2018 PHILADELPHIA AREA TENNIS DISTRICT (PATD)

Transcription

1 2018 PHILADELPHIA AREA TENNIS DISTRICT (PATD) CAPTAIN'S REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR 18 & Over, 40 & Over, 55 & Over, 65 & Over and Mixed Doubles USTA LEAGUE TENNIS Section 1 - Registration USTA Membership Registration USTA League Registration Section 2 Player Participation Player Participation Number in Level Section 3 League Play Schedules Court Availability Format Rescheduling and Forfeiture Rain Procedures and Make-Ups Advancing Competition Court Conduct Grievances League Scoring Appendix # 1 Calendar for 2018 USTA League Play Appendix # 2 League Coordinators Philadelphia Area Tennis District rules elaborate on but do not replace or supersede USTA or USTA MS Regulations. 1

2 SECTION ONE: REGISTRATION I. MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION II. A. All team members must be members in good standing with the USTA before they register for a team or play match. USTA memberships must be valid through July 31, 2018 for Adult 18 & over ; August 31,2018 for Adult 40 & Over leagues; through September 30, 2018, for the Adult 55 and 65 & Over B. Players must join the USTA or renew their memberships by logging onto the or by using the USTA telephone number. ( ). you will need your password to use the Internet. If you do not have it, national will it to you. LEAGUE REGISTRATION a. To register for a team log onto the When TennisLink displays, go to Register for a team on the left. Be sure to log in. b. Each player will need to have the following available before registering for a USTA League Tennis team. (A USTA membership number, a team number provided by the team captain, phone number and a credit card with the expiration date). c..the 2018 registration fee will be $24.00 per player participating in the adult leagues, all age groups d. All players will have a computer rating when signing up for a team or will be prompted to declare a self-rating during the registration process. Self-rated players will be prompted to complete an on-line questionnaire regarding their tennis experience. If players get a rating that is higher than they expected, they must appeal using the on-line appeal line that will display on the last page of the self-rating procedure. e. It is the captain's responsibility to be sure all team members are properly registered with the USTA and that their self-rating is as accurate as possible before a match is played. Be sure to tell players that they must go to TennisLink to register. f. Registration Dates for Leagues. These dates can be altered at the coordinator s discretion. 1. Adult 18 & 40 & Over Leagues 2/1/18 6/21/18; 8/10/18 for 40 & Over 2. Adult 55 & 65 & Over Leagues 2/1/18 8/20/18 SECTION TWO: PLAYER PARTICIPATION I. Philadelphia Area Tennis District players may play on more than one team within a division in the same local league as long as it is a different NTRP level. Players may play at their NTRP level or one level higher. (For example a 3.0 player may play on a 3.0 adult 18 & Over league team as well as a 3.5 adult 18 & Over league team). Such players must be properly registered on both teams (including paying two registration fees), must notify both team captains that they are playing on more than one team. Players may elect to play on both teams if they advance to championship level. Any scheduling conflicts as a result of playing on more than one team are the responsibility of the individual player. II. Philadelphia Area Tennis District players are allowed to play on teams in other districts during the same league season (as defined by league starting and ending dates). Likewise, players who play in another district may play on a Philadelphia Area team during the same league season. (For example, a Philadelphia Area player may play on a Philadelphia Area team and at the same time may play on a New Jersey team. A New Jersey district player may play on a Philadelphia Area Tennis District team while playing at the same time on an EPD team). Again, it is the responsibility of such a player to notify both captains that they are playing on more than one team. III. IV. Only 4 players who play together on a 5-court team in other districts within Middle States may play together on an adult team in the Philadelphia Area district. For 3 court teams, it is 3 players only. Other districts also have specific rules about this. This rule applies only to Middle States teams. Philadelphia Area Tennis District players are allowed to play on both the 18 & Over and the 40 & Over league teams at the same level during the same local league season. They may play at their current NTRP level or higher. V. An individual player may play in only one singles or doubles match within each team match. 2

