Wembley on cover of Club Business International

Wembley in Club Business International

The article about Wembley in Club Business International is a great celebration of a dream come true. I would just like to thank everyone who made it possible.  The evolution of Wembley from a troubled, and mostly abandoned facility in 2014, to a vibrant center of exercise and friendships in 2021 happened through the love and effort of amazing members and staff.

The Beginning

From the beginning of the journey, it has always been the goal to build the most positive, and spirited atmosphere.  Every hire for the staff has been made with the determination to have the most friendly, and welcoming club.  In the beginning, we quickly promoted our future stars Ali Hively, Garry Tyson, and Michelle Scacchi to take on club leadership positions.  In the early years, we grew due to the charisma of the staff, even while the facility was still in need of much improvement.  I am extremely proud that the same key people continue to put their imprint on the Wembley atmosphere.

Later years

As the years have moved on, new club leaders have elevated us to outstanding levels of positivity and success.  Colleen Ryan and Katie Allan have the rare ability to impact every corner of Wembley with their incredible versatility and ability across the entire spectrum of Wembley activities.  The acceleration of Wembley’s facility and programming are in direct correlation to Colleen and Katie’s leadership over the last couple years.

The development of our fitness program is a true jaw dropper. We went from 7 classes per week, to 54 classes filled with love and good vibes.  We are fortunate to have the same kind of spirited leadership with our tennis and pickleball pros.  Our team of Dre Mick, Sherif Abohabaga, Ben Slade, and Robert Golsmith fulfill that vision of positivity.  Heather Horschler and Laura Bursee continue that customer-focused friendly and skilled instruction in the pool.

The Heroes Behind the Scenes

Our behind the scenes heroes are also a huge part of Wembley’s ascension.  Kelly’s unwavering support through every stage of the journey has been incredible.  I am not sure how many wives would have been so willing for her husband to abandon a successful career to take on a dream.  Trevor, Bob, Ira, Larry, and Tino have been instrumental in improving the facility, which has been a big challenge from day one.  Kathy gives us great reliability and stability in the front office.  The Wembley 2021 team is the foundation. It is my pleasure to be able to work with such great people every day!

I am enormously grateful for our members, who feel more like family.  It still amazes me when I think back to 2014. So many special members that endured all of the tribulations, and continued to support the club.  To the investors who believed in our potential, and helped us to move on the path to success, thank you.  And to all of the members who have joined over the years, you have made Wembley the best place for the combination of exercise, and friendships.  I have visited many dozens of clubs all through the Midwest, and northeast. I can say with certainty that there is not a single club anywhere that matches our camaraderie, and fun spirit.  You have created something truly unique, and I am so proud to be a part of it.

-David Barr

When you have a chance, please take a few minutes to check out the article about Wembley in Club Business International.

Wembley on cover of Club Business International

Want to learn more about the club? Check out the rest of our website!

Ali Hively; brain health

CLE: Connection, Lifestyle, Emotional Processing

As we continue to move forward in this ever-changing and crazy world, we can often forget to take care of the thing we need the most to function well – be ourselves and have a positive impact on the world, our brains! Brain health is one of the cornerstones of optimal productivity. What does it really mean to improve the health and functionality of your brain? Find out what the CLE stands for in Brain Health.

In this podcast episode

The 5AM Miracle Podcast with Jeff Sanders, featuring Dr. Mary Rensel and Ali Hively (our Wembley Instructor), Mary and Ali talk about how we can optimize our brains for stress, resiliency, and performance. They give everyone their special formula for making sure you are doing what matters most from your brain. Dr. Mary’s research outlines where we need to put our attention and energy and Ali shares ways to make it happen in our busy lives. The great news is that many of the things proven to be important to resiliency (ability to bounce back and manage stress) are things we do here together at Wembley. It’s an easy listen and can reinforce all of the good things you are doing for your body and brain as well as give you some new insights! If you have any questions, Ali is more than willing to chat with you!

Hop outside with a set of headphones, go for a walk, and give this great podcast a listen.

5AM Miracle Podcast with Jeff Sanders, featuring Dr. Mary Rensel and Ali Hively (our Wembley Instructor)

You can find Ali at Wembley on Mondays at 8:30am, Tuesdays at 5:30am, and Fridays at 8:45am. She will always find time to chat with you after class or set up an appointment. Below you will find all the fitness classes offered at the Wembley Club! Sign up here!

