2011-12 CTA League Info and Rules.pdf

CTA Adult Tennis League Rules and Information

Sponsored by CCCTA: COLLIER COUNTY COMMUNITY TENNIS ASSOCIATION

Revised July 2011

Vivian Welsh ~ League Coordinator - 239-571-6935 welsh@swfla-tennis.com

Websites for all CTA information:

www.swfla-tennis.com View and Print all CTA League rules, information, dates, policies, and pictures and links to the following sites:
www.topdogtennis.com to register teams, submit scores, view rosters, schedules and standings.
www.collier-tennis.com Local community tennis site with area tennis news.

IMPORTANT DATES

2011 CTA FALL SEASON *

REGISTRATION: Sept. 26 - Oct. 4, 2011

CAPTAIN’S MEETING: Wed., Sept. 28, 2011, 3:00 p.m. at Quail Creek Tennis Center.

TEAM ROSTERS DUE: Mon., Oct. 3, 2011

SCHEDULES AVAILBLE: Sat., Oct. 8, 2011

PLAY BEGINS: Oct. 14 - 20, 2011

LAST DAY TO ADD PLAYERS to rosters: Nov. 25, 2011

CTA PLAYOFFS: Dec. 9 - 15, 2011

* Dates Subject to Change

2012 CTA WINTER SEASON*

REGISTRATION: Dec. 28, 2011 – Jan. 6, 2012

CAPTAIN’S MEETING: Tues., Jan. 3, 2012, 3:00 p.m. at Quail Creek Tennis Center

TEAM ROSTERS DUE: Fri., Jan. 6, 2012

SCHEDULES AVAILABLE: Thurs., Jan. 12, 2012

PLAY BEGINS: Jan. 16 - 20, 2012

LAST DAY TO ADD PLAYERS to rosters: March 14, 2012

CTA PLAYOFFS: March 26 – 30, 2012.

* Dates Subject to Change

CTA ADULT DAY LEAGUE - Fall and Winter League

Club Membership ~ All League team players must be members of the club they represent. Exceptions: Club membership is not required for the Men’s and Women’s 4.0 & 4.5 divisions. Individual Clubs may have restrictions regarding play of non-members on their teams.

Team Match ~ Teams field the correct number of positions as listed below. Men's and Women's doubles are played. Teams field players for their matches in order of strength.

Time of Play - Matches to be scheduled with start times no later than 1:00 p.m.

Divisions and Day of Play / # Positions for each match

2.5 Women - Tuesdays - 2 Fall / 3 Winter

3.0 Women - Weds. - 3 Fall / 4 Winter

3.5 Women - Friday - 3 Fall / 4 Winter

4.0 Women - Thursdays - 3 positions

4.5 Women - Weds. - 2 positions

2.5 Men - Fridays - 2 Fall / 3 Winter

3.0 Men - Tuesdays - 3 Fall / 4 Winter

3.5 Men - Mondays - 3 Fall / 4 Winter

4.0 Men - Mondays - 3 positions

4.5 Men - Thursdays - 2 positions

CTA ADULT MIXED DOUBLES LEAGUE - Fall League Only

Club Membership ~ Players on Mixed League teams are not required to be members of the club they represent. Individual Clubs may have restrictions regarding play of non-members on their teams.

Day of Play ~ Saturday

Time of Play ~ Matches to be scheduled with start times no later than 1:00 p.m.

Team Match ~ Three Doubles positions are played at each match.

Levels of Play ~ 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 NTRP Ratings are combined for each individual doubles team not to exceed their level of play. (E.g. on a 7.0 team, a man with a 4.0 rating and a woman with a 3.0 rating may play together.)

CTA ADULT NIGHT LEAGUE - Fall League Only

Club Membership ~ Players on Night League Teams are not required to be members of the club they represent. Individual Clubs may have restrictions regarding play of non-members on their teams.

Team Match ~ Three Doubles positions are played at each match except 2.5 and 4.5 divisions will field two positions.

Time of Play ~ Night Matches must start no earlier than 5:30 p.m. and no later than 7:00 p.m.

Division Night Played Division Night Played

2.5 Men Tuesday Night          2.5 Women Monday Night

3.0 Men Thursday Night         3.0 Women Tuesday Night

3.5 Men Wednesday Night      3.5 Women Wednesday Night

4.0 Men Thursday Night         4.0 Women Tuesday Night

4.5 Men Tuesday Night           4.5 Women Monday Night

CTA LEAGUE RULES AND INFORMATION

Official Rules of Tennis ~ The CTA League follows the Official Rules of Tennis including The Code, Published by the USTA available at www.ustashop.com. (Except where otherwise stated in the CTA League rules.) The league recommends that each Captain have this publication and a copy of these CTA League rules available on the court at match time.

