GENERAL POLICIES
FEES/BOOKINGS
An invoice will be sent to you before the end of term which must be returned with fees attached by the due date to keep your booking time/day. Please send all fees directly to our office. Bookings will not be accepted without fees being paid in advance. We do not take fees at your first class. We accept credit card, cheque, direct debit and cash.
There are no cash refunds under any circumstances. If you are not returning for the following term/semester we request you call the office to let us know as we hold your booking until we hear otherwise. Pupils who have not paid by the due date will receive a phone call/s to enquire what you intend doing for the following term. We do this to confirm bookings and to prepare coach rosters/class ratios/hire courts etc for the next term.
RAIN & INCLEMENT WEATHER
RAIN: All classes of our coaching programs are guaranteed against rain. Junior classes that are rained out during coaching are completed indoor. The tennis term is only completed once eight classes have been held. Due to the school term usually being longer than eight weeks, lessons may finish before the end of the school term, or, they may need to continue into the following school term if your class has more wash outs than the school term allows. A decision is made at exactly 3.45 pm to determine whether classes/competitions are rained out or not.
For the following venues call the numbers below. A message will be left on the voice mail declaring a wash out - no message means the classes are going ahead as usual! Please do NOT call the office as a decision needs to be made on site. East Malvern Tennis Club - call Wes 15 minutes prior to your class on 0412 359 711
Korowa Girls School - during week days indoor classes are held. Saturday call David 15 minutes prior to your class 0413 889 808 Ardrie Park Tennis Club – please call your coach: Marcus on 0409 862 120, Kate 0409761210, Jeff 0432 715343 St John's Tennis Club - please call Jeff 0432 715343 or Ian 0402 635 120
All other private classes please get the coaches mobile from your coach or through the office [9528 6375] and call directly.
INCLEMENT WEATHER - HEAT/WIND/COLD Classes will still be conducted in unpleasant weather conditions eg. drizzle, heat, cold, wind etc. and will only be cancelled in the event weather conditions make playing tennis dangerous eg. slippery courts. Unfortunately, in Melbourne, we cannot promise every day will be ideal weather conditions! Classes are, though, modified in extreme weather conditions to allow for a productive and safe class to take place. eg. Extreme wind - we take the opportunity to teach how to play in windy conditions. At all times coach duty of care to our pupil's is paramount. FTA’s Sun Smart Policy: A] Provide regular drink & rest breaks during classes B] Water down pupils with hoses C] Conduct the class with non-competitive and less physical games/activities eg. serving to targets D] Conduct lessons and demonstrations in shaded areas where possible E] Recommend using and supply pupils with sunscreen and cap.
FRIDAY NIGHT INTERNAL COMP
Friday Night Internal Comp is held at East Malvern T.C. each term and is an 8 week season.
RAIN: Please call David 15 minutes prior to your competition time on 0413 889 808. Days that are washed out are made up by using the extra weeks within the school term. Do not call the office as a decison needs to be made on site. ABSENTEEISM: If you fail to attend you will not register a score for that night and NO MAKE UP can be held since the comp is only held on Friday Night. CREDITS/REFUNDS: The same credit policy for coaching applies to Friday night comp. There are NO REFUNDS under any circumstances.
ABSENTEEISM
It is the pupil's responsibility to attend all eight classes of the tennis term [or sixteen classes of the semester]. There are no refunds or credits under any circumstances if pupils pull out mid term, or, miss a lesson/s due to: sickness [unless over three consecutive weeks are missed - refer to our credit policy], school camps, forgetfulness etc.
We do not guarantee, but will make every effort, to find a make up class/es subject to your availability. Please call the office to see whether we can organise a make up class for you. The more availability of times and days the more chance we can help you find a class.
COACH OR PUPIL CHANGES MID-TERM.
Futures Tennis reserves the right to replace your coach with no prior notice during the term. There are many reason your coach may have to be replaced either as a one off or permanently: illness, holidays, change of coach schedules, coach resigns etc.
Pupils may have to change class likewise for many reasons, the main one being, the class is too weak or strong. This policy also includes private one on one classes.
CREDIT POLICY
Credit will be given ONLY for:
Long term injuries/illness - If a pupils misses three consecutive classes [less than this we offer make up classes] or more due to an injury or illness you need to mail or fax our office a signed Medical Certificate to be eligible for a credit. Once pupils resume we calculate and record the amount of credit you are eligible for which may be used for the following terms coaching. Credit is NOT TRANSFERABLE from one sibling or family member to another. Credit may be used for the same, or similar programs [eg. credit cannot be used from a group class to a private class, but, may be used to change from a group class to a squad.]
No credit will be given for: Discontinuing classes mid term/semester - Once payment has been recieved to book in for a term/semester pupils will forfeit their payment [unless due to injury as above] if they decide to discontinue classes for the remainder of the term/semester. We do not allow pupils to stop mid-term/semester and transfer payment to another term/semester. Pupils may change times/days/class to another day if scheduling permits or fees may be transferred to pay for another new sibling to join classes during the same term/semester.
CHANGING BOOKINGS
Once allocated a class time and day you are placed into that class there after. Once pupils are booked into a suitable standard class it is expected that they will remain in the same class. If, though, you must change the time or day of your class mid term please call our office. We cannot guarantee an alternative class can be found at a time/day that is suitable for you. Therefore please try to be flexible with your alternatives times so that we may offer you a suitable class.
GRADING / ASSESSMENT
New pupils are graded into a class based on age & experience. If we find you are in a class which is not your standard we will then try to find a more suitable class, subject to availability. We guarantee we will make every effort to find a suitable class but stress that the more flexible you are the more chance you have of finding the “perfect” class. Thereafter all pupils are graded by using the International Tennis Number rating test/system and coach assessment.
Futures has eight Developmental Coaching Programs from our Pre Comp Program and Modified Little Legends Coaching Programs for the very young to our Advanced Elite Squad Coaching Programs. Pupils graduate to a higher grade subject to coach assessment and the rating system. Usually the entire class progresses to a new program as all pupils are improving equally. Parents are invited to briefly discuss with the coach after lessons how pupils are going. Any queries/concerns about coaching please speak directly to the coach. Futures coachs’ value hearing your feed-back!
PRIVATE CLASS POLICIES
*CANCELLATION: Please attempt to give your coach as much notice as possible if you are unable to attend your lessons. If NO NOTICE is given after the commencement time of your class you will be charged the full amount for that lesson. Please ensure you get the coach's mobile number on your first class.
*RAIN: The coach will call you direct in the event of a wash out.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS/LONG WEEK-ENDS
The below holidays there will be no tennis coaching held:
*All Long Week-Ends Public Holidays and Public Holidays held Monday to Friday.
*Public Primary School Holidays
*The Saturday to the Tuesday [including the Monday] of the Melbourne Cup Carnival
The day before long-week-ends still go ahead as usual.
WHAT TO BRING ? / LOST PROPERTY
Tennis runners [ripple-sole runners are not permitted], racquet, suitable attire for running, sunscreen, cap. Lost property can be found for EMTC pupils in the club house in the cupboard marked “Lost Property” to the right of the Club Championship board