click HERE.

We look forward to seeing you on the courts!

For other Club information, please contact

John Suttie
phone: 250.951.5696

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

Winter Schedule

November 1 - March 31

Court Etiquette

All members should show courtesy and consideration while on and off the courts. Click HERE for details.

Tennis Code

The Code is a guide to fair play and the unwritten rules of tennis. Click HERE for some interesting reading.

* * * * *

Qualicum Beach Courts

Veterans Way, Qualicum Beach

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Courts 1 and 2, pre-aranged games.

Springwood Courts

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

Monday through Sunday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Courts 2 - 6, Open play.

There is organized play from 1:00 to 3:20 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, there is a 5-min break during which 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. Players arriving late 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.

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.

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.

Singles Ladder.

The Singles Ladder is available also in the winter. All Club members are welcome to participate. To view the ladder, click HERE.

To sign up for the ladder or cancel your participation or to update the ladder after a ladder match, click SIGN-UP OR UPDATE.

The ladder will restart on April 1. The names of all players currently on the ladder will be removed and people who wish to keep their names on the ladder will have to re-enter them.

For a Facebook page listing Club events and some Club pictures, click HERE.

An end of summer - Family Fun Day, was held in the 3rd week of September, and was a great success.

ATC tennis players and their families enjoyed fantastic food, tennis and socialising.

Thanks to all that helped out and participated - stay tuned for the next one

John Suttie at pqotennis@gmail.com

Junior Program

The Arrowsmith tennis club will be offering lessons for juniors again - in the spring of 2025.

2024 Tournaments

There have been no tournaments arranged for 2024 at this time.

General Information About the Arrowsmith Tennis Club

October 2023 - October 2024 Executive

President: John Suttie (250.951.5696)

Vice President: Terry Stewart

Secretary: Maeva Lowen

Treasurer: David Fraser

Membership: Lis Bang (250-752-5065)

Social Program: Jill Trelawny

Tournament Director: TBA

Junior Program: Jill Trelany

Communications: Glenn Addison

Court Maintenance Coordinator: Merv Holowka (email)

Past President: Greg Bach

October 2023 - October 2024 Officers (not on the Executive)

Fee collection: David Fraser is available to collect fees at the courts

Social Program: Brenda Exner (to help Jill)

Website: Glenn Addison

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 Lis Bang (250-752-5065).

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 Hans Laue 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 Hans 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. Also, after rain, Club members use squeeges and brooms to remove water.

Two leaf blowers, brooms, a 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 (p:250-951-7520, e:Alantennis@shaw.ca) is a member of our Club with experience in coaching juniors and adults. He is available for private and small group lessons, including to players or beginners who are not members of the Club, at times to be mutually agreed. Give him a call.

Evie Seeton (250-927-8809) is a member of our Club and an experienced instructor. She is available for individual and group lessons. Give her a call.

Ball Machines. The Club has two Silent Partner - Edge Star ball machines which are available to all members (juniors only with supervision of an adult member). Members must have received instruction on how to use the machines before using it for the first time. Contact Paul Arnell at 250-729-1271 for instruction. For information about the machines, 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. 122 adults, 25 juniors. Visits with the Comox Valley Club continued.

2018 - President Ada Sarsiat. 137 adults, 15 juniors.

2019 - President Ada Sarsiat. 130 adults, 10 juniors. The Club now has 5 Dry Court Winged Squeegees.

2020 - President Ada Sarsiat. 128 adults, 2 juniors. Play resumed in the summer under a strict COVID Protocol. No Round Robins and no Tournaments.

2021 - President Greg Bach. 154 adults, 1 junior. Relaxed COVID Protocal starting in the summer. Round Robins restarted in July and Club Chammpionships in August. Windscreens were added in the gaps remaining at the Springwood Courts and some windscreens were attached in the NW corner of the Qualicum Beach courts.

2022 - President Greg Bach. 157 adults. Donation of $10,000 by Shirley Sterlinger in memory of her husband Kurt. Exploration with City of Parksville to build a club house.

2023 - President Greg Bach. 138 adults, 20 juniors. Survey of Club members on Club directions. Resumption of Junior Program. Plans for additional storage space at Springwood ongoing. Round Robins and Club Championships canceled because of insufficient participation. Ball machine practice sessions with Evie Seeton as coach from May to September. Plans by the Qualicum City Council to paint pickleball lines on Court 2 in Qualicum were averted. Active use of the tennis courts at Springwood and in Qualicum Beach.

EM>2024 - President John Suttie.

Club Photos

For an article published in the Parksville Qualicum Beach News on Jan. 5, 2022 about the snow clearing at Springwood by ten Club members, click Dec. 30, 2021 Springwood Snow Clearing

Snow clearing at Springwood on Dec. 30, 2021; Photo 1

Snow clearing at Springwood on Dec. 30, 2021; Photo 2

Snow clearing at Springwood on Dec. 30, 2021; Photo 3

Snow clearing at Springwood on Dec. 30, 2021; Photo 4

Club Championships 2021, Greg making sure (photo: Niels Bang)

Men's Singles Champ 2021, Peter Dutton (photo: Pat Hansen)

Runner-up 2021 Peter Aylward Retrieving (photo: Pat Hansen)

Peter Dutton Returning (photo: Pat Hansen)

Club Championships 2021: Two Mixed Doubles Teams (photo: Niels Bang)

Club Championships 2021, Greg making sure (photo: Niels Bang)

Men's Singles Champ 2021, Peter Dutton (photo: Pat Hansen)

Runner-up 2021 Peter Aylward Retrieving (photo: Pat Hansen)