Quad Cities APA Local Bylaws

Transcription

1 Quad Cities APA Local Bylaws (REVISED February 24, 2017) (Changes are highlighted in red) OFFICE HOURS: Sunday Thursday 12pm-12am Chad Howell (563) Meghan Howell (563) (after 4pm) Website: Welcome to the American Poolplayers Association! In order for us to enhance your enjoyment and the service of the League, we must enforce Local Bylaws. These bylaws are designed to promote fairness and allow smooth operation of the League. Read these bylaws carefully and keep them with your Official Team Manual. Breaking these rules could cost you a playoff spot and a chance to advance to the Local or APA World Pool Championships. These Local Bylaws have been read and approved by the American Poolplayers Association. The Local Bylaws are a secondary source of information created in accordance with and in addition to the Official Team Manual. The Official Team Manual will be your primary source of information, and all rules in the Official Team Manual will be followed, with the exception of the revisions listed below. These Local Bylaws govern local League Play only. They have no bearing on rulings in regional or national APA events including Tri-Cups and Local Team Championships. All revisions and rules may be overridden, if needed, at the League Operator s discretion. Most importantly, the League Office reserves the right to make exceptions to these rules in order to promote fairness. Area of Operation Currently Quad Cities APA is proudly serving Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois. Any and all APA activity in these areas will be directed from our League Office. League Operator Office Hours The League Office hours are noon to midnight, Sunday - Thursday. Our office telephone number is (563) If we are not in the office when you call, you may leave your name, phone number and a short message and your call will be returned within 24 hours. Calls during weekly play should come from the team captain if possible. Please have your team manual, bylaws, or pocket rule book with you for reference. You may also send us an message at QuadCitiesAPA@apaleages.com. 1

2 Start Times Normal weekly play starts at 7:00pm and Sundays start at 6:00pm. Other start times will be added as necessary. Play will begin if any player from the team is present. During the regular session and playoffs, the start time and the 15-minute rule should be adhered to along with common courtesy. During the first weeks of a League session, please allow some leniency as new players find Host Locations, however, throughout the session it is expected a team will not call a forfeit until the opposing team is over 15 minutes late and has not called. Play must be continuous: otherwise forfeits will be awarded to the team with players present. A team that is consistently late is subject to sportsmanship violations. Splitting Matches Normally, a team match is played on only one table. Occasionally, lengthy matches make it logical to put a second table in action, if one is available. So, if the fourth match has not started by official League time plus 2 1/2 hours, then it should begin on the second table. The fifth match would then be played on whichever table becomes available first. A team is subject to penalty if an available table is made unavailable for a splitting matches situation and it is later determined they, in any way, caused it to be unavailable or resisted using the second table. Splitting matches is waived if both teams want to continue on one table. Both teams MUST have enough players available to properly keep score, and not cause one team or the other to forfeit. 23 RULE Breaking the 23-Rule will now be subject to point loss whether the opposing team catches it or the League Office does. For the first offense, teams will lose all points from the individual match where the team broke 23, and all subsequent matches, plus all bonus points for the night. For repeat offenses, team(s) will lose ALL points for the night. Please pay attention to the numbers to make sure this doesn t happen to your team. DOUBLE JEOPARDY DIVISIONS: Skipping matches Situations will arise during League play that requires written rules as so all teams are aware of these special circumstances and how to deal with them properly. A team announces a player and the opposing team wants to put up a player that is playing the other format. That match will be put on hold and the team whose turn it is to put up next will declare the next player. Teams may not skip or hold matches for players that are not present. Those 2 players cannot be put up in subsequent matches in either format until skipped match has been played. Once a player has been declared by the Team Captain (or acting Captain if Captain is not present), the players cannot be changed unless the 23-Rule is in jeopardy. Play MUST be continuous. It is the Team Captain s responsibility to make sure they are not leaving the same player to play both formats last. In the event that this does happen, the 5 th individual match must either use the Replay option or forfeit that match. The opposing team will pick the player to replay. Following match time guidelines, the 5 th match cannot be put on hold if either team has another player available to play. The League Office understands that either format may or may not take as long as the other. In the interest of sportsmanship and sometimes uncontrollable circumstances, if both teams agree to wait, this can be waived, but BOTH teams must agree. 2

