Hampshire Squash Rackets Association

League Rules for season 2007-08

1.

Application of Rules

1.1  These rules apply to the Men’s, Women’s and Veterans leagues. Any variations between leagues are as detailed in the rules.

1.2  It is accepted that these rules may not cover every situation. Clubs are expected to comply with the spirit of these rules, particularly where any loopholes exist. The League Secretary has the right to adjudicate to cover such loopholes and to ensure fair play, subject to later ratification by the Committee. The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of these Rules and the decision of the Committee upon any question of interpretation or upon any matter affecting the administration of the leagues and not provided for by these Rules shall be final and binding on participating clubs.

2.

League Administration and Registration

2.1  All clubs must be affiliated to England Squash

2.2  All players must be members of England Squash.

2.3 All clubs must have paid their team registration fees by the date of the AGM.

2.4  The fixture list will be produced within one month of the AGM.

2.5  Clubs who do not attend the AGM will be fined £10.

2.6  League administration will utilise the web-based ‘Silkweb’ league management system.

2.7  League management system passwords will be issued to club contacts by the League Secretary prior to the first club match.

2.8  Non-payment of fines will result in the offending club not being allowed to enter the leagues in the following season.

3.

League Structure

3.1  There will be a Men’s, Ladies and Veteran’s Leagues. Subject to being on the appropriate ranking list, women players will also be allowed to play in the Men’s League and the Veteran’s League. All players in the Veteran’s League must be aged 45 or over (Ladies aged 40 or over) at the time of their first match.

3.2  The number of divisions in each league will be determined annually by the League Secretary after clubs have indicated the number of teams they will be entering in the leagues for the coming season. Lower divisions may be paralleled.

3.3  The guiding principle will be approximately 10 teams per division. :

3.4  Relegation and promotion in the Leagues will normally be 2 teams promoted, 2 teams relegated, except for the interface between parallel and in-line divisions where relegation will be 3 teams and promotion will be the top team from each parallel division with the second-placed teams having a play-off for the 3^rd promotion place. Only players who have represented those teams on at least 50% of their league matches will be eligible to play in the play-off.

3.5   At the end of the season the winners of the Premier Division will be The Hampshire League

Champions, the winners of Ladies Division 1 will be The Hampshire Ladies League

Champions and the winners of the Veterans Premier Division will be The Hampshire Veterans

League Champions.

3.6  Where teams are equal on points for and against at the end of the season, the team with the most number of matches won is considered to be better. If again there is still a tie, then the results between the teams concerned will be the deciding factor.

3.7  A trophy will be presented to the winner of each division at the following Annual General Meeting.

4.

Teams

4.1  Teams will consist of 5 (Vets 3) players per side

4.2  Normally a player may only represent one club in any one season, but exceptionally, due to changes in personal circumstances, a transfer may be requested in writing to the League Secretary. If a club uses a player who has already represented another Hampshire League club during the season, the match - that is all strings - will be forfeit.

4.3  Any player who has not played for their club in a particular league earlier in the season may not play in the final 4 league matches of that season for that Club, except with the prior permission of the league secretary for a club’s lowest side only, where its application would otherwise mean  that the club concerned could not raise a full side

5.

Fixtures

5.1  Two matches, one home and one away, will be played between each team within each division.  All first half matches must be completed before the second half matches start, all second half matches must be completed by the published league end date.

5.2  Teams from the same club in the same division ‘MUST’ play each other as the first match in each half of the season.

5.3  All matches should be played on the date arranged and in accordance with the fixture lists as published on LMS at the beginning of the season. Any postponement of any fixture must be agreed by BOTH clubs at least one month before the fixture date, otherwise the original date will stand. The only exceptions to this rule, where clubs can request a late postponement are:

·                Having a player playing in a county, area or national event

·                Where exceptional weather conditions prevent/hinder travel

·                Where an occurrence beyond the control of the team (such as a power failure at the home club) prevents the match being played.

Postponement of any matches must have prior ratification by the League Secretary.

5.4  If a team does not turn up for a match on the agreed date, a walkover will be declared and that team will be fined 20 points (Vets 12 points).

5.5  Should a team have two walkovers awarded against it, suspension from the leagues will be automatic and all previous matches will be declared void.

5.6  A match may be played with 4 players or less (Vets 2 players), but the offending side will have 10 points (Vets 6 pts) deducted from their total accumulated score. If the same occurs on more than two occasions the offending side will be excluded from the league. This rule does not apply to the Ladies League

6.

Playing of Matches

6.1  Matches will be played in their entirety on the dates and times listed on LMS. Home teams are responsible for ensuring that fixture dates listed on LMS are correct and for notifying the League Secretary of any amendments or errors. In the event of any misunderstanding in match dates, the home team will be held responsible.

