​​These rules govern membership and use of Kilfeacle Community Tennis Club. The Main Committee reserves the right to amend them as necessary. Members are expected to know and follow these guidelines to maintain a respectful, safe, and enjoyable environment for all.

 

1. Club Ethos

First Rule of Tennis: Always treat others with respect, fairness and courtesy.

• Our club promotes inclusivity, sportsmanship, and mutual respect.

• All members are expected to act in the best interests of the club and help maintain our facilities.

 • All members should promote a welcoming environment, particularly for new or prospective members.

• The club is run voluntarily by members – your time and support help it thrive.

 

2. On-Court Behaviour and Etiquette

• Matches should follow the official Rules of Tennis (Tennis Ireland / ITF).

• Be respectful at all times – to your opponent, spectators, and other players.

• Respect the courts, nets, benches and facilities. Report any damage or misuse to a committee member.

• Players should wear suitable tennis attire and non-marking footwear on court.

 

While Playing:

• Only cross a court between points, never during play.

• Retrieve balls from other courts only when their point is finished.

• Line calls are made by the player on their side. If unsure, call it in. Accept opponents’ calls with grace.

• Call the score loudly and clearly before each point if you’re serving.

• Avoid excessive celebration or reacting rudely when your opponent makes an error.

• Apologise for lucky points (e.g. net cords) or if a shot hits someone.

• Shake hands or acknowledge your opponent respectfully after a match.

 

Spectators and Others Nearby:

• Keep noise levels down and avoid distractions during play.

• Do not interrupt matches to ask when players will finish. You may politely ask the score at a break.

 

3. Facilities Use and Booking

• During school term time (Mon–Fri, 08:30–12:30 from late August to end of June), indoor areas of the community center are unavailable. External toilets remain open.

• Keep the kitchen, clubhouse, and common areas clean.

• Please remember to book the hall in advance if you plan to use it for any team hosting, meetings, or finals nights.

• If hosting a match or event, ensure all facilities are cleaned afterwards.

• No smoking or vaping on or near the courts or inside any club facility.

• KCTC members are kindly asked to avoid passing through the hall when events are booked or taking place (e.g. Cards, Yoga, Organic Farmers Market, Michael Murphy’s Clinic, etc.), especially when heading to the kitchen for water or other areas. For convenience, a drinking water tap is located around the gable end wall of the tennis club, near the practice court/playground area.

 

4. Court Booking Rules

• All senior members have equal access to courts except during club events or coaching.

• Courts must be booked via the online booking system.

• Preference is given to those who have pre-booked. Unbooked courts operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

• A booked court is considered vacant if not claimed within 15 minutes of the hour.

• Booking privileges may be suspended for repeated misuse, including no-shows or misrepresentation of player names.

 

Detailed Court Booking Rules:

• 1. Club members must book courts using the eBooking online system at https://www.ebookingonline.net/box/268

• 2. Peak hours are defined from Sunday through Friday from 7pm – 9pm. All day and evening on Saturdays is classified as off-peak.

• 3. Members can book courts from 12pm (midday) up to 8 days in advance.

• 4. Adult members can only book up to 3 x 30 min slots per day during peak periods (7pm – 9pm).

• 5. Members can only have six concurrent 30 minute slots at peak bookings in the booking system. For example, if you book 3 x 30 minute slots on Monday and also on a Wednesday at peak, you cannot book another peak 30 minute slot until the Monday match is played.

• 6. The member name used to book the court must be the person that plays on the court at the booked time.

• 7. Where courts are booked but then no longer required, members are encouraged to cancel them as soon as the cancellation is known. This ensures that courts are freed up for other members to book.

• 8. Scheduled league matches have priority over individual bookings. For example, if league matches are scheduled in the 7pm – 9pm time-slots, the league matches will have priority to complete over any 9pm booking. Note this is only the case for official scheduled league matches.

• 9. Rescheduled league matches do not have priority over individual court bookings. i.e. rescheduled league matches should finish on time within the booked time-slot.