3 ALOHA DIVISION(S): The Aloha division is a special 8-Ball division that runs to qualify a team or teams to the Aloha Challenge Tournament held in Honolulu, HI each year in February. The division(s) can run as alternate format (currently 2 matches played twice a month, scheduled by the captains at their convenience) or on a normal weekly schedule. This division qualifies teams both to the Hawaii tournament and to the normal Las Vegas tournaments. Sessions run in conjunction with other Las Vegas qualifying sessions and teams qualify to play in Tri-Cups and the Local Team Championships just as in other divisions. The first-place team from each session automatically qualifies to the Aloha Challenge Local tournament held in the Fall session(november) of each year. To be qualified to play in the Fall Aloha Challenge tournament, teams must play a minimum of 2 sessions of that Aloha League year (Fall, Spring, Summer). Once qualified for any event, teams must follow the Qualified Teams section of the By-Laws to retain that qualification. Teams cannot move from a different division during any session to join the Aloha Division. A new team must be formed. Teams must have 5-8 players and the 23 rule is in effect. Aloha Division Playoffs *8 Teams 1 st vs 8 th, 2 nd vs 7 th, 3 rd vs 6 th and 4 th vs 5 th Playoff winners from the Aloha division qualify to the session Tri-Cup, detailed in the Tri-Cup section of the By-Laws. Playoff winners also advance to the Aloha Challenge Local Tournament. Winners of the Tri-Cup qualify only to the Vegas LTC, and not to the Aloha Challenge Local Tournament in the Fall session. Team fees for the Aloha Division are $9 per player, or $45 team fee per match. Extra money generated from this division allows the League office to help pay the added cost of travel expenses. Travel assistance will be determined by number of teams playing per session in this format across the entire league year. All Replay and other bylaws still apply to the Aloha Division, unless stated otherwise in this section. Division Representatives They should be the first person contacted on League night if a question about rules or bylaws arises and cannot be resolved by the Team Captains of the teams involved. Your Division Rep is not authorized to make any rulings on behalf of the League Office. They will simply try to help you locate answers to your questions in the Bylaws or Team Manual. Please respect that your Division Reps are volunteering their time and effort to help your division run smoothly. 3

4 Division Playoffs The division team highest in points prior to the division playoffs will automatically qualify for the Tri-Cup. (All teams tied for high points will earn eligibility for the Tri-Cups. Tie breaking procedures listed on page 40 of the Official Team Manual will decide who advances to playoffs as second place.) *4 teams - Division Playoffs will playoff (2 nd vs. WC, 1 st goes directly to Tri-Cups) *6 teams - Division Playoffs will playoff (2 nd vs. WC,3 rd vs. 4 th, 1 st goes directly to Tri-Cups) *8 teams Division Playoffs will playoff (2 nd vs. WC, 3 rd vs. 6 th, 4 th vs. 5 th, 1 st goes directly to Tri-Cups) *10 teams Division Playoffs will playoff (2 nd vs. WC, 3 rd vs. 8 th, 4 th vs. 7 th, 5 th vs. 6 th, 1 st goes directly to Tri-Cups) *12 teams Division playoffs will playoff ( 3 rd vs. 12 th, 4 th vs 11 th, 5 th vs 10, 6 th vs 9 th, 7 th vs 8 th, 1 st and 2 nd place advance to Tri-Cups and LTC Divisions of more than 12 teams will follow along the above guidelines. REMEMBER, these are guidelines and may change slightly due to byes in the schedules or teams not wanting to participate in playoffs/tri-cups. Winners of all playoff matches advance to Tri-Cup. Any team choosing NOT to participate in Playoffs may do so. The next team in line will be put into the Playoffs and matchups may be changed to accommodate this. Tri-Cups At the end of every session, we will hold Tri-Cup Tournaments. These are similar to higher lever play and are an extension of playoffs. This will be a SINGLE elimination tournament made up of teams from all divisions in that format, with a prize fund to at least but not limited to the top 25% of the field. Each team will be required to pay $35 team fee, regardless of format, with proceeds going into prize/trophy fund. Greens fees will apply. Tri-Cups qualify teams into the LTC. The number of LTC entries will be determined by total team count, and may be adjusted to accommodate space. ALL 1 st place teams in divisional standings will automatically receive LTC qualification and bye into Tri-Cups. Wild Card Draw All dues must be paid to be eligible. Wild Card teams will be notified about, and should have at least one player attend the Wild Card drawing if needed. Most drawings will occur at the League Office. 4

