ATN Ladder Tips. The ATN logo is a link to the ATN Home Page, no matter where you are!

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1 (please note, this is a work in progress) ATN Home Page ATN Ladder Tips Once you log in to the ATN web site, you are taken to the ATN home page. The home page has information about the current ladder status, as well as other information and handy links. Page Header The page header contains links to make it easier to view the pages used most often. These links and the ATN logo are displayed at the top of all site web pages. - my profile displays your profile page. This is the page that other players view of the information you provide. Buttons also allow you to update your profile info and change your password. - my matches displays info about your upcoming matches. You can also join and withdraw for each ladder. - ladder rules display the Ladder Rules in a pdf file so that you can print them out if needed at a match. - ladder tips displays this page that shows helpful hints. - contact us should be used to send us any questions as it reaches more than one more person. Recommended if you want a prompt answer - player lookup will allow you to look at the match history and profile of ATN members. The ATN logo is a link to the ATN Home Page, no matter where you are! For more information on these pages, check out their sections below. My Profile This page displays the player info including contact info, ratings info, ladder stats, participation in previous ATN tournaments, and general statements. A generic picture is displayed. To display your own picture, click on the link upload picture. Buttons are provided to update your profile info and to change your password. To view your player history, click on the name link. Upload Picture A generic picture is displayed on the profile page. Click on the link to upload a photo. File format should be jpg and something else.

2 Update Profile This button will let you update your profile information. Players should update their contact and ratings info when they join, and as needed. Players that do not provide a phone number or ratings info will not be added in for a new round. For more information, see updating profile below. Change Password All players are given a generic password when joining, or when the password is reset. To change the password, click on the button. My Matches This page displays your current matches and is used to join or withdraw from a ladder. The my matches page consists of four sections, the three ladders (Primetime Singles, Weekend Singles, and Doubles) and the extra matches section. The round dates for each ladder are displayed under the ladder name. Click on the ladder name to view the main page for that particular ladder. Rounds last for three weeks, with two matches assigned per round. Singles Ladder Players that enjoy the singles match have two options, the Primetime Singles and the Weekend Singles. Primetime Singles are for those primarily available Monday thru Friday after 5pm. Weekend Singles is for those available mainly during the day or weekend. Players are allowed to play on both ladders as long as they are available and get their matches played. To join a singles ladder, click on the status link for the ladder you would like to join. This will take you to the Match Setup Page where you can enter in your info to assist in setting up your matches. You will be placed on the New Players list and receive an confirmation. To withdraw from a singles ladder, click on the status link for the ladder you would like to withdraw from. This will take you to the Match Setup Page. To withdraw, check the withdraw box and submit. You will be placed on the Withdrawing Players list and receive an confirmation. Doubles Ladder Doubles is fun! So much so, that you can sign up on two teams!

3 To add a team, find a partner and then click on add team. This will take you to the Match Setup Page where you can enter in your info to assist in setting up your matches. You will be placed on the New Teams list and receive an confirmation. Once your team is added your partner s name will be displayed. Click on this link to update the Match Setup Info or to withdraw. If you withdraw your team you will be placed on the Withdrawing Teams list and receive an confirmation. Extra Matches This section is to assist in setting up extra matches, or to set up a practice session. Match Detail Matches you are to play are listed on the my matches page. The match detail line has links to communicate with your opponent and to update the match. - to change the status of the match, click on the update link - to view the player info for your opponent, click on the opponent name - to send a message to your opponent, click on the mail icon - to view the match history of your opponent, click on the tennis racket icon - the Current Status field contains no special links, just the status at the current time - a tennis ball icon will appear after the status if you are to supply balls for the match - the Date & Time field also contains no special links, just the info to date - the location field contains a link to view info about the courts - the Quick Click links are shortcuts to update the match as scheduled, confirmed, court reserved, or played Updating your Profile (end of current update) Once your account is created you need to update your personal information. Click on the My Profile link to view your info. Click on Update Contact Info to update your contact info, Update Ratings Info to update your playing level. Contact Info: - Phone numbers you need to provide a valid phone number in the event of a last minute cancellation.

4 - should be your primary that you respond to regularly - Zip Code if you intend to play extra matches, or sub for doubles, you should enter in a zip code to let others know what area of town you are in - Birth Date all players will need to enter in a birthdate. This info is not displayed on the site, but used to denote minors playing on the ladder. - Occupation/Info what do you do? anything special we should know? - Personal/Favorite URL enter in your favorite web site - Referred By who referred you to the ladder? Playing Info: - USTA Rating if you have a USTA rating, enter it in here - Self Rating what is your self rating for singles? - Self Doubles Rating what is your self rating for doubles? - Need a Doubles Partner check this box if you are interested in playing doubles, but don t have a partner - Doubles Comments enter in notes about your doubles playing - Doubles Sub check this box if you would like to be on the sub list (note if you look at the sub list and are signed up, you won t show up since you can t sub for yourself ) - Sub Comments info about your availability to sub for doubles - Extra Matches check this box to add yourself to the Extra Match list. This list is from the Information Stuff menu and not from the Singles Ladder Menu. - Extra Comments enter in any comments you have for extra matches. Join a Ladder Once you have updated your info, sign up for a ladder. 1. Go to my matches. The page shows your status in each of the Ladders - Singles Ladder, Doubles Ladder, Extra Matches, and Tournaments). To change your status (join or withdraw) click on the Status link. The general comments, availability, and court preference fields should be updated for each round if needed. - General Comments - how long you ve been playing, are returning from an injury or long layoff, are you from another planet, etc. - Availability List the best days you are available. Being specific and offering a range of dates is the easiest way to set up matches (i.e. Mon 7/1, Tues 7/2, Thu 7/4, Tues 7/9, Thu 7/11 etc). You should be available for at least ½ the round. While you don t have to list all of the days you should at least offer a range of days.

