Too much water on the courts. Not enough water. Topping that blows away must be replaced. Chunks of the court gouged out like divots and in need of repair. Should we add calcium chloride to help retain moisture?

Keeping clay courts in top condition is both a science and an art. Our man behind the scenes is Steve Beditz, along with the court crew of Harry Lentz and Chris Mercagliano.

We caught up with Steve recently to film a little behind-the-scenes action. Steve said he’s been a member of ATC since around 1995 and has had a long career in higher education administration, mostly in human resources and labor relations, culminating in a role as VP for Administration and Finance at UAlbany.

Steve served on the ATC board of directors for ten years, starting when Merrilee Trudeau was president, through Scott Halle.

“I left the board about the time I retired,” he said, “reasoning I could make a bigger contribution as a jack of all trades rather than making policy decisions.”

He said that no one at ATC has gone to clay court maintenance school, and that he’s learned on the job.

“My main contributions are before and after the season: getting the courts open in the spring, put to bed in the fall, and managing special projects like irrigation improvements. The logistics are far more complicated than most members realize. During the season, I mostly react to unplanned events, such as coordinating the repair of a broken water line, dealing with a court roller that won't start, and figuring out solutions to other issues that come up with the courts.”

Steve volunteers a lot of his time to ATC. “The club has meant so much to me over the years, and I have the time and knowledge to do it. It's a precious resource that requires a lot of TLC.”

Of course, Steve gets his playing time in, too. His best, go-to shot during a match? “My forehand when it feels like cooperating.”

Please WATCH the video of Steve explaining what it takes to keep our courts in great shape.