BERKELEY TENNIS CLUB NEWSLETTER
Tennis. Tradition. Today.
Since our founding in 1906, It seems like a Happier New Year BTC: already, with 2020 gone and Berkeley Tennis Club has 2021 looking hopeful. In our fi rst provided its members with a Safe & Newsletter since last winter, new president Tony Farrell gives his world-class tennis experience. Sound. perspective on our Club in the time of We are one of America’s most Covid. You’ll learn how our amazing senior staffers—Sonia, Cathy, historic clubs, and members Brendan and Christina—have divided up their responsibilities as BTC’s general-management team. You’ll see snapshots of have included Wimbledon, masked-and-distanced campers and players; hundreds of French and U.S. champions, members have been at the Club for tennis and swimming, but those who have not will note the new look. The Membership winners of numerous junior Committee reports it’s busy bringing in wonderful new and senior national titles, plus members, seeking “Ambassadors” and managing a healthy wait list, and we’re glad for that. There’s inspiring information about enthusiasts at every skill level. the BTC Foundation, a report from Brendan Curry and more!
NEWSLETTER
WINTER 2021 VOLUME XII ISSUE XXV President’s Message WINTER 2021 UPDATE
Dear Berkeley Tennis Club Members, This is the first Newsletter since “before.” A year ago, Chris Puscasiu’s look ahead to 2020 hinted at nothing that was to come. Then, as my wife and I were about to drive to Indian Wells, the whole world shut down. The Board and staff—humbled by the serious decisions we faced — skillfully navigated the pandemic’s uncharted waters under Chris’s leadership. No staffers lost their livelihood; no one got sick; and, thankfully, tennis returned. My first message to you is that your new Board has every expectation we will succeed in restoring as many of BTC’s amenities and activities as it is safe and legal to do. This may not happen as quickly as we would like, but we’re dedicated to doing our best, with health and safety foremost. To introduce myself, I chose this photo purposefully: My wife, Kathy Heinze, and I joined in 1992 (easy to remember, as she was pregnant with our first daughter, Morgen); our younger daughter, Samantha, arrived four years later. As a family, we enjoyed all the Club offered: Kathy won the Club championship; the girls learned to swim and play tennis (Samantha awarded the Tittmann Cup); we stuffed thousands of Easter eggs for years of hunts; anchored the July 4th pool races. A highlight was Kathy and Samantha winning the Mother- Daughter title in the Pacific Coast Senior & Family Championships right here on Court One. That’s the Berkeley Tennis Club my family grew to love over nearly three decades. I’m retired from a career with specialty retailers like Gap, Nature Company and Sharper Image. As a marketer, I learned a psychological “truth” best expressed by G. K. Chesterton: “The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost.” When BTC was closed entirely, this impressed me. Now, I marvel at the pure joy one observes on the full courts, in a place Helen Wills said is “as nicely situated and as attractive” as any tennis club in the world. Because of all, in spite of all, we treasure Berkeley Tennis Club more than ever. If you’ve wondered what a “member-owned” Club means, it means this: All of us, together, are responsible for ensuring that Berkeley Tennis Club will endure for another century and more, its heritage sustained for generations to come. No corporation to fund it; no endowment to secure it; no government to bail it out. None of us chose to play this role, but members have accepted the challenge with obvious affection. As I’ve said before, this is a worthy endeavor and we will all be gratified by our success.
Sincerely, Tony Farrell President, Board of Directors Berkeley Tennis Club 2021 Calendar of Events
Due to the uncertainty around health restrictions this calendar is a work in progress. Please visit the website calendar for up-to-date information on events and schedules.
JANUARY Winter Singles Championships
FEBRUARY Winter Singles Championships
MARCH TBA; see the website for updates
APRIL TBA; see the website for updates
MAY TBA; see the website for updates
JUNE Whites & Woodies Doubles Tournament
JULY TBA; see the website for updates
AUGUST TBA; see the website for updates
SEPTEMBER 20–26 Woman’s $60K Challenger | USTA Pro-Circuit Event
OCTOBER Club Doubles Championships
NOVEMBER TBA; see the website for updates
DECEMBER TBA; see the website for updates
Ambassadors | Prospective Member Sponsors
Berkeley Tennis Club has a long-standing practice of requiring applicants for membership to have a current BTC member as a sponsor. Sponsors introduce applicants to the Membership Committee, help integrate new members into the Club and connect them to their networks. Often, potential members are new to the area and don’t know any members to sponsor them. To help extend our community, we are looking for BTC members who are interested in being ambassadors for the Club. This can include meet-and-greets (when allowed), a hit around as a guest, and (if all goes well) an offer to sponsor their application for membership.
