Pickleball players enjoy the game in a sunny spring day.

By Cindy Hoffman, Staff Writer

(April 20, 2023) The Racquet Club took over the public comments during the Saturday Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors meeting, with a standing-room-only crowd filling the Golf Club meeting room.

A large portion of the crowd was there for one thing: to let the board members know that they did not support the changes made at the racquet club regarding free introductory lessons and court time.

Prior to the public comment segment of the board meeting, Director of Rec and Parks Debbie Donahue reported that the changes were made based on the growth of the racquet center.

“In the past, we had a 14-day trial free to non-members and free lessons,” Donahue said.

“This year we are looking at no free court time and being able to charge for lessons, although there are two clinics that are offered in April and in May that are still free for new members or non-members to kind of learn the sports and decide whether they would like to purchase a membership,” Donahue said.

“No other amenity really gives anything away for free,” Donahue said.

But then Donahue went on to explain that the aquatics department allows people to drop in for a free one-time class to try it out and determine whether it is the right workout for them, so they can sign up for classes that are best suited to them.

“We encourage people to come in and be able to take one trial class. It’s a $7 value and let them assess whether that is the appropriate class. More often than not, it leads to a registration, and it leads to a long-term customer that is very satisfied with the aquatics department. We do not give free swim lessons,” Kathleen Cook, the director of the aquatics department, said.

Bob Beckelman, the director of the Golf Club then explained that the putting greens are free at the Golf Club.

“The putting greens are not a revenue source. We don’t charge anything to use the putting green. Some of the lady members got together and started a putting club,” Beckelman said.

While free golf is not regularly offered, the club did offer a free day on Easter Sunday, attracting 65 people to enjoy the course. The day included the use of the indoor simulator, pitching and putting contests and driving range tips.

Viola said he and the board had all received numerous emails on the changes at the racquet club and  comments from numerous residents who supported free lessons and limited free court time to attract new members to the racquet club, especially to the lesser known sports.

Karen Caplan spoke on behalf of the platform tennis club.

“Members are no longer permitted to offer a no-cost introduction to platform tennis sports. Since 1998, our own member volunteers have worked in a goodwill partnership with the OPA. We provided the introductory instructions for potential members and the OPA allowed a no cost two-week trial period.”

“We want to offer at least three free [platform tennis] intro lessons.”

“Over the last two years, we have converted this no cost trial to 61 first time memberships at $180. That is revenue generated for the OPA. Requiring a drop in fee to try our unfamiliar sports is going to hurt us,” Caplan said.

Many others spoke out about how the free lessons and court time provided them the opportunity to try out a new sports and eventually lead to them to join as members. No further decision was made by the board.