Modified on December 21, 2017 The Villages Shuffleboard Club Guidelines/Rules INDEX OF CLUB GUIDELINES Select your subject from the index below. Then using the index number scroll down to the club rules and find your answer. INDEX 1.0 PREAMBLE 2.0 PURPOSE OF THE CLUB 3.0 GENERAL OVERVIEW 3.1 Each Directors responsibilities 3.2 Captains/Assistant Captains responsibilities 4.0 BEFORE THE MATCHES BEGIN 4.1 Players should report for matches by 12:45 4.2 If you are the home team. 4.3 Canceling matches etc. 4.3.1 Cancel a match due to wet courts. 4.3.2 Scoring when rainouts occur. 4.3.3 Agree to cancel a match 4.3.4 No shows 4.3.5 Non-Agreement to cancel a match. 4.3.5.1 Too cold, too hot to play? 4.3.6 Cancel a match due to unsportsmanlike conduct. 4.4 Name Tags should be worn.
5.0 THE MATCH 5.1 Games will start at exactly 1:00 PM. 5.2 Home teams play yellow. 5.3 Yellow shoots first 5.4 Players play single matches against an opponent. 5.5 Do not drag discs in the gutter. 5.6 When the other end is shooting sit down. 5.7 No coaching of a team mate is allowed. 5.8 No standing on shooting deck when opponent is shooting. 5.9 No sitting on player benches if not playing. 5.10 Avoid distractions. 5.11 Do not pick up discs in gutter. 5.12 Remove discs from beyond kitchen line. 5.13 Do not touch live discs. 5.14 Players at opposite end of the court cannot challenge said disc. 5.15 Games that end in ties. 5.16 A team with less than 8 players. 5.17 Erase scoreboards at the end of the game only. 5.18 No plastic beads allowed on courts 6.0 AFTER THE MATCH 6.1 The home team is responsible for clean up. 6.2 Captains will report game wins and losses. 6.3 Players notify Captains of absence. END OF INDEX
CLUB GUIDELINES/RULES 1.0 PREAMBLE The following Guidelines are to be used for the entire league and are intended to be general in the interest of understanding and good sportsmanship. 2.0 PURPOSE OF THE CLUB To foster and instruct in the guidelines, and appreciation of the game of shuffleboard. To create teams of 10 to 12 players to compete in various leagues. The words HAVING FUN is the focus of our club. If a player or team, through actions or words makes the experience of another to be NOT FUN, then any dispute or complaint will be decided against the offending team or player. If there are conflicting guideline violations then the FUN consideration will take precedence. We regularly add new or inexperienced players to teams so some patience is needed to bear with their unfamiliarity with the game and the guidelines. Players should show tolerance rather than become arrogant and overbearing. The success and expansion of the entire club depends on training and the retention of these new players and that should be a primary objective. The competition aspect is not an important consideration and winning should be secondary to HAVING FUN. We do not play on professional level courts and our teams may not be evenly matched as some teams are experienced and some teams are all beginners. We follow some of the rules of the National and Florida Shuffleboard Association, but many others we do not. A player and team can compete hard, but be friendly rather than rude whether winning or losing. 3.0 GENERAL OVERVIEW 3.1 EACH DIRECTOR IS RESPONSIBLE for one of the clubs regions. The regions are geographically organized by play day. We currently have seven regions; three in the Wednesday region, two in the Thursday region and two on Monday afternoons for seasonal residents, January through March. These regions are divided into North, MidSouth and Deep South, based on the locations of the team s home recreation center courts. Each region is managed by a Regional director. Teams will compete within their own region or possibly some combination of regions depending on how many teams are competing. Regional directors may elect to subdivide the teams in their region into divisions to allow for more competitive situations. 3.2 CAPTAINS of teams of 10 to 12 players report to the Regional Director. Each team has a captain and an assistant or co-captain who are responsible for assigning the players to court positions, recording game wins, managing the team and emailing game results to the Regional Director or Statistician. (Some teams will have Assigners rather than Captains) In the absence of captains a member of the team will be designated as captain of the week. A Captain shall inform club members of those factors that constitute unacceptable behavior on the part of the club members, and the possible consequences of said behaviors.
