Conga Drumbeat 9 for August 12, 2024

A weekly newsletter with timely information about local clubs, programs, and events for Tennis, Pickleball, and Padel

Good Monday morning, everyone.

Happy to report that we’re growing. New listings have been posted from Orange County and San Diego.

Please email me with updates or if you want your programs added. You can also use WhatsApp (Rich Neher / 818-809-8327) and please share this newsletter with your friends.

Thank you!

Rich Neher, CEO
Conga Sports

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Regarding the below Table of Contents: The links don’t work with all email clients. If they don’t work for you, just click on Read Online (Top right of this newsletter). The links do work in all browsers.

Table of Contents

3 Qs FOR THIS WEEK IN SOCAL

Quality Local Event of the Week

Pickle LiveBall at Marina Racquet Club

Wed, Aug 14 - 6:00-7:30 pm
Fri, Aug 16 - 9:00-10:30 am

Quote of the week

San Diego Tennis coaching legend Angel Lopez posted this on Facebook: “Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you have made. If you want a different result, make a different choice.”

Question from readers

Ms. Patricia from Burbank asked: Are you planning to publish Drumbeat in Spanish?

Rich Neher: Sí, amiga, y si quieres ayudarnos a traducir el boletín, avísame.

WITTY RACQUET SPORTS

Why did the pickleball paddle break up with the tennis racket? It couldn't handle the strings attached!

What is the most depressing thing about tennis? You’ll never be as good as a wall.

Original Vic Braden quote:
I’ve never seen a tennis player bend his knees too low!

Don’t forget to make your friends happy by sharing this newsletter with them. Tell them, that for the next 12 months, every new subscription goes into a monthly raffle for a $100 coupon to local restaurants or a Visa Gift Card.
Send them the subscription link: https://conga-drumbeat.beehiiv.com/

LOCAL AREA: LOS ANGELES COUNTY

San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles Westside

Henry The Sports Bug founder and creator Melissa Detwiler says “Learn about how we merge the joy of learning tennis with the adventure of reading through our Pre-School and Elementary Tennis Enrichment Classes.” Melissa recommends exploring their structured programs designed to “foster physical, social, and emotional development in young children.” (Henry’s Program)

The program works at 20 local schools in the Valley and on the Westside. Get Henry The Sportsbug in your school or pre-school. Melissa is also looking for assistants who are great with kids. No need to be a certified tennis professional. Contact Melissa: [email protected].

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY WEST

Thousand Oaks
  • Inquire about membership

  • Ongoing USTA  leagues, trilevel, and 55+ Thursday in-house beginner ladies league. 

  • Tuesday night 6pm and Friday morning 9am complementary clinic.

  • Wednesday 6pm Thursday 6pm Saturday 10am:  2 levels of live ball clinics

  • Several daily ladies’ group lessons

Woodland Hills

Match Tough Tennis Academy
Coach UJ Neri
@ Warner Tennis Center

Thursdays 7-8:30 pm
Advanced LiveBall
Book through the LVBL website

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY EAST

Sherman Oaks

Friday Night Tennis
7-9 pm at Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park
Pre-registration and pre-payment is required. Email Rich if you want to play.

Starting next week, Conga Drumbeat will add PLAYER CLASSIFIEDS to our lineup. If you are looking for a hitting partner, or a coach, a playing partner, a good drill clinic, or LiveBall, please email Billy and we’ll list it in this newsletter next Monday morning!

Burbank

Group lessons: Our next group lesson program begins the week of August 12th and just started signing up today. They're a great, affordable way to meet new people and play Tennis or Pickleball! The schedule of classes can be found here: https://burbanktenniscenter.com/img/PubLsnFall24.pdf

Cardio Tennis:  Cardio tennis is a fun, high-energy workout! Our Cardio Tennis classes transform your fitness routine in a fun way! Perfect for all ages and skill levels, Cardio Tennis combines the best of tennis and cardiovascular exercise! Cardio tennis is held on Saturday mornings from 11:30a-12:30p and Sunday mornings from 7-8a! Players must RSVP and can do so by calling or texting (818) 860-1660!

