A Note From The President
September 7, 2023
Dear members,
I wanted to share with you news about our Inter County Mixed B team. What a year. Truly amazing.
What started out as an idea to bring back some real community representation and connection to our beloved club, has exceeded every expectation and hope I had. In our first year back in over a decade, we assembled a squad that competed and stood up for us all with distinction and honor. We were not expected to be very competitive, at least that was what was implied to me at the inaugural meeting at Tennis Canada back in April where I was proud to stand up and officially bring back Old Mill to competition. They were wrong.
Not only did we make the playoffs, but we were looking to advance this past Tuesday at Thorncliff Tennis Club. What a battle; our first 3 matches all went to a 3rd set tiebreak, and after the final 3 matches were played, despite a furious effort, ultimately we were defeated by a higher-seeded opponent. I was there, and I couldn't be more proud of the efforts and true sportsmanship shown by the team. Thank you for representing us all with pride. I appreciate you all.
Thank you to our inaugural Team Captain Tom Jarmai, our BOD Team Supervisor Azel Mulagulova, and our Co-Captains Marc Bondy and Kim Morris for filling in and going above and beyond, and of course all our fabulous tennis team members, thank you for making us all so proud. Thank you for all you have done and I personally look forward to watching you all shine next year when we hopefully run this back!
A special thank you to be made to our fantastic Coaches Nelson and Andres, for your continued and unending support of this team and the club. We are lucky to have you.
And of course, we will be looking for more support next year! One thing we have learned this year is we need more of us involved. Depth is key to a healthy successful team. Stay tuned next year for tryouts! Let's build this into something even better!
Have a great fall season and as always, your comments can be directed to president@oldmilltennis.com
Take care, and see you on the courts!
Brad Kovatch
President YOMTC
2023 Mid Season Update & Club Policies
Dear YOMTC Members,
We have reached the halfway point of our very special 50th Anniversary Season! A huge thanks to all those who have volunteered their time in many different ways throughout the season. The club simply could not operate without you!
Buckle your seatbelts, there is a lot of ground to cover here:
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50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION:
This special event was hugely successful and very well attended. The wide variety of catered and freshly grilled food was delicious, and our Round Robin matchups were full of some exciting and competitive tennis. It's a wonder anyone was able to get back onto the courts after such a feast, followed up by some scrumptious cake and sweets from the well smashed pinata. A very special thanks goes out to Social Director Karen Hatchard, the mastermind behind the entire operation, along with volunteers Lidia Skiba and Linda Plater. We would also like to thank our Club Secretary Margaret McDonald for getting all the festive balloons and decorations setup, as well as putting together prizes that were awarded to members during the raffle. Club Operations Director Ken Elliot and our court attendants also deserve a round of applause for getting the YOMTC grounds ready for the event. We also had a visit by Mohammed from ATR Sports who graciously set up a booth so members were able to demo some of the latest and best racquets and peruse stylish tennis shoes and other equipment.
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( Click to view full size images)
WEDNESDAY EVENING ROUND ROBIN SOCIAL:
We appreciate and value the member feedback we have received about the Wednesday RR. Many feel that all 4 courts should be used to maximize member participation. We also know that many people want to sign up for weekday evening clinics with our coaches. It's always a balancing act to make accommodations for everyone. Even though the RR is scheduled from 7-10pm, most people tend to show up at 7pm and want to play right away. Typically, the numbers tend to trail off as the evening progresses. So once the current August series of adult clinics ends, all 4 courts will be allocated to Wednesday Round Robin from 7pm - 830pm, and after that, 3 courts will be available for RR. This will ensure an 8:30pm - 10pm adult clinic is still possible.
GUEST BOOKING TUTORIAL:
We are getting reports that some members are still having difficulty getting their guests signed up and registered. A guest profile MUST be made prior to the booking. For future reference, this guide may be found at www.oldmilltennis.com in the "Join" section and under the "Guest Registration" sub menu. Click here for the Guest Registration Page.
