CLUB NEWS

I hope everyone had the chance to see some of the amazing tennis last month and witness the last year of the PAC 12 conference. As I write this, we are currently finishing up the tournament and it has been nothing short of amazing. From the weather to the tennis, there is nothing else in the country like The Ojai Tournament.  

We just finished up the studio room floor and it looks great! We hope to add better storage and more upgrades in a few months. We also gave both outdoor locker rooms a face lift. We know it's not perfect but Leo and the crew did a great job giving it a fresher look. 

We are still waiting for the lounge furniture to arrive and hope to get some items this month.

We thank you for being patient as we upgrade certain areas of the club. We hope everyone has a great May. Please don't forget to sign your kids up for Tennis and Junior Lifeguards this Summer. Should be a blast!

See Ya at the Club!

Ryan

SLEEP MORE TO EAT LESS

-Fitness Director Danielle Wommack

The last thing anyone would want is for weight loss to be any harder to achieve. But without adequate sleep, you may actually be making it easier to gain weight. Numerous studies have shown that people who get less sleep have been shown to eat more calories throughout the day, on average an extra 250 calories.

But don't fret, this can be turned around. Through the practice of good sleep "hygiene", even just an extra hour of sleep was associated with 162 fewer daily calories consumed. That's more than 1000 calories a week! And it is achieved without changing anything in the diet.

So what should your sleep hygiene involve? First and foremost, a regular sleep-wake schedule, positive bedtime routines, an appropriate sleeping environment, monitoring of screen time, and attention to physiological factors like exercise and caffeine. Although this list is simple, making the changes necessary is not always easy. However, continuing to practice these habits (there will be days you just aren't perfect) will lead to better consistency and results.

One of the reasons sleep affects eating habits is because the lack of sleep will directly impact your hunger and appetite levels, along with hormones that control your satiety levels (i.e., food cravings). And if you are awake more hours of the day, you have more day to act on your cravings.

Sleep also affects your mood/emotional state and your capacity to handle stress, which will impact your relationships and your decision-making. Poor decisions lead to poor eating.

Although there are people with chronic insomnia or sleep apnea who need a qualified medical professional to help them get enough rest, for most of us it is simply a behavior change problem.

Here is a list of Sleep Hygiene Best Practices:

1. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same times.
2. Moderate alcohol and caffeine intake. Avoid caffeine within 8-9 hours of bedtime.
3. Eat and drink appropriately and not too much liquid before bedtime.
4. Journal daily to do a "brain dump" and get out whatever is bugging you
5. Turn off electronics at least 30 minutes before bed
6. Stretch or read or de-stress in some way before bed
7. Go to sleep before midnight
8. Set an alarm to got to bed
9. Exercise regularly
10. Take a bath or shower before bed
11. Keep the room dark
12. Keep the bedroom stress-free and clutter-free
13. Keep the bedroom cool (60-68 F)
14. Use white noise
15. Get outside in the sunlight and fresh air during the day

The OVAC Personal Training Coaches view sleep as an part of your overall fitness and wellbeing. Personal Training with one of our coaches is so much more than just "do this exercise", but rather overall support of your health. We are ready to assist you with establishing health promoting behavior changes as they relate to sleep, nutrition, joint health, flexibility, endurance, and strength to promote overall enjoyment of life. If you are ready to start your guided journey, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] to start the conversation on how we can best meet your individual needs.

AVAILABLE TIMES

Just a friendly reminder that there are still some regular times available in our private

Pilates studio! Our instructor, Amanda, has Saturdays available at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 and is also available on Sundays. And our instructors, Kelsey and Taylor, have some flexible hours on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. Please contact me if you would like to snag these times!

Georgia Cotsis, Pilates Director
[email protected]
(805)272-5619

LUXURY?

"Massage is not just a luxury. It's a way to a healthier; happier life."
Thankfully, we have come a long way in understanding the importance of massage and what it adds to our lives. Further, I came across this thought today that yes, massage is a luxury! We have the opportunity to indulge in just what our own body needs for an hour...that is a luxury, which means the state of great comfort and extravagant living. I would hope for us not to feel guilty about this because the thought I came across today is that it is the same thing as our diet. It takes more thought, preparation, and "treating" to receive what our body responds best to. If I want to save money, I wouldn't just keep feeding myself McDonald's. We have one body that needs to be energized, fed well, and pampered. None of those three things can be ignored, or diminished. Please book your massage with me!

