If your kids have Friday and Monday off for the Presidents Day holiday; make the most of your extended holiday weekend with visit to the Wembley Club.
We are excited to announce special presidents’ day weekend hours for the Wembley Club pool! The pool will be open from 7AM to 8PM on Friday and 11AM – 8PM on Monday!
Bring the kids, bring a friend (guest charges apply) and make some time to also check out some group fitness classes or book a court for a round of tennis or pickleball while you are here!
The Wembley Waves swim team attended their first swim meet this summer. The meet was at Barrington Golf Club swimming pool against the Barrington “Barracudas”.
This was the first swim meet ever for a large number of swimmers (and their parents). But, we also had some veteran swimmers and families on hand. And with expert guidance from these veterans and the coaches, everything went well!
Kudos to the entire swim team staff who managed the meet and worked with the swimmers to make this a successful event! Looking forward to the next meet of the season!
Although the groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of winter, at Wembley, we have been hard at work planning a great summer camp season for our members!
This year, camp will run from June 1 through August 6. Each week will have a focused theme. Each week will include one tennis clinic, swim lesson, and fitness class. Your child also has the option to add tennis lessons, and join in the summer swim team.
Busy families also have the option of opting in to use the the before, and after-care facilities that will also be staffed by our camp counselors.
Capacity this year is limited once more due to the ongoing pandemic, register today for Wembley’s summer camp!
Namaste: A greeting we use in Yoga practice to express honor to the community we share. Wembley embodies that community, fosters lifelong friendships, and promotes a sense of oneness that this centered around positivity, love, and respect. It was fate that brought me to Wembley, and it is the same fate that brought me to find this podcast episode/series and subsequent self exploration of my own spirit and the role that spirituality plays in healing the whole person. As a physical therapist and fitness instructor, it was easy to see the importance of the physical body and the mind’s control over that body, however I could never have imagined the role of our spirit in both the development of or healing of disease processes. We are all miracles, we are all on a journey, and we all have a purpose. We are meant to be where we are right now. Here’s to your journey and those you meet along the way. I am sure glad it has been this Wembley Family!
Take a moment to listen to one of Jessica’s podcast picks:
Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations Guest: Caroline Myss: Discovering Your Life’s Purpose
By Jessica Pisano, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT, CIDN
The Wembley Club offers yoga everyday of the week, mornings and evenings, youth and adult. Modifications are always given for ANY level class. Commit yourself to trying a yoga class for the first time this week, or continue your practice with one of our many offerings.
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.
Want to learn more about the club? Check out the rest of our website!
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.
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!
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.
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.
Next, hover over “Play,” then click on “Tournaments.”
You will then be redirected to the Serve Tennis program.
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!
Our mission is to ensure that everyone has the skills and knowledge to be safe around and in any body of water; be it a pool, lake or ocean. We find students excel using our “unstructured-structured” lesson plan. We use our unique method of giving swim lessons to ensure students not only learn safety but enjoy the water!
Unstructured-Structured Swim Lessons
What is the unstructured-structured swim lesson? We believe that every student learns differently. Our instructors use the Red Cross WSI guidelines as many others use — that is the structured part. What makes us unique is that we use the “structure” in an “unstructured” way and adapt to the needs of the students. Our lesson plans are never the same for any student or even each lesson. The instructor gets to know the students and adapts the lessons according to their needs.
Repetition is important for learning; but doing the same exact routine every lesson can get boring and eventually slow down progress. We use repetitive skills but change it up so the student doesn’t associate the activities as being the same.
For instance, blowing bubbles, doing 10 submerging bobs, making chipmunk faces, and retrieving objects from the bottom of the pool are all practicing breath control? Did you know breast stroke can be improved by using a kick board or even hula hoops? A child typically has the average attention span of 3-6 minutes for each year old. Our lessons are set to be 30 minutes long. The majority of our students aren’t able to swim for the full 30 minutes without their mind wandering off or giving up on lessons all together. We use simple steps to keep the lessons moving forward and the students attention for the entire 30 minutes!