COURT BOOKING POLICIES:
Our priority is to ensure members have fair access to booking courts for open play, while maintaining enough availability for lessons & clinics with our coaches. It is very important to cancel unwanted bookings or make changes to booking times well in advance to ensure other members have the chance to make a booking or sign up for a private lesson. Please make cancellations or changes as far in advance as possible. Also please consider making bookings on courts 1 & 2 if they're available so our coaches have access to the singles courts on 3 & 4. Please note that court 3 is the official coaching court. It is possible for members to book on court 3 in some cases, but as per club policy, coaches may bump those people onto another available court to accommodate lessons.
Please click here to review full "Booking & Playing Regulations"
CHANGING / UPDATING BOOKINGS:
Some members have reported if they change the names on their booking, or add people to a booking, the new people do not receive an email notification, and their names are not present for the booked session. This issue has been corrected by our software developer. All new names will appear and also receive the email notifications..
BOOKING & PLAYING INFRACTIONS:
We would like to remind members that all people playing on a court must be registered in the booking system for that session. The exception being if you have finished a playing session and there is an available court, or you have arrived early to your booking and want to walk on an available court. It is prohibited to play under somebody else's name, or cheat the booking system to exceed your maximum daily permitted playing time. Anyone found to be in breach of these policies, or is found to be bringing in non-members without first registering them and paying their guest fee will result in the suspension of booking privileges and possible further disciplinary action.
NATIONAL BANK OPEN DISCOUNT TICKETS:
One of the biggest tennis events of the year is just around the corner and begins August 6th at the Sobey's Centre. Members can book tickets at discounted prices using the promo code: 23NBYORKOLDMILL
You can also use this direct link with the discounts already applied: Buy | National Bank Open (ticketmaster.com)
YOMTC BRANDED SWAG:
Director of Teams & Tournaments Azel Mulagulova has been busy sourcing a company that will be able to provide a variety of YOMTC branded apparel and water bottles for our members to order. A notice will be sent out shortly when everything is finalized and read to go !
TEAM TOURNAMENT DOUBLES EVENT
Don't forget to register for this exciting event taking place on Saturday August 19th. We are also seeking volunteers to help with organizing some food for the event (all food expenses paid of course). If you are interested, please contact Azel directly at azelm@rogers.com .
WEBSITE:
The YOMTC website is the best place to keep up to date with club news & information, and upcoming events & registration. For the full experience, it is best viewed on a desktop or laptop, but it has also been optimized for mobile devices. Just as a friendly but IMPORTANT reminder: Members should not depend on receiving an email notification for membership renewals in 2024 as this is not foolproof and some people have missed the renewal deadlines in the past. Please check the website in January for information about membership renewals.
YORKIES TEAM:
Last but certainly not least, a big shout out to the OLD MILL YORKIES for continuing a very successful 1st season and consistently ranking towards the top of the division. To keep up to date with all of the latest Yorkies News, you can view their very popular weekly newsletters put out by dedicated team member Tom Jarmai.
Have a great long weekend everyone!
- 2023 YOMTC Board
Rain check for our 50th Anniversary Moved to Saturday, July 22nd
Due to the weather, we’ll be celebrating the 50th anniversary one week later on Saturday, July 22nd. We apologise for any inconvenience and hope that you will still be able to join us. Event details remain the same:
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Courts will be available for play with other members from 11 am to 5 pm
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Lunch will be from 12 to 2 pm
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YOMTC branded swag orders will be coordinated during the day. Swag will include t-shirts (men’s & women’s), caps and possibly other accessories - more details to come
Please let us know if you have any questions. See you at the celebration!
YOMTC Club News - June 13th
June 13th, 2023
FRENCH OPEN TEAM DOUBLES SOCIAL EVENT:
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The Roland Garros event was a huge success at YOMTC. We had over 20 people who participated from 9am until 1pm and enjoyed the great breakfast/lunch spread. We also had many spectators come down to the club to take in the event, and catch some of the French Open Women's Final playing on the TV in the clubhouse.
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The UTR Dingles format was used during this event, which was a lot of fun and well received by participants. To find out more about this format, you can check it out here: https://www.universaltennis.com/pages/utr-dingles
The big winners were Andrei Badescu and Victoria Estrada (junior) who really played fantastic tennis.
Second place was for Azel Mulagulova and Anant Patel, fierce competitors that ultimately fell short on the last match.
