The Governor's Executive Order on COVID-19:
What It Means to USTA League Players

Lots have changed in the weeks leading up to Wednesday, Nov. 18, resulting in an Executive Order from the Kentucky Office of the Governor. TACK is working hard to make sure you can still play...if you want to! At the bottom of this newsletter is the full text of #6 on the Executive Order (the part that applies to adult sports and the venues that support them).

Here is what we know...
  • Venues: Top Seed Tennis Club will close Friday, Nov. 20, 5:00 PM until at least Dec. 13 (the span of the Executive order). Lexington Tennis Club (LTC) and Bluegrass Racquet Club (BRC) intend to remain open.
  • Rules: These are specifics from the Executive Order with possible implications for USTA League play.
  • 33% Capacity. LTC and BRC can fill their barns with doubles and not come anywhere close to 33% of their registered venue capacity, so they'll continue to host matches scheduled there. (Each are working furiously to find additional space for displaced matches.)
  • Masks. As you can see below, masks are required during play. LTC has masks for sale at their front desk, including clear plastic ones.
  • "Team Competition" is specifically banned in the Order, but the Governor's Office does not intend that to include sports like tennis, where all competitors are well separated on the court. (This has been clarified with the Governor's office.)

Here is what you can do as a League player/captain.

  • You can opt out.
  • If you're a captain -- Poll your players, and if you can't field a team, cancel the match.
  • If you're a player -- If you choose, you can decide not to participate in further matches. Contact your captain to let him/her know.
If you do opt out, be kind to the clubs and give them as much notice as you can!
  • Reschedules of Top Seed matches:
  • Matches scheduled between now and Sunday, Nov. 29: Call LTC or BRC and work that out on your own...but be sure to let us know!
  • Matches scheduled beginning Monday, Nov. 30 will be rescheduled for you, as space allows. Captains will be notified.

Attention, Captains -- be sure to notify us of any cancellations and reschedules! Tara McGuire ("Mixed") and Jennifer Dunn ("Fall") are happy to help you as their schedules allow. You can simply respond to this email!

Executive Order (Excerpt)

6. Gyms, Fitness Centers, Pools, and Other Indoor Recreation Facilities.
Gyms, fitness centers, swimming and bathing facilities, bowling alleys, and
other indoor recreation facilities must limit the number of customers present
inside any given establishment to 33% of the maximum permitted occupancy
and ensure that individuals not from the same household maintain six (6) feet
of space between each other. Indoor group activities, group classes, team
practices, and team competitions are prohibited. Notwithstanding 902 KAR
2:210E, Section 2(3)(j), all individuals inside such facilities must wear face
coverings at all times, including while actively engaged in exercise. For the
avoidance of doubt, this provision does not apply to athletic activities at
schools, for which separate guidance will be provided by KHSAA, or athletic
activities at institutions of higher education.

[For the full Order, click here.]