5 Qualified Teams Once a team has qualified for the LTC, it must remain active for the remainder of the League year to maintain eligibility. A team that qualifies from the Summer Session must continue to play during the Fall and Spring sessions: a team that qualifies from the Fall Session must continue to play during the Spring Session. In addition, once a team qualifies it must remain in the top 50% of its division s standings until the LTC event or its participation will be subject to handicap review and/or loss of eligibility. Any qualified team that drops below the top 75% of the division in the Spring Session, may lose LTC eligibility. If a team is already qualified for the LTC, the team may secure a Bye (when available) in the 1 st round of the LTC by re-qualifying in a subsequent session(s). The winning teams and all players from the team that advance from the LTC to the World Pool Championship will be required to play in the next League year s summer session to receive travel assistance. If a team elects not to go, travel assistance will be given to the teams and players that actually attend the World Pool Championship event. Due to National HLT rules, no male 2 s are allowed in 8-Ball and no male 1 s are allowed in 9-Ball LTC. Your Skill Level (SL) for tournaments must be the highest of your session ending SL s in that format from the time of qualification through the end of the League year. 8-Ball and 9-Ball handicaps do not affect each other. Qualified teams cannot make roster changes after the 4 th week of the Spring session otherwise qualification will be lost. We will allow roster changes to non-qualified teams with prior approval. New players must still have 10 lifetime matches to play in the LTC. Also, if a new player has less than 10 matches played, the League Operator and/or Handicap Review Board will determine their eligibility to play in playoffs and Tri-Cups. How To Qualify for Tri-Cups and Local Team Championships Tri-Cup: 1. Finish 1 st place in the division(2 nd place in 12 + team divisions also qualify for Tri-Cup) 2. Win end of session playoff match Local Team Championship (LTC): 1. Finish 1 st place in the division(2 nd place in 12 + team divisions also qualify for LTC) 2. From the Tri-Cup: A predetermined number of LTC entries PER session minus total number of Divisional q u a l i f i e d teams will earn qualification. The top finishers of the Tri-Cup bracket advance to LTC. Available slots will be announced at Tri-Cup Captain s meeting. 3. If top finishing teams from the Tri-Cup have already earned LTC qualification from CURRENT session, that team will earn a second qualification, taking away another team s chance. 4. The number of LTC entries will be determined by total team count, and may be adjusted to accommodate space. 5. Any BYES on the LTC bracket will NOT be filled. Teams that qualify in multiple sessions will get first chance at any byes by a random draw. Teams will be bracketed by a random draw in the presence of multiple players. 5

6 Trophies Division and LTC winners will receive individual trophies and patches and a team plaque or trophy for the Host Location. In larger divisions with at least 10 teams the 2 nd place team may receive a team plaque for the Host Location. Minimum Matches Played A minimum number of actual match scores are required for some awards and advancements. You must have played a minimum of four (4) matches during the current session to be considered an active team member to play in the Division Playoffs. You must have played a minimum of ten(10) matches during the previous two years as an APA member AND be an active team member to compete in higher individual and team competition. The same is true for qualifying for the APA World Pool Championship, at least four (4) matches have to be played during the Spring Session with the team you are competing on. Only teams with members that are currently in League competition may compete in Regional or Championship events. Team Fees Team Fees are $35.00 per week for all scheduled matches, regardless of the number of games played, including forfeits, and the division playoffs/tri-cups. As the APA is not responsible for cash, we recommend all weekly dues be paid by check. If you pay by check, please make them out to the Quad Cities APA. There will be a $30 charge for any returned checks, plus the loss of bonus points, even if the check is from the tavern. Points may be held back from a team until all money is current. Any player or team, even if qualified, owing monies will not advance to the division playoffs or Local Team Championship. The cost of the table will be split evenly between both players, no matter who wins or loses and regardless of handicap. Fees pay for all League expenses and overhead includes the following: Player s Fund: This fund is for money awards, the purchase of patches, pins, plaques, and trophies that will be awarded for playing excellence. These funds can be used during weekly play/division Playoffs, to include competition for teams, singles, and doubles tournaments, banquets, and all other APA sanctioned competitions. This is also a fund to help defray the cost of travel for teams that qualify and attend the APA World Pool Championships. Annual Membership Dues for APA players are $25 in Illinois divisions and $26.75 in Iowa divisions (sales tax included). Dues are due the first night a player plays or by the fourth week of the session, whichever comes first. NO PAY NO PLAY Teams with unpaid players will receive zero points. Any team that falls two weeks behind in paying their team fees or membership dues will be sent a warning notice. If the team does not become current upon receipt of the notice it will be dropped from the League for non-payment. Any player owing the League (indicated by the $ sign by their name) must pay before they play or ALL TEAM POINTS won that night will be forfeited. If less than two points are won for the night, there will be a two-point penalty (40 points in 9-Ball). EXCEPTION: If a payment schedule has been pre-approved through the League Office. 6

