Minutes of the USTA NorCal Junior Council Meeting Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Transcription

1 Minutes of the USTA NorCal Junior Council Meeting Wednesday, November 16, 2011 PENDING COMMITTEE APPROVAL NOTE: All minutes are final after approval by the committee and all committee decisions are subject to final approval by the USTA NorCal Board. Andrea Norman, chair of the Junior Council, called the meeting to order at 7:14 pm and roll call was conducted. Committee Members Present: Andrea Norman (chair), Carol Kim, Steve Chiu, Matt Holt, Mike McDonald, Marilyn Morrell-Kristal, and Stewart Toy. USTA NorCal Staff Present: Jen Pitzen, Director of Competitive Play; Amy Jensen, Manager of Player Development; Tommy Tu, Junior Competition Coordinator. Committee Members Absent: Suzy Cossette and Pablo Pires De Almeida 1. Approval of Minutes The first order of business was the approval of the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held September 27, The following motion was duly made by Marilyn Morrell-Kristal seconded by Stewart Toy, and unanimously approved by a vote of 6 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Junior Council meeting held September 27, 2011 be approved. 2. Special Report on College Recruitment and Recognizing Accomplishment in NorCal - Mike McDonald Mike shared the experience he s had in recent months traveling with his to compete in USTA national and ITF tournaments across the country including Texas, SoCal and Florida. He believes that colleges are beginning to adjust their recruiting philosophies based on the changes that are happening nationally. The new USTA Player Development philosophy that junior players should go to college is taking hold. Whereas several years ago, many of the top players went straight to the pros, they are now going to college. Mike thinks we will begin to see a separation between the best schools and the rest, with the top programs in the country recruiting the players that in the past went pro and dominating the top of the NCAA ranks. Mike sees that our Section is doing as well or better than others in terms of the number of players that are being recruited to Division I, II and III schools and that we need to do a better job of publicizing their accomplishments, both as a way to recognize these NorCal players, but also educate the juniors still in our pipeline on the opportunities available top play college tennis. He also said there is a misunderstanding among junior players about non Division I schools, that not getting accepted into one of these programs is viewed by many as a failure, and that we need to educate players on the vast opportunities available at these colleges. A discussion followed that resulted in several ideas that will be pursued: NorCal to reach out to former juniors currently in college and publish and up to date list of where each is playing - include all divisions (Div I, II, III, NAIA, NJCAA, and Tennis on Campus); Ask former NorCal juniors to write articles/blogs on their college experiences, publish them to the website, and create links to these web pages using social media; Jen Pitzen announced that staff is currently working on ideas to form a parent commission, comprised of parents of players now in college, to serve as mentors to parents who are going through the recruitment process; Andrea announced that as part of the sanctioning of the BG 18 and 16 Sectional Championships, staff will be organizing a recruiting forum for the 18s events and a college panel to provide education on the recruitment process at the 16s events. 3. Report of the Committee Chair - Andrea Norman Congratulations!: Andrea congratulated Amy Jensen, the NorCal Manger of Player Development, for her induction in to the UC Berkeley Sports Hall of Fame, and Marilyn Morrell-Kristal, whose women s 4.5 USTA team recently won the national championship. Bill Talbert Award: Andrea announced that based on the discussion at the previous meeting and additional information gathered on potential nominees, USTA NorCal nominated Andrew Ball for the prestigious Bill Talbert Sportsmanship Award. Resolutions from September 27th Junior Council Meetings and August 17th Board Meeting Page 1 of 9

2 Through the Committee Decision process, the Board approved: BG12 Championship singles match format changed to best of 3 tiebreak sets with a match tiebreak in lieu of a third set Draw size reduction, selection process and slightly increased entry fee for Sectional Championships Herb Cup dates and budget request Replacement of Coaches to Nationals program with Pre-Nationals Workouts, effective with the 2011 Winter National Championships to be held Dec 22nd (23rd rain make up) New selection policies for each USTA NorCal National Team and Maze Cup Update on National Junior Competition Proposals: Andrea distributed a hard copy of the proposals that have been endorsed by the national Junior Competition Committee. She reported that the national committee, on which she serves, was