Please Check Supplement Rules for Each Division S Format

USTA SFV Local League Rules 2015 (Please check Supplement Rules for each Division’s Format)

Welcome Captains! I look forward to working with you! I have compiled our Local League Rules that take effect January 2015. As the USTA league seasons change, some rules may be added or amended. Please read through the USTA Rules and Regulations pamphlet as these are the basis for our local league rules. Also, Section Rules can be downloaded on my website www.justplayUSTA.com under the tab “Rules”

USTA Major National Regulation Changes for 2015

2.01C(1) Round Robin: Include language to allow Sections to have the option to allow additional matches within a flight, additional randomly selected matches across flights and additional playoff round robins within a flight. 2.01C(5) Team Line-ups: Remove of the word “card” and emphasized that the line-ups shall be exchanged simultaneously. 2.05E(2): Include language to clarify that a player 65 or older is moved up with an early start rating will retain the previous valid year-end rating. 2.06A Move Up/Split Up: Relaxed restrictions for Move Up/Split Up: - Teams are allowed to move up an NTRP team level and play in another age group within the same division - There is no restriction for crossover between Adult and Mixed Divisions. - Move Up/Split Up requirements apply only to players who participated in 3 or more matches, excluding defaults, for that team during the championship year. - Add table to clarify at what level players may participate *NOTE: This Regulation is applicable for play in the 2015 Championship Year for any team that advances to, or qualifies for, any 2014 National Championship. 2.07: Championship Benchmark (Rating Type “B”) will no longer be published although process will remain unchanged. Championship players will not be allowed to appeal their ratings down for one year after playing in Championship matches but will be allowed to appeal their ratings up if they otherwise qualify.

SCTA Major Sectional Regulation Changes for 2015

1.00 General: If a Local League does not have a regulation in place to address an issue and there is a Sectional Championship Regulation on that issue, the Local League must follow the Sectional Championship Regulation.

1.04C(1) Official League Registration: A player may register for a team no later than 4 weeks following the team’s first scheduled match. Registration deadlines may be extended under Special Circumstances such as for players that have been Dynamically Promoted and/or if a registration error was caused by a documented computer glitch in Tennislink.

Refund Policy: Refunds will be available under the following circumstances: a) When a team is not included in the League due to insufficient registrations and the Coordinator is unable to move the players to a different team. The Coordinator must request the refund from the Section Office. b) When a player is injured or becomes ill, and will be unable to play for the season. The player must request the refund by filling out the Refund Request From that is on the scta website. The request must be made no later than one week following the team’s first scheduled match, and must be accompanied by documentation from the physician.

1.04D Local League. (Weekday and Weekend) 1.04D(1) Definition. A Local area offering Weekday NTRP levels that consists of six or more teams in the USTA Adult 18 & Over and 40 & Over Age Groups, will be considered a qualified separate local league. Exception: San Diego & San Diego NC Areas. 1.04G Player Participation Eligibility. 1.04G(1) Also applies to SCTA Leagues. 1.04G(3) A player can play on more than one team in an NTRP level within an Age Group in the same season as long as it is in separate local leagues, which includes qualified Weekday leagues in the Adult 18&Over and 40&Over Age Groups. 1.04G(4) A player can play on no more than two NTRP levels within an Age Group in the same local league during the same season. 1.04G(6) A player who qualifies to advance to Area Playoffs and/or Sectionals on more than one team must declare which team he or she will represent. In the absence of a declaration, the first match played will determine which team he or she will represent.

1.04G Player Participation Eligibility 1.04G(3) A player may play on more than one team in an NTRP level within an Age Group in the same season provided it is in separate local leagues. The Section has the authority to accept or deny participation. A player can play on more than one team in an NTRP level within an Age Group in the same season as long as it is in separate local leagues, which includes qualified Weekday leagues in the Adult 18&Over and 40&Over Age Groups. 1.04G(4) A Section may authorize participation in more than one NTRP level within an Age Group in the same local league during the same season. A player can play on no more than two NTRP levels within an Age Group in the same local league during the same season. 1.04G(5) A player may play up to one NTRP level above the player’s current NTRP level. 1.04G(6) A player who qualifies to advance to championships on more than one team may be required by the Section to choose which team he or she will represent.