7 Coaching If a coach suggests a time out to the player, the timeout must be taken. However, if a player asks for a timeout, the coach can refuse to take it and no timeout will be charged. Mark all coaches (timeouts) with a T on your scoresheet. Number of timeouts still remain the same with 1,2-3s receiving 2 and 4-9s receiving 1. Any manipulation of this rule will be enforced using the Sportsmanship Guideline penalties. Underage Players APA allows year old players to participate in APA Leagues. However, this is subject to any applicable Federal, State, or Local laws as well as the policy of each Host Location. Underage players should inform the Host Location of their age when arriving for a match to ensure there are no issues. The APA cannot and will not require any Host Location to allow an underage player in their establishment. Junior members(under18) may playon the teams, but will be ineligible to participate in Higher Level play. Update Personal Information Please update your information with the League Office. Players are kept up-to-date on all League information by weekly or monthly newsletters that are distributed in the team envelopes. However, it is often necessary to contact players by phone or to distribute pertinent information. If the League Office cannot contact you, we cannot be responsible for any information you may have missed. Breaking Players will receive (2) two chances to make a legal break. To be considered a legal break, 4 object balls must hit the rail without the cue scratching, in either format, or a ball must be pocketed. If a player fails to make a legal break after 2 attempts, they will concede the break to their opponent. Mark an inning if applicable. Does not apply to Higher Level tournaments Rule Violations Besides the Ball in Hand Fouls listed in the Official Team Manual (pages 48-52), rule violations are considered sportsmanship violations and the League Office will need to be notified in writing. Rulings, warnings, and penalties will be assessed as necessary. Adding a New Team to a Division The League Operator may add a new team any time during the session. If a team is added after the 4 th week, it will assume the points of the team it is replacing. If there are no points to take over, it will receive one point in 8-Ball (15 points in 9-Ball) less than the last place team in that division. Roster Changes New players may join a team through the 7 th week (through the 4 th week on qualified teams in the Spring Session). Players may be added to a team after the 7 th week, but only in extreme circumstances, with prior approval from the League Office. In the situation where a team is given approval from the APA League Office to add a player following week 7, the added player may be ineligible for playoffs and higher-level tournament play. 7

8 Known Ability When adding a player of Known Ability, call the League Office for their skill level. If you play previous APA members without getting their assigned skill level those points will be forfeited. Returning teams that add a brand new player to their roster whose skill level increases by two levels or more that session will also be at risk of losing all points earned at the lower skill level(s). Play fair, have skilled players start as a SL5 or 6 as warranted. Replay(Double Play) Option If a team is short a player on a designated league night, we have a Replay rule that allows the team that is short a player to play a player twice in the same match. The following criteria must be followed when using the replay rule: Teams must notify their opponent of the need to use a replay by the end of the 2nd, individual match. If a team has a 5th player show up prior to the start of the 5th match, the player is still entitled to play, even if a replay was requested. The player that plays the 5th match when a replay is used is chosen by the team s opponent. The player that is chosen to play the replay must be notified by the opponent at the end of the 3rd match (thus, other players can leave if not chosen). The player chosen to play the replay match must still allow the team to comply with the 23-Rule (or 4-19 Rule if it applies to the team in question). Full team fees are still due if the replay rule is used in a team match (We suggest fees for the replay match should be split between the players that played in the team match). Teams are allowed to use one replay per League night. The replay must be used during the last individual match (i.e. 5th match). The replay may be used in the 4th individual match if the 5th individual match is forfeited or the 3rd individual match is the 4th & 5th individual matches are forfeited. Once a replay is used, the remaining matches must be forfeited, even if another player shows up. (Exception will be given if chosen player must leave early for whatever reason, then replay may be used to accommodate replaying player, earlier in team match) Replays can be used at any time but will only be allowed the last two weeks of the session if the opposing team agrees, and cannot be used during playoffs,or any higher level tournament play Both teams may utilize the replay rule on the same night if necessary. In this situation, both teams put up their own player and the team scheduled to put up a player in the 5th match puts up first. A team that has enough players present is not allowed to use the replay rule; they have to play a player that has not yet played in the match. The only exception to this rule is in the event that the team cannot comply with the 23-Rule with the 5 players present to play. The team may then request a replay from their opponent. The request must still be made before the start of the 3rd individual match. A player may not be sent home and/or made unavailable so that a team may request a replay from their opponent. Attempts to take advantage of the replay rule should be reported to the Division Representative and also to APA by means of an official protest form. 8

