2009 Ladder Season
What's a Ladder? | Why Join? | How it Works | Ladder FAQs | Rules & Guidelines

Registration for the summer 2009 Pittsburgh Tennis Challenge Ladder is underway.

The ladder's 8th season runs from Saturday May 9th to Sunday October 18th.  You can join the ladder and start playing matches at any time during this period. 

The Pittsburgh Tennis Challenge Ladder is the most flexible form of tennis competition available. You play whenever, wherever, and with whom you wish. You determine how often you play.

The ladder is co-ed and singles only. It's for players of any age whose tennis abilities are between NTRP 3.0 and 5.0 (intermediate to advanced). You play against opponents of comparable skill who you choose to challenge.

A ladder is a fantastic way to meet more tennis players, play more tennis and develop your game. Ladders are the gentlest path to get involved in competitive tennis. If you play tennis and keep score, you should join the ladder. 

The ladder entry fee for the 2009 season is $10.

How to register:

1) Pay your entry fee by sending a check for $10 made payable to "John Valentich" to:

John Valentich
100 Denniston Ave. #41
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

2) E-mail your: 1) full name,  2) e-mail address and 3) a phone number that's best for other ladder members to reach you to set up matches to: 

pghtennis@gmail.com

Don't send this info with your check, e-mail it to me. Even if you've played on the ladder previously and already have a TennisEngine account, I still need you to e-mail me this info to minimize problems with passwords and usernames needed to access the new 2008 ladder.

3) Read the ladder rules & guidelines. In registering to play on the ladder you acknowledge that you've read and agree with the ladder rules & guidelines.

You will receive via e-mail a user name and password enabling you to access TennisEngine, the Web-based ladder system, to set up your player profile, select and contact opponents, enter match scores and view up to the minute ladder standings.

All ladder members who play at least 5 matches receive a free tennis T-shirt from Tennis Village in Shadyside.

Prizes (racquets, shoes, bags, racquet stringings) will be awarded to the 10 individuals who play the most matches by the season's end on October 18th.

A challenge ladder is a mechanism for ranking tennis players according to the results of their matches.  As members of the ladder play each other, their relative positions on the ladder (the rungs) are adjusted to reflect the results of their matches, their opponent's W-L records, and how frequently they play.

The Pittsburgh Tennis Challenge Ladder doesn't compete with or replace existing leagues and tournaments. In fact, the ladder is a great way to tune and develop your game for higher pressure league and tournament play. If opponents playing in leagues or tournaments are also ladder members they should enter their match results in the ladder ranking system.

It's for Everyone:

The purpose of a tennis ladder is to allow all tennis players, from the novice to the serious, experienced player, to meet and play other comparably skilled tennis enthusiasts. Whether you play only occasionally, "just for fun," or compete hard several times a week, you can meet others at your level. The ladder is open to players of all ages and both sexes.

It's Convenient:

You can play whenever, wherever, and with whom you wish. You can play how often you wish. You can join the ladder at any time.

There's no better way to fit organized tennis into a hectic work and family schedule!

The ladder is run and administered entirely over the Web. You can enter match scores, review ladder standings, learn the previous match results of your opponents and read their player profiles at any time.

The personal info you provide to join the ladder is available only to registered ladder members. It's not accessible by Internet prowlers, human or digital.

It's Challenging:

You'll have the opportunity to develop your game by facing new opponents who are slightly more advanced or who play the game with new styles and strategies. If you're playing with the same two or three partners week after week you're missing a big part of the game of tennis.

It's Rewarding:

See how high you can move up the ladder. Maybe you can become the legitimate tennis king or queen of Schenley Park! You can also win valuable prizes.

More important than status or prizes are the new and interesting people you will meet. Tennis is perhaps the most international of sports. The Pittsburgh Tennis Challenge Ladder provides an opportunity to meet people from around the world who now reside in the Pittsburgh area.

Step 1: Get details about the ladder. By joining the ladder you agree to abide by the rules governing the operation of the ladder and awarding of prizes.

Step 2: Pay  your ladder entry fee. Send a check for $10 made payable to "John Valentich" to:

John Valentich
100 Denniston Ave. #41
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Also send an e-mail to: pghtennis@gmail.com containing your:

* Email address
* Your full name
* Phone number 
(where you wish to be contacted by other ladder members to arrange matches)

Don't send this info with your check, e-mail it to me. Even if you've played on the ladder previously and already have a TennisEngine account, I still need you to e-mail me this info to minimize problems with passwords and usernames needed to access the new 2009 ladder.

Step 3: When your entry fee is paid, you'll receive an e-mail message containing your user name and password. Save this info where you can find it when you've forgotten your user name and password. You'll need this info to participate in the tennis ladder.

Tell your tennis-playing friends about the Pittsburgh Tennis Challenge Ladder.  Remember, they can join the ladder at any time during the season.

Help spread the word about the ladder!

Check out the Pittsburgh Tennis Challenge Ladder FAQs.