There are three official tournaments during the squash season where a player may be elected to represent the Province in an official team:

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1 6 September 2018 Provincial participation and selection criteria 2019 There are three official tournaments during the squash season where a player may be elected to represent the Province in an official team: 1. South African Country Schools Squash Festival (SACF) This tournament is scheduled for April 2019 and is aimed at selecting combined teams from the smaller provinces to participate in the Inter Provincial tournaments in June. The tournament also serves as a development opportunity for C and/or D teams from major provinces where these players can get the exposure to inter provincial squash. This exposure may lead to higher achievements later on. The teams range from u13 to u19 and consist of four players each. Players selected for these teams are still eligible for selection to represent Northerns in the Inter Provincial teams. The NJSA committee encourages participation in this tournament from a development point of view. In order to be eligible for selection to these teams, players need to be a paid up registered player with NJSA, active on the ladder and meet the further selection criteria set out below. Players need to play in official SACF clothing and qualify for half provincial colours. 2. U11 Angela Difford Festival This tournament is scheduled for the same time period as the Inter Provincial Tournaments, June The teams consist of four players each and is aimed at developing the under 11 players in order to prepare them for participation in the future. As this is a festival there are no final team positions declared at the conclusion of the tournament. In order to be eligible for selection to these teams, players need to be a paid up registered player with NJSA and meet the further selection criteria set out below. Players need to play in official clothing (no tracksuits). However, due to the nature of the festival, players qualify for provincial half colours. IPT Criteria Page 1 of 6

2 3. Inter Provincial Tournaments (IPT) These tournaments are scheduled at the start of the public schools mid-year holiday and are deemed to be the pinnacle of the squash season. Northerns teams in the different age groups play against all the other provinces, some foreign teams on invitation and the combined teams from the smaller provinces. Inter Provincial tournaments take place for u13, u14, u16 and u19 boys and girls. The teams consists of five players each, except for the Boys u16 & u19 B teams which have six players. At the conclusion of the IPT s medals are award for 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd place and the South African Schools Squash Top 10 is announced for u14 to u19. Players may only play in official clothing as stipulated by NJSA and will receive provincial colours. Selection Criteria To be eligible to represent Northerns at any official competition and/or tournaments, players must be a paid-up registered player with NJSA and placed on the NJSA Ladder, as well as prove paid-up membership of Squash SA as applicable. To be eligible for selection to an IPT team, players must play in and complete at least 4 tournaments during the season, made up as follows: 1. Compulsory tournaments: 1. NJSA Closed tournament in May and; 2. One other NJSA tournament selected from the remaining 3 listed below and; 3. One outside tournament as listed on the SA Schools calendar and endorsed by NJSA. 2. Non-compulsory tournaments: at least one other NJSA tournament or another outside tournament as listed on the SA Schools calendar and endorsed by NJSA. The 4 NJSA tournaments are listed on the SA Schools Calendar and are: 1. NJSA Start of Season tournament 7 9 September 2018; 2. NJSA Open Round Robin tournament 1 3 February 2019; 3. NJSA Open April 2019; 4. NJSA Closed May Outside tournaments are selected non-njsa organised tournament listed on the official SA Schools Calendar and sanctioned by NJSA. Sanctioned outside tournaments for 2019: 1. Easterns Wilson Open January 2019 East Rand; 2. Kwazulu-Natal Junior Open January 2019 Durban; 3. Central Gauteng Junior Open 1 3 February 2019 Johannesburg; 4. North West Open February 2018 Potchefstroom; 5. Boland Junior Open February 2019 Paarl; 6. Bloemfontein Junior Open 1 3 March 2019 Bloemfontein; IPT Criteria Page 2 of 6

3 7. Central Gauteng Junior Open 8 10 March 2019 Johannesburg; 8. SA Schools Closed March 2019 Parkview, Johannesburg; 9. Easterns Dunlop Open 5 7 April 2019 East Rand; 10. Western Province Youth Squash Open 5 7 April 2019; 11. SA Country Schools Festival April 2019 Bloemfontein; 12. Alan Stapleton Eastern Province Open 3 5 May 2019 Port Elizabeth; Challenge matches are matches that are played following the stipulated challenge rules as in the official NJSA Ladder and Challenge rules. The NJSA committee may require challenge matches to be played in cases where players could not meet the criteria due to circumstances adjudged acceptable by the committee. The NJSA Committee may take a player s conduct into account and choose not to elect a player based on bad conduct, non-compliance with tournament rules, etc. regardless of individual results. Selections for SA Schools Teams require three compulsory tournaments independent of the NJSA requirements i. SA Bloemfontein Open 1 3 March (Bloemfontein) ii. SA Schools Closed March (Parkview, Johannesburg) iii. Inter Provincial Tournament at various venues June To be eligible for selection to a SACF team, players must play in at least 3 tournaments which may consist of at least one NJSA tournament and 2 more tournaments which can be either NJSA tournaments or NJSA sanctioned outside tournaments. To be eligible for selection to an Angela Difford Festival team, players must adhere to the same criteria as for selection to a SACF team as set out above. Withdrawing from a tournament In any tournament if a player withdraws before the end of the last match the player must get a doctor s note on the day that the injury or illness occurred and it must be sent by mail to njsa@northerns.co.za within 2 days in order for an exemption to be considered. If it s an outside tournament the doctor s note must be sent to both the tournament organiser and NJSA. The onus is on the player to ensure that the doctor s note is received by NJSA in time. To prevent any complaints a note from a parent who is a doctor, for their own child will not be acceptable. Selectors decision final A player or parent may query any selection within 48 hours after the selection was announced by sending a mail to njsa@northerns.co.za with a motivation on why the selection is queried. If no query is received within this time there will be no obligation on the NJSA to change the selection, regardless of whether it s later proven to have been an incorrect selection. The decisions of the selectors will be final and no explanation needs to be given for any selection decision. IPT Criteria Page 3 of 6