very appreciative of the thorough feedback given by Junior Council and believes many of the Council s concerns were addressed in the new document. The document is being distributed to the Association, official proposals will be submitted for consideration by the USTA in mid-march, and if adopted, some will be phased in 2013, but most will be effective Junior Council will be tasked with reviewing the proposals in early 2012 to make a recommendation to the NorCal Delegate when the vote takes place in March If the proposals are adopted, Junior Council will be given the opportunity and responsibility of making sure the NorCal competitive structure works in harmony with the national structure, which will include a review of our pathway and system of tournaments and player development. Sanctions & Schedule Report: The Sanctions & Schedule Committee announced the 2012 schedule of junior tournaments October 10th. Unsuccessful applicants were given the opportunity to appeal the decisions and these appeals were heard by the Board on November 12th. A final calendar will be posted shortly; however, in accordance with the sanctioning resolutions Junior Council supported in April, no tournament will appear on TennisLink until certain requirements (insurance, referee, permission of satellite sites) have been met. Sportsmanship Summit: On December 2nd, the leadership and staff that work with Adult Tournaments, Junior Tournaments, Sanction and Schedule, Sportsmanship and Officials Committees will be meeting to review the policies and practices in place related to sportsmanship and the treatment of certain behaviors at tournaments (defaults, withdrawals, sick and injured players, poor sportsmanship involving players, parents and coaches), with the goal to address issues that affect all groups and ensure that we have consistent enforcement of NorCal policies. Ten and Under Invitational: Summer Verhoeven, NorCal s 10 and Under Coordinator, has invited members of Junior Council to attend the December 17th invitational tournament at Stanford to become better acquainted with how tournaments are run in the new division using the QuickStart format and the draw formats approved for The event is at Stanford and the time will be announced at a later time. Staff has also coordinated a Tournament Director Workshop for this same time and venue so that to facilitate the education of directors on the new formats. Continuing on Junior Council: Andrea thanked the members service on the Council in 2011 and noted that it met more frequently than had originally been anticipated when work started last January. Should any member decide they d like to not continue in 2012, please let Andrea know by as soon as possible. 4. Incentives to Tournaments for Superior Doubles Participation Andrea reminded the Council that at its August meeting, it discussed a Board action item to promote doubles play. At the time of discussion the, one of the proposals read as follows: Provide an incentive to tournaments for performance. (For example, 50% participation in doubles would result in a 100% reduction in the sanction fee; 25% participation would result in a 50% reduction; and less than 25% would result in no reduction.) Junior Council took a straw vote with results as follows: 3 in favor, 2 opposed, 1 abstention. Following the meeting, Paul Kepler amended the action item that was subsequently presented to the Board to read as follows: Provide an incentive to ALL tournaments for superior performance in the level of doubles participation at their event. The specifics of such incentive to be proposed by Junior Council and approved by the Budget Committee/Board. At its meeting, the Board unanimously voted to table this portion of the action item. Paul asked that Junior Council discuss whether it favored incentives and, if so, to propose one for the Board s consideration. Page 2 of 9

3 Council identified that it first needed to decide whether it favored an incentive for superior performance in doubles participation before it debated which incentives may be appropriate. Discussion included: Concerns over the quality of the experience, which isn t necessarily reflected in participation numbers since we anticipate participation to increase as a result of the new combined ranking; A preference by some to create an incentive based on tournament evaluations, but this idea was abandoned over the low response rates on tournament evaluations; A belief that participation will naturally increase as a result of the combined ranking and should an incentive be implemented, it may be awarded as a result of no efforts on the part of a tournament. A general consensus that it would be better to wait to see the result the new ranking has on participation. Following discussion, the Chair asked if any member wanted to make a motion in favor of support of an incentive. There being none, the Council continued with other business. 