Recreation Happenings From the Recreation Director’s Desk By Jesse Wright Recreation Manager We had great weather during the October 10th Clean Up event, a total of 23.89 tons of material was collected. The weather is finally starting to cool off and December is right around the corner. We have some exciting new programs to end the year. To replace the Winter Wonderland event, we will be doing Letters to Santa and a take-home ornament craft. Drop off your letters in the decorated mailbox located at La Casita Recreation Center between Friday, December 4 – Friday, December 11 during business hours (Mon.-Fri. 8:00 am - 7:00 pm, Sat. 9:00 am - 2:00 pm, closed Sundays). You will receive a free take home ornament craft. We will also be doing a Virtual Cookie Decorating Class on Saturday, December 5. Register through ActiveNet starting October 19th. The fee is $5 per person and is a $30 value! Spots are limited, so sign up today. See event flyer on page 18 for more information. Fishing Licenses and Boat Permits for 2021 will be going on sale December 1. Prices will remain the same this year. Fishing Licenses pricing: Residents $5, Non-Residents $10 for individuals (seven years of age and older). And, for a family of up to four: Residents $10, Non-Residents $20. Boat Permits are $15 for non-motorized and motorized watercrafts (lifelong permit). Stop by La Casita Recreation Center to purchase your licenses or permits. (You can drop your information/payment in the drop box or mail them to the Recreation office).
NOVEMBER 2020
Saturday 11/28. Christmas Eve 12/24 and Christmas Day 12/25 CLOSED, and 12/26 we will be OPEN. Stay Safe and Happy Holidays to you all!
New Tennis Reservation System for La Casita Tennis Courts Using the Dobson Ranch App
Just follow these simple steps to make your reservation: 1. Log into your Dobson Ranch App. 2. Navigate to the Tennis menu. 3. Tap into which La Casita Tennis Court you would like to reserve. 4. Tap "Reserve La Casita Tennis Court". 5. Select the date you wish to reserve and tap "Manage Reservations". 6. Select the time you wish to reserve.
Reservations are required to use the Dobson Ranch La Casita Tennis Courts.
Please Note: Our Recreation Center Holiday Hours are: Thanksgiving 11/26 & 11/27 CLOSED. We will reopen on
Have questions? Contact the Recreation Office at 480-831-7464.
Tennis Tip for November: How and When to Use Drop Shots to Your Advantage
Drop shots are an extremely useful tactic on the court when used effectively. To prevent the opponent from anticipating the drop shot, the best players disguise their drop shots by faking a normal topspin groundstroke. They quickly switch from their topspin grip to a continental grip for the drop shot.
In the tennis game, we see more players hitting lob shots during match play because either they are out of position and need to buy themselves time to recover their position or the opportunity was right since the opponent was near the net.
The timing of the drop shot must be perfect in order to hurt your opponent. If you use the drop shot when you’re out of position or moving backward, then it may result in an error or an easy short ball for your opponent. However, there are several times when it is a good idea to hit a drop shot.
The opposite of a lob would be a drop shot. A drop shot is when you hit the ball softly over the net so it lands short in the court. It’s best to hit a drop shot when the opponent is standing somewhere back behind the baseline or out of position.
It is best to use a drop shot when: • A player is out of position. • Your opponent is tired or a slow mover. • Your opponent is comfortable at baseline but not the net. 21+ over event • You have a chance to approach the net to join your partner.
By Kwong Young Dobson Ranch Tennis Professional
A good drop shot will land barely over the net. The opponent will not be able to run towards the net to get it before it bounces twice. This type of shot is performed when striking the ball with a soft hit. Adding some backspin to a drop shot will result in a better outcome. When hitting the drop shot, it’s important to use the continental grip, as you would with a slice or a volley. This allows you to hit the ball in front and maximizes control of the placement and spin. One should use this specialty shot when your opponent is back on the baseline or when they are out of position. 10 THE DOBSON ASSOCIATION
In today’s game, you see more and more pros sending drop shots to their opponents. When your opponent expects a hard shot, deep in the court, the drop shot is a good alternative. When performed perfectly, the opponent has too much running to do and simply gets outplayed with a soft ball… so there’s no power needed! WWW.DOBSONRANCH.COM
