Somerset at The Plantation March 2018 NEWSLETTER Tennis Newsletter Tennis Director Somerset Michael Brandon Tennis Rules & Regulations Mike is a certified member of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), the world's oldest and largest association of tennis teaching professionals. He has achieved, the highest rating of ELITE PROFESSIONAL from the USPTA. mbrandon@evergreen-lm.com 239-561-0325 The Plantation Tennis program is an amenity provided to the residents for enjoyment, friendly competition, a possible stress reducer and a healthy activity to enhance your overall well-being. While participating in our tennis program, it's important to follow the rules and regulations for everyone's safety and to ensure a fun, friendly atmosphere. Please click here for the Tennis Rules and Regulations.
Court Reservation Notice If you wish to play, please make a court reservation. Walk-ons can be accommodated most times, but not all the time. Please be courteous when your court time has expired so others may start on time. All prime time court requests (8-11) must be booked as follows: 8-9:30 a.m. or 9:30-11 a.m. To reserve a court in Somerset please email the Tennis Director, Mike Brandon, at mbrandon@evergreen-lm.com Next day reservations will be accepted until 12 p.m. the previous day. Requests received after 12 p.m. will not be guaranteed. Please don't take the chance of missing out on a court and not being able to play! Resident members may reserve a court up to one week in advance and will be allotted up to a 1.5 hour time slot. Please be courteous to those waiting to play at their scheduled time. Back -to-back court reservations are not permitted. Reservations can be made by email only at mbrandon@evergreen-lm.com *Please put request in message area, not subject area. Lessons Racquet Restringing Let's get those tennis games up and in shape! Form your own small group and take a clinic or a private lesson to address your areas of concern. Lessons will help to improve your weaker areas and build on your strengths. Lessons will help your tennis game - that we can assure you! Please contact Tennis Director Mike Brandon at mbrandon@evergreen-lm.com for lessons. Private and group lessons accessible upon request. Bring in your racquet to have it inspected for restringing. RE- MEMBER that racquets should be restrung at least three times per year. A properly strung racquet will aid you in ball striking, and arm troubles will also benefit with new strings.
Tennis Upcoming Events.. UpUpcom-
Closing Words from Mike Please refer to every tennis Newsletter and be aware of next day court requests (also ball machine) must be made by noon. Now a word about hydration. Even though it is February we are running 10-12 degrees above the norm. Prior to coming out to play drink at least 20-24 ounces of water. Coffee does not count as it is a diuretic. Of course continue to drink during play. Our latest Somerset Tennis Standings: Men s Red 7 th of 8 Men s White 1 st of 8 Ladies 2.5 13 th of 14 Ladies 3.0 1 st of 14 Ladies 3.0-6 th of 10 Ladies Bronze 7 th of 18 Ladies Nickel 1 st of 20 Ladies Silver 9 th of 15 Lee County Men s and Ladies League tennis will finish our current season in March. Team captains will be putting together rosters for the 2018-19 season in early April. Many residents currently play on League Teams and have found the experience to be fun and rewarding. It has led to many new friendships. For those who have not had the opportunity to play League Tennis and are not currently on a League Team, now is the time to think about joining a team. Residents who are interested should contact Mike Brandon (*Somerset Tennis Director). Mike will determine your level of play and make certain that you are included and placed on the appropriate Team. Looking forward to a fun 2018-19 Season. Sincerely, Mike Brandon Tennis Director mbrandon@evergreen-lm.com Please use this email for any tennis related issues.
Somerset at The Plantation March 2018 NEWSLETTER Pickleball Newsletter Pickleball Court Pickleball is not only fun but is great exercise too. Like any other sport, care must be taken to avoid overexertion and injury. Below are some of the things you should do to stay healthy and have more fun. Getting Ready to Play First Come, First Served Limit one game to 11 (when people are waiting to play) Players waiting to play, line paddles up in sets of 4. Rotation continues as long as people are waiting. ONLY Players, Paddles, and Balls are allowed on courts. Courts use for Somerset Residents and invited Guests only. A Somerset Resident must be on the courts with guests. Please click on the link to learn more about Pickleball Be sure to have the proper shoes, ones that support your feet and are designed for court sports. Give any existing injury plenty of time and rest to heal before you resume play. Know how to get help quickly if you or a co-player are hurt or develop a medical problem. Is there a telephone, a first-aid kit and an automatic external defibrillator (AED) nearby? Do you have the phone number available of someone to call in case of emergency? Be aware of any obstacles in the area that you might run into or trip over, such as benches or gym equipment. Never play on a wet court; they are extremely dangerous. One way to check a damp court surface is to press your toe down firmly and make a twisting motion.. If you leave an obvious wet spot it s too wet to play. Check with your doctor regarding exercise and any physical conditions that exist or may have previously existed. Check with your doctor regarding exercise and any physical conditions that exist or may have previously existed.