A player who qualifies to advance to Area Playoffs and/or Sectionals on more than one team must declare which team he or she will represent. In the absence of a declaration, the first match played will determine which team he or she will represent.

2.01C(1) Round Robin: SCTA will delegate authority to implement option 2.01C(1)a to the Local Areas. 2.01C(1) Round Robin: Include language to allow Sections to have the option to allow additional matches within a flight, additional randomly selected matches across flights and additional playoff round robins within a flight.

2.02A Local League. 2.02A(1) Local League Competition. If a local area offers a qualified Weekday local league at a specific NTRP level(s) in the Adult 18 & Over and 40 & Over Age Groups, the winner will be given a spot directly into the Area Playoffs. See 1.04D(1). All other Weekday winners (that have fewer than six teams) are not considered separate leagues and may participate in a Local League Playoff against the winner of the Weekend league to determine which team advances to the next level of competition. This regulation does not apply to the San Diego & San Diego NC Areas because the women’s divisions play only on Weekdays and the men’s divisions play only on weekends.

2.02B Championships. 2.02B(1) District/Area Championships. . Local League Winners may progress to an Area Playoff to earn a spot(s) at a Sectional League Championship. Areas with the largest number of teams will automatically fill a spot at the Sectional Championship. Exception: A qualified Weekday league will go directly to an Area Playoff.

2.04B(1) Local League NTRP Dynamic Disqualification.. All matches played at the disqualifying level, in any “on-going” league, will be considered losses. Exceptions: a) In a “combined” level Age Group when the new combined rating between partners is not higher than the team level. b) If the local league season is over.

SCTA will not restrict crossover between Adult and Mixed Divisions.

The Move-up/Split-up regulation applies to all USTA Sectional Winners and/or teams that qualify to advance to a National Championship. It does not apply to the Section Leagues: SCTA Doubles and Trilevel.

GLOSSARY: Heat Rule: Air Temperature of 95 degrees & higher. Unplayable Conditions: Conditions that make it impossible to continue playing, which may include, but is not limited to: Rain, Fire, Ash and if a State of Emergency prevents teams from getting to their locations in a timely manner. See any official National Weather Service such as: www.weather.com or www.weather.gov.

SFV USTA Website-Direct Resource to find EVERYTHING SFV USTA SFV has a new website that can be used for everything USTA! You’ll find links to Tennislink reports, information on the new age restructuring formats, local league rules, National rules, Sectional rules, information on flight winners, dates of Sectional and National Championships, information for new players, league play dates, resources for captains looking for new players and players looking for teams! Make sure you visit the website often! www.justplayUSTA.COM

Registration

Captain’s numbers are available after the meeting. Only captains may register with the captains number (Co-Captains may not). When registering please make sure your contact information is correct. Also, very important, you’ll be registering with a special number so when you come to the page where you enter your USTA number and captains number do not click on the captains box, the number I gave you is already reserved for captains and the computer will usually give you an ‘error” code. If your team members are experiencing problems registering it’s usually because of the following: The new registration fee for USTA is $25.00 ($22 plus non-refundable $3 computer fee)

1) Wrong USTA # or USTA membership expires before the season ends. They must re- new. 2) Wrong Team # (if a player registers with a captains #, they must immediately notify me and re-register with the correct team #). 3) MAC computer users must use a PC. TennisLink does not support MAC computers.

Match Play and Flight Playoffs All matches (including flight playoffs) must be completed by the end of the season date. Incomplete matches may result in double defaults. Please make it your number one priority to complete all matches, even if you are not in contention for advancement to championships. Missed matches, defaulted courts and double defaults skew the team standings and do not reflect true results. Please use common courtesy when less than perfect situations arise. Please do not expect a ‘reminder” email for any deadlines. These ‘written” deadlines are your reminder. All deadlines are final, please plan ahead!

Coman Tiebreak Rotation Players change ends after the first point of the Tie-Break, and then after every four points. Example, after 1,5,9,13,17 and so on.