5. USTA NorCal Year-End Masters Tommy presented a proposal (a draft of which was included in the meeting packet) to create a new yearend singles-only competition. Modeled after the year-end ATP and WTA players, it would be a tournament for the top 8 USTA NorCal players in the 18, 16, 14, and 12 divisions to be held each year after the conclusion of the last Championship Tournament that would count for ranking. The tournament would have several purposes: to be used as a preparation tournament for the USTA National Winter Championships; like the Herb Cup, it would recognize the singles players with the best overall calendar year record; and also like the Herb Cup, it would be an event that players could strive throughout the year to qualify for; A round robin format would be used, with the top finishers advancing to a championship and 3rd/4th play off matches. Following discussion, which included the resolution of several outstanding issues (whether sportsmanship should be a factor in selection and how to use alternates) the following motion was duly made by Steve Chiu, seconded by Marilyn Morrell-Kristal, and unanimously approved by a vote of 6 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That a new USTA NorCal Year-End Masters be approved, which shall be organized by USTA NorCal staff, shall first be held in December 2012, and shall be as fully described in Exhibit A to these minutes. RESOLVED FURTHER: That a budget request for the USTA NorCal Year-End masters be made as set forth below: USTA NorCal Year-End Masters Budget Amount Budget Category & Explanation Food ($125/day 2 days) $250 e. Tournaments (Meals - In Section) Awards for 1st-4th Place in all Divisions (32 place finishers x $40/trophy) $1,280 e. Tournaments 7055 (Awards) Court Fees ($500/day 2 days) $1,000 e. Tournaments 7085 (Court Fees/Expenses) Balls ($75/box 5 boxes) Total Matches 96 Preliminary RR Matches; 8 Championship Matches; 8 3rd/4th Place Playoff Matches; 8 Mixed Doubles Matches $375 e. Tournaments 7090 (Events) Officials ($125/official 2 officials) $250 e. Tournaments 6660 (Umpires & Referees) T-Shirts/Sweatshirts (similar to Herb Cup) $2,000 e. Tournaments 7100 (T/Sweatshirts) TOTAL EXPENSES $4,515 TOTAL INCOME (64 players x $30 entry fee) $1,920 e. Tournaments (Entry/Registration Fees) NET EXPENSE $3, Bonus Points Andrea reminded the Council that this year, Bonus Points became part of the NorCal junior ranking system whereby players earned extra ranking points when they defeated a player ranked in the top 100. The bonus point table adopted mirrored the national ranking system. The rationale was to encourage play, facilitate the aging up process, and create better ranking accuracy. Page 3 of 9

4 Since implementation, there has been feedback from Council Members, parents, players, and staff that wins against players so far down the list shouldn t earn Bonus Points. For example, a player in the top 10 shouldn t earn points for beating a player so far below them on the ranking list. Nationally, the top 100 players are spread across the country and the frequency with which those player play against each other is much less than in NorCal where the top 100 players are competing against each other all of the time. Following discussion, the following motion was duly made by Stewart Toy, seconded by Marilyn Morrell- Kristal, and unanimously approved by a vote of 5 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That effective January 1, 2012, the Bonus Point table used in the NorCal junior points per round ranking system for wins against top players shall be as follows: NorCal Ranking of Player Defeated (based on Bonus Point List) Bonus Points Earned For Win Top #11 through # National Tournaments That Count for USTA NorCal Ranking The Council reviewed the ranking point tables that currently award points for wins in the USTA National Team Tournaments (Zonals, Intersectionals and National Team). Awarding points was done to encourage participation in these events, assign ranking value on representing USTA NorCal nationally, and improve accuracy of rankings. NorCal rankings also award points for results in tournaments on the National Junior Tournament Schedule that are designated as Level 2 or 3 and that take place in NorCal (USTA National Opens, USTA Regional Tournaments, and ITF tournaments). Awarding sectional ranking points to these national tournaments was done to promote NorCal juniors competing in these tournaments. Council questioned the logic to limiting points to only certain USTA National Opens and USTA Regional Tournaments and following discussion determined the accuracy of rankings and seeding would be improved if all of the national tournaments would count toward NorCal rankings. The following motion was duly made by Mike McDonald, seconded by Carol Kim, and unanimously approved by a vote of 5 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That the following tournaments be awarded NorCal ranking points as set forth below: USTA National Championships: wins earn NorCal round and bonus points equivalent to USTA NorCal Excellence