Pickleball Open Play: Burbank Tennis Center hosts open play clinics throughout the week! Two coaches run our Pickleball clinics, Joel Dacay who can be reached at (213) 675-0276 and Roland Sunga who can be reached at (818) 458-9327! Please contact these coaches for more information!

Coach Tommy Hoffer
Adult Clinics Saturday mornings at John Burroughs High School:
8-9 am Levels 3.0 to 3.5
9-10 am Levels 2.0 to 2.5

Register by calling the Burbank Tennis Center (818) 843-4105

Burbank

Coach Aleksey Zharinov
Certified USPTA Professional

Private lessons and clinics. Author of the book “The Russian System.” Organizer of the “Rock ‘N Roll Tennis Camps.”

Aleksey: “My lessons are customized to the individual needs of my students. Be it an individual shot or a strategy against a certain kind of player, I can teach it all. I have the highest review rating in the entire LA to prove it. I believe that the proper technical skills are the cornerstone of any high-level playing, which is why I strongly emphasize and teach it in all my lessons. My goal is to break it all down and to make sure that my students understand the concepts behind all the shots and strategies. Ultimately, I want them to become good at self-coaching so that they can keep improving whenever they play on their own.

Studio City

Nikki’s Tennis Crew
Monday 6-7 pm Intermediate Clinic
Thursday 7-8 pm Intermediate Ladies’ Clinic
Friday 9-10 am Intermediate Clinic

Private lessons available

Clinics are at a private court in Studio City
Register with Nikki

SANTA CLARITA

Valencia

FREE Starter program for members - learn to play the sport for a lifetime.  We offer our beginner classes three times a week to teach the foundations of the game.  Once you've graduated, move into Starter Grad drills and leagues to continue learning the game with others at your level of play.  
More

The Paseo Club Valencia
Link to the After School Tennis Program
August 12, 2024 - June 13, 2025 (Monday through Saturday

LOS ANGELES & BEACH CITIES

Griffith Park, West Chester, Arroyo Seco, West Hollywood, more

LA TENNIS offers clinics, privates, Summer Camps, LiveBall, and more by 24 coaches at 6 locations:
Riverside Tennis Center, Vermont Canyon TC, Westchester TC, Hermon Park TC, Poinsettia TC, Park Center TC

Upcoming events

SUMMER CAMP: LA Tennis is proud to continue the wonderful Summer Camp tradition at the Griffith Park La Tennis Center. Details.

LA PICKLE CLUB
Locations:

PADEL IN HOLLYWOOD

Email: [email protected]
Phone number: +1 (510) 770-6138 
Message us on WhatsApp

5115 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Open hours: 9am-9pm every day of the week
Website

WEEKLY PADEL SCHEDULE

DAY

TIME - COACH

CLASS

MONDAY

6:00-7:00 pm - Jon

Intermediate Clinic

TUESDAY

6:00-7:00 pm - Jon

Beginners Clinic

WEDNESDAY

9:00-11:00 am - Juanes
6:00-7:00 pm - Jon
7:00-9:00 pm - Jon

Beginners Open Play
Advanced Clinic
Interm./Adv. Open Play

THURSDAY

9:00-10:00 am - Juanes

Intermediate Clinic

FRIDAY

9:00-10:00 am - Juanes
10:00am-12:00pm - Juanes

Beginners Clinic
Women’s Open Play

SATURDAY

10:30am-12:00pm - Austin

Americana Tournament

SUNDAY

9:00-10:00 am - Jon & Juanes
10am-12pm - Jon or Juanes

Beginners Clinic
Open Play

West Los Angeles, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, Santa Monica, more

FORTUNE TENNIS
Manny Fortune’s motto: “Empowering next-level focused tennis players.”