5 An alternative is to list days of the week you are generally available (i.e. Mon, Wed-Fri). If you ask about playing only on a specific today ( can you play today? ), it might work, but more than likely it will lead to many, many s, and more than one frustrated person. Notice - If you are only available on the weekends or not willing to at least travel to central Austin to play your match, you should sign up for Extra Matches and not the regular Singles Ladder. - Court Preference should be used to list the courts you would prefer to play at. Since Ladder Players come from all over the Austin area you should be prepared to play at one of the central tennis centers Caswell, Pharr, or SATC. Playing at a park or high school without reservations may result in waiting for an open court, poor court conditions, noisy bystanders, etc. The General Comments, Availability, and Court Preference information is used as a template for contacting your opponents. - Once signed up for the next round, you will be placed on the New Players or New Teams list and you should receive an confirmation. Waiting for the Next Round: Players/teams are only added to the Ladder when a new round is prepared. If you would like to get in an official match before then, go to the extra match page and sign up. Then, contact someone from the extra match or new players list and see if they can play. If so notify us and a match record will be added. This can help us in placing new players for the next round. New Players contact someone at your level that has played on the Ladder before. This will help in placing you. Returning Players contact someone at your level new to the Ladder. This will help in placing them for the next round. Preparing for a new round - the new round is prepared after 10am on the morning after the Round ends. Rounds usually end on a Sunday with the new Round being prepared Monday morning.

6 - the join/withdraw links and the match reporting links are disabled while the new round is being prepared. It is very important to get all player info and match results entered before the links are disabled. - an is sent out once the new round is posted. Singles Ladder: When a new Singles Ladder Round is posted you need to contact your opponents and set up your matches. Matches are managed through the my matches page. Set up the match: 1. Update your Match Scheduling Info: a) General Comments. This information will help place you at an appropriate level. Typical topics include: - How long have you been playing - Your skill level - Coming back after a long break or injury b) Court Preferences. Enter in where you would prefer to play. Please remember that the Ladder includes players from all over the area, and you may need to play at a central Austin tennis center. c) Availability. Enter in the days you are available, and at what time during the day you are best available. Please remember that you should be available at least ½ the round. 2. Contact your opponents. 3. When the match is set up, update the match status on the ATN site. An is sent out to both players with the updated info. 4. Once a match is scheduled the other player should change the match status to confirmed to indicate that the date was accepted. 5. Matches played at tennis centers may require reservations. Update the match status to court reserved and update the time and location if needed once the court is reserved. Challenge Matches: Players added for the new round, and those advanced more than 3 rungs may be challenged. Since they are placed above other players it gives those players a chance to move up. The Challenger: - Challenge link active 72 hours after the start of the round. - Must have both regular matches scheduled. - Must play and win both regular matches to be eligible to advance.

7 Advantages: - Challenging player may move up Doubles Ladder: Scheduling doubles matches is much harder that singles. That is why each team should have a point of contact. When a new round is posted you should get with your partner about availability. The team contact should then communicate the other team. Kiddo Players: Players less than 18 years of age may play in the Ladder, provided: 1. A parent or guardian is responsible for communicating and setting up the match. 2. A parent or guardian is present at all matches. 3. No coaching! The parent or guardian should watch from off the court. 4. They observe and follow the Code of Tennis, the Rules of Tennis, and the Ladder Rules, the same as all Ladder Players. Temper tantrums are not tolerated from anyone on the ladder. No Shows an apology should be sent. Failure to send an apology is contrary to the courteous aspect of the Code of Tennis. Court Etiquette - Do not cross behind a court during a point. - If your ball wanders into an adjacent court and a point is in the process of being played, wait until the point is over before retrieving or asking for the ball. - A thank you is appropriate when a player next to you returns your ball back. - When returning a ball to an adjacent court, hit the ball to the nearest player. It doesn t really help much if you barely hit it or hit it where they aren t - When returning a ball to an adjacent court and a point is being played, it is okay to roll the ball behind the court close to the fence. - Don t holler across courts. - Changing grips on your racket should be done before getting on the court. - Bystanders should watch from off of the court and not on the court benches. The only people on the courts should be the players.

8 - When returning a ball to your opponent after a point, hit or throw TOWARD the opponent and not just casually over the net. In doubles, unless the server requests all 3 balls, hit or throw the ball to the server s partner. The Warm Up - Should be limited to 5 to 10 minutes - Is a warm up, not a practice - Some people prefer to start from the service line and hit short. 2 minutes - Warm up groundstrokes 2-3 minutes - Warm up net volleys and overhead. 2-3 minutes, one player then the next. - Warm up serves. 2-3 minutes. - Take 3 serves and then let your opponent take 3 serves. If you hit the ball into the net, retrieve the ball and hit it to your opponent - don t take an extra serve. - You should not return serves unless you have finished taking your serves. Returned serves should be hit toward the server to avoid having to retrieve a ball on the other side of the court - It is recommended to take 12 serves 6 on each side.