CTA League Questions ~ All questions and concerns should be directed first to the League Coordinator.

Fall Season Leagues ~ Adult Day League, Adult Mixed League, and Adult Night League

Winter Season League ~ Adult Day League

League Format ~ The CTA is an interclub adult doubles tennis league (club vs. club).

Facility Requirements ~ All participating clubs must have 'home' soft courts available for home matches. Nomad teams are not allowed. League approval is required for exceptions for this requirement. for reasons such as facility renovations.

Cost ~ $15 per player per team. Fees will be paid online with a Visa or MasterCard at the time of registration. Sorry, no refunds.

Club Membership ~ Day League team players must be members of the club they represent and have a minimum of a one-month membership. Player must be a member during the time that they are playing on the team. No special "tennis league" memberships are permitted. Players must have full membership privileges. Exception: Club membership is not required for the Day Men's and Women's 4.0 & 4.5 divisions.  Mixed and Night Leagues have no Club membership requirement. Individual Clubs may have restrictions regarding play of non-members on their teams.

Time of Play ~ Day and mixedLeague matches are scheduled with start times no later than 1:00 p.m. Mixed Leagues matches may be scheduled anytime during the day on Saturdays. Night league matches must be scheduled to start no earlier than 5:30 p.m. and no later than 7:00 p.m.

Team / Team Roster / Team Match ~ All teams must be identified with a club. No Nomad teams. Number of positions for a match varies depending on the league and division. Team rosters should have enough players to play a match plus two to four extra. Example: A Division that plays three courts should have 8 to 10 players on their roster. There is no limit to the number of players on a team roster.

Team members may not have a higher NTRP rating than the maximum NTRP rating of the level in which they are competing. No Individual is allowed to play in a match until they have been registered on their team in LeaguesForFun. Notification to the League Coordinator BEFORE the match by email, text or phone is acceptable registration if LeaguesForFun registration is not possible. Failure to register an individual or notify the League Coordinator of an attempt to register an individual PRIOR to play will result in default of that court.

Home Team provides the balls for the match. Many Home clubs provide refreshments after the match but this is not required.

NTRP Rated ~ NTRP ratings will be needed for every player listed on roster. Current USTA NTRP ratings must be used. Captains should check to see that all your players’ ratings are listed properly on the roster. See link ‘USTA Ratings’ at www.swfla-tennis.com. New CTA players that do not have a NTRP rating may self-rate. Your club professional will help you with your self-rating. The league reserves the right to adjust ratings of players.

TopDogTennis is not linked to the USTA NTRP rating database. Please contact CTA League Coordinator to change any incorrect ratings in TopDogTennis so that they match the USTA website. Matches played by players using an incorrect USTA NTRP rating are subject to default.

NTRP Rating Appeals ~ CTA League will accept ratings appeals. All appeals must be submitted by your club USPTA Professional or Director of Tennis. If your club does not have either, the appeal must be submitted by your team captain. Appeals will not be accepted from individual players. No appeals will be accepted for USTA Early Start Ratings. Appeal forms are available at www.swfla-tennis.com. Click on Rating Appeals. Appealed players that have successfully appealed their ratings are listed on the site.

Once a player has successfully appealed their rating with the USTA or CTA, they are eligible to play at the new level. Appeals should be granted BEFORE matches are played. Matches played before an appeal is granted are subject to default.

Team Players ~ Players must be at least 21 years of age. Players may be on the roster of two different teams within the same league (Day, Night, Mixed), as long as the two teams are at different NTRP levels. (Example: A 3.5 rated player cannot be a regular player on two 3.5 teams for the Day League, but can play on a 3.5 Day and 3.5 Night and 4.0 Day and 4.0 Night team.)

Club Staff Players ~ For the Adult Day League where club membership is required, Club Staff with "playing privileges" are not considered club members. Any club staff that wish to play in the league must first obtain approval from the League Coordinator.

Playing Up ~ Players are encouraged to play at their rating level. If a player chooses to play 'up', they may only move up one level. Ex: a 2.5 player may play on a 3.0 team but not on a 3.5 team. Players are not allowed to play down a level.

75% - 25% Rule ~ All team rosters must maintain at least 75% of its players at the NTRP designated team level (# of correctly rated players divided by total # of players). There is no specific percent needed during match play. Occasionally teams/players may be asked by the League to move up are exempt from this rule.

