USTA*League LOCAL RULES
W. Red Wilder LOCAL LEAGUE COORDINATOR 256-435-4992
1. All team registrations will be done via TennisLink. Spring league team entry registration opens
January 16th 2007 and ends February 5th, 2007 for all levels. Roster addition deadline is April 4th, 2007. The league fee is $10.00 per player, per team, per league and is payable through TennisLink. TennisLink fee is $3.00 beginning in 2007.
2. If a team registers for a level/play day and they are the only team to register at that level/play day, the TennisLink user fee of $3.00 will not be refunded if the team elects not to switch their level.
3. Team levels 3.0 through 4.5 will have a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 14 players per team. Levels 2.5 and 5.0 will have a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 14 players (rec. max. of 10). SENIORS will have a minimum of 6 players and maximum of 14.
4. Format for levels 3.0 through 4.0 Ladies ONLY will be two singles and three doubles. Format for levels 2.5 and 5.0 will be one singles and two doubles. All local matches will be the best two of three sets. At the State Championships all matches will be the best of two sets and the Set tiebreak shall be used at 6-all in each set. In lieu of a third set, a Match tiebreak shall be played. (3.0 thru 4.5 format at State will be two singles and three doubles).
Format (local and state) for mens’ 3.0 and 3.5 will be two singles and three doubles. Format for SENIORS will be three doubles only.
The continuous play rule is effective for local and championship play which states:
A change of ends, without rest, after the first game of every set.
At the end of any set, a “set break” of not longer than 120 seconds (two minutes).
5. Eligibility for Players: Any individual who competes in the USTA League Tennis Program must be a current member of the USTA in good standing thru the local league season and have reached the age of nineteen prior to or during the calendar year in which such player plays her first local league match.
6. Players who do not have a computer rating shall self-rate themselves in accordance with the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) guidelines and declare their self-rating on TennisLink when entering the program. See STA USTA League Regulation 3.01D(2) for the new requirement for certain skill level players: (1) A former athlete in any sport must self-rate a minimum of 3.0
(2) A former college tennis player must self-rate in accordance with the Elite Players guidelines and matrix on TennisLink and as instructed by USTA membership requirements.
7. Players may participate in more than one NTRP level within a division in the same local league during the same season. However, NO scheduling considerations will be made. A player may play on more than one team within a division in the same season provided it is in separate local leagues. The local league has the authority to accept or deny participation. Players who qualify for Championship level competition within a division must choose which team/NTRP level they will represent at Championship level when entered in the same competition. In any Division, a player who has played on more than one team at the same or different NTRP levels must choose to advance on only one team when entering the State or Sectional Division Championships
8. The following number of teams, per local league, will qualify to advance to the State Championships:
2 - 10 Teams: 1 Teams
11 - 20 Teams: 2 Teams
The procedure for determining league winners will be as follows:
FIRST: WIN/LOSS RECORD
SECOND: MATCH POINTS (MOST)
THIRD: LEAST SETS LOST
FOURTH: LEAST GAMES LOST
FIFTH: WINNER OF HEAD TO HEAD MATCH
If a tie still exists, then toss of a coin will determine the league winner.
In the event NEATA has both a weekday, or week night/Saturday league being played in the same season at the same NTRP level, a playoff will be used to decide eligibility for the State Championship. Roster additions cannot be made to include players for playoff purposes only.
No individual is eligible to progress to championship level competition unless they have played on that same team in at least two matches during its local league season. A forfeited match shall count as a match played for the player(s) receiving the forfeit, but not for the player(s) who forfeited. A retired match shall count for all players involved.
9. Facility must have a minimum of three (preferably five) playable courts available for a league match to be eligible to host a team. If a facility cannot provide five courts at the designated start time, then the players feeding in should be present one hour from the designated start time. The fifteen-minute default rule will then be in effect. Positions one should begin before positions two or three, if applicable.
10. If a match is scheduled and the home team’s courts are not playable and the home team does not have an alternate location, then the match is played at the opposing team’s courts if their courts are playable and available.
additional LOCAL WEATHER RULE for LEAGUE MATCHES
If the temperature is below 32o or the windchill factor is below 20o at 8:00 am (morning matches) or at 6:00 pm (evening matches) _either captain MAY ELECT to reschedule to a later time/(or different day in the case of evening matches). The local Weather Channel (or www.weather.com) for our area will be the OFFICIAL source. (NOTE: Rubico or Hartru courts freeze when the temperature drops too far below freezing. When it begins to thaw it becomes "mushy").
11. The only reason for rescheduling a match will be inclement weather. In such case the two captains, in consultation with their respective teams, will work out an acceptable reschedule date via the following policy: Home team will offer three possible dates within two weeks of the
“rain-out”. The Visiting team will choose one of the three dates for the make-up match. As a “last resort”, the “make-up” match will be scheduled by the Local League Coordinator.
In the event that rain or inclement weather forces the cancellation and re-scheduling of a team match, unrestricted substitutions from the team roster may be made in any individual matches that havenot begun. This includes moving a player from one position to another.
Teams that forfeit an entire match for any reason during round robin play are subject to having a grievance filed by the local league coordinator and may be defaulted from that round of play. If all teams in contention for the championships have already played the forfeiting team in good faith, the matches stand as played. A grievance may be filed addressing disciplinary action for failure to compete with the minimum eligible players.
NOTE: The deadline for filing a grievance will be based on the next match in that specific flight and that specific division involving the participant(s) or team(s).
12. The home team will be responsible for providing balls for the match.
13. A team match must consist of at least five people to legally play a match, i.e., one singles and two doubles for levels 3.0 through 4.5. (The standard format of one singles and two doubles must have a minimum of four players to legally play a match). However, in the interest of having fun, showing good sportsmanship and maintaining credibility of the league, every effort should be made to avoid a default.
NOTE:
In order to advance out of local league to championship an individual player must have participated in 2 matches on that specific team with no more than one (1) default counting.
14. Team match scorecards with all player defaults already listed should be simultaneously swapped in accordance with the time (default period included) listed on the schedule. If a team is short of players for a given match, then the USTA guidelines for position default is in effect. (Bottom position first).
An individual match is started when the first ball is put in play. After the start of an individual match, if injury to, illness or, or disqualification of a player occurs, the opponents will be awarded a forfeit for that individual match only.
15. In the event of illness, injury, disqualification, or no-show of a player prior to the start of an individual match (once the lineup has been exchanged,) a team may substitute a player in the affected position within the 15-minute default time, using a player not already listed on the lineup. If the substitution is made during the warm-up, the substitute player is entitled to a five (5) minute warm-up. If no such substitution can be made, the affected position will be forfeited.
16. Team scores must be posted and confirmed through TennisLink within 48 hours of the completed match. TennisLink will automatically confirm scores 48 hours after the team match is initially reported in TennisLink.
17. All complaints alleging a violation during local league competition shall be filed in writing with the chairman of the Local League Grievance Committee prior to the commencement of the next team match involving such player or team, or within 24 hours after the end of local league play, whichever occurs first. At the time a complaint is filed, the complaining party shall send a copy to the party(ies) against whom the complaint has been made.
18. Cell phones must be turned “off” if they are on the court during a match.
19. Situations and/or information not covered by these local rules will be governed in order by:
Alabama State Regulations
Southern Regulations USTA Regulations
The Local League Grievance Committee consists of
Tracy Christen, Chairman
4805 Laurel Lane
Anniston, AL 36207
And Margie Bain and Drue Taylor
The Grievance Appeals Committee consists of:
Sarah Stewart, Chairman
Tennis Director Parks and Recreation
Pell City, AL
and Beth Dial and Lisa Putnam