Tournaments USTA National Opens, USTA Regional Tournaments, USTA International Tournaments, and ITF Tournaments held in the United States: wins earn NorCal round and bonus points equivalent to USTA NorCal Championship Tournaments 8. Counting Points Earned in Older Divisions in Younger Divisions Council reviewed the ranking policy that only counts points earned in a division in the division in which they are earned. This differs from the national ranking policy that allows a player who plays in one division and an older division to count the points in both divisions. The purpose of the national policy is to assist players who are preparing to age up; however, it was suggested that in NorCal that many players play up well before they have to, creating competition where there is little pressure because players are competing against other players who are much older. Following discussion, the Chair asked if any member wanted to make a motion in favor of support of a change to the policy. There being none, the Council continued with other business. 9. Selection of Sectional Championship Qualifiers Beginning in 2012, the Sectional Championships will have two Open tournaments at which the top 4 finishers in the singles qualify for acceptance into each division, provided the finishers submit timely entries. Annually, Junior Council must designate the Open tournaments that will be the qualifiers. In 2012, Sectionals will be held June 9-10 and Following a review of the Open tournaments held in date blocks leading up to Sectionals, the following motion was duly made by Steve Chiu, seconded by Matt Holt and unanimously approved by a vote of 5 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That the following Open tournaments be designated at the qualifiers for the 2012 Sectional Championships: Future Stars 2000 s Sacramento Junior Open - Sacramento Sylvano Tennis Association Junior Open - Santa Clara Page 4 of 9

5 10. Selection for Sectional Championships, Excellence, and Open Tournament Doubles Events Beginning in 2012, the Sectional Championships will join the Excellence tournaments as the two tournaments that have limited draw sizes. There may be other circumstances in which Tournament Committees may need to limit their draw sizes. For example, we have many one-weekend Open tournaments that may need to plan ahead an limit draw sizes to complete the events in 2-3 days. NorCal is also beginning a combined ranking that is anticipated to increase the demand for doubles. In the event doubles entries exceed the number of spots available a procedure for accepting teams is needed. Following discussion of a proposal for selection that is based on the procedure used to select doubles teams for the USTA National Championships, the following motion was duly made by Marilyn Morrell-Kristal, seconded by Carol Kim, and unanimously approved by a vote of 5 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That effective January 1, 2012, the USTA NorCal Junior Tournament Rules shall be amended to include the following rules on selecting doubles teams for Sectional Championships, Excellence Tournaments, and Open Tournaments with limited draw sizes: Selection of Doubles Teams for Sectional Championships, Excellence Tournaments, and Open Tournaments with Limited Draw Sizes. The Tournament Committee shall accept doubles teams into the doubles event in the following order: 1. Teams comprising two players in the singles draw shall be accepted. 2. Teams comprising one player in the singles draw and one alternate not in the singles draw. 3. Teams comprising two players not in the singles draw. 4. If more than the maximum number of entries is received, selection order is based: first on, highest combined standings; and second, highest combined doubles ranking points, except that no team comprised of a Late Applicant shall be selected before a team comprised of timely applicants. Tournaments are NOT authorized to expand the draw size in order to accommodate teams. For the purpose of determining selection of teams, below is the process of calculating combined standings and combined ranking points: A team s combined standing is determined as follows: Player A holds the #200 standing and Player B holds the #201 standing. The Team of A&B would have the combined standing of 402. Combined Doubles Ranking Points are determined as follows: Player A has 25 doubles ranking points and Player B has 10 doubles ranking points. The Team of AB would have combined doubles ranking points of Selection for Challenger and Novice Tournament Doubles Events Similar to the issue of accepting teams for the Sectionals, Excellence and Opens with limited draw sizes, there may be circumstances in which Tournament Committees may need to limit their draw sizes at Challenger and Novice. For example, we have many one-weekend Challenger or Novice tournaments that may need to plan ahead an limit draw sizes to complete the events in 2-3 days. NorCal is also beginning a combined ranking that is anticipated to increase the demand for doubles. In the event doubles entries exceed the number of spots available a procedure for accepting teams is needed. Following discussion of a proposal for selection that is similar to that above for Sectionals, Excellence and Opens, but reversed because Challenger and Novice tournaments accept in reverse list order (Rule 14.A.)