June 2016
Dear Girls Tennis Parents and Players,
I hope this letter finds you well, and that you are excited for the summer, and of course the upcoming 2016 Girls Tennis season.
This year I am looking to build on our success from last year and I am confident that our strong base of returning players and highly anticipated group of newcomers can help us achieve our season goals. As we begin our preparations for this season, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some key dates and information for the summer and fall.
The Varsity Tennis Program will carry a maximum of ten players on the team. The starting lineup will consist of three singles and two doubles spots. The remaining three players will serve as alternates in case of injury or illness. The Morristown Beard Athletic Program has a no cut policy. Those that do not make the Varsity will compete on the Junior Varsity team. Our JV Program plays a competitive schedule, and is an invaluable resource for developing our future Varsity players.
I plan to organize some informal hitting sessions over the course of the summer. These sessions will not be mandatory, but a way for athletes in the program to get some additional court time. These workouts will be a mix of drills and match play. Information will follow via email to returning Varsity and JV players.
Our pre-season program will focus the first week on conditioning, drills and match strategy. High School tennis has a very specific challenge match protocol that has to be completed before the regular season. Anyone interested in a Varsity tennis spot is strongly encouraged to make themselves available for all pre-season practices.
Beginning June 20th we will begin our Summer Performance program for both Boys and Girls. These sessions will be run by MBS Director of Student Development, Sal Tromonda and Assistant Athletic Director, Eric Shea. The following are the specific dates:
Boys summer performance program:
Monday Afternoon 3:30-5pm Wednesday Afternoon 3:30-5pm
6/20, 27 6/22, 29
7/4-off, 11, 18, 25 7/6, 13, 20, 27
8/1, 9 8/4
Tuesday mornings 8-9:30 Thursday Morning 8-9:30am
6/21, 28 6/23, 30
7/5-off, 12, 19, 26 7/7, 14, 21, 28
8/2 8/4
Girls summer performance program:
Monday mornings 9:30-10:30am Thursday evenings 5:30-6:30pm
6/20, 27 6/16, 23, 30
7/4-off, 11, 18, 25 7/7-off, 14, 21, 28
8/1, 9 8/4, 11
Pre-season practice will begin Monday, August 15th. Practice that first week will run from 9am-12pm at the Delbarton School. Transportation will be provided to and from school. The bus to Delbarton will leave MBS by 8:40am. A more detailed schedule of the remainder of pre-season will follow shortly. All players will be expected to travel with the team during preseason. Challenge matches to determine Varsity roster spots will begin fairly quickly in our pre-season. If an athlete is unable to attend a particular practice, please contact me via email at .
I strongly encourage anyone looking to earn a Varsity roster spot to continue a program of both instruction and match play over the summer. The match play component is one that is often overlooked. Our program plays a very competitive schedule including County, Prep and State tournaments. It is imperative we arrive for preseason match ready, both physically and mentally.
Please note Fall Apparel store will be open 1st Round from June 27- July 22. Delivery to home by August 15th. 2nd Round from August 15- August 19. Delivery to home by September 12th. Click on the following link to access your team store https://mbssports.itemorder.com/. Please note, this link is ONLY operational during these specified dates. All items will be shipped directly to your house with the dates listed above. Please make sure you order your team gear during this open period to receive your items in time for the start of the fall season!
Below is a list of items I recommend all players bring to our practices. Have a great summer and I look forward to seeing everyone in August.
-Tennis Shoes (not running shoes or cross trainers)
-Water Bottle
-Two tennis racquets (comparable in weight and head size)
-Hat/Sunblock
Finally, players must have their school medical form and all online forms completed and filed with the school prior to July 15, 2016. Athletes who are missing their forms will not be allowed to participate until their Magnus account is complete in full.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at .
Thank you,
Coach Brett Michel