Match Format ALL USTA Age Groups and ‘Divisions” in SFV will be using the 3rd set Tiebreak in lieu of a 3rd set. Because there is no full 3rd set, there is ”NO COACHING” . Time between ALL sets is 2 minutes. The Coman rotation procedure will be used. 3rd Set Tiebreak is the team first to 10 by 2.

Flight Playoff Eligibility Requirement To be eligible to participate in Flight Playoffs, players must have played at least twice during the season. One “play” time may be a default. Basically, the rules for Sectionals now apply to our area. Flight Playoffs will be played at either Balboa Park or CSUN. The teams will split the cost. It will be no more than $10.00 per person.

Confirming Matches It is the visiting team captain’s responsibility to call or email the hosting captain at least 3 days prior to the match. Please confirm day, date, and time. Also helpful, if and when courts will be available to warm-up on. If the hosting captain has not heard from the visiting team, they must make the contact. If you are having difficulty reaching a team captain, please contact me as soon as possible to prevent “no shows”. This must be done before the match. You can find team captains contact information by signing on national.usta.com with your personal USTA number, clicking on your flight, then ‘Team Captains Report” tab. Exchanging Line-Ups and Recording Scores Score sheets must be printed out and used for ALL matches. Prior to your match, please print your score sheet by entering your match number and clicking on “print a blank score card”. All eligible players will be listed. If a player has had difficulty with registration (and is not listed) but is scheduled to play a match, I must be notified BEFORE the match. Line-ups must be exchanged simultaneously AFTER all your players have arrived. Please compare and confirm scores with opposing captain before you leave the site. In addition, please verify that names are correct and legible. Scores must be entered into TennisLink with 48 hours of your completed match by the winning captain. The visiting captain must confirm or deny as well.

Scheduling I will have each club’s or facility ‘blackout” dates prior to creating the schedule. These are dates of events that the club or facility may be hosting. There will be no home matches scheduled for that site on “blackout” dates. Once the preliminary schedule is completed and posted, captains will be given a few days to make “urgent” change requests. Then a FINAL schedule will be posted. All captains will be notified of the FINAL schedule via my Facebook page. The Area League Coordinator reserves the right to reschedule matches on a case by case basis after the 2 day deadline and after the Final schedule is posted but before the commencement of the league season. If changes are made after the FINAL, you will be notified immediately.

Although I will try my best to not schedule “away” matches for club events (one day events only), it is the captains responsibility to request a “bye” for that day. Captains must make this request within the above time period before the Final is posted. If I cannot accommodate the change, captains may request a change from the opposing captain but the opposing captain will not be required to make the change. In addition, one court will be defaulted in a 3 court division and 2 courts will be defaulted in a 5 court division for teams requesting reschedules. Club tennis directors may not cancel away matches at any time.

Team Match )201.C(2) Team Defaults: If a team defaults an entire team match for any reason during round robin play, all matches of the defaulting team already played shall be null and void when determining standings but will be used for ratings and advancement purposes. As a result, the standings will only reflect actual matches played by the other teams and prevents a team from advancing due to a whole team default. If all teams with a mathematical chance to advance have played the defaulting team in good faith, those matches shall stand as played when determining standings. In a multiple round robin format each round robin is considered a separate unit. If the team default took place in the 2nd round robin unit, for example, only those matches may be affected. The local league may impose further penalties on the defaulting team.

Match Play and Reschedules. What is permissible? All local matches must be played on the scheduled dates unless they have been Postponed or Rescheduled. If a match is rescheduled for any other reason than those mentioned below, the following penalties will apply: The team asking for a reschedule will default 2 lines (for formats using 5 lines) or 1 line (for formats using 3 lines). The team agreeing to reschedule shall decide which lines will be forfeited from the following options: a). #1 and # Singles b). # 2 Singles and #3 Doubles c). # 2 and 3 Doubles. Postponements: Due to “unplayable conditions”. Unplayable Conditions. May include, but is not limited to: Rain, Fire/Ash & Heat (95 degrees & higher) at the time of the match. If the day of the before the match, unplayable conditions are forecast during the time of the match, it may be rescheduled with no penalties, if there is suffiecient time within the league season to do so. Any official National Weather Service is acceptable such as: www.weather.com or www.weather.gov . If “Unplayable Conditions” exists prior to or after the match started, teams should not wait more than ½ hour past the originally scheduled time or when the match stopped, whichever applies, to see if conditions change (both captains may agree to wait longer or choose a different location within their area to play the match. for the start of the first match to determine if the conditions are playable.