., the following motion was duly made by Stewart Chiu, seconded by Carol Kim, and unanimously approved by a vote of 5 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That effective January 1, 2012, the USTA NorCal Junior Tournament Rules shall be amended to include the following rules on selecting doubles teams for Challenger and Novice Tournaments with limited draw sizes: Selection of Doubles Teams for Challenger and Novice Tournaments with Limited Draw Sizes. The Tournament Committee shall accept doubles teams into the doubles event in the following order: 1. Teams comprising two players in the singles draw shall be accepted. 2. Teams comprising one player in the singles draw and one alternate not in the singles draw. 3. Teams comprising two players not in the singles draw. 4. If more than the maximum number of entries is received, selection order is based: first on, lowest combined standings; and second, lowest combined doubles ranking points, except that no team comprised of a Late Applicant shall be selected before a team comprised of timely applicants. Tournaments are NOT authorized to expand the draw size in order to accommodate teams. For the purpose of determining selection of teams, below is the process of calculating combined standings and combined ranking points: A team s combined standing is determined as follows: Player A holds the #200 standing and Player B holds the #201 standing. The Team of A&B would have the combined standing of 402. Page 5 of 9

6 Combined Doubles Ranking Points are determined as follows: Player A has 25 doubles ranking points and Player B has 10 doubles ranking points. The Team of AB would have combined doubles ranking points of Entering Two Divisions of an Excellence or Sectional Championship Andrea reported 2011 we had at least one known circumstance of a player desiring to enter more than one division of an Excellence tournament, with the intent of only playing one of the divisions. In the circumstance, the player wanted to play the older division, but wasn t sure if she could get in, and knew that she would be accepted into the lower division. Staff, the Chair and the Referee discussed the issue and allowed the player to enter both events, pursuant to the concurrent tournament rule, but play only one based on her preference of divisions. Council considered whether it should formalize entering multiple divisions, but the consensus was that the concurrent tournament rule would handle these circumstances at this time. Following discussion, the Chair asked if any member wanted to make a motion related to the issue. There being none, the Council continued with other business. 13. Concurrent Tournament Rule Several circumstances have taken place this year related to a player that appears on an alternate list of an Excellence Tournament, but has decided to enter and play another tournament. Referees have been inclined to penalize these players under the Concurrent Tournament Rule because they have entered two concurrent tournaments without permission, when the reality is the player just wants the opportunity to play and does no believe they will get into the Excellence. Following discussion, the following motion to clarify the concurrent Tournament Rule was duly made by Carol Kim, seconded by Stewart Chiu, and unanimously approved by a vote of 5 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That effective January 1, 2012, the Concurrent Tournament Rule in the USTA NorCal Junior Tournament Rules shall be amended to include the new underscored language as follows: 5. Concurrent Tournaments. When entries close, a player shall not be entered in two or more sanctioned tournaments if any parts of the tournaments overlap, unless each Tournament Committee involved understands the situation and concurs in writing. If entries for the overlapping tournaments close on different dates, approval must be received from all Tournament Committees no later than the entry closing date that occurs last. Players who enter a tournament and play it to completion, may then enter another tournament with overlapping dates without permission. A player who is on the alternate list in one tournament is not considered in violation of the Concurrent Tournament Rule if they enter another concurrent tournament. 