Clinics: Mondays through Sundays.
LiveBall (3.5-4.0, 3.75-4.0, 4.0-4.5,
4.5, 4.75-5.0)
Gameplay (3.0-3.5, 4.0)
Skills & Drills for Beginners 1
Skills & Drills for Beginners 2

Locations: Stoner Park, Culver City Tennis Courts, Marina Del Rey, Marine Park (Santa Monica), Ladera Heights (Private court), Memorial Park (Santa Monica)

Marina Del Rey 

Extensive Tennis and Pickleball clinics and events at Marina Del Rey’s Ritz-Carlton hotel.

Tennis: MarinaBall, LiveBall at various levels from 2.5 to 4.5. Scored LiveBall, Competitive LiveBall, Tennis 101 for Beginners, Tequila Tennis, Tanqueray Tennis. Book here.

Pickleball: court time at all hours of the day all week long. Book here.

NEW: Pickle LiveBall August Schedule

Wed, Aug 14 - 6:00-7:30 pm
Fri, Aug 16 - 9:00-10:30 am
Wed, Aug 21 - 6:00-7:30 pm
Fri, Aug 23 - 9:00-10:30 am
Wed, Aug 28- 6:00-7:30 pm
Fri, Aug 30 - 9:00-10:30 am

All Pickle LiveBall on court A

Pickleball Courts at Marina Racquet Club

LOCAL AREA: ORANGE COUNTY

Irvine

Steve Riggs, Junior Team Tennis - Area League Coordinator for USTA Southern California, writes: The OCCTA is running WTN Prize money singles tournaments starting Labor Day Weekend, August 31-Sept 2.

Flighted draws, 16 players per flight, Men’s and Women’s Open.
Click on the tournament links for details.

Please share this with your friends, see you there! Any questions please contact me 949-232-2900 or [email protected]

LOCAL AREA: SAN DIEGO COUNTY

San Diego

Aug. 24-25, 31-Sept 2
Level 4 Open: 95th San Diego District Championships
at Balboa Tennis Club
Registration

Saturday, August 24th, 4:30 p.m
This year's San Diego Tennis Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place at Balboa Tennis Club.
The Class of 2024 is: Alexandra Stevenson,  Abigail Spears, Carolyn Nichols, Jack McGrory, Una Davis 

San Diego

LVBL will start weekly LiveBall programming at the Barnes Tennis Center.

To play, register at https://lvbl.club/

Del Mar

Surf & Turf Tennis Center

15555 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar
Pro Shop: 858-764-1987 | courts are open 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. | Tennis  Shop hours: M-Th 8a.m.-5, Friday 8 am - 4, Saturdays & Sundays 8-2

Adult Clinics at Surf & Turf Tennis Center (Register: delmartennis.com)
Mondays 12:00-1:30 pm Men’s 4.0 + LiveBall
Fridays 12:00-1:30 pm Men’s 4.5 + LiveBall (by invitation only)
Thursdays 9:00-10:00 am Co-Ed Cardio Clinic 3.0+
Fridays 12:00-1:30 pm Co-Ed LiveBall 4.0+
Tuesdays 10:30 am-12:00 pm Co-Ed Beginner Clinic
Mondays 12:00-1:30 pm Co-Ed Skills & Drills 3.0-4.0
Tuesdays 9:00-10:30 am Co-Ed Skills & Drills 3.0-4.0
Fridays 9:00-11:00 am 3.5 Ladies Clinic
Mondays 9:00-11:00 am 4.0 Ladies Clinic

PADEL IN SAN DIEGO

August 19-25, 2024

Pro Padel League August 19-25th at the Barnes Tennis Center 

The world’s best Padel players at Barnes for the first time in California history. Information & Tickets (General admission is free)

Ten teams will compete for the chance to lift the PPL Cup including the Las Vegas Smash (2023 Champions), Cancun Waves (2023 Finalists), Miami Padel Club, Flowrida Goats, San Diego Stingrays, Los Angeles Beat, Arkansas Matrix, Toronto Polar Bears, New York Atlantics, and Houston Volts.