Incomplete matches must be continued by the same players and resumed at the exact score - set, game point - as they stood when halted (any point played is always counted and never replayed). The ALC must be informed of any change in the schedule. ALC’s will confirm "unplayable conditions" if there are any questions or disputes. Reschedules: Due to the following reasons, reschedules will be allowed with no penalties:  If a minimum of 4 players on the team is representing that area at a USTA/SCTA League Area Playoff or Championship.  If the Home Facility scheduled an unplanned event and there are no courts available on or off site.

Reschedule (no penalty) Reschedule (no penalty): 1) If a minimum of 4 players on the team is representing that Area at a USTA/SCTA league Playoff or Championship; 2) If the Home Facility scheduled an unplanned event and there are no courts available on or off site; 3) Due to Unplayable Conditions; 4) Due to the Heat Rule. Unplayable Conditions & the Heat Rule (see Glossary for definitions): If there is not a local league regulation in place, the following will apply:  If the day before the match Unplayable Conditions or the Heat Rule are forecast during the time of the match, it may be rescheduled with no penalties, if there is sufficient time within the league season to do so.  If Unplayable Conditions or the Heat Rule were not forecast the day before the match and it becomes unplayable the day of or prior to the start of the match, it may be rescheduled with no penalties. Teams should not wait more than ½ hour past the originally scheduled time, to see if conditions change. (Both captains may agree within their Area.  If Unplayable Conditions exist after the match has started, the Timed Match Procedure may be used to determine a winner, if the match is unable to be rescheduled.  The Heat Rule will not apply once a match has started. It must be played to completion.

ALC’s may confirm “Unplayable Conditions and the Heat Rule” if there are any questions or disputes.

Foot Faults Foot Faults have come up more than once. The “Foot Fault” Rule can be found on page 48 #23 in “Friend at Court”. It states that a “foot fault” may be called by the receiver or receiver’s partner only after the server has been warned at least once. This call should only be made when the receiver or the receiver’s partner is absolutely certain and the foot faulting so flagrant as to be clearly perceptible from the receiver’s side. (5)

Medical Time Outs The maximum amount of time out is “3 minutes”. This includes the time to determine whether the player is able to continue play. However, there is a 15 minute “bleeding timeout” for bleeding to be stopped, playing area to be cleaned up, and someone has disposed of contaminated items. Page 108 FAC.

The Code “The Code” can be found on my website, www.justplayUSTA.com under the tab “Rules” . It is your responsibility to make sure your team members are practicing good sportsmanship. Please “enlighten” them on “The Code”. Please make sure your spectators know that they cannot interfere with the match at all.

Rules It is the captain’s responsibility to know the rules. A complete set of National, Section, and Local League Rules can be found at www.scta.usta.com or a link on the front page of www.justplayUSTA.com.

Facility Accommodations/ Split Times Teams from facilities that have 5 courts or less, may split the match into no more than 2 different times. On split courts, singles players will always go first. This standardized format must be used as it will avoid confusion and teams will know well in advance, who goes where and when and thus enables them to schedule the appropriate players.

Levels of Play Restriction A team must have a minimum of 50% of their players at level. For example, at the 4.0 level: A team of 16 players must have a minimum of (8) 4.0 players; A team of 18 players must have a minimum of (9) 4.0 players. You must have met your ‘levels’ of play restriction by the date of your first match or your team may be subject to a team default. Levels of players will be monitored until the registration deadline. Levels with only 2 teams with must have at least 40% at level. New Move Up/ Split Up regulation for 50% rule. See Move-Up/ Split Up chart.