14. Tournament Scheduling Tommy reported concern that the tournament scheduling guidelines are often not followed because they only suggest scheduling parameters and do not require them. Council reviewed Rule 18 that sets forth the tournament scheduling rules and following discussion, the following motion was duly made by Marilyn Morrell-Kristal, seconded by Matt Holt, and unanimously approved by a vote of 5 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That effective January 1, 2012, Rule 18 of the USTA NorCal Junior Tournament Rules shall be amended to: change the guideline for the latest start time in the 18 and 16 divisions from 10:00 pm to 8:00 pm; change the guideline for the latest start time in the younger divisions from 8:00 pm to 7:00 pm; make mandatory the USTA Regulation that recommends 12 hours rest between the completion of the last match of a day and the start of play of the first mach the following day. As amended, Rule 18 will read as follows - new language is underlined, deleted language is stricken through: 18. Tournament Scheduling. A. Latest Start Time in 14, 12, 10 and 8 Divisions. No match should start nor suspended match be resumed after 8:00 pm. Tournament Committees should use their best efforts not to begin matches after 6:00 PM on school nights. B. Latest Start Time in 18 and 16 Divisions. No match should start nor suspended match be resumed after 10:00 pm. Tournament Committees should use their best efforts not to begin matches after 6:00 PM on school nights. A. Latest Start Time. No match should start nor suspended match be resumed: after 8:00 pm in the 18 and 16 divisions; and after 7:00 pm in all other junior divisions, except that no match shall start nor suspended match be resumed after 6:00 pm on school nights. Page 6 of 9

7 B. 12-Hour Overnight Rule. All players shall be given at least 12 hours of rest between the completion of their last match of any day and the start of play of their first match of the following day. C. Maximum Number of Matches in a Day All Divisions. The scheduling guidelines for junior divisions in USTA Regulation II.D.12. shall be mandatory for all junior tournaments. Matches played in the 10s and 8s divisions shall follow the scheduling guidelines in USTA Regulation II.D.12. for the 12s divisions. 15. Match and Draw Formats Council reviewed the various match and draw formats used at the USTA NorCal junior tournaments and determined it would not recommend any changes at this time. 16. Combining Events Council reviewed Novice tournament rule that allows a division that receives three or fewer entries to be combined with the next-higher age division, provided players are contacted and agree, otherwise they are withdrawn without penalty and receive a refund. Council questioned the logic to this policy only apply to Novice tournaments and determined it should apply to all levels and also when two levels are combined. Following discussion, the following motion was duly made by Stewart Toy, seconded by Marilyn Morrell- Kristal and unanimously approved by a vote of 5 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions: RESOLVED: That effective January 1, 2012, Rule 9.A.iv. of the USTA NorCal Junior Tournament Rules shall deleted in its entirety and the USTA NorCal Junior Tournament Rules shall be amended to include the following new rule on combining age divisions and levels when there are three (3) or fewer entries: Combining Events When There are Three (3) or Fewer Entries. Events that receive three (3) or fewer entries may be combined as follows: any age division in a tournament level may be combined with the next-higher age division in a tournament level (for example, a Novice 12s may be combined with a Novice 14s, but not with a Novice 16s); and any age division in a tournament level may be combined with the same age division in the nexthigher level (for example, a Novice 12s may be combined with a Challenger 12s, but not with a Challenger 14s and not with a higher level such as an Open 12s), provided that the Tournament Director shall notify the players involved by or telephone message immediately after entries close. Players shall accept or decline to compete next-higher age division or level. Players declining may withdraw from the event or the tournament without penalty and are entitled to an entry fee refund, if applicable. 17. Playing Doubles First Pilot Andrea reminded the Council that it had asked several tournaments during the fall to participate in a doubles pilot that had matches played using 8-game pro sets and playing doubles first on a day, before singles matches. At least one tournament declined to participate over concerns that weather during the time of the year might cause the cancellation of singles matches instead of doubles matches. Others reported success, including the ability to complete the doubles events in the first weekend of a twoweekend tournament; however, those that played two rounds of doubles before up to two rounds of singles in a day received complaints from parents and players. Several concerned parents did not support playing doubles first, but did support the Section s efforts to promote doubles play, and offered several ideas for establishing guidelines for tournaments to use to promote doubles. Council determined it needed more time to review the input and would work on guidelines in December and January. 18. Announcements Year-End Dinner Meeting: The date for Final Meeting/Dinner of 2011 is Wednesday, December 14th. The time and place will be sent in the coming weeks. There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 10:03 pm. Page 7 of 9