An overall success from the coaching point of view, with lots of people joining and enjoying a unique afternoon at the club! Thanks to all those who volunteered their time to make this event possible !
YOMTC - NEW LOGO:
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If you've read some of the "Old Mill Yorkies" newsletters lately, or visited the website in the past few days, you may have noticed that YOMTC has a NEW LOGO! Given that YOMTC is celebrating its 50th Anniversary, and now has a League Team competing against other clubs across the city, it seemed like the right time to freshen things up a bit. Special thanks goes out to Kim Morris and her design team for the excellent contribution to the club.
NATIONAL BANK OPEN:
Keep your eyes open for a separate email with details about exclusive ticket discounts for YOMTC members for this year's National Bank Open coming in August.
50th Anniversary BBQ:
Stay tuned for details about our upcoming 50th Anniversary Celebration / BBQ on Saturday July 15h. Be sure to mark this one down in your calendars !
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LADDER:
The Ladder is up and running - a huge thanks to those who volunteered to get this in motion. Be sure to complete your matches by the end of the month. Best of luck !
YOMTC June 2023 Update
June 1, 2023
We hope you've all enjoyed the first month of the 2023 season at YOMTC. We have certainly had some amazing spring tennis weather! Here are some updates we would like to share with you.
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SUMMER HOURS:
From June 1st - September 31, summer hours are in effect. Club hours are now 8am - 11pm all week. As a friendly reminder, please do not begin play before 8am so we don't get any noise complaints from the neighbouring residences.
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LADDER:
Thanks to all those who have registered for the Ladder. We are currently in the process of getting our new Ladder Facilitator trained, and all the boxes organized. A separate email will be sent to participants once everything is ready to go, hopefully in the next couple of days. Thank you for your patience !
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THE OLD MILL YORKIES TENNIS TEAM:
A huge congratulations to our Intercounty Team for an excellent start to the season. We are currently top ranked in our division ! A huge thanks to Team Captain Tom Jarmai, Co-Captains Kim Morris & Marc Bondy, coaches Andres Baca & Nelson Perez, Club President Brad Kovatch, and last but certainly not least Competition Director Azel Mulagulova for the outstanding work !
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To view the weekly Yorkies Newsletter and keep up to date with the teams progress, please visit: https://www.oldmilltennis.com/league-team
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FRENCH OPEN TEAM TOURNAMENT - JUNE 10TH:
Stay tuned for information about our upcoming tournament event. This will be coming out shortly !
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FRIDAY MORNING ROUND ROBIN:
Just a friendly reminder, the first Friday round robin starts tomorrow (June 2nd) and is from 9am-11am on courts 1 & 2.
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Wednesday Evening Round Robins !
May 14th 2023
We are delighted to announce the return of the weekly Wednesday night Round Robins beginning this Wednesday May 17th from 7pm to 10pm. This is a drop-in event and members of all levels are welcome.
ROUND ROBIN FORMAT:
The round robins will take place on courts 1, 2, and 3 and will be strictly doubles play. Playing slots will be 30 minutes in length.
Upon arriving please give your name and rating to the court attendant on duty. The court attendant will make the teams and assign the courts. Round Robins at the YOMTC are designed to include players of all levels and are not intended to be highly competitive matches. Please do not give the court attendant a hard time. Be courteous and respectful and play with the partners you are assigned and against the teams you are assigned. Disrespectful conduct towards court attendants or other participants during round robins will be taken seriously and will be dealt with if/as necessary.
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We will again be supplying pizza for participants the first Wednesday of each month.
Questions related to the Round Robin should be directed to: social@oldmilltennis.com
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See you on the courts!!
New & Returning Member Social & Other News
May 9th 2023
We are holding a NEW & RETURNING MEMBER SOCIAL on Saturday May 13th from 10:00am-1:00pm. This SOCIAL is a great opportunity for new members to come down and meet other members, meet and be rated by our coaches, and get to know some of our (volunteers) board members and court attendants.
We encourage returning members to come down and introduce yourself to some of the new members and make them feel welcome and take this opportunity to reconnect with old tennis friends.
Our coaches will be available from 10-12pm to meet/watch/rate/evaluate players to help you understand your rating for participation in clinics and the ladder.
Coffee and pastries will also be on hand.