A Captain/Assistant/Assigner shall bring any apparent violation to the opposing captain's attention and a resolution agreed to. A captain shall not confront an opponent player directly about the apparent violation. In the event of different interpretations of the guidelines, the teams involved shall each state the circumstances in an e-mail sent to the Regional Director for a ruling. The Regional Director s decision will be binding in his or her region only. Every team must have a captain and an assistant. If both are from the same household an alternative must be made available to fill in when both are absent on the same week. The captain and/or the assistant will assign the players to the courts, just before the match, using the score sheet and the templates. It is best for both the captain and the assistant to be equally able to do this so one can fill in when the other is absent. The captain will need a clipboard and a pencil with a good eraser. Clipboards will be provided to all new captains by the club. All necessary forms are available to be printed from our website. The Club has a fall session that runs from September thru December and a winter session that runs January thru March/April. Statistics regarding team winning percentages and standings will be calculated for the fall session and the winning teams announced in December. The winter session will start anew and statistics regarding team winning percentages and standings will be calculated for this new session, only, with the winning teams announced at the end of the session. Teams of 8 to 12 players will be placed on the competition rotation schedule only if they have a captain and sufficient players to be competitive on the first play date in September or the first play date in January. Players will continue to be members of their same team when it restarts each session and also for the next season, subject to the desires of the player and the captain. Transfers between teams are possible, and probable, as player s situations change. We try to place players on teams that are home based at recreation centers near to where they live, since they will play half of their games at their home recreation center. 4.0 BEFORE THE MATCHES BEGIN 4.1 PLAYERS should report for their scheduled match by 12:45. A schedule will be prepared that will list the two competing teams by date and where they compete. Since there could be up to 8 players (4 from each team) sitting out a particular game, please bring some folding chairs so that players can sit with the others on the sidelines, to socialize and watch the action. (NO COACHING). ONLY those individuals actually playing are allowed to sit on the benches at the head and foot of the courts. 4.2 IF YOU ARE THE HOME TEAM, congregate at the head (score board end) and the away team should congregate at the foot. Your captain will log you in and assign you to a court for the 1st game. The team listed first on the schedule is always the home team and is responsible for the court preparation such as, sweep the courts, get and wax the discs, (league discs can be found in the recreation office in the main building, not the equipment shack, and returned there at the end of the match), put out the chalk and erasers, etc. as well as before leaving, check the area to make sure it is in the same or better condition as when you arrived. Discs should be also waxed prior to 2nd and 3rd games. (The decision is up to the individual or his team mate who are assigned to play the next game on the same court. If either player wants the discs waxed, one player shall wax them, and only their own color.) "Discs may be waxed after the practice shots if not done before. If waxed after the practice shots, no additional practice shots are allowed. Discs may not be waxed once a game has started.
4.3 CANCELLATIONS. These are the procedures in place that govern when matches are to be cancelled. 4.3.1 CANCEL A MATCH DUE TO WET COURTS. We do not play if the courts are wet. The home team captain will decide by noon the day of play. If courts are unplayable, the home team captain will notify the opposing captain and each captain will then notify each of their players. Please speak to a Captain or assistant, do not leave a message on an answering machine. Missed matches due to inclement weather or recreation department events will not be rescheduled. No games will be scheduled for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. 4.3.2 SCORING WHEN RAINOUTS OCCUR (TOTAL/PARTIAL) Total rainout (no games played), zero (0) points awarded both teams for wins and played. Partial rainout (or captain s mutual agreement to only play one or two games): a) 1 game completed-8 points awarded as earned and 8 points played. b) 2 games completed-16 points awarded as earned and 16 points played. c) Any game of 8 competitions, not completed by all 8, will be canceled and scoring will revert back to last complete game. d) This means that wins emailed must total 8, 16, or 24 points for the two teams. (see para 5.16 if there are less than 8 players on both teams.) 4.3.3 AGREE TO CANCEL A MATCH. Above does not preclude possibility of BOTH teams agreeing not to play for whatever reason (cold/hot weather, etc.) with zero (0) points awarded for both won and played. BOTH captains must agree not to play. Captains are to email in the 0/0 results. 4.3.4 NO-SHOWS If one team shows up and the other team does not, and there has been no prior agreement not to play, then the team showing up will be awarded 12 points won and 12 points played for the match. The team that is a no-show will be charged with 0 points won and 12 points played. The winning captain still needs to notify via email of the other team s no-show and their 12/12 points for the match. CAUTION: Please make sure that you are really talking to your opponent team captain or assistant when you propose or agree to cancel a match. 4.3.5 NON-AGREEMENT TO CANCEL A MATCH If one team wants to cancel a match because of foul weather (other than rain) and the other team wants to play the match, the canceling team must notify the other team, (live person not a recorder), before noon of the day of the match and the match will be cancelled. If the weather temperature is less than 50 degrees or greater than 92 degrees at noon, then both teams will receive 0 points won and 0 points played (0/0) if at noon the temperature is between 50F and 92F, the canceling team will be scored as a no-show and the 12/12 and 0/12 scoring as per above "NO-SHOWS" paragraph will apply. b. If the canceling team changes their mind before noon and the other team then agrees, the match can be played as scheduled, without penalties. 4.3.5.1. TOO HOT TOO COLD TO PLAY? will depend on the temperature at noon per the reading on the weather underground weather logo located on the home page of the