9 MVP To be eligible players must have played 75% of the matches in the correct format by the end of the session. MVP is calculated by Percentage of total points earned during the session. Ties will be broken first by win percentage, if still the same, performance points will be used. The Quad Cities APA awards 1(one) player per skill level PER FORMAT a MVP award. Each MVP will receive a patch and trophy or plaque. Minimum of 2 people in the given skill level bracket or we will combine with the next applicable skill level bracket to determine MVP. Scoresheets Scoresheets are picked up by the team captain at the Host Location for weekly play. Envelopes are labeled with the League address, team name, team number, Host Location, and date of play and may contain other information from the League Office. When all matches are complete for the evening, Team Captains place their teams signed scoresheet and all fees inside the envelope, seals it, and signs across the seal. The Team Captain for the home team makes sure the team envelope is left with the designated contact at the host location. Updated team envelopes are normally distributed each week no later than 24 hours prior to match play. Scorekeepers People keeping score on returning teams must be a veteran player who is able to teach new players the proper APA method o f scoring. Only team members can be scorekeepers for your team. The scorekeeper should be knowledgeable about the rules and be able to recognize when a safety or non-performance shot has been played (no intent to pocket a ball) and mark it accordingly on the scoresheet. For The Equalizer handicap system to work effectively the match needs to be scored fairly. All notes to the League Office on the back of the scoresheet should be noted in the message center so they are not missed. Notes and messages are always welcome, provided they are not vulgar or nasty. In addition to precious scorekeeping procedures, scorekeepers need to initial the scoresheet in the Total Innings block. Each individual match should be initialed by the scorekeeper for that match (not each game). If one person is the scorekeeper for all matches they will initial in each of the five Total Innings boxes along with the Total Innings total. The scorekeepers initials must be legible so we will be able to identify & contact the scorekeeper if/when questions arise. Any infractions fall under the Bonus Points section. Abbreviations For clarification, the abbreviations used in the game block are:8 on the break 8OB / 9 on the snap 9OS / Break and Run 8BR & 9BR / 8-ball out of turn (early) E8 / 8-ball scratch S8 / 8 and scratch on the break 8SOB / Did not mark pocket DMP /8 wrong pocket - 8WP Forfeits Everyone in the League should be working to encourage competition and discourage total team forfeits. If a team fails to show for a match, the opposing team (providing 5 players are present and listed on the score sheet) will receive 15 points in 8-Ball (100 in 9-Ball) if all paper work is completed and fees and dues are up to date. Full forfeits in the last 2 weeks of playwill be worth 10 total points in 8-Ball and 75 total points in 9-Ball. If a team forfeits 2 weeks in a row they face being dropped from the League and a new schedule will be issued. Dropped teams or any suspended player will forfeit all benefits, trophies, awards and prize money. If a team drops out before the session is over, matches played will stand. If a team finds it necessary to forfeit a point, the forfeit must be the last match. If a team forfeits one or more matches it is still responsible for the full amount of weekly dues. Teams that forfeit more than 2 matches in either of the last 2 weeks of play will be ineligible playoffs and the wild card draw. NO EXCEPTIONS. 9