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We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who came out this past Saturday to help with setting up the wind screens and making our Club Grounds look amazing and ready for our 50th year. It was a great turnout and the many hands helping made the task go quickly.
A friendly reminder that this evening, our Club is hosting the first Inter County Team event of the season, kicking off at 7pm on courts 1, .2, and 3. If you're looking for a great night of tennis, please come down and support our Mixed Team! It's always a beautiful way to spend an evening, so come on down and check it out.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
YOMTC
2023 Online Booking Changes
May 8th 2023
The club is now officially open for it's 50th season! Online booking is up and running. Let's get out there for some great tennis!
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Now let's get down to business. Here are some important changes for online booking.
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1) No more shoe tags! The board has decided to follow other community clubs in doing away with shoe tags. They have been deemed an unnecessary expense now that online booking is the norm. Instead of checking shoe tags, court attendants will be "checking" all members in via our club software 10 minutes after the start of each session. Those who have not arrived will be marked as "no-shows". Attendants will also be checking to make sure the right people are on court. If you would like to bring guests, please be sure to register and pay the $10 guest fee before play.
Please Note:
* Cancel court bookings well in advance so that others may have a chance to book.
* No-shows or late cancellations may result in booking privilege suspensions.
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2) Names visible for bookings: For those who have already booked a court, you may have noticed that names are now visible in the court booking system. Not only is this a great way to get to know our fellow members, it will help us ensure that the right people are on the right court. Each person playing on a court must be registered in the booking system. Please adhere to these and other Court Booking Rules so that we all get a fair chance to play.
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3) Booking times & juniors: Adults and Juniors may now start booking up to 3 days in advance starting at 9pm. During prime-time hours, there must be at least 1 adult member booked on the court with any junior(s). Junior only bookings are permitted during non-prime time hours.
Please stay tuned for program announcements about the Ladder, the ever popular Wednesday Evening Round Robin, our New & Returning Members Social this Saturday May 13th, and much more.
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See you on the courts !
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YOMTC
Opening Update & Call for Volunteers
April 30, 2023
We were hoping to officially open the club on Monday, May 1st but unfortunately the weather has not been co-operating.
Our new opening day will be Monday, May 8th.
Until that time, court use will remain on a first come first serve basis following the public playing rules posted on the sign near the main entrance.
Adult Clinics and the Junior Academy will go on as scheduled. Private, semi private, and group lessons will take place on court 3 with Head Pros Andres and Nelson.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS to come out this Saturday May 6th with a May 7th rain date to lend a hand hanging the windscreens and some light grounds maintenance. We will be working from 9:30am-2:00pm.
We will have coffee and treats available for those who lend a hand. But most importantly, you'll be pitching in and doing your part for the club and the surrounding community.
There is no need to reply to this email -- just come on down this Saturday if you can spare a few hours to lend a hand, and maybe connect with some of your fellow members.
Hope to see some of you out this weekend to help get things ready for opening! Dress appropriately if you come out. Don't wear anything you don't wish to get dirty and please bring/wear gloves if you have them.
Thanks in advance. See you down there.
YOMTC
2023 Opening Update From The President
April 22, 2023
Hello and good day to all at YOMTC,
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Spring is most definitely in the air and I wanted to take the opportunity to update you all on a few things going on around the Club. Our official opening is just around the corner on May 1st, and the Board is hard at work putting the final touches on getting us open and ready to play. First off, I want to apologize to those members who have submitted questions to our info@oldmilltennis.com and have not received a timely response. Due to a set of unforeseen circumstances, our Director of Communications, Fiona Childe, has had to leave her position on the Board. I want to take the opportunity to wish her well and thank her for her many years of service to the Club.
Communication is obviously a vital link between all of us. The Board will do its best to fill the gap during this time to keep the lines of communication open. That being said, we need your help, and we need to fill this position quickly to ensure the Club continues to run smoothly. I am asking for anyone interested in joining this dynamic Board of Directors to reach out. If you have a flair for writing and can help create content for our new and exciting website, please get in touch. There is a new "Volunteer Positions" section in the member portal with a variety of opportunities listed. Please check whichever box(es) you're interested in and we will follow up. New opportunities will be made available throughout the season, so be sure to have a look from time to time. There is always a need for volunteer help from its members to keep the Club fully operational.
