FAQs
What should I bring to class?
Your tennis racquet, and water. If you don’t have a racquet, we can provide a loaner for our Waveland Park or Arrive Streeterville students as we have a Pro Shop onsite.
If you’re playing outdoors, we do suggest a hat and sunscreen.
Late Arrivals
- Please arrive ready to play immediately to quickly integrate into the ongoing activity to avoid disruption to the students and the ongoing class.
- Wait for a natural break in the lesson (e.g., between drills or at a changeover) to enter the court and check in with the Coach. If the class involves rotating courts or specific pairings, the Coach will do their best to accommodate you, but you may have to wait for the next rotation.
- Any time lost due to tardiness will not be added to the end of the lesson or be eligible for a makeup lesson.
Proper Attire
- Tops: Breathable, moisture-wicking athletic fabric is best.
- Bottoms: Athletic shorts, leggings, tennis skirts, or dresses.
- Shoes: Tennis-specific shoes with non-marking soles to protect the court and prevent
slipping. - Socks: Athletic socks that wick sweat to prevent blisters.
- Accessories: A water bottle, and towel. For outdoor play: sunglasses, a hat or visor, and
sunscreen.
First-Timers
We love a tennis newbie and we’re happy to help you develop your skills and love of the game!
- Please arrive a few minutes early to get acquainted with the court location.
- Dress for the weather conditions, and be sure to bring water.
- Make sure your equipment is in good shape and fits you well. This will help avoid injuries and ensure a productive lesson. Your coach can assess your gear and make recommendations for you. If you don’t have a racquet, please visit our Pro Shop.
- Address any concerns or needs with the coach.
- And remember that a positive mindset is key to helping you have fun while you learn.
Waitlist
If you are on a waitlist for a class, our Admin Team will reach out if a spot becomes available to see if you are still interested in joining. Our waitlist operates on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Court Rentals
We offer hourly court rentals at our Arrive Streeterville indoor location. Court times operate outside of our tennis lesson programming and can be arranged by calling: 773-278-8877.
Filming or Photography
We do not allow filming or photography of our lessons by students or third-parties.
Guests
Guests (including parents) are not allowed on the courts during lessons for their own protection, and to avoid any disruption to our classes.
Animals
Pets or animals are never allowed on the courts.
Gift Certificates
Need a gift for the tennis lover in your life? TOTL gift certificates are available in any denomination, in the amount of any of our group classes, or for private or semi-private lessons.
You can purchase a gift certificate in-person at our Pro Shop, or we can manually process this for you over the phone or via email.
If you are purchasing remotely, we can send you an invoice for the amount desired and upon receipt of payment, place that value on an account we create for the recipient. We’ll email you a certificate for printing or emailing. If your gift recipient is already a TOTL student, we will place on their account either immediately or on a date of your choosing (so we don’t ruin the surprise).
Please let us know if you’d like more information or would like to purchase a gift certificate by stopping by our Pro Shop or calling us: 773-278-8877.
Cell Phone Etiquette
Please keep phones away during play, and silence them for lessons. Please be respectful if you must take a call (step aside, speak quietly), to avoid distracting the class.
How to book a drop-in class
How to book a drop-in class:
After the first week of each new session, we convert our classes from session registrations to single class bookings for drop-in classes. Please note that we offer drop-in classes for all levels except Beginner 1.
Once you are logged into your student account, drop-in classes can be booked in the same manner as session registrations, however, as a single class.
- NOTE: If your drop-in class is scheduled at our Arrive Streeterville indoor location, please contact us in advance of your class so we can provide you with a door code for access.
Drop-ins are not available online during the first week of a new session to provide priority to full-session registrants; however, you can call us and we can manually check availability within a 24-hour window.
I'm going to miss some classes due to schedule conflicts, how do I reschedule?
You can manage your schedule, cancel classes, and redeem make-up credits directly through your student account. For step-by-step instructions on rescheduling group classes, privates, camps, and more, please visit our Student How-To page, which walks you through the entire process.
Do I need to be a member?
Tennis On The Lake does not charge membership fees.