10 Byes Byes are worth 10 points in 8-Ball (75 points in 9-Ball). No score sheets need to be returned and no fees are due. Byes and forfeits will not be awarded during the first 4 weeks of any session while new teams are still being added. Make-up matches will be required for the weeks that were missed. Bonus Points One bonus point for 8-Ball and 10 bonus points for 9-Ball will be awarded to each team that does its paperwork completely, neatly, and accurately, and is not past due on any fees. In addition, one bonus point for 8-Ball and 10 bonus points for 9- Ballwill be awarded to each team that receives a 3 or higher sportsmanship rating for the night. See Sportsmanship section for requirements/details for ratings. Bonus points will be awarded each week for weekly play and bye weeks. Once lost, bonus point(s) cannot be reinstated, unless caused by an administrative error and the League Office is notified within 2 weeks. To receive bonus points, scoresheets must be completely, correctly, and legibly filled out with full weekly dues and membership fees included. Loss of bonus points will be enforced after your team has received one warning. Minor infractions will result in a loss of only half the total bonus points. Exception for brand new Team Captains or teams: bonus points for scorekeeping errors will not be withheld during the first four weeks at which time they should know how to handle the scoresheets. Bonus points do affect your team standings during the session. Teams owing money will not receive their bonus points for weekly play or bye weeks until paid in full. Equipment Only equipment designed for pocket billiards will be used during APA League play. This includes, but is not limited to, cue balls, racks, and racks of balls unless otherwise approved by the League Office. Jump cues and laser devices are not allowed. Jump shots and vertical masse shots are allowed as long as the Host Location permits them. You may not, however, break down your cue to attempt a jump shot (Official Team Manual page 43). Player cannot use a break cue to make a legal jump shot. Breaking Down the Cue or Grabbing the Rack Either action before the match has finished could result in loss of match. If a player is shooting, and his opponent cracks his stick (starts to take it apart) or grabs the rack within view of the shooting player, this action could be considered a concession of the game by the opponent. The shooting player should stop; ask the opponent if they have just conceded the game and if so, will be awarded the game. If the shooting player continues to play, he has forgiven his opponent. If he misses, the opponent will be permitted to take his turn. The intent is to eliminate a non-shooter attempting to intimidate or distract the shooting player. A player may, during his/her turn at the table, switch cues. Cell Phones Cell phones are not allowed at the pool table as they are disruptive and delay play. If you need to talk on the phone you may use a time out. Constant delays may result in a sportsmanship violation if you re unable to end the call after you ve been notified it s your turn and your time outs for the game have been used. Cell phones may be used as a pocket marker. Division Reps are excused as long as it is a League call. The use of headphones, headsets of any kind, Bluetooth devices and/or earplugs while playing a match is prohibited. 10

11 Pocket Markers Items should be placed next to the pocket the 8-ball is intended to enter. A coaster or some other reasonable marker should be used. Chalk, cash, and weapons are not allowed. Rescheduled Matches These must be made up within 2 weeks either before or after the original match, unless pre-approved by the League Office. If not, zero (0) points will be awarded to each team; weekly fees will be assessed. No matches will be made up the last 2 weeks of session play or during playoffs. The only way to reschedule for Holidays or the last 2 weeks of the League session is to play them in advance. Special leeway may be given a team with members attended any APA tournaments. Team Captains can, with the League Operator s approval, reschedule a match if agreed to by BOTH Team Captains. BOTH Team Captains must notify the League Office 48 hours (2 days) in advance of a reschedule. If you are the team asking for a reschedule, you must go to the opposing team s Host Location to play. The League Office must be notified of any rescheduled matches. No exceptions. Inclement Weather Policy (ie. Snow, sleet, etc.) Severe weather conditions or travelers advisory warnings are reason enough for rescheduling team matches. Unless otherwise approved by the League Office, severe weather is not cause for a team to claim a forfeit win for the night. If a match is to be cancelled due to weather, the League Operator and other Team Captains must be informed. Please notify the League Office of the scheduled make-up match. The League Operator will resolve any disagreements. Host Locations You are encouraged to enjoy the fare available at the Host Location. Please do not bring any food and beverage into the Host Location unless the host location has previously approved it. Any team and or player caught drinking alcoholic beverages NOT purchased from the Host Locations outside of the establishment, will receive ZERO points for the night and team will be put on probation for the remainder of the session. Any repeat violations of this rule will result in team being removed from the division. Etiquette Your team, the team scheduled to compete against you, the Host Locations, and the entire League depends on you meeting your commitment to show up prepared to shoot each week. When a team member consistently misses matches, especially without notification, it burdens everyone. Teams may eliminate and replace any member, including their Team Captain should he/she fall into this category. (See Roster Changes above for further details). Please refrain from trying to disrupt the player at the table. Shooting Team players should go to the table immediately when it is their turn, otherwise, the opponent may think the shooter is being coached. SITTING TEAM PLAYERS SHOULD BE AWAY FROM THE TABLE DURING THE OPPONENT S TURN. Disrupting your opponent includes, but is not limited to, standing in the player s view during a shot, walking up to the table while your opponent is shooting to pick up the chalk or remove your pocket marker, loud disturbances, or any other behavior which could distract your opponent or be considered "sharking". Everyone deserves the same respect. Any member not representing the best interest of the APA will be notified and may be disciplined if deemed necessary. This is a fun League and a few members will not be allowed to spoil League play for everyone else. 11