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On that note, we are still searching for someone to help run our very popular Adult Ladder. This would involve a couple hours at the end of each month, not the heavy lift that it once was as we have automated the input of scoring. We are only as strong as our volunteers, and I would hate to see us unable to run this program. You can always reach out to me directly, or head over to the "Volunteer Positions" section to let us know if you're interested in helping out.
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We have already set the nets up on courts one, two, and three! So head down if the weather is good and get hitting. Online booking will commence May 1st. In the meantime, play is on a first come first serve basis which follows public rules. There is a sign posted near the main entrance outlining the policy, but basically, if anyone is waiting, there are 30 minute playing periods with court changes taking place on the half hour, and the hour. Please be respectful if the courts get busy. We're all eager to get out there for a hit after the long winter.
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The gate code is the same as last year (refer to the email or last years shoe tag for code). Obviously, it is extremely important that you not share this code with any non-members. We will be implementing some new court monitoring strategies this year, but more on that later.
Lastly, wind screens are not up yet, but stay tuned for a call to come down and help set them up, as well as some grounds cleaning, and gardening preparation. We are looking at some uncertain weather and can't set a date now but will inform you of the date(s) shortly.
That's it for now, we are all excited for our 50th season, can't wait to see you all down on the courts.
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Have a great weekend,
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Brad Kovatch
President
YOMTC
president@oldmilltennis.com
Direct 416-268-4425
YOMTC Intercounty Mixed Team Tryouts 2023
April 12, 2023
We are so excited to be getting ready to bring on another wonderful season of tennis at YOMTC!
In 2023, YOMTC will be represented in the Intercounty Mixed B league. Registration to try out for YOMTC’s Intercounty Tennis Association (ICTA) mixed competitive evening team is now open.
Registration Deadline: Sunday, April 16, 11:59PM.
Team Tryouts
Please note that tryouts for the Mixed B team are planned to occur in late April. If the nets are up, the Intercounty evening team tryouts will be held at YOMTC April 21-23 and/or April 28-30. Tryouts are mandatory to play on the team. We ask that you try out only if you really intend to play if you are asked to join a team.
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Please register to tryout through the Registration Form below and pay close attention to deadlines.
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Play Time
Intercounty Mixed team plays from early May until mid-August. Only YOMTC members can try out for this evening team.
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Selection Criteria:
YOMTC’s Club Pros choose the team using the following criteria:
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Previous results in league play and club tournaments, if applicable
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Attendance and results at tryouts
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Own discretion
Once the team is selected by our head pros, the team will select a captain and co-captain. Team play requires a commitment to the team and general availability for play on the scheduled league match dates.
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Mixed B
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Players Rated 3.5+
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To learn more details about our league play, check out the YOMTC League Team Rules for more details.
Register Now to try out for our Intercounty Mixed B Team.
2023 Spring Update From The President
With Spring now here we at the Club are hard at work preparing for the 2023 Tennis season, with plenty of new and exciting news to share on this, our 50th anniversary! The Member renewal period has now passed with over 85% returning and a few coveted openings now being filled by our extensive wait list. The Junior Members have also returned in great numbers and a few spots remain that will soon be offered to those juniors on the waitlist. Junior registrations will begin shortly. So don't delay on that if you know of anyone who would be interested in putting their juniors on the waitlist which is now open.
March 25th, 2023
The results are back for the survey we attached to the Member renewal process and I am very happy to share that we have strong support for bringing back Inter County Team Tennis! We will have ONE mixed (men and women's) B Team competing in the High Park area, and in addition to traveling to play against such Clubs as the Boulevard Club, get to host 6 evenings of top Tennis over the course of the season. These will be must-see events in conjunction with our 50th season, where we can all come together to support our team, have a drink and a snack, wander around our wonderful club, and watch some top level Tennis. Stay tuned for more details about competing, support, and try outs. For now, we want to see how the one intercounty team will work out, but next year, we will consider a daytime team as well if there is enough interest.
We are also bringing back the Friday morning Round Robin for the month of June! This was taken away due to pandemic restrictions and we will be keeping an eye on the level of interest and will leave open the possibility of continuing this event into the fall. Stay tuned for more information on that in the weeks to come.