website. This temperature reading will be final for all regions of the villages regardless of the reading in your immediate area. 4.3.6 CANCEL A MATCH DUE TO UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT...If 75% of the members of one team do not want to play another team due to the other team's members being abusive, overbearing, using foul language or just being overly aggressive and disruptive, resulting in stressful play conditions, the future match(s) between the two teams will be canceled and both teams awarded 0 wins and 0 games played. The team that wants to cancel the match shall submit an email to their regional director, with a copy to the other team's contact individuals. The email will have as the subject: "REQUEST TO CANCEL A MATCH DUE TO UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT". The body of the email will list names of both teams and the dates of the future match(s). The email will state that 75% of the members of the team have requested that the match (s) be canceled, and will be annotated as being signed by the captain or assistant. Neither team needs to show up at the courts on the mentioned dates. The regional director will confirm the canceled dates, team names and the 0/0 scores, to the listed contact individuals for both teams. 4.4 NAME TAGS should be worn at any/all matches and shuffleboard functions. It is nice to know your opponents name during play. 5.0 THE MATCH 5.1 GAMES WILL START AT EXACTLY 1:00 PM. Team leaders will not hold up games waiting for players to arrive. Those players who arrive after 1:00 p.m. will sit out game one. Exceptions to the above can be permitted if agreed to by the leaders of both teams. At the beginning of each game, players will have up to four practice shots to determine speed and drift of the courts. This option is available to every player. We urge captains not to dictate the number of practice shots allowed. 5.2 HOME TEAMS PLAY YELLOW, black and then yellow for the three games. Each game consists of 8 individual competitions. Depending upon the number of players on your team who are present, you will play in at least two games and sometimes three. (Some players may choose to play only one game due to medical or other reasons). We play individual competition and individual scoring. Turn the stick at the scoreboard to the small colored sections with yellow at top. If all 12 players are present, then everyone plays 2 games and sits out one game. If 8 are present then everyone plays 3 games. Between 8 and 12 players some will play 3 and others will play 2. The captain or assistant will decide who plays 3 games. HOWEVER, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT CAPTAINS ATTEMPT TO PROVDE EQUAL PLAY FOR ALL PLAYERS IN THE INTEREST OF HAVING FUN AND GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP. If playing 2 games, some will play games 1 & 2, some 2 & 3, and some 1 & 3. Players will not play the same opponent more than once each match nor will any player play from the same court position more than once a match. Captains are to use player rotation templates at all times when assigning players to courts. This will make the process easy. There are 3 designs of these forms available on the website. There will be times when, for whatever reason, you will not be able to attend a match. Even though, in the 10 to 12 player scenario, where there are built in substitutes, it is imperative you notify your captain as soon as possible of your expected absence. 5.3 YELLOW SHOOTS FIRST for each game of the three games.
5.4 PLAYERS PLAY SINGLE matches against an opponent. 5.5 DO NOT DRAG DISCS IN THE GUTTER. Lift them onto the courts. Don t drag the discs in the concrete alley on the side of the court, as it removes the wax. Do not walk on the courts although it is permissible to stand on the courts to determine if a disc is good. 5.6 WHEN THE OTHER END IS SHOOTING, do not stand on the shooting deck, try not to block the scoreboard, and use hand signals to indicate to the other end, after each shot, if it is a scoring disc and how many discs total are scoring. This should be indicated by hand and finger signals rather than yelling since there are a lot of players playing at the same time. If a disc is miscalled good or bad and the opponent does not challenge, and another disc is shot, it will remain as called and finally counted as originally called (even if incorrect), unless it is touched by another disc in subsequent play, and then it can be called again. 5.7 NO COACHING OF A TEAM MATE is allowed. No coaching indications with hand signals. No giving of information unless asked for or anything else that could be construed as coaching. No interfering or unnecessary talking with players on the other courts as to distract them or their opponents. If a player asks for information as to the lay of a disc or the score or any other factual information, it is acceptable to respond to that question. If your opponent is obviously a newer player, it is acceptable to "gently" point out any violations of the rules, and, AFTER ASKING PERMISSION, offer hints on how to improve their game. This is acceptable, as long as the discourse does not intimidate your opponent, annoy the others on the courts, or delay the game. 5.8 NO STANDING ON SHOOTING DECK when opponent is shooting. After your shot, move to the rear deck until opponent has shot his/her disc. Keeping score: Use the full box for the score rather than the diagonal lines as the numbers are too small to be viewed from the other end with the diagonal lines. Put the current number on the line to the left and cumulative total number in the box as big and as dark as possible so it can be viewed from the foot. Before you shoot, always check the score for correctness and also to be informed at all times as to where you stand. When your disc is in the home box it cannot touch any surrounding lines while you shoot. 