If this is of interest to you, please reach out to Sonia — [email protected] Director of Tennis Message BRENDAN CURRY
Hello BTC Members, A year has passed since I started my role serving you as Director of Tennis at the Berkeley Tennis Club. A lot can happen in a year as we have all been starkly reminded and while streamlined, my position at the club has been extremely rewarding. Working alongside the many wonderful people from my team of teaching pros to the amazing front desk, operations, maintenance and cafe staff and of course becoming acquainted with you our most appreciated Membership has been an opportunity of a lifetime. Summer Junior Tennis Camps along with the Singles Compass Draw Tournament in the Fall of 2020 were the two programming highlights that offered Members exciting playing opportunities and more importantly the chance to meet new and existing tennis playing Members often for the very first time. Friendships were rekindled and also made anew with many players now enjoying the welcome additions to their practice partner calling lists. We are hopeful that 2021 will see us return to full programming including Summer Camps, adult tennis clinics, club tournaments, the Woman’s $60K Challenger | USTA Pro Circuit Event scheduled for September and a vibrant BTC social and tennis events calendar. Unfortunately, due to ongoing restrictions and concerns around the global health situation the Pacific Coast Seniors and Family Championships has been cancelled again this year. We look forward to successfully hosting the event in 2022. Thank you to all of you for your tremendous support during these unchartered times, it is much appreciated. I look forward to seeing you at the club. Brendan Curry Director of Tennis Berkeley Tennis Club
Membership
The membership committee comprised of Megan Sweeney, Crystal Terry, David Chang, Evan Smith, and Hieu Le are excited to serve the club and continue to broaden the membership in 2021. Membership at the BTC continues to be steady and we are approaching capacity. There continues to be a waitlist, with an approximate 3–6 month wait for admittance. BTC Management Structure
As of 1 January 2021 the general management duties will be assigned as follows: Sonia Steverson Operations Manager | [email protected]
Sonia will be responsible for (among other things): • On-boarding and welcoming of new members • Respond to membership related inquiries while partnering with Membership Committee to help ensure we achieve BTC’s membership goals • Send out most of our general email blast communications to membership • Help to organize and execute all special events • Assisting the Director of Tennis with tournaments • Scheduling maintenance staff and other required daily operational duties
Cathy Lyon Controller | [email protected]
Please contact Cathy Lyon for anything finance related, including the following:
MEMBER SERVICES • Monthly billing/copies of statements • Questions about statement charges • Processing of member payments • Set up of ACH/Credit Card autopay for members • Financing of initiation fees to new members • Receipts for tennis camps/DCFSA items • Collections
STAFF SERVICES • Process payroll • Assist in annual Health Insurance enrollment • Assist in SIMPLE IRA enrollment/fund semi-monthly contributions • Distribution of required employee annual tax forms/compliance documents • Non-employee contractor/prize money recipient tax forms (1099-Misc/1099 NECs, 592s, 1042s) • Calculate and pay semi-monthly café sales/subsidy
continued on the next page BTC Management Structure
continued from previous page
CLUB SERVICES • Daily General Ledger functions - A/P, A/R, banking, monitoring cash balances • Preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports • Prepare and file quarterly sales tax returns; deposit funds to CA Board of Equalization • Calculate and deposit state and federal taxes withheld on tournament prize monies • Preparation of annual operational and capital budget • Work with the Director of Tennis, Operations Manager, and Committees for court, building, grounds and equipment expenses
Christina Aguilar Front Desk Manager | [email protected]
Christina will be responsible for (among other things): • Court and pool reservations • Junior development program registrations • Teaching pro’s charges and reconciliation for lessons • Pro shop and wine sales/inventory • Ballroom event inquires and setup • Monthly membership billing mailings • Assist Sonia with membership calls and inquires/tours • Ensure supplies needed for club operations are stocked • Schedule staff for CPR/First Aid requirements
Brendan Curry Director of Tennis | [email protected]
Brendan will be responsible for (among other things): • All Things Tennis
Please feel welcome to reach out to this highly qualified group of experienced professionals to address your concerns or needs. 2020 Summer Junior Tennis Camps
2020 Summer Junior Tennis Camps Men’s 4.5 & above 2020 Compass Draw Singles Tournament Patrick Wachter (left), Chris Puscasiu (right)
2020 Summer Junior Tennis Camps
Ladies 3.5/4.0 2020 Compass Draw Singles Tournament 2020 Summer Junior Tennis Camps Sarah Martiniak (left), Isabel Sade (right); Isabel went on to win the Division Berkeley Tennis Club Foundation
If you’re looking for a way to help make tennis more inclusive, look to the BTC Foundation.
In 2007, BTC members John and Kay Lyman, together with Steve Cornell, formed BTC Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission “to build community, character and sportsmanship through tennis competition and education.”
BTC Foundation’s first beneficiary was the USTA Girls 18s National Championships hosted by Berkeley Tennis Club that year. Since then, the Foundation has supported Youth Tennis Advantage in Bay Area’s underserved communities; NorCal’s Tennis Wheelchair Association; restoration of the courts at Berkeley High; plus need-based scholarships at BTC camps, travel subsidies to BTC juniors for national competitions, Maze Cup participant prizes, and stipends for coaching of promising youths.
Former BTC President Elizabeth Kibbey Adams has served as BTC Foundation President for several years; Steve Langmaid (sole remaining member of the founding board) is Treasurer. Brendan Curry, as Director of Tennis, is ex officio, and other directors include Peter Beernink, Barrie Bulmore, David Chang, Joan Maze Miles and Alisa Yee. The BTC Foundation board meets four times a year to review requests for funding and to make awards.
You’re welcome to contact any BTC Foundation director to learn more, to suggest worthy beneficiaries or to make a contribution that is fully tax deductible. Detailed information is available on the Club’s website. Thank you.
Berkeley Tennis Club One Tunnel Road Berkeley, CA 94705 (510) 841-1380 BerkeleyTennisClub.org
Berkeley Tennis Club 510.841.1380 • www.berkeleytennisclub.org