Man, joining a tennis league for women around here? Sounded like a solid plan. Always thought it’d be straightforward, right? Wrong. Here’s exactly what went down.
Getting Started
First step? Jumped on my laptop like I knew what I was doing. Typed in something vague like “North Shore womens tennis join league.” Man, the results were all over the place. Mostly outdated club pages, maybe some forums that looked like they hadn’t seen action since ’98. Total waste of ten minutes. Felt like spinning wheels.
Okay, shift gears. Hit up social media instead. Found a couple local community groups focused on moms or women’s sports in the North Shore area. Scrolled for ages. Saw someone mention tennis once months ago. Took a deep breath. Posted a simple question: “Looking to join a ladies tennis team around North Shore. Anyone know how to get started?” Waited. Refreshed. Waited some more. Felt kinda dumb just sitting there.
Finally, a Lead (Sort Of)
Days later, someone actually replied! Tagged another woman who supposedly played locally. Sent that woman a direct message. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Gave it a week. Sent a friendly little nudge: “Hey, just circling back about tennis?” FINALLY got a response. “Oh, try the North Shore Women’s Tennis League website.” Seriously? That was buried somewhere? Slogged back online.
Found the actual league site this time. They listed clubs. But clicking around? Confusing as heck. Some pages told you to contact the club director, others pointed to league coordinators. No clear “JOIN HERE” button anywhere. Annoying, but okay.
Made a quick list of nearby clubs:
- The Harbor Club
- Forest Ridge Tennis
- West Bay Sports
- Shoreline Racquet Club
Then, it was email time. Sent basically the same note to all four club contacts: “Hi! Want to join a women’s team in your club for the North Shore League. What’s the process?” Hit send. Felt productive for about five minutes.
The Waiting Game (& the Breakthrough)
Checked my inbox like a crazy person. Two clubs replied within a day! One just said “We’re full, sorry!” Super helpful. The other? The Harbor Club director emailed back: “We have tryouts next Tuesday at 6 PM. Bring your gear.” Short and sweet. Progress!
The other two? Absolute silence. Gave them three days. Still nothing. Called one – got voicemail. Left a hesitant message, stuttered over my name. They never called back. Wrote those two off. Focused on Tuesday.
Tryout Time!
Tuesday night rolled around. Stomach was doing flips. Walked into Harbor Club carrying my racquet bag like I belonged. Met the director, Linda. Nice lady. “Just join the group warming up,” she waved. Got shoved onto a court with five other women. Lobbed balls back and forth. Played a few points. My legs felt like jelly. Tried not to stare at everyone else’s skills. So. Much. Pressure. Did okay, not great. Definitely rusty.
Linda took me aside after. “Good hustle. We need bodies! Team fee is $150, league dues are another $100 paid online to the league later. Fill out this paper form for me NOW.” Paper form? In 2024? But hey, she offered me a spot! Signed my life away with a cheap pen. Asked about match nights. “Thursday nights, starting next month.” Perfection.
Wrapping Up
So what’s the real deal?
- Finding the right starting point online is half the battle. That league site needs SEO help.
- Be ready to email MULTIPLE clubs. Ghosting happens.
- Tryouts feel awkward but are totally normal here.
- Expect ancient paperwork. Bring a pen.
- League fees are separate from club fees. Keep cash handy.
Showed up stressed, left sore. But honestly? Total win. Thursday nights just got booked. My muscles are screaming. My grin? Stuck on my face. Worth the hassle.