Flights ~ Divisions that have large numbers of teams may be placed in several flights. Location and/or strength of teams will be taken into consideration when forming flights.

Schedules / Scheduling Conflicts ~ Once divisions and flights are formed, schedules are created by the computer. Schedules will be available at TopDogTennis on the dates published. Due to the large number of teams playing, scheduling conflicts may occur. Please check your schedules and resolve conflicts early. Example: Two home matches for different teams at the same club may be scheduled on the same day or Club events may create conflicts. The team captains are responsible for working out these conflicts. The match may have to be moved to the away team’s club or rescheduled for a different day or time. Individual matches may be scheduled at different times and locations.

Our clubs are experiencing many scheduling difficulties due to the growth of tennis in our area. If your club has multiple teams playing on the same day, the League may occasionally schedule a match at a later time in order to accommodate play. Captains should make every attempt to help each other in the rescheduling of conflicting matches. Captains, please notify the League Coordinator of any schedule changes. Be sure to contact your clubs with any schedule changes so they can revise their court reservation schedules.

All teams must play all scheduled matches. Any team deliberately forfeiting an entire team match is subject to disqualification. All matches should be played before the last match of the regular season (before playoffs). The League Coordinator should be consulted before any match defaults are taken.

Match Lineup ~ Captains should print out the correct match scorecard, available on the TopDogTennis website, and bring it to the match. Team captains for each team shall exchange their team scorecards simultaneously prior to the beginning of the team match. No substitutions may be made in an individual match after the lineup has been presented, except for injury to, illness of, no show of, or disqualification of a player, prior to the start of such match. The start of a match is defined as when the first point is played. If the substitution is made during the warm-up, the substitute player is entitled to a five (5) minute warm-up.

Each team must play their individual doubles teams in order of strength. NO STACKING. The CTA League promotes fair and competitive tennis; to put your lesser qualified player on the top court IS NOT FAIR. Example: A number one doubles team cannot play down in another position switching places with a number three doubles team. If an opposing team files a grievance suggesting there has been stacking, the CTA League will review the order of play and penalize appropriately.

Defaults ~ A match default is defined as 15 minutes after the scheduled time and the match has been called to start and the court is available. Please use your discretion before calling a default. If the opponent is late for just cause, please try to be understanding and play the match. Scoring in the event of a default, forfeit or disqualification shall be 6-0, 6-0. In case of a retirement, the non-retiring doubles team shall be credited with such number of additional games, as would have been won if the match was completed and the non-retiring doubles team won every subsequent game.

If a team cannot field the required number of players, default the bottom position. Some positions may have to move up one spot. Opponents should be contacted as soon as possible if your team is unable to field all positions for a match.

Scoring ~ All matches will be the best of two sets with regular scoring and a set tie-break at 6-all in each set. The set tiebreak is a 7-point tiebreaker, the first to seven by two points (Coman Style). No rest break is allowed after the first game during a set.

In the event of split sets, a 10-point SUPER TIE-BREAK - the first to 10 by two points (Coman Style), shall be played in lieu of a third set with a two minute set break. The Super Tie-Break shall be scored as 1 set and 1 game for tiebreak procedures (1-0 on scorecard).

One (1) point is awarded for each overall team win (not individual courts won). Least individual matches lost, then least individual sets lost, then least Individual games lost will be used to break ties. Some divisions will use % won if they do not play everyone in the division or there are uneven numbers of teams or byes. (% = # of Overall Team Wins divided by the # of Matches Played.)

TopDogTennis software shows up to the minute standings. All teams are displayed in order of strength. Contact the League Coordinator with questions regarding the standings.

Continuous Play/Breaks ~ There is no rest after the first game in ANY SET.  A two (2) minute rest may be taken between sets if requested by a player.  If any player requests a medical time out, regardless of the nature of the medical condition, one time-out may be taken for a period of up to EIGHT minutes.

Reporting Scores ~ Match scores must be entered into TopDogTennis by either captain within 24 hours of the completion of the match. The OPPOSING captain must Confirm or Dispute the scores entered within 48 hours of the entry. Disputes: Call or email the captain who entered the original scores to make the correction. If scores are not confirmed or disputed within 48 hours by the opposing captain, TopDogTennis will accept the scores as entered. Both captains should retain a copy of the scorecard. Teams/Captains that consistently do not enter or confirm their scores in a timely matter may be subject to penalty.