6.2  If a team has not at least three players present and ready to play at the scheduled start of the match, the team may be scratched. Thereafter match play must be continuous on both courts. A player who has not arrived at the match venue by the time all the other matches have finished will be automatically scratched

6.3  It is essential that all teams play in the order of their current club rankings. Prior to the start of the match, captains of both teams must enter the names of their players on their own match cards, and then exchange cards with the opposing captain to exchange details. At the end of the match both cards are to be signed by both captains as confirmation of the match result. The away side is responsible for sending the match card to the league organizer as soon as possible after the match and at the latest within 7 days of the match date.

6.4  The double yellow dot England Squash approved squash ball must be used in all matches, unless both team captains mutually agree otherwise. If use of a faster ball is agreed, it must be used by all strings.

6.5  A marker must be used for all games. Whilst it is suggested that both teams do their fair share of marking, it is ultimately the responsibility of the home team to ensure there is a marker for all games and if the home team does not provide one, then the home team will forfeit that string.

6.6  For each string one point is awarded for each game won; the overall winning team to be awarded five (vets 3) additional points. Walkovers to count as 3-0 each string plus five additional points. Total for walkover, 20 points (vets 12).

6.7  Clothing, in accordance with England Squash rules should be worn on court.

6.8  The home team is expected to provide suitable refreshments after the match. The visiting team is expected to remain for the post match hospitality.

6.9  Results of all fixtures must be entered on the league management system by the home team within 48 hours of the match. Points will not be awarded to teams failing to submit results onto the system.

6.10  All appeals regarding any aspects of a fixture must be made by club contacts in writing to the League Secretary within 14 days of the match, who will refer to the League Appeals Committee for a decision.

7.

Players ranking, Nominations and Renominations

7.1  Prior to their first match of the season, each Club shall input a complete list of ranked players onto the online league management system. This “Club Ladder” will form the basis for monitoring that players are competing in their correct ranked order. If clubs have teams in all three leagues then three ranking lists shall be submitted.

7.2  The first string in the second team shall never be ranked above No 6, the first string in the third team shall never be ranked above No 11, and so on for each Club team.

7.3  The team, as written on the match result card, must show individual Club ranking numbers alongside each name. A higher ranked player must not play below a lower ranked player; except under conditions of Rule 7.7.

7.4  After the initial ranking list has been submitted, renomination lists may be input onto the league management system at monthly intervals no later than midnight on the first Tuesday in each month and taking effect for all matches after that Tuesday. The final date for nominations shall be the first Tuesday in March. If there has been no change in Club ranking since the previous list, there is no requirement to submit further monthly lists until such a change has taken place

7.5  The ranking list shall include all reserves and any player who is likely to be asked to play for their Club. Any player who is not included on a current ranking list and who subsequently plays in a Club team, will automatically concede the string except under conditions of Rule 7.6. New players joining a Club should be ranked against existing players before being added to the next renomination list.

7.6  The bottom team in any Club may play two unnominated players at any time during the season, but these players must then be added to the next renomination list. The unnominated members should be placed in a string position commensurate with their playing standard. Prior permission of the League Secretary is required for a club to play a player under this rule for the last 4 matches of the season.

7.7  To accommodate changes in playing form between monthly renominations, the playing order within a team may be changed providing it conforms to the following;

7.7.1  The change must be between consecutive strings.

7.7.2  Only one change per team per match is permitted

7.7.3  The change cannot be applied between the fifth string of one team and the first string of the team below.

7.8  The Ranking List must be prominently displayed at Clubs so that club and visiting players are fully aware of a player’s ranking.

8

Ghost players (applicable for second half of season only)

8.1  To prevent "Ghost Players" from distorting Club ranking lists, players must qualify to be included in these lists by playing a certain minimum number of times.

8.2   After the start of the second half of the season TWO matches must have been played by each player in a club's ranking list otherwise affected players assumes a status of "Ghosted". For team selection purposes, players’ Effective rankings are used to determine whether rule 7.2 has been breached, and therefore a lower team’s highest eligible player may be correspondingly higher up the Effective ranking list than in the Stated ranking list.

8.3  Definitions

8.3.1  Stated Ranking list. A club’s ranking list, submitted on a monthly basis which includes   ghost players

8.3.2  Effective Ranking List. A club’s Stated ranking list, excluding ‘ghost’ players.

8.3.3  Ghost’ player. A player who appears in a club’s Stated ranking list - generally at the top end - but who does not play matches. This has the effect of distorting the genuine strength of the lower teams by enabling higher ranked players to participate in these lower teams.

8.4  Further Clarification of Ghost Rule

8.4.1  "Ghost Players" must be included in the Stated ranking list so that they remain eligible to play.

8.4.2  The fact that they have not played the required number of games does not prevent "Ghost Players" from playing anytime they are available, subject to Rule 4.3. 

8.4.3  Example - A club has two teams and 15 ranked players. Normally that club can select its second team from anyone positioned 6 or below on its Stated ranking list. However if, for example, ranked players 3 and 4 have not played at least twice by the end of the first half of the season then they become "Ghosted". From that point onwards until they play their two matches the club will be forced to select its second team from Stated ranking positions 8 (Effective ranking 6) and below only.