 

5. Lighting Fees

• Lighting fees must be paid at a rate of €4 per court per hour (or €2 per court per half hour) where lights are required.

• Lighting charges apply only for member bookings that require court lighting.

• Lighting fees do not apply to club-organised events such as leagues or social tennis.

• Lighting fees are paid at the time of booking through the eBookingOnline system.

• The eBookingOnline system automatically determines if lighting is required based on sundown times.

• Lighting fees are shared equally between all named players on a booking.

• Members must ensure they have sufficient credit in their eBookingOnline account before making a booking that requires lights. It is not acceptable to expect other players to cover lighting costs. All members should maintain a positive account balance to ensure fairness.

• Accounts can be topped up by logging into the main eBookingOnline site and selecting 'Manage Account'.

• If a guest is included in a booking, the full lighting fee is charged to the member(s) listed on the court.

• Guest fees must still be paid in addition to any lighting fees charged to members.

• Booking slots during peak lighting times (7pm–9pm) are limited to 3 x 30-minute sessions per member.

• Members cannot book more than 90 minutes during peak lighting hours using consecutive slots.

• All player names must be included in each booking. Duplicate names across multiple slots are not permitted.

• If a booking is cancelled at least 10 minutes before the start time, a full refund will be issued.

• No refunds are available for cancellations within 10 minutes of the booking time unless the slot is rebooked.

• Rescheduled league matches requiring lights must be paid for by the team making the new booking.

 

6. Guest & Visitor Policy

• Guests must be accompanied by a current KCTC member.

• Tennis green fees are €5 per game per visitor 

• Green fees must be paid before the game(s) start. If cancelled, refunds are available upon notification to the club.

• Visiting players must be recorded in the eBooking system using the guest player feature.

• Payment can only be made online using the designated online form at https://www.kilfeacletennis.ie/visitors-tennis-green-fees

• Full contact details of all  guest players must be provided during payment.

 

7. Junior Members (Ages 7–17)

• Kilfeacle Community Tennis Club follows the Tennis Ireland Child Safeguarding Policy.

• All coaches and volunteers working with juniors must be Garda vetted and trained in Child Protection.

• Parents/guardians remain responsible for their children at all times unless during supervised coaching or events.

 

8. Code of Conduct & Anti-Bullying

• All members, guests, and visitors are expected to treat others with dignity and respect.

• The club has zero tolerance for any form of bullying, harassment, or discrimination.

• Breaches of conduct will result in disciplinary action, including possible suspension or termination of membership.

• The Code of Conduct for Children is available at https://www.kilfeacletennis.ie/code-of-conduct-for-children

• The Code of Conduct for Parents is available at https://www.kilfeacletennis.ie/code-of-conduct-for-parents

 

9. Coaching Policy

• Only coaches approved by the committee may offer coaching at the club.

• All coaching activities must follow Tennis Ireland’s safeguarding and coaching standards.

 

10. Safeguarding Statement

• The club is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

• Our full safeguarding statement is available in the clubhouse and on the website at https://www.kilfeacletennis.ie/kctc-club-safeguarding-statement

 

11. First Aid & Emergencies

• First aid kits are available in the external bathroom

• A defibrator is available at the front entrance to the community center.

 

12. Photography & Social Media

• The club may use general event photos for promotion unless members opt out.

 

13. Environmental Responsibility

• Please dispose of litter responsibly and use the appropriate recycling bins where possible. For bottles and cans, please use the Re-Turn bin.

• Members are encouraged to avoid single-use plastics where possible.

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14. Weather and Court Safety Policy

• Courts may be closed due to adverse weather (e.g., ice, excessive rain) for safety.

• Members must not use courts when surface conditions are unsafe.

 

15. Club Events

• Members are encouraged to participate in club leagues, social and competitive events.

• Club event dates and signup details will be communicated by email, WhatsApp and on the KCTC website.

 

16. Data Privacy

• Member data is stored securely and used solely for club administration and communication.

• The club complies with GDPR regulation as outlined in the club privacy policy at https://www.kilfeacletennis.ie/privacy