Georgia Cotsis, Massage Therapist
[email protected]
(805)272-5619

OVAC AQUATICS 

Hello OVAC Swimmers!

It's starting to feel a bit like Summer! I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am. I love seeing happy families and sunbathers living their best life at our pools. With summer approaching and pool usage ramping up, I want to remind everyone to stay safe and keep a close eye on your little ones. Children under 43 inches must wear a puddle jumper/life vest (loaners are available next to the shed)) and be within arms reach of a guardian. We are busy getting the Lifeguard staff trained and ready to start on June 14!

Also, with the rec pool becoming busier please be aware of the lap lanes in the rec pool, those lanes are for lessons and lap swimming and lessons. If a swimmer swims across the lanes when someone is lap swimming, a serious collision could happen and it's also frustrating for the lap swimmers. On the weekends according to usage we will be reducing the lap lane to two to make more room for recreational swimmers.

Additionally, as the days become longer and the weather heats up, swim lessons become a must have! We currently have group lessons, private lessons, and a beginning swim team for families looking to get kids ready and safe for the summer swim season. We have also added a new program, Junior Lifeguards!  Please contact me if you are looking for swim options for you or your kids, or have questions about our Aquatic programming.

See you at the pool!

Elin Cheverez [email protected] 

QUIN SEIDER QUALIFIES FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS

Our very OVAC Ojai Heatwaves swimmer Quin Seider has qualified for the 2024 Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, IN. His qualifying swim is 100 LCM Freestyle with 49.84. As of 04/07/24 there were 65 men qualified for Olympic Trials in the 100 Freestyle in the United States.

Congratulations Quin and Coach Wenke!

SPRING AND SUMMER GROUP LESSONS ARE FILLING UP! 

Register Now to Secure Your Spot

• Spring Lessons  run through May 29
• Summer Lessons are June 17th-August 19th

All sessions are 4/30 minute classes. Afternoon sessions are Monday and Wednesdays two classes a week for 2 Weeks. Morning sessions are 4 classes a week Monday through Thursday. Baby & Me is offered on 4 consecutive Mondays.

FINE PRINT: No make-ups, prorating, refunds, or transferring. No shows will not be refunded. Makeups due to illness are at the instructor's discretion and are offered only according to availability one time per season (ex. Fall, Summer, Spring) Classes will not be canceled due to rain or cold weather. Non-member's club usage is restricted, and Non-Members must adhere to the Non-Member Swim Policy or risk losing the ability to participate in Aquatic programming at OVAC.

Click on the Link for Schedules and Payment

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SPRING LESSONS

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER LESSONS

NEW THIS SUMMER! JUNIOR LIFEGUARDS AT OVAC

$245/session CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Ages 5 and up must be able to swim unassisted. Bring your own snack and lunch. Jr Lifeguards is from 9:30am – 12:30pm.

Session 1: Monday June 17th – Thursday June 20th 
Session 2: Monday June 24th  – Thursday June 27th 
Session 3: Monday July 1st  – Friday July 5th ( no camp on July 4th)

Session 4: Monday July 29th  – Thursday August 1st 
Session 5: Monday August 5th   – Thursday August 8th 
Session 6: Monday August 12th   – Thursday August 15th 

Daily Schedule:
9:30am -9:45am: check in and games
9:45am – 11:00am swim instruction & pool games 
11:00am - 11:45am: lunch 
11:45am – 12:20pm: rec swim/diving board
12:20pm - 12:30pm:  get ready for pickup

OVAC IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2024 SUMMER LIFEGUARDS! 

Ojai Valley Athletic Club is hiring Lifeguards for the upcoming summer season. This is a temporary seasonal job from June-Sept. in which the employee will be assigned tasks related to water, customer safety, customer service, daily maintenance and other given tasks. A current American Red Cross Lifeguarding Certification is required or willingness to obtain one. The certification class will be offered with commitment to the position. Pick up and application at the front desk and return ATTN: Elin Cheverez

SWIM LANE RESERVATION CANCELLATIONS

We hope you are enjoying the swim lane reservation system. Please remember to cancel your reservation if you aren't going to make it to the pool. To cancel you can either use the app and click on "cancel" or call the front desk. This will free up lanes for those who come in for last minute swims.  Thank you!

