Southern Combo Doubles
TRI-LEVEL LEAGUE
2016 ALABAMA REGULATIONS
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: SEPT. 22-25
Gulf Shores, AL
SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: October 14-16, 2016
Jackson, Mississippi
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, AGE GROUP 18 & OVER, 3.5-4.5 LEVEL ONLY
INDIAN WELLS, CA
TBD
Play is governed by the Rules of Tennis; “The Code” as contained in the current USTA friend at court and the following state rules:
1. All players must be current members of USTA during the entire league season and must register for a team via TennisLink. Any player that progresses to championship levels in this program must be a current USTA member through each championship progression.
2. All players must reach 18 years of age, 40 years of age or 55 years of age during the calendar year in which they play their first local league match.
3. Failure to meet the above requirements will make the player ineligible for each match played and points earned while ineligible will be removed.
4. Players participating in the tri-level league program acknowledge the risks associated with playing competitive tennis, accept those risks voluntarily, and in consideration of their acceptance in the program assume all risks for bodily injury, waive all claims for injury and property damage and release and hold harmless Alabama Tennis Association and any host facility, their officials, employees and agents with respect to any injury or loss caused by negligence or otherwise to the fullest extent permitted by law.
5. Each local league will have a Local League Coordinator offering only one season of local play with the opportunity to offer multiple leagues (weekday, weeknight, weekend). Local league rules must be submitted to the State League Coordinator within two weeks of the captains meeting. The Local League Coordinator shall be appointed for a period of one league year subject to a yearly renewal. The State League Coordinator shall have final authority in the selection and retention of all local league coordinators.
6. Each local league must have a minimum of two or more teams at a given level consisting of a minimum of six players of the same gender and a maximum of fourteen per level. Team roster entry deadline for local leagues will be no later than August 1, 2016. All local league play must be concluded by August 25, 2016.
A team must have a minimum of two eligible doubles teams available for play in each match or the entire match must be forfeited. Any tri-level may be divided into flights and each team shall play every other team in its flight. The flight winners from all leagues within the season may enter a playoff structure to establish a local league champion for that tri- level season.
7. The NTRP computer rating program is the official system for rating levels of competition in this program. Players without a NTRP computer rating may self-rate in accordance with the NTRP guidelines. NTRP computer ratings from 2013, 2014, and 2015 will be used for the 2016 Alabama Tri Level league.
8. The format of play will be three individual doubles matches per team match. Tri-levels offered in this program are Tri Level Women 18 & Over 2.5 through 3.5, 3.0 through 4.0, 3.5 through 4.5 and invitational level 4.0 through 5.0. Tri level men 18 & Over levels offered are 3.0 through 4.0, 3.5 through 4.5 and invitational level 4.0 through 5.0. All invitational teams must have registered on TennisLink a minimum of two 5.0 NTRP or self-rated players. The roster addition deadline for the invitational level is August 25th.
Tri level women 40 & over levels offered are 3.0 through 4.0 and 3.5 through 4.5. Tri level men 40 & Over levels offered are 3.0 through 4.0 and 3.5 through 4.5.
Tri level 55 & Over women and men’s levels offered are 3.0 through 4.0. This age group will be an invitational event with a limited draw. All teams must register their team on TennisLink no later than August 1, 2015 with the roster addition deadline for the invitational level being
August 25th.
All 55 & Over invitational teams must have registered on Tennislink a minimum of 2 3.0’s, 2 3.5’s, and 1 4.0.
Highest NTRP level plays at the highest position, i.e. 3.5 #1 doubles, 3.0 #2 doubles and 2.5 #3 doubles.
9. A maximum of four players residing outside the state of Alabama are allowed on a roster that plays a local league. Levels that play their local league at a state championship including invitational events are limited to no more than two players that reside outside the state of Alabama.
10. All players must play 1 match locally to be eligible for further competition with the exception of
all invitational levels. A forfeited match shall count as a match played for the players receiving the forfeit, but not for the players who forfeited. A retired match shall count for all players involved. An individual player may play in only one doubles match within each team match.
11. Players may participate on more than one team; however, a player may not play on more than one adult team in the same tri-level (unless playing in different local leagues). In local leagues where levels are divided into flights, players may not play in more than one flight.
12. Said captain can only captain one team per level, per league.
13. Players who qualify for advancement to state championships may choose one 18 & Over, one 40 & Over tri-level team and one 55 & Over tri-level team. Players who register for invitational teams are allowed to play on their 18 & Over, their 40 & Over team, their 55 & Over team as well as the invitational team. There will be no scheduling considerations.
Local league winning team is eligible to advance to the Alabama Championships. Alabama champions are eligible to advance to the 2015 Southern Sectional Championships hosted by Jackson, Mississippi scheduled for October 16-18. Levels eligible to advance are 18 & Over
Women & men, 2.5 – 3.5, 3.0 – 4.0, 3.5 – 4.5 and 4.0 – 5.0. Levels eligible to advance are 40 & Over women and men 3.0 – 4.0 and 3.5 – 4.5. Eligible 55 & Over women and men’s levels are 3.0 – 4.0.
14. State Championship Eligibility:
2-10 teams 1 team advances to state
11 – 20 teams 2 teams advance to state
21 – 30 teams 3 teams advance to state
If a team forfeits an entire match or fields only one court during round robin play at the state championships then all matches of that team played or to be played may be considered null and void. If all teams in contention for the championship have already played the forfeiting team in good faith, those matches stand as played. The state may impose further sanctions or penalties on said team.
Teams entered in the State Championships that withdraw after the state entry deadline will be subject to a fine of $75 per person payable to ATA. Any team that defaults a court throughout the championship is also subject to the $75. fine unless excused by the tournament committee. Said players will be ineligible to compete in any USTA league including Southern Combo Doubles until the fine is paid. Appeals may be submitted to the chairman of the Adult League Committee within one week of the said championship. All entry fees will be forfeited.
No substitution may be made in an individual match at the state championship after the lineup has been presented, except for injury to or illness of a player, prior to the start of such match, and except under further circumstances as the championship committee may authorize. If the substitution is made during the warm-up, the substitute player is entitled to a five (5) minute warm-up.
If a team has a known default, the opposing team will have the opportunity to revise their scorecard once both scorecards are turned in and the default has been announced by the site director.
Grievance complaints at the state championships shall be processed through the championship grievance or grievance appeal committees. Decisions of such Grievance Appeal Committees by a majority shall be final and binding. All complaints shall be filed against the player or team complained against, (a) by the team captain of the team who competed in the match where the alleged violation occurred, (b) by a league coordinator or (c) by a member of a championship committee. All complaints alleging a violation during championship competition shall be in writing and delivered to the duly appointed site director within thirty minutes of completion of the team match.
The grievance committee and grievance appeal committee members are:
Jeff Burns
Perry Baker
Meg Crowe
Kevin Fichtner
Jeannie Harrell
Wes Langford
Becky Langstaff
Martie McEnerney
Carol Ostberg
Ken Vines
Christine Slaughter
Eph Walker
Christina Siddens
The USTA Alabama League Committee along with the State League Coordinators may amend and/or interpret the 2016 USTA Alabama Tri Level regulations at any time if warranted.