8 EXHIBIT A: USTA NorCal Year-End Masters Competition Overview Annually, USTA NorCal shall organize a year-end singles-only competition for the top eight (8) USTA NorCal players. It shall be held each year after the conclusion of the last Championship Tournament and as a preparation tournament for the USTA National Winter Championships. In 2012, the sanction dates shall be December 8-9, with the following weekend used in the case of rain. The entry fee shall be $30 per player. Selection of Players and Seeding Only those players who have not received a default for misconduct or under the Point Penalty System between January 1 and the time of selection shall be eligible. The top eight (8) eligible players on the most recently published NorCal Final Ranking List in the boys and girls 18, 16, 14, and 12 divisions shall be selected. Selection shall be done following the conclusion of the last USTA NorCal Championship Tournament of the calendar year. The next highest eligible player on the most recently published NorCal Final Ranking List shall be designated as the alternate and shall replace any player who withdraws or who is defaulted. Seeding shall be based on the Ranking List used to select players. In the event there is a tie between two players under consideration for selection or for the purposes of determining the seeds, a coin toss shall determine selection and seeding. Competition Format - Round Robin with Playoffs of Ordered Finishers from Each Flight Preliminary Rounds: The preliminary rounds shall be played using a singles Round Robin format. The players in each division shall be divided into two flights of four players each. The 1st seed shall be placed in one flight and the 2nd seed shall be placed in other flight. The 3rd and 4th seeded players shall be drawn to separate flights. The 5th and 6th seeded players shall be dawn to separate flights. The 7th and 8th player shall be drawn to separate flights. Treatment of Defaults, Withdrawals, Walkovers and Retirements: A player is credited with a win when there is a default, retirement, withdrawal or walkover of the opponent (unless an alternate takes the place of a player - see below). A player who is defaulted for any reason other than lateness shall not play in subsequent matches and may not be declared the winner of the round robin. A player who is defaulted, retires, or creates a walkover shall finish lower than every other player who has an identical match record. Substitution of a Player with an Alternate: During the preliminary rounds, a player that withdraws or is defaulted for any reason other than lateness, whether it is before the first match or a subsequent match in the preliminary rounds, shall be replaced with an alternate, if available. Determining Top Finishers: After completion of the preliminary rounds (whereby each player plays every other player in the flight - 3 rounds per player), the top finishers shall be determined as described in the USTA Regulations (USTA Regulation II.B.6.c. and d.). Championship Match: The top finisher in each of the two flights shall play one Championship match to determine the winner of the tournament. Playoff for 3rd & Fourth Place: The 2nd best finishers in each of the two flights shall play one match to determine 3rd and 4th place. Mixed Doubles Exhibitions: The remaining finishers shall be drawn, by age division, into mixed doubles teams and shall play an exhibition match. Match Format All matches shall be the best of three tiebreak sets. The round robin shall determine two (2) players for the finals and two players for the third and fourth playoff. The winner of each group shall be placed in final bracket. The runner-up of each group shall be placed in the third and fourth bracket with the runner-up of the opposite group. Tournament Schedule Provided inclement weather doesn t affect the schedule, the rounds shall be played as follows: Day 1: First two rounds of Round Robin Day 2: Third round of Round Robin; Championship, 3rd/4th Playoff and Mixed Doubles Matches Page 8 of 9

9 Ranking Points This event does not fit into our current structure of ranking points. If the tournament is approved, the points earned shall be as follows: Finish Champion 2nd Place 3rd Place All Other Players Mixed Doubles Matches Ranking Points 100 Ranking Points for Each Round Robin Win Plus 200 Additional Ranking Points Plus Bonus Points 100 Ranking Points for Each Round Robin Win Plus 125 Additional Ranking Points Plus Bonus Points 100 Ranking Points for Each Round Robin Win Plus 25 Additional Ranking Points Plus Bonus Points 100 Ranking Points for Each Round Robin Win Plus Bonus Points The ranking program does not allow for mixed doubles matches to count for ranking. Page 9 of 9