Club Rules

• Courtesy and adherence to proper tennis etiquette are expected at all times.
• Profanity, abusive language, harassment, or unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.
• Appropriate tennis attire, including shirts and non-marking tennis shoes, must be worn at all times.
• Club property and facilities must be treated with respect.
• Members are expected to help keep the Club grounds and facilities clean and tidy.
• Alcoholic beverages and food or beverages in open containers are not permitted on the courts.
• Smoking and vaping are prohibited anywhere within the court enclosure.
• Pets are permitted only in public areas of the facility and must be accompanied and controlled by an adult member at all times. Pets are not permitted inside the fenced court area.
• Only coaches authorized by the Club may provide tennis instruction on Club premises. Unauthorized coaching, whether paid or unpaid, is prohibited.
• Guests and non-members must comply with all Club rules and are required to pay the applicable guest fee before using Club facilities.
• A maximum of four (4) tennis balls may be used on courts that are not designated for coaching, teaching, or practice activities.
• Members must not bring, drag, or place chairs, tables, benches, bicycles, strollers, wheeled devices, or other non-tennis equipment onto the court surfaces.

• Courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Members must use the sign-up sheet at the club to reserve an available court.
• Courts rotate hourly. Courts 1 and 2 rotate on the half-hour (e.g., 6:30 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:30 PM). Courts 3 and 4 rotate on the hour (e.g., 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM).
• A minimum of two players must be present to sign up for a court.
• Courts 1, 2, and 3 are designated as doubles courts and must have four players participating at all times. Court 4 may be used for singles play.
• Two players who are physically present may sign up for a doubles court. However, if the third and/or fourth player does not arrive within five (5) minutes of the court assignment time, the vacant spot(s) will be offered to members waiting for play.
• If members are waiting to play, ongoing matches must conclude at the current court rotation time and vacate the court promptly.
• Players currently occupying a court are not eligible to sign up for the next court rotation. In addition, any player who has been assigned a court forfeits their place in the waiting queue if they join play on another court before their assigned court time.
• Court 4 is designated as the Club's teaching court until 7:00 PM daily. Authorized Club coaches may require players to vacate the court for scheduled lessons or programs. All coaching and tennis instruction must take place on Court 4 during designated teaching hours and are not permitted on any other court.
• Only coaches authorized by the Club may provide tennis instruction on Club premises. Unauthorized coaching, whether paid or unpaid, is strictly prohibited.
• Serve practice is prohibited when there is active play on an adjacent court, unless all affected players agree. The Court Supervisor may require serve practice to stop if it interferes with neighboring courts. 
• League matches, tournaments, and organized Club events may occupy a maximum of three courts unless otherwise approved by the Executive Committee.
• Scheduled Club activities take priority over individual play.
• The Court Supervisor has final authority regarding court assignments, time control, and interpretation of court usage rules.
•  Members must not drag chairs, tables, benches, bicycles, strollers, or other equipment onto the court surfaces. 
• Public access hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, in accordance with City requirements.

A guest is defined as any individual who is not covered under a current Club membership.

Guests are permitted only when accompanied by a current Club member. Each member may bring a maximum of one guest per visit, and each guest may visit the Club a maximum of two times per month.

A guest fee of $15 per visit must be paid by e-transfer to senecahilltennis@gmail.com prior to arriving at the courts. Please include the guest's name in the e-transfer message. If the guest fee is paid at the courts, the fee will be $20 per visit.

The sponsoring member is responsible for ensuring that their guest complies with all Club rules and regulations.

A membership could be suspended, cancelled or not-renewed and the member expelled from the Club in the following circumstances: 

• Repeated behaviour at the Club contrary to the requirements of court of conduct
• Violation of the rules of External Leagues 

A member is suspended by decision of the Club Executive Board and  Suspension can be without compensation by decision of the Club Executive.

• 1. The Executive Committee (as defined in the Club’s By-Laws) shall establish a discipline committee to receive Complaints from Complainants. Such discipline committee shall be comprised of the President, Vice President and one of executive board members elected by the membership at a General Meeting. Quorum for the committee is three members and the committee total is three with the noted exceptions:
• a. In the event that one or more of the Executive Committee positions are not filled, the committee will be constituted by the three most senior members of the Executive Committee where those Executive Committee positions are filled; and/or
• b. Where the complainant or respondent is the President, Vice President, and/or Executive of board member, such person(s) will be replaced by the next most senior member of the Executive Committee on the discipline committee.

• 2. In the event that a Member or Guest participating at a Club Activity feels that another Member or Guest participating at or during a Club Activity, has violated the rules or code of conduct:
• a. File a formal written complaint with the discipline committee providing a record of incident(s) including if possible date, times, locations, possible witnesses, what happened, your response

• 3. Once a complaint is received, it will be kept strictly confidential. An investigation will be undertaken immediately and all necessary steps taken to resolve the problem. For clarity, the discipline committee may conduct such investigation in writing and/or in person.

• 4. Both the Complainant and the Respondent will be interviewed (either in writing or personally), as will any individuals who may be able to provide relevant information. All information will be kept in confidence.

• 5. If the investigation reveals evidence to support the Complaint, the discipline committee will make a recommendation to the Executive Committee that the Respondent be disciplined and recommend the form of such discipline, having regard to the nature and seriousness of the infraction. Recommendations for minor infractions may include warnings or 1or 2-day suspensions. Recommendations for a major infraction may include a > 2 day suspension or a life time membership ban from the Club. The Executive Committee will then impose whatever discipline it feels is warranted in the incident and advise both the Complainant and Respondent of same in writing.

• 6. Where there is evidence that a Complaint is filed in a vexatious manner and not in good faith, the discipline committee may recommend that the Complainant be disciplined. For clarity there will be no repercussions against a Complainant where the Complaint is filed in good faith, whether the Complaint is upheld or not.

• 7. Either the Complainant or Respondent may appeal, to the Executive Committee, the upholding or not of a Complaint or the discipline imposed to by the Executive Committee, provided that a request for such appeal is made in writing within 5 days of the Respondent and/or Complaint receiving notice of the discipline committee’s decision and any discipline imposed by the Executive Committee. In the event the Executive Committee receives such a request, it shall as soon as practical schedule a meeting of the Executive Committee to hear such appeal and notify the Complainant and Respondent of the date, time, and location of such appeal. For greater certainty, the filing of an appeal does not suspend, or in any way stay, the discipline previously imposed by the Executive Committee. Both the Complainant, Respondent and a member of the discipline committee shall be entitled to make submissions to the Executive Committee regarding the incident, findings and recommended discipline. The Executive Committee shall then determine whether the upholding or not of a Complaint was warranted and in the event a Complaint is upheld the appropriate discipline, this decision will be FINAL.