SAVE THE DATE! ADULT SUMMER SWIM MEET! JUNE 15

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Were you a competitive swimmer and curious how fast you can still go? Never raced but always wanted to? Come join our fun adult swim meet for swimmers 18 and up. Love swimming but don't want to race? Volunteer to be a timer!

• Saturday June 15th 10:30am – 1:00p
• Warm up Starts at 10:30am meet starts at 11:00am
• Entry Fee $25 (additional $10 fee for non members

Enter up to 5 individual events Registration closes at 11:59 pm Wednesday June 12th Races will be timed by stopwatch. You may enter up to 5 individual events. There will be a Medley relay in the middle of the meet and a Free relay at the end of the meet. There's a limit of 12 swimmers for the 400 freestyle.

PICKLEBALL NEWS

IT'S TOURNAMENT TIME!

We will hold our first OVAC Pickleball Tournament on Saturday, May 18th. Registration will begin Monday, April 29th. Round robin format with two brackets: "Just For Fun" and "In It to Win It" - 8 teams per bracket. Each team will play the other seven teams one game to 11, win by 1. Grab a partner and get ready to get into it!! Sign up poster is in the lobby now.

DO YOU DUPR?

In preparation for this and future tournaments, we have partnered with DUPR to provide and maintain player ratings. DUPR ratings are trusted globally and across multiple platforms. They function in sanctioned tournaments as well as any rec play game where all four players are DUPR rated.

Learn more and register at dupr.com

• Find DUPR in the Apple App Store here:
  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dupr/id1567932355
• Find DUPR in the Google Play Store here:
  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gg.dupr&hl=en_US&gl=US
• After creating your account, tap the "Play" icon. Search for {Ojai Valley Athletic Club} to find us. Tap on our page and select "Join Club." Easy!

FRANKLIN X-40 PICKLEBALLS ON SALE 3/$10 AT THE FRONT DESK

PICKLEBALL CLINICS

• Tuesday 1:00pm - Intermediate/Advanced
• Wednesday 9:00am - Advanced (Invite Only)
• Thursday 1:00pm - Beginner/Intermediate

PICKLEBALL LIVEBALL! 

A fast-paced, non-stop, king/queen of the court pickleball experience!

For 5-7 players. Bring water and a great attitude and be ready to MOVE!!!

• Wednesday 2:00pm - Intermediate Liveball
• Friday 2:00pm - Advanced Liveball
• Contact Greg Doss at [email protected] or (805)798-2662 to sign up!

All Clinics and Liveball $15 for members / $20 non-members

PICKLEBALL GROUP/INDIVIDUAL LESSONS

All Lessons $80/hour. Can be split between 1-4 players.
Contact Greg Doss at [email protected] or (805)798-2662 to schedule.
Open Play Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday - 8:30am - 12:30pm - All Levels Welcome - 
Mixed - Single Game Rotation - Four On Four Off - Bring Your Best Attitude!

PICKLEBALL SUNDAYS - All Courts Reserved 8:30-12:30

Every other Sunday - Advanced Pickleball - 
(Apr 14th, Apr 28, May 12th, May 26th, etc.)
Members and Guests Only - Bring your best game and see how it stands up! 

Every OTHER other Sunday - Super Sunday! -
Very Advanced Pickleball - 4.0+ Only - 
(Apr 7th, Apr 21st, May 5th, May 19th, etc.)
See Greg for details or come out and watch!

MAY TENNIS NEWS

Hopefully everyone was able to get out and watch some of the amazing tennis we had in town last week. As tennis fans we are truly blessed to have such an amazing event right in our own backyard. 

SUMMER TENNIS CAMPS ENROLLING NOW!

Camps run for 9 weeks this year. Monday-Thursday from 9am-12pm with swimming from 11am-12pm. Ages 5-16. Cost is $195 Members/$235 Non-Members.

OVAC Summer Tennis Camps are a great way to learn the basics of the game, make friends and get outside. Campers will be separated by age and skill level.

Sign up here. For questions, contact Tennis Director Steve Beckendorf at [email protected].