Coaching / Court Conduct ~ NO COACHING IS ALLOWED AT ANY TIME DURING THE MATCH BY CAPTAINS, TENNIS PROFESSIONALS OR SPECTATORS. PROFANITY OF ANY KIND IS AGAINST THE RULES AND SUBJECT TO PENALTIES as described in the Friend At Court handbook, which can be ordered on-line at www.ustashop.com (click on 'Shop' then go to books). USE OF ANY DEVICE (E.G. CELL PHONES, RADIOS, DIGITAL MESSAGING SYSTEMS, ETC.) TO RECEIVE COACHING AND OTHER INFORMATION IS PROHIBITED. LINE/SCORING CALLS MAY NOT BE MADE NOR DISPUTED BY SPECTATORS NOR TEAM-MATES....LINE/SCORING CALLS ARE DECIDED BY PLAYERS ONLY.

General supervision of all aspects of play belongs to the club Tennis Director.

NO Cell Phone Usage During the Match ~ If a cell phone is used or rings during the match, a point penalty may be called, second time, a game, third a default of the match. No outgoing calls may be made. ALL CELL PHONES ARE TO BE TURNED OFF. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Rain Delay ~ Official rain-out is one (1) hour after original match start time, unless BOTH captains agree to declare it sooner. The individual players must be available to play in case of a rain delay. They should go to the home club and be ready to play. If the match has started, the original line-up must be used. If the rain delay occurs prior to the start of play, line-ups will again be exchanged on the new date agreed upon by the Captains. If the rain delay occurs during warm-up or before the first point has been played, teams may alter their line-up for the make-up match. If the match has started, both captains should write down the scores and make a note of serve rotation and who is to serve next, which side of court everyone is on, etc.

Team captains should mutually agree upon a time to reschedule a rain delayed match. Every attempt should be made to reschedule matches within one week. Individual matches may be scheduled at different times and locations. The time of the make-up match does not have to follow the “before 1 p.m.” rule for Day Leagues. If the teams are unable to agree upon a make-up date the match will be played the next Monday, or Tuesday if Monday is your regular date of play, or the League Coordinator may pick date for the make-up match. The Home Club will determine the time based on court availability.

Partially completed matches cannot be entered into TopDogTennis. In the event of a non-completed match, please email your League Coordinator indicating the reason for non-completion and the date the Captains have mutually agreed to complete the match. Once the mutually agreed date has been reported to the Coordinator it will be considered firm and can only be changed due to rain/hurricane. If a rain delay occurs on the last match of the scheduled League, the Coordinator will work with the captains to determine the date and time of the required make-up match.

Hurricane Rescheduling ~ If there is a need to cancel matches for Hurricane related reasons, please follow the guidelines for the Rain delayed matches. Captains should contact one another and work on rescheduling any missed matches as soon as possible.

Team Levels / Ratings Review ~ In order to keep the leagues competitive, the results of team matches will be analyzed and the top and bottom teams and players of each level will be reviewed. Teams/players may be asked to move up or down. TopDogTennis analyzes the individual match results.

Season Awards ~ A plaque will be given to the first place team in each division. In divisions with several flights, a plaque will be given to the first place team in each flight.

Team Captain Responsibilities ~

1) Read and know the rules of the league in which your team is competing.

2) Verify team members NTRP ratings before registering players on your team roster. See link at www.swfla-tennis.com.

3) Enter your team’s complete roster information online and pay for the team fees by Visa or MasterCard online in TopDogTennis.

4) Verify courts are reserved at your club for your home matches.

5) Provide schedules and schedule team members for matches.

6) Captains should contact each other at least three (3) DAYS in advance to verify the location, number of courts and start time.

7) Inform your opponent of your clubs dress code or gate entry requirements, if any.

8) Captains should print match specific score sheets from TopDogTennis and fill them in with their line-up. Captains exchange their completed line-ups simultaneously prior to the start of play.

9) Captains are responsible to verify that players are on the correct courts.

10) The home team provides balls for the matches.

11) Some clubs provide fruit and/or beverages after the match. This is not required.

12) Both Captains should retain a copy of the completed scorecard.

13) Enter the scores in TopDogTennis within 24 hours of the completion of the match.

14) Or, confirm the scores within 48 hours. If the scores are not confirmed or disputed within 48 hours by the opposing captain, the scores will be accepted as entered and any disputes may be denied.

15) Bring a copy of these rules and the USTA regulations to every match.

16) Notify the League Coordinator of any make up match date and time as soon as decided