3 VI. VII. Adult 18 & Over players must have reached the age of eighteen (18) prior to December 31, & Over league players must have reached the age of forty prior to December 31, & Over and 65 & Over League players must have reached the minimum age by December 31, At least fifty percent (50%) of rostered players on any team shall be in level. This applies to USTA League Tennis -- Adult 18 & Over and 40 & Over only. Captains are responsible to police this rule. SECTION THREE: LEAGUE PLAY I. SCHEDULES A. Schedules will be posted on-line in TennisLink as soon as possible. Captains should confirm scheduled start times, directions, etc. with the opposing team at least 4 days prior to each match. Either the home or away captain may call. If your starting time is very early or very late, please give the opposing captain as much notice as possible (at least one week prior to the scheduled match date). Start times for matches may not be earlier than 8:30 am except by mutual agreement. B. Any changes in match schedules because of weather or any other reason must be reported to the League Coordinator. II. III COURT AVAILABILITY A. 5-court local league teams must guarantee the use of at least three (3) indoor or outdoor courts for all league matches and rainouts. Three court local league teams must guarantee two (2) indoor or outdoor courts. It is recommended that indoor backup be procured upon threat of rain where possible. B. In case of staggered matches, team captains must agree in advance (in writing ) on start time for each individual match. The host captain has the final say if no agreement can be reached. Generally, two (2) hours should be allotted for each court match. C. Home teams are responsible for the court fees and new balls. D. If matches will be played on more than one surface, let the opponent know which courts will be played on which surface prior to arrival for the match. FORMAT A. Team Format: 18 & Over and 40 & Over League Types - 2 Singles and 3 Doubles or 1S and 4D 2.5 and 5.0 teams - 1 S and 2 Doubles 55 & Over and 65 & Over League - 3 Doubles combined levels Match Format: Best of three (3) tie-break sets. Summer leagues will play a tiebreak instead of a third set. Teams may elect to play a tiebreak in lieu of a third set if one player request it. This can be done by individual court or by entire match. This altered format should be reported as a timed match in TennisLink. Local clubs may require a match tiebreak instead of a third set if there are several matches scheduled and teams are waiting to start. The Coman Tiebreak Procedure must be used for all tiebreaks. Point Penalty: The USTA Point Penalty System will be used for league play. The clock starts for the Point Penalty System at the time the match is scheduled. Warm-up is part of the match. This is for Adult 18 & 40 only. 0-5 minutes -. loss of toss, end and serve and 1 game; 6-10 minutes - toss, end, serve 2 games, minutes toss, end, serve 3 games; 16 minutes default. Warm Up Period: All matches should start promptly at the time scheduled. Under USTA League Tennis rules, players are allowed only a ten-minute warm-up. Warm-up is never taken away even if the player is late. B. Team Contacts: The home team captain will contact the visiting captain at least four (4) days prior to discuss the place and order of courts (if less than 5 courts). If you are unable to field a full team, please contact the opposing captain prior to the match so they can make adjustments so as not to inconvenience anyone. If the home captain does not call, the visiting captain should initiate the call. If 3

4 you have less than 5 courts and/or if your start time is after 11:00 am, please notify all opponents as soon as possible after the schedule is published. C. Scorecards: Captains must exchange lineups before the match begins. Match results MUST be reported within 72 hours of completion. Both captains have the responsibility to report matches promptly. Opposing captain must verify within 48 hours or forfeit right to appeal the score. F. The John B. Coman tiebreak procedure will be used for all league matches. In the John B. Coman ends are changed after the first point, then after every four points, and at the conclusion of the tiebreak IV. RESCHEDULING AND FORFEITURE A. The Local League Coordinator will reschedule matches ONLY for reasons the following reasons 1. Rain or snow 2. Unexpected court availability conflicts 3. USTA league playoff matches. Local league matches will be rescheduled upon request if a team has 4 players in a 5 court program, 3 players in a 3 court program involved in a district, section, or national championship. The championship must be within Middle States district or section. A minimum of six days notice in writing to the opposing captain is suggested. As many courts as possible must be played on the scheduled day and championship players must play in the makeup 4. PLEASE NOTE: The entire match schedule must be completed and reported in TennisLink. A team cannot advance to compete in championships if, after the schedule is published, it defaults an entire match. V. RAIN PROCEDURES AND MAKE-UPS A. Indoors and Outdoors: If you are unable to complete a scheduled match because of court conflicts or weather you must arrange to finish the match at a time and location mutually agreeable to all players as soon as possible. B. Rain Procedures: In the event of impending rain, both captains should communicate by phone in sufficient time prior to the match so that team members can be notified of any cancellation. As long as both captains are in agreement the match may be postponed because of the weather. Captains should try to reschedule the match on their own, however, if a mutual time cannot be arranged within two weeks, both captains should call their League Coordinator and have him/her make the necessary decisions. Indoor backup should be arranged whenever possible. C. Matches scheduled outdoors may be moved indoors because of weather if both teams agree. Costs will be shared. Teams will not be required to go indoors unless the home team is paying and the time is similar to the originally scheduled time. D. Matches suspended after play has begun should be rescheduled at a time and place mutually agreeable to the players involved. The match will resume between the same players at the point of suspended play, (i.e st set, 30-15, team A serving). If the match is suspended, be sure players keep a record of the existing score. E. Both captains must call their coordinator to register makeup arrangements. If the rescheduled match is postponed by either captain, contact your coordinator immediately for assistance. Matches must be made up within 2 weeks. If captains cannot agree on a date, the coordinator will set one. F. All matches must be completed and reported by July 10, 2018 in Adult 18 & over league and by August 10 in Adult 40 & Over league and August 5, 2018 in the 55 & Over and the 65 & Over leagues. G. Lineups can be changed for any match that has been postponed to another day and previously announced defaults can be reinstated even if the lineups have already been exchanged. 4