4 Age Groups A player plays in the age group that he or she is on 1 January of that year, e.g. if you re 13 on 1 January you play u14 for the year even if you turn 14 on 2 January. Players must play according to their age group in the NJSA Closed and in the IPT s. Players must request written permission from NJSA to play in another age group if that tournament is to be taken into account as part of the player s meeting the qualifying criteria. It is compulsory to play in your age group for all SA Selection tournaments. A player may apply with the committee before 24 January to play in a higher age group for the year. An application will only be considered if the player has been ranked SA number 1 the season prior. Other criteria will also be considered and if supported by the province the application will be forwarded to SA Schools Squash whose decision will be final. Representing NJSA at Tournaments Tournaments are a team sport and as such teams are compelled to travel and stay together. Managers are selected to take care of the players. The tournament and accommodation costs are determined by SA Schools Squash and NJSA arranges the travel and logistics. The team manager s cost is added to the tournament and accommodation cost. All endeavours are made to ensure that the cost is kept as low as possible. Clothing is compulsory for IPT s and is advised prior to every IPT. 1. NJSA playing shirt with the Daisy. 2. NJSA boys shorts with the Daisy. 3. NJSA girls skort/dress with the Daisy. No shorts are permitted. 4. NJSA track suit with the Daisy. Players are required to wear the NJSA tracksuit when travelling, for official functions and team photographs. Players selected for NJSA IPT teams are required to attend a minimum of 2 out of 3 squad training sessions that will take place over the weekends of 25 May, 1 & 8 June These sessions are 90 minutes each. Tournament conduct If you enter a tournament you are committed for the whole period. Don t organise other events that you are committed to attending. If you travel away to a tournament you spend the whole weekend there so do the same at a local tournament. Or don t enter. Anything less is unsportsmanlike and discourteous to the other players, the organiser, who has plenty to do without having to arrange logistics around your personal needs and the province. IPT Criteria Page 4 of 6

5 If you wake up sick call the organiser, let them know immediately and get the phone number of your opponent and call them to apologise for letting them down. It is not good enough just to tell the organiser. Also make sure to follow the guidelines for submitting a doctor s note to the province as set out under Selection criteria above. You have the responsibility to play even if you don t feel like playing. Get going and play! Refereeing is a requirement immediately after your match or as per the tournament rules. Players seen to be avoiding their duty will be excluded from further tournaments and team selection. Clothing The following clothing rule shall apply without exception to all NJSA tournaments. In all matters of judgement or opinion arising from the interpretation of this clothing rule, the decision of the tournament referee or on-site NJSA representative shall be final, except that they may not rule illegal or unacceptable an item of clothing or a design which has been approved by the NJSA. In addition to the above, clean and customarily acceptable squash attire shall be worn. Unacceptable attire shall include: Sweatshirts Tracksuits (tracksuit trousers may be worn for religious regions after approval from NJSA). Long sleeved tops Promotional cotton t-shirts Leggings Aerobic bodysuit of any description Long sleeved compression garments Full length compression stockings (leggings) Cycling type shorts may be worn but, for girls, only if the hem is not visible below the hem of the skirt or dress when the player is standing Playing clothing shall consist of: For boys a short-sleeved polo shirt with an attached collar or non-cotton t-shirt and shorts outfit, sleeveless playing top and shorts outfit, shorts, socks and non-marking indoor court shoes. Compression shorts above the knee are allowed to be worn under playing shorts. Compression socks up to the knee are allowed. For girls A short-sleeved polo shirt with an attached collar or non-cotton T-shirt, sleeveless non-cotton vest top, dress or skirt, socks and non-marking indoor court shoes. Compression shorts above the knee are allowed to be worn under playing skirts and dresses. Compression socks up to the knee are allowed. Players may wear clothing of any colour or combination of colours. All clothing shall conform to the accepted standards of decency and cultural/religious tradition, as adjudged by the tournament referee. IPT Criteria Page 5 of 6

6 Headwear, other than that normally worn for religious, cultural or medical reasons, is not permitted, with the exception of headbands, bandannas and straps for approved eyeguards. Any jewellery or watches worn by a player shall not be so conspicuous or brightly reflecting as to distract or un-sight an opponent and shall not be potentially dangerous. The tournament referee may require the removal of any piece of jewellery deemed to violate the above. Referees are given the authority not to allow any player, breaching these rules, back on court and the player may be disqualified. Eye wear Players will be obliged to wear WSF approved eye wear whenever they are on court, whether playing socially, warming up or in a match situation. Regards NJSA IPT Criteria Page 6 of 6