WE ARE BRUIN CLUB TENNIS!
In the fall of '02, grad student Mark Otten founded an intramural tennis league, with help from Val Castro at UCLA Recreation. Enrollment that fall was around 30 people. Anthony Horsley came on as an administrator in spring 2003, and under Mark's and Anthony's direction, the league grew to two hundred participants by the fall of 2006. The 2010 UCLA Club Tennis senior class played in the last-ever Otten/Horsley version of the IM tennis league as freshmen in fall 2006 before the league was taken over by the UCLA intramural office, and the current version of UCLA Club Tennis was officially born. Bruin Club Tennis continues to grow each year, with our 2017-2018Â season being our largest group yet, pushing three hundred members. We pride ourselves on creating a welcoming, fun, and competitive environment, and would love for you to become part of our family!
There are two sides to the story of Bruin Club Tennis: general club, and our competitive team. Our general club is open to anyone and everyone, no matter if you picked up a racket for the first time this morning, or if you could give Serena Williams a run for her money at the US Open. Our general club is an amazing way to gain new friendships while having a (fun) workout. During the year, we put on several events, from game nights to KBBQ to Indian Wells. If you're worried about finding your place in our giant club, fear not! Sign up to become part of a squad, and you'll be part of a smaller family of no more than ten (led by one of our officers) who do a ton of things together, like dining out, exploring LA, and of course, competing in our Squad Olympics. Sound like fun? The only requirement for you to begin attending our late-night practices and making lifelong friends is to become an official member; find out how in our How to Join tab! The second half of BCT is the competitive team--- our rock star traveling team who has made it to the national championships in North Carolina for the last few years! Our competitive team practices just before general club and competes in tournaments up and down California to rack up wins against some of the best club teams other colleges have to offer. Think of comp team as a step up from your high school varsity team. It's a perfect fit for an advanced player who's looking for more serious competition! If you're interested, sign up to play in the competitive team try-out tournament at the beginning of fall quarter.
UCLA students are eligible to join BCT at any time; we're excited to see you!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What's the difference between Club Tennis, Intramural Tennis and Instructional Tennis?
They are all administered by UCLA Recreation but to be clear, this is Club Tennis. It's a little different from Intramural and Instructional Tennis.
Club Tennis is one of the UCLA Club Sports programs and we play/practice throughout the whole school year. We have practice twice a week and have a few tournaments each quarter. On top of all the tennis, you get to meet other tennis players on the court and at our socials!
Intramural Tennis is a quarter long tournament, in which you play one or two matches per week.
Instructional Tennis is like a private lesson held at Sunset Rec, where you have a coach teaching tennis to you and a couple other people.
When do practices (and open-hit) happen?
Practice is every Tuesday and Thursday from 7-11 PM. Competitive team practice runs from 7-9 PM. General team practice runs from 9-11 PM. Open-hit on Friday runs from 7-9 PM.
Where do practices (and open-hit) happen?
The Los Angeles Tennis Center (LATC), the stadium court complex opposite Drake Stadium on Bruin Walk.
Can I be a part of both the general club and competitive team?
Sure! If you're on the competitive team and are still craving more tennis (or more games) after your practice, we would love for you to stay for general team practice; the more the merrier!
Is there a fee for membership?
Yes! We need funds to keep our club moving, and so there is a mandatory fee for all members. If you know you'll be sticking with us for the full year, the fee is $80. If you'd just like to try it out, it's $45Â for each quarter. Besides this, there's a $50 admin fee, but that's all, we promise!
I'm a bit overwhelmed by how many people were at the first practice; is it like that the entire year?
Don't worry; a lot of people stop coming after the first couple of weeks. Maybe it's because of classes, work, or other responsibilities, but the first few practices of the year are generally our largest. Our advice? Stay with it--- it takes time, but by the end of the year, you'll likely know almost everyone's names!
Do I need to come to every practice/are there a specific number of practices and events I have to attend to be a part of BCT?
Nope! BCT is as flexible as you need to it to be. Obviously, we recommend that you come to as many as you can to get the most out of your membership fee and to get to know everyone, but feel free to come whenever you want, whether that's once a quarter or every single practice.
I like to play competitively, but I don't think I'm good enough/don't have the time/don't want to join the competitive team. Are there other opportunities for me to play matches through the general club?
Yes! We have several events throughout the year, most notably tournaments each quarter and Race to the Top, a round robin style tournament during the entire spring quarter. You earn points for winning matches and sets, and the male and female players with the most points at the end of the quarter wins a prize! Besides these, BCT is a great way to find a hitting partner; grab a friend or two, and get out there!
Do I have to be able to hit like Federer/be pretty good/have any experience at all/even know what a tennis ball looks like to join?
No, no, no, and, although it might be a good idea to Google what a tennis ball looks like beforehand, technically, no. Jokes aside, we love to have new players and see new faces; all you really need to join BCT is your membership requirements, enthusiasm, and love for the game! If you're still worried, though, select practices also have both advanced and beginner courts for time to improve your game with members of a similar skill level.
Hope to see you soon!
"Bruin Club Tennis is not only the coolest and most impressive club on UCLA's campus, but without a doubt, their organization is superior to any other club tennis program in the entire world. This remarkable group of students never fails to inspire me."
-Major Walter C. Wingfield (1833-1912), inventor of tennis