Not all kids of the same age are developmentally equal and no student should be controlled in the water by their differences in coordination, motor functioning and general comfortability in water. Our Wembley Club Way of swimming lessons allows everyone to learn!
As the number of coronavirus infections surge across the country, we would like to remind all of our members and visitors about actions we are taking to ensure the safety of everyone who visits our facilities, and our efforts to better the community health in the area.
This post is just highlighting club guidelines that were published earlier; please refer to the guidelines for more detailed information.
Self assessment
We request all of our members and visitors to continue checking their temperature every day. Please stay home if you or anyone in your immediate social circle does not feel well or has tested positive for COVID-19.
Face covering requirements
A face covering that meets or exceeds CDC guidelines is required to be worn when visiting the Wembley Club. All employees and instructors will be adhering with this requirement.
Swimming Pool
A face covering is to be worn at all times when you are not in the water. For safety reasons, face coverings should not be worn by anyone who is in the water. Lifeguards are required to keep their face uncovered for safety reasons when they are on duty around the pool or in the lifeguard chair.
Fitness
A face covering is to be worn at all times when you are not actively working out. Please be sure to wipe down all surfaces you touch after completing your workout.
Tennis, Pickleball, and Paddle
A face covering is to be worn until you are on the court. Effectively immediately, for all USTA League matches, spectators from the opposing team are not allowed to watch the match. Members can still watch tennis matches as long as they follow all face covering and distancing protocols.
Child care
While children are not required to wear face coverings, we recommend it if your child is comfortable with it. Please remember that childcare must be reserved in advance. This helps us control the number of children in the room at any given time.
Taverne
A face covering is required to be worn unless you are actively drinking of eating in the Taverne area. Please be mindful of other patrons already seated at the Taverne and choose seating options that allow for safe distancing.
Regular cleaning
We have contracted with Your Healthy Spaces for a deep cleaning of all our common spaces. You can read more about this partnership on an earlier blog post. Your Healthy Spaces completed their last cleaning at the club on November 4 and will return approximately every 4 weeks.
Indoor spaces
As the temperature drops and we move more of our activity indoors, we are taking additional steps to ensure everyone’s safety. We are installing air purifiers with H13 HEPA filters in fitness locations.
We would also like to share an excerpt from this recent post by the Farley Group:
The Air Quality In a Dome Resembles Outdoor Conditions. A typical dome contains 500,000 to 5,000,000 cubic feet of air; for a topical comparison, a typical classroom contains just 6,000 cubic feet of air.
Dome Ventilation Is Remarkably Better Than In Most Buildings. Under ASHRAE standards, a normal classroom’s ventilation is designed to move 222 cubic feet of air per minute; domes have a minimum of 50 times more outside fresh air!
There’s Tons of Room To Breathe In a Dome. At 6-foot social distance, a dome provides about 800 cubic feet of ventilation air per person per minute; a typical classroom with 20 students would provide 11 cubic feet.
We hope you will join us in ensuring the health and safety of our whole community by reviewing these guidelines and adhering to them as closely as possible!
Just last month, we highlighted an article by our very own Michelle Scacchi about the importance of functional fitness. We are excited to learn that Michelle has been featured elaborating her views on Functional Fitness in the Club Business International magazine!
Club Business International (CBI) is the health and fitness industry’s leading magazine published by International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).
Michelle notes that with the lockdown that was in effect earlier this year and the continued strain On outdoor activity during the pandemic, it is more important than ever to focus on functional practices.
She goes on to say:
“The special circumstances having to do with the pan-demic have led us to reexamine the role of functional fitness in different populations, young and old, alike. As people return to their routines, the best functional practices have never been more vital, especially given how many members have lost conditioning. Movement patterns—such as squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, hinging, rotating, walking, and running—are essential for performing everyday activities, so we’ve put movement in the forefront of our fitness classes, across the board.”
Read the whole article on the IHRSA website using their e-magazine format.
Michelle Scacchi
We wish Michelle more successes going forward! Check out our schedule and come work out with her!