Flights and Flight Playoffs The league season is usually 12 weeks. Flight Playoffs will not be part of the regular season. I will try my best to give you as many matches and as many different teams to play as possible. However, please know that the number of teams in a particular level determine how I will separate teams into flights. For example, if there are 14 teams I will separate them into 9 teams in Flight 1 and 5 Teams in flight 2. Players must have played at least twice during the season in order to be eligible to participate in Flight Playoffs, However, a player receiving a “default” may use that default as one of the required matches.

Unforseen Circumstances to Cancel or Postpone Flight Playoffs If for any reason Flight Playoffs cannot be played on the original scheduled date, the ALC will move the Flight Playoffs to another date (if possible). If it is not possible (Section deadline has passed) the ALC will work with the Section League Coordinator, Ali Ordonez to determine which team will advance to the next Championship level. The flight winner may be determined by the team with the best percentage, a coin toss or other “fair’ method.

Defaults If you are going to default a line or a match, you should notify the opposing captain ASAP, but no later than 5:00pm the night before the match.

Team Line-Ups Due to “imposter” issues, team captains may ask for photo ID’s (if no photo ID is available, the player(s) may be replaced. If an eligible substitute is not available, that line(s) will be defaulted.

Whole Team Defaults A whole team default may affect the standings at the end of the season. Two whole team defaults (per team) may result in a suspension and/or suspension of the captain from captaining in SFV. Penalties include: very rostered player on that team may not be allowed to register for the next USTA Adult & MxD Division or the SCTA Doubles league, whichever comes first.

(6) Timed Matches Every once in a while matches must be completed at a certain time (especially on paid public courts). In the winter, some clubs turn the lights out at closing time while matches might still be playing. If this situation arises (for the above mentioned situations only), captains may agree BEFORE the match to utilize the “Timed Match” procedure. “Timed Match” procedure chart is on my website, www.justplayUSTA.com under the tab ”Rules”.

Match Scoring and Formats In the event of a tie, whether in round robin for single elimination competition, the tie shall be broken by the first of the following procedures: 2.03H(1) Individual Matches. Winner of the most individual matches in the entire competition 2.03H(2) Head to Head. Winner of the head-to-head match. 2.03H(3) Sets. Loser of the fewest number of sets. 2.03H(4) Games. Loser of the fewest number of games.

Sectionals Flight winners who are advancing to Sectionals must submit a “Captain’s Championship Registration Form to the Championship Director as soon as their team is announced as the local league winner or wildcard spot, in order to ensure their spot at the championship. Teams may not be accepted into the championship if the registration form is received later than two weeks prior to the event. The registration form can be found on www.justplayUSTA.com.

Move Up/ Split Up If you were on a team in 2013 that WON Sectionals, or advanced to Nationals or an Invitational (even if you were a wildcard) you can have no more than 3 rostered players on ANY team the same level in ANY USTA or SCTA division. The only exception is, if more than 3 players from the same NTRP level team wish to stay together as a team in whole or in part, they may do so: -If they move up one NTRP team level (if their individual NTRP levels allow) -If they do not combine with players who were rostered on any other team that advanced to, or qualified for any National Championship the previous year.

* NOTE: All the changes above for Reg. 2.06A will be applicable for teams that advanced to or qualified for, 2013 National Championships, for play in the 2014 Championship year. Applies to ALL Sectional Winners and teams that advance to Nationals or Invitationals. The following procedure Will be followed as soon as it is discovered that a team is not in compliance: Players with the latest registration dates that are out of compliance, will be disqualified from the team and the matches played shall be considered 6-0, 6-0 losses and wins for the opposing player or doubles team.

See Move-Up Split Up chart.

Registration Deadlines The registration deadline is always the first day of the second month of the league. For example, the Adult 18 & Over League starts in April, May 1st is the registration deadline regardless of what day it falls on. The ALC reserves the right to register brand new teams in the 2.5, or 5.0 levels after the registration deadline.

Sportsmanship: All teams and players MUST exhibit good “sportsmanship” AT ALL times. Failure to do this will result in Sportsmanship grievances filed by the captain of a team or the ALC.