5 ADVANCING COMPETITION A. To be eligible for Area or Sectional play a player must have played in two local league matches, only one of which can be a default. For National Championships for all league types and age groups, 3 matches must be played before advancing, one may be by default received.. B. Match Format Area & Sectional Championships: Best of two (2) tiebreak sets will be played. In lieu of a third set a Match Tiebreak (First to 10 points by 2) shall be played. C. If during Championships play, indoor courts are required, a fee may be assessed to cover these costs. VII. COURT CONDUCT A. All matches should be conducted according to USTA Code of Conduct rules. Any violation of these rules may be grounds for filing a grievance. Please remind your players of the following rules to avoid the most common on-court arguments: Announce the score before beginning each point. When unsure of a line call, the ball is GOOD. Players may NOT enlist the aid of spectators when making line calls. Coaching is not allowed unless the match format is the best of 3 tiebreak sets and a 10-minute break is taken between second and third sets. Gamesmanship or abusive language is prohibited. B. If you have a cell phone, turn it off before you go on court. If it rings during play, your opponent wins that point. If you answer it, your opponent wins that game. Texting or reading texts on changeovers will result in a point penalty. If the phone rings on a changeover, turn it off. There is no penalty. VIII. GRIEVANCES All Captains should read the 2018 USTA League Tennis Regulations and the USTA/Middle States Section Rules for rules and grievance procedures. When in doubt about a rule or procedure, contact your local league coordinator. If you find it necessary to file a formal complaint regarding any matter, please be sure to follow the exact procedures spelled out in the 2018 USTA League Tennis Regulations (these rules are on line). All grievances must be filed in writing prior to the protesting team's next match and mailed to your local league coordinator. Grievance Appeal Committee will be chosen as needed. IX. LEAGUE SCORING In the event of a tie, the championship tiebreaker method will be used as outlined in the 2018 USTA League Regulations unless the local coordinator publishes a different tiebreak procedure. In all divisions, the scoring format will be Points Per Position. The points are as follows: Adult 18 & 40 & Over: 1 S 5 points 2 S 4 points 1 D 6 points 2 D 4 Points 3 D 3 points Adult 55 & 65 & Over and Mixed 1D 7 points 2D 4 points 3D 3 Points Where 1S and 4D are played: 1S- 4 1D 5 2D 4 3D 3 4D 2 In a 7 or 8-team division, each team will play each other one time. The teams finishing in the top four will play each other a second time; the teams in the bottom half will play as well. Matches from all ten weeks of the season will count to determine the champion in such a division. If a team forfeits an entire team match for any reason (during the season continuation), then all matches of that team played or to be played, shall be null and void. If all teams in contention for the Championships have already played the forfeiting team in good faith, the matches stand as played. 5

6 2018 League Calendar of Events Date Events Location 2/24 Captains Meeting - Adult League Radisson Northeast & Radisson KOP 4/16 Approximate start of Adult Leagues Various 6/ & Over Mixed Doubles Section Championships Hempfield Sports Complex 6/ & Over Mixed Doubles Section Championships Hempfield Sports Complex 6/22 Approximate start of Summer Leagues Various 6/29 Approximate start of 55 & 65 & Over leagues Various 7/ & Over Adult League Area Championship 2.5, 3.0, 4.0 and 4.5 Women - TBD 7/ & Over Adult League Area Championship 3.5 Women, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 Men Location TBD 8/ & Over Adult League Area Championships TBD 8/ & Over Adult League Area Championships TBD 8/ & Over Adult Section Championships Princeton, NJ 9/ & Over Adult Section Championships Princeton, NJ 9/ & Over Adult Section Championships Landisville, PA 9/ & Over Section Championships TBD 10/ Nationals USTA National Campus, Orlando, FLorida 10/ & Over 2.5 Nationals USTA National Campus, Orlando, FLorida & Over 4.0 Nationals Arlington, Texas 10/ & Over 3.0 Nationals Darling Tennis Center, Las Vegas, Nevada & Over 4.5 Nationals Arlington, Texas 10/ & Over 3.5 Nationals USTA National Campus, Orlando, FLorida 10/ & Over 3.0 Nationals Mobile, Alabama 10/ & Over 3.5 Nationals Arlington, Texas 10/ & Over 4.5+ Nationals Darling Tennis Center, Las Vegas, Nevada & Over 6.0 and 8.0 USTA National Campus, Orlando, FLorida & Over 7.0 and 9.0 USTA National Campus, Orlando, FLorida & Over 4.0 Nationals Darling Tennis Center, Las Vegas, Nevada 11/ & Over Mixed Doubles all levels Mobile, Alabama 11/16/18 40 & Over Mixed Doubles all levels USTA National Campus, Orlando, FLorida 6

7 PATD ADULT LEAGUE COORDINATORS: 2.5 Women (only offered in the 18 & Over league) Sally Baird 1288 Valley Forge Road Suite 74, P. O. Box 987 Valley Forge, PA Women 18 & 40 & Over All Flights Jean Raum 490 Station Road Media, PA & Over and 40 & Over 3.0 Women Lora Ball Somerset St Dresher, PA Women - 18 & 40 & Over 4.5 Women 18 & 40 & Over Russell Chamberlin 330 Eliot Circle Coatesville, PA russell.chamberlin@gmail.com Men - All Levels - 18 & 40 & Over Sally Baird baird@ms.usta.com 1288 Valley Forge Road Suite 74, P. O. Box 987 Valley Forge, PA