Lastly, we have made some changes to booking courts and supporting our Junior players. Last year as you may recall we had to wait until 10pm to book courts for the 3rd day in advance, with Junior players having to wait until 11pm. We at the Board felt this needed to be updated and all Members made equal. So I'm happy to report that the time now to book courts in advance will be bumped up to 9pm and made equal for Adult and Junior Members. In addition, Junior Member restrictions on playing weekend mornings have been eliminated. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone out on the courts, and believe strongly that supporting our Juniors is an important responsibility we all share in shaping the future of the sport we all love.
That's it for now, stay tuned for more exciting things as we celebrate 50 years of Tennis at the Old Mill. I can be reached at president@oldmilltennis.com or directly at 416-268-4425. See you on the courts!
Brad Kovatch
President
YOMTC
Direct 416-268-4425
2023 AGM Recap From The President
February 26, 2023
Hello and good day to all YOMTC Members, I'm happy to report we had an excellent turnout for our 2023 AGM held this past Tuesday February 21st, at The Old Mill Hotel and Spa. We touched on a number of issues and priorities for the upcoming tennis season which is just around the corner. We said thank you and happy retirement to our former President Martin Perry who served the Board this past year as Past President, a support role for all current Board Members. We also said thank you and see you on the courts to our longtime Treasurer Calin Toadere who we all owe a huge collective thank you for taking us from near bankruptcy several years ago to the healthy vibrant financial position today that the club currently enjoys. Thank you Calin! And finally, we said thank you very much to Kim Morris, who served the Board for many years in various roles including Social Events, Clubhouse Redesigns, Tournaments, and as Special liaison with our Coaches. Thank you Kim for everything.
We welcomed 2 new Board Members. First we welcomed Azel Mulagulova, a multi talented addition to the Board, well experienced with running tournaments, working with coach's, and a fierce competitor on court. Welcome Azel. Our final addition, a longtime member, and our newest Treasurer, please welcome Jamie Bulnes. Jamie has served previously on other boards and has the vast experience required for the vital role of Treasurer. Thank you and welcome Jamie. Our fantastic Coaches are back for 2023! Welcome back Nelson and Andres, we are truly lucky to have you. Check in for updates on a wide variety of programs, clinics, and private lessons (coaching@oldmilltennis.com). Your energy and professionalism are valuable assets to the YOMTC.
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Check out our new and improved website (www.oldmilltennis.com) ! So many great new additions and information for all of us, just in time for our big 5-0!
Without further adieu, your 2023 Board at the YOMTC are....
Brad Kovatch : President
Azel Mulagulova : Tournaments & Special Events
Fiona Childe : Communications (info@oldmilltennis.com)
Jamie Bulnes : Treasurer
Karen Hatchard: Social
Ken Eliott : Operations
Margaret McDonald : Secretary
Mark Benesh : Membership (membership@oldmilltennis.com)
We as a Board and the Membership at large have a lot to decide before we open the 2023 season. This is the YOMTC's 50th anniversary, and we want to make this our biggest and best season ever. What kinds of things can we do together? We had some great discussions and debate on hot button topics, specifically Inter County Tennis. Do we have strong interest among Members to compete against other clubs? If we do, would Members come down to the courts to support our team on the 6-7 nights over the course of the regular season? Do we have what it takes to make the playoffs? Only 2 of 8 teams make the cut! What kind of atmosphere would that look like? Can we make these nights into must-see events? What about more opportunities to compete against fellow members? How about just more time for regular play? All good questions, so let's get some answers. What would that schedule look like? What about round robins? Junior programs, Coaching schedules, Junior Playing restrictions, so many discussions with many outlooks and opinions to navigate and find a balance that works for all. We at the Board want to hear from you. We will be attaching a survey to your 2023 Membership renewal to start to hear from all of you, but our club emails are always open and feedback is vital to giving you the kind of club we can all be proud of. The kind of club and community we deserve. I can't wait to get this going, I look forward to seeing all of you down at the courts, here's to a fantastic season and I can always be reached at president@oldmilltennis.com.
Talk soon,
Brad Kovatch
President
YOMTC