June: 10-13, 17-20, 24-27, 
July: 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, 29-August 1
August: 5-8, 12-15

RECYCLE YOUR TENNIS BALLS

I continue to see a lot of balls in trash cans. A reminder to please use our tennis ball recycler near the deck between courts 5&6. We don't want our used balls winding up in landfills when they can be repurposed. Also don't forget the cardboard tennis ball recycling boxes located in the lobby of the club.The used balls are ground down and repurposed as material for impact-absorbing surfaces. 

TENNIS TIP- THE VOLLEY

Mastering the Tennis Volley: A Guide to Technique

The tennis volley is a crucial skill for players looking to take advantage of a forward position in the court and control points. Unlike groundstrokes, which are typically hit after the ball bounces, volleys are struck in the air, requiring quick reflexes and precise technique. Here's a breakdown of the key elements to master the tennis volley:

1. Ready Position: Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and weight forward on the balls of your feet. Hold the racket with a continental grip, which is ideal for both forehand and backhand volleys. This grip allows the bottom edge of the racquet to get to the ball first producing backspin and control on the volley.

2. Split Step: Anticipate your opponent's shot by performing a split step just as they make contact with the ball. This involves lifting slightly off the ground and landing with your feet apart, ready to move in any direction while maintaining balance and even weight distribution. 

3. Angle and Placement:  For both forehand and backhand volleys, "find" the ball with your racquet strings first and keep your hands close together in order to avoid unnecessary backswing which can lead to inconsistency. Transfer your weight forward through the shot and angle the racquet face slightly open to direct the ball crosscourt or down the line. 

4. Contact Point: The ideal contact point for volleys is slightly in front and to the side of your body and at a comfortable height, typically from waist to shoulder level. Keep your wrist firm and racquet face stable to control the direction of the ball.

5. Follow-Through: Unlike groundstrokes, volleys require a short and controlled follow-through. After making contact with the ball, keep the racquet face directed towards your target to ensure accuracy.

To improve your volley technique, incorporate drills that focus on footwork, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time. Mastering the tennis volley takes time and practice, but by focusing on key elements, you can improve your technique and become a more effective net player. Incorporate volley practice into your training regimen to elevate your game and gain a competitive edge on the court.

Contact Steve Beckendorf at 805-746-0819 or sbeckendorf@caclubs if you'd like to work on your volley or any other aspect of your game in a private lesson. 

SINGLES LADDER

Looking for mens and womens singles players for participation in the singles ladder at the club. You challenge others above you on the ladder or be challenged by those below you and complete matches within a designated time frame. Please contact Steve at 805-746-0819 if interested.

KIDS TENNIS CLINICS   

Contact Steve at [email protected] or 805-746-0819 to sign up for any clinic. 

Intermediate/Advanced Clinic- Invitation Only- Children must be able to rally, serve and play points. For players looking to play competitive tennis in tournaments or high school. Ages 9-14 as a loose rule. Inclusion in the clinic is based on Tennis Directors approval. Ages 9-14. Cost: $20 member/$25 non-member
Monday & Wednesday 4pm-5:30pm (90 minutes)

Future Stars- for our youngest players aged 5-8 who are new to tennis. Fun learning through movement and games. Cost: $13 member/$16 non-member.
Tuesday & Thursday 3:45pm-4:30pm, Saturday at 9 AM (45 minutes)

Bigger Littles Clinic- A clinic for our mid to upper elementary age beginners who have some experience. Physical conditioning, stroke production and drills/games are part of this clinic. Ages 8-11. Cost: $15 member/$20 non-member.
Tuesday & Thursday 4:30pm-5:30pm; Saturday at 10 AM, (60 minutes)

ADULT CLINICS- Contact Steve at [email protected] or 805-746-0819 to sign up for any clinic. 

Advanced Live Ball- Invitation Only
Mondays  4:30-5:30pm. Cost: $15 member/$20 non-member 

Intermediate Live Ball (3.5 and 4.0 players)
Fridays- 3 PM. A great fast paced work-out that will sharpen up your doubles play. Cost: $15 member/$20 non-member 

Ladies Intermediate Live Ball- Invitation Only
Wednesdays 5:30-6:30 pm. Cost: $15 member/$20 non-member 
Saturdays 9-10am. Cost: $15 member/$20 non-member

Adult Beginner/Intermediate Clinic:
Saturdays 10-11:30am. Cost: $20 members/$25 non-members

DROP IN TENNIS
Drop in Doubles: Tuesday/Thursday at 3:00 pm.
Cronies Doubles: Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 7am