What to wear when playing Eye Protection: While hollow and lightweight, the ball used in pickleball is a hard polymer and can travel at a very high rate of speed. The use of proper eye protection is highly recommended for all players. Proper Footwear: Comfortable court shoes are a must; sneakers or running shoes do not supply the right kind of support for the side-to-side action inherent in pickleball. If possible, purchase athletic shoes from a specialty store. The staff will provide valuable input on the type of shoe needed for your sport as well as help with proper fitting. This may cost a premium in price but is worthwhile, particularly for shoes that are used often. Most court sports require the body to move forward, backward and side-to-side. As a result, most athletic shoes used for court sports are subjected to heavy abuse. The key to finding a good court shoe is its sole. Tennis [pickleball] players need a shoe that supports the foot during quick side-to-side movements or shifts in weight. A shoe that provides stability on the inside and outside of the foot is an important choice. Flexibility in the sole beneath the ball of the foot allows repeated, quick forward movements for a fast reaction at the net. Try on athletic shoes after a workout or run and at the end of the day. Your feet will be at their largest. Wear the same type of sock that you will wear for that sport. When the shoe is on your foot, you should be able to freely wiggle all of your toes. The shoes should be comfortable as soon as you try them on. There is no break-in period. Walk or run a few steps in your shoes. They should be comfortable. Before Play Injury Prevention is Key Warm-up: The main purpose of a warmup period is to raise the general body temperature prior to playing. When the body temperature is raised it will increase your ability to perform the stretching exercises. The warmup period should be approximately 5 minutes. Try a fast walk to the pickleball courts, riding a bike or treadmill. These are just a few examples for a total body warmup. Stretching: Following the warmup period, begin a stretching program. This will increase your flexibility, which allows for better performance and decreases the possibility of injuries. The muscles/joints that need to be stretched are: ankles, Achilles tendon, calf muscle, quadriceps (front of upper leg), hamstrings (back of upper leg), groin, low back, shoulder and arms. Start with the ankle stretch and work up toward the shoulder/neck area. For each muscle group, place that group on stretch, the point a which you feel the stretch, and hold it for 10-15 seconds. Relax and repeat 3-5 times. During Play Learn to return lobs correctly. Never back up on your heels. Instead, turn around and go back to get to the ball. Serious head injuries can occur if you fall backwards. During play, if pain occurs stop playing and ice the area of pain. Continuing to play will likely aggravate your problem. Age, experience, physical condition and athletic ability will impact the level of your game. Don t try to make plays beyond your abilities. Be sure to drink water, replenish electrolytes and eat appropriate snacks. You need a balance of electrolytes and food to prevent dehydration. Symptoms include dizziness, weakness, fatigue, an irregular heartbeat and fainting.
After Play Cool Down. After playing, you may want to do a little stretching or take a slow walk home. This will help lower your body temperature and bring your heart rate slowly back to normal. Common Pickleball Injuries Ankle Strain: A strain involves a ligament and most commonly occurs on uneven terrain, stepping on a stray ball or another player s foot. The pain is usually felt on the outside of the ankle and there may or may not be immediate swelling. Swelling is not a sign of severity. Achilles Tendon Strain: (back of the ankle) This involves a tendon or muscle group; the most common cause is a stop-and-go action or a sudden change of direction. This injury is very common in people over age 40. There is a sudden snapping feeling or a pain like being hit in the back of the leg. A rupture is obvious. There will be an indentation in the Achilles tendon area. The person cannot walk and needs immediate attention. Heel Bruise: Pain occurs on the bottom of the heel with every step. This is considered an overuse injury and usually occurs over a period of time. The best treatment is rest and using a heel cup or donut during play. Knee Strain: A sprain occurs by a twisting or rotation of the knee. The most common is a medial collateral sprain and the pain is on the inside of the knee, just to the side of the knee cap. Treatment Ice Therapy: There is a misconception that you use heat for strains and ice for sprains. Not True! Use ice for immediate treatment of injuries. Ice, compression and elevation should be used first for all injuries. Apply ice for a minimum of 15 minutes or until numb. Remove until the feeling is back and then replace the ice. Remember: ice, compression and elevation for a period of 24-72 hours. Heat?: Heat should never be applied immediately to an injury (sprains or strains). It should only be applied after 24-72 hours. Professional Care: It is always best to seek the advice of a doctor for any injury, especially for fractures, head injuries, eye injuries, 3rd degree sprains and strains, etc. Call 911 for any serious injury. Special Needs Never start play without wearing prescribed braces or supports. Know your exercise limits and be sure to tell coplayers what they are. If you have a history of heart problems, back pain, tennis elbow, breathing problems, etc. be sure you have any equipment or medicines at hand. Pickleball Doubles Scoring Click on the link to learn more about Doubles Scoring