Fitness

Junior tennis Tournament

New USTA Tournament Format

A new year brings many things, but when it comes to Junior Tournaments, it brings a whole new software, and a new tournament format. Tournaments were previously found on “TennisLink,” but if you have tried signing up for tournaments before, you know how it was not user-friendly. Studies through the USTA found that parents had so much trouble, they would sign up for one tournament, then never sign up again. We are trying to grow the game, and that does the exact opposite. In late December, the USTA introduced Serve Tennis. If you have not yet used the program, you are in for a surprise! This program is so easy to use! Along with the new software, the USTA is using a new level format, along with a new point system. 

Tournament Levels

The USTA has gone back and forth with their tournament levels through the years. Previously, they used 7 Levels, then in 2017, they went down to 5 Levels. Now, they are going back to 7 Levels. Here is the breakdown of levels:

  • L7 Tournaments – Open Intermediate Sectional Events: 1-day event; 2-match minimum, 4-match maximum. These events are open to anyone. If there is a limited draw, a bottom-up selection process will be used for this level, which means players with no ranking will be selected first. The 12U division will offer green and yellow ball events. 
  • L6 Tournaments – Open Intermediate Sectional Events: Up to 3-day events; 2-match minimum, 4-match maximum, and open to anyone.  Selection process for this level is based on ranking.
  • L5 Tournaments – Open Advanced/Intermediate Sectional Events: Up to 3-day events; non-elimination and open to anyone. Up to 36 L5 events will be sanctioned in the Eastern section. Selection process for this level is based on ranking.
  • L4 Tournaments –  L4 Closed Super Six Events , L4 Closed Empire Cup Doubles , L4 Closed Mixed Dubs and L4 Intra-team competition: Up to 4-day events; Open and Closed events, with Closed events limited to Eastern section players. Selection process for this level is based on ranking.
  • L3 Tournaments- National L3, L3 Closed Super Six Events, L3 Closed Empire Cup Doubles and L3 Closed Mixed Dubs: 3+ days National or section events; L3 tournaments will be Closed events limited to Eastern section players. Selection process for this level is based on ranking.
  • L2 Tournaments -National L2 and Section/Intersectional Team Competition: 3+ day National events. Selection process for this level is based on ranking.
  • L1 Tournaments – National Championships, National Team Events and selected ITF events 4+ day National events. Selection process for this level is based on ranking.

*Bullet points via USTA.com*

Level 6 vs. Level 7: What’s the Difference?

Previously, the most common question was, “What is the difference between a Level 4, and Level 5?” Now, it will be, “What is the difference between a Level 6, and Level 7?”

Level 7

Level 7 tournaments are for the kids who have never played in tournaments before. They are just one day, and typically take a few hours. The kids typically play multiple rounds of a shortened set against the other kids in the division. They are meant to introduce players to the tournament atmosphere without the pressure of playing through a draw. Lastly, most directors do not have a winner.  L7s are for making players feel comfortable in the tournament atmosphere. Not only that, but L7s are also for the parents. It is much easier for parents to commit to a few hours in the afternoon one day, than to commit to a whole weekend! The players do need to know how to keep score.

For more information on L7s, click here!

Level 6

With that being said, if your child has played tennis at school, but has never played a tournament, I always recommend a Level 6. Typically the players are mostly intermediate players (but some more advanced players do sign up depending on the sign up). In a L6, players are put into a draw. They take 1-2 days to complete (depending how much a player wins/loses). Players are always guaranteed 2 matches, but that could be the most they play – unlike a L7 where it is equal play.

In general, everyone in a division is placed into a draw. If you win the first match, you continue to the next round, but if you lose the next match you are done. On the contrary, If you lose your first match, you are placed in the consolation draw. Continuing through, you may play more matches, but it is the same as the main draw, the next match you lose, you’re out. 

Tournament Format

In addition to the new level format, the USTA announced they will be going to a universal point system. Previously, earning points was often extremely inconvenient, and sometimes unfair. Someone in Northeast Ohio was not allowed to drive 2.5 hours to Pittsburg, so they would have to drive all the way to Wisconsin. In turn, parents used to drive further, and spend more money. Again, we are trying to grow the game; making parents spend money money definitely does not encourage that! Also, some tournaments offered more points, which was completely unfair. Now, it does not matter where you go, a tournament offers the same amount of points.

Want to learn more about the levels, and the new point system? Click here!

Serve Tennis

Now let’s get into signing up for tournaments. Never before has it been this easy to sign up for a junior tournament.

First, go to usta.com.

usta homepage

Next, hover over “Play,” then click on “Tournaments.”

USTA Tournaments

You will then be redirected to the Serve Tennis program.

Serve tennis

From there, you have many options. You can choose to search by level, location, date, etc.

This is an exciting new era to the USTA/Junior level tennis. As influencers in the tennis industry, it is our job to grow the game. As a result, this new format, along with Serve Tennis will do just that. Get out there, and play!

Click here to see all of the tennis options we have at Wembley!