12 Excessively Slow Play is not necessary. If you feel an opponent is slow playing, politely ask Team Captain to address the situation. If this does not remedy the situation, just grin and bear it for the evening but write a note describing the situation. A letter will be sent to the other team asking them to speed-up their matches. Players/teams who continue to exceed these guidelines may face sportsmanship penalties for slow play. To keep pace of play at a reasonable level and avoid excessively long term matches, the following guidelines should be observed: The average time between shots should be no more than twenty seconds, forty five seconds for special shooting situations. The average time for player selection should be no more than 2 minutes from the end of the previous match. The duration of a time out should not exceed one minute Disputes should be resolved by the two players, and not by the coaches or captains. If a dispute cannot be settled, then notify the League Office with a Concern Form. If a team chooses to follow the letter of the law as it is written in the Official Team Manual and Bylaws, it is their right to do so and should be respected. We strongly urge that the players solve disputes themselves in the spirit of "Good Sportsmanship". Falsification of Scoresheets: Any team caught sandbagging (urging a player to lose a match) or sending in falsified score sheets will be subject to penalties. Even the mere DISCUSSION of sandbagging, running up innings, losing on purpose, etc if proven, is enough for sanctions to be issued. WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY INAPPROPRIATE discussions that can be detrimental to the APA. Penalties handed down by the League Operator may include having the entire roster moved up one skill level, receiving sportsmanship violations penalties, loss of LTC slot, loss of prize money, and/or being dropped from the League. Banned Players/Sportsmanship: If a player on your team has been banned from a tavern or location, then the team must play without him or her. The APA League has no right to insist a Host Location admit this player. Any player or team receiving more than two sportsmanship violations may be dropped from the League. Dropped teams or any suspended player will forfeit all benefits, trophies, awards and prize money. Banned players are not allowed in the match area or at the scorers table. Dropped Teams: Teams that drop out of a session will be required to pay the balance of all Weekly Fees for the remainder of that session, plus two weeks fees deposit (which will be applied to the final weeks of the session) before they will be allowed to rejoin the League. If the balance due is not paid in full, then each player who wishes to continue to participate in the APA League must pay their prorated portion of the uncollected fees. This applies even if the player(s) is on more than one team and remains active on the other team(s). Any team that finishes a session and still owes uncollected Weekly Fees must pay the balance by the first week of the following session. If the team does not sign-up for the following session, any player(s) from that team wishing to join another team must pay their prorated portion of the uncollected fees. No more than three players from a dropped team may rejoin any one team in the future 12

13 Refusal to Do Business: At any time, at the sole discretion of the League Operator, Quad Cities APA can refuse to do business with any individual regardless of whether the individual s APA membership is in good standing. Most often, players who are unwelcome in the League will be those who are disruptive to the League, repeatedly complain about handicaps or who otherwise deride the League in public. The APA National rules will always supersede Local Bylaws in all higher level tournaments. Thank you for taking the time to read these Bylaws. We hope they help with the session you are beginning. If you have read your Official Team Manual and the Bylaws and use common sense, we know you will have an enjoyable time playing. Remember, every situation may not be addressed in these Bylaws; this is where common sense comes in. As the need arises, we may add to or modify these Bylaws when appropriate Enjoy the Sport, Good Luck and Good Shooting 13

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