5.9 NO SITTING ON PLAYER BENCHES, head or foot, if not playing. 5.10 AVOID DISTRACTIONS to other players. Loud talking, hand signals, leaning on posts, pillars etc. 5.11 DO NOT PICK UP DISCS in gutter before play has been completed, unless a disc is leaning in the gutter in which case it should be removed immediately. Leaners come off, hanging disc stay on. 5.12 REMOVE DISCS FROM BEYOND KITCHEN LINE when disc is not touching said line. 5.13 DO NOT TOUCH LIVE DISCS Calling a disc: Look straight down along the edge of the disc (not at an angle) from the side opposite the line in question. If you can see green
all around the disc, it is good. If a part of the white line prevents you from seeing green, it is not good. 5.14 PLAYERS AT OPPOSITE END OF COURT where discs rests cannot challenge said disc. If both players cannot agree on disc condition (scoring or not), then ask players from adjoining courts to make decision. 5.15 GAMES THAT END IN TIES will be resolved by agreement of the opposing captains. If they can't agree, then the home team captain's decision will stand. If the decision is to play 2 additional frames, THE OPPONENTS PLAY Sixteen (16) additional disks from the same end and positions as was played by the tied opponents. YELLOW SHOOTS FIRST and the scores recorded. The discs are returned back to the players and black shoots first for the next group of 8 discs and those scores added to the previous scores, the winner is noted. IF A TIE STILL EXISTS, a half point will be awarded to each team. 5.16 A TEAM WITH LESS THAN 8 PLAYERS will be required to forfeit one point per game for each missing player. A team with less than 8 players will be required to forfeit one point per game for each missing player. It is allowable for the opposing team to let excess players on their team use open court positions and play so that more players can play rather than sit out. Their scores will not count. REGARDING FORFEITS. It is suggested that you speak to the opponent captain and see if he is going to have a full roster. If he has a full 8 players or more, and you are short one player (or more), just write the name of your missing player as "Forfeit A" (and Forfeit B, etc) in position 4F on the score sheet for game 1. Mark an "L" in the column and tell the opposing captain what you did so he can put a "W" in the corresponding position on his score sheet. Then assign the rest of your players using the 8 player template as normal for game 2 & 3. The player known as "Forfeit A" will rotate to different positions for game 2 & 3. Just put an "L" next to him and let the opposing captain know where the forfeit is. Since there is now one vacant position on a court for all three games, the opposing captain can decide if he wants to put in one of his extra players at that position just to have someone play, rather than have someone sit out (preferred). Or, your player at the head of that court can walk and play both ends (but the contest at the foot has already been decided as a loss whether the walker wins that contest or not). Or the opponent player assigned to the foot will sit out (or go home if he is not assigned to play any more games that day). Or the person at the foot can just return the disks to the players at the head. If both teams are missing one player then the teams will only play 7 competitions per game or 21 points per match. Report the wins based on 21 competitions played. If one team has 6 players and the other team has 7, use the above discussion and report on the basis of 21 points. With 6 players on each team, use 18 as the basis for reporting the match points. It gets a little complicated when both teams have less than 8 players and are missing different numbers of players, but the same logic applies. Use the 8 player listing on the template and just move the players, who are present, around so they have an opponent to play. Some may have to play an opponent they have played previously in these situations. 5.17 ERASE SCOREBOARD at the end of the game only after the captains have recorded the wins and given approval.captains or their designee will be responsible to report
games won, by the deadline, as instructed by their regional director/statistician. To preclude errors, both captains shall report both of the match teams wins, rain or shine, in the following format: Team A = X (wins), Team B= Y (wins). (Usually both wins add up to 24 points.) If neither match captain forwards the scores by the deadline, both teams will be awarded 0 points won and 0 points played. If only one captain reports results, those will be the figures recorded, and will not be subject to future dispute. Standings will be determined by using percentage of cumulative games won divided by the number of cumulative games played. Example: WINS PLAYED PCT. 229 360.636 5.18 PLASTIC BEADS The Villages management prohibits the use of any type of beads on shuffleboard courts. Waxing discs is the only allowable media for friction reduction in the Villages. 6.0 AFTER THE MATCH 6.1 THE HOME TEAM, assisted by the away team is responsible for clean-up and returning all equipment. 6.2 CAPTAINS of both teams or their designee will be responsible to report game wins and losses by no later than 6 p.m. of the day of play. Email to the appropriate Statistician or Director. Enter your results in this format. (Red Sox 16, Braves 8 John Doe Team Captain) The Director or Statistician after making the computations will email the results in pdf format to villagesshuffleboard@aol.com The results will then be entered into the Shuffleboard Website to be viewed by the entire club. 6.3 PLAYERS are to notify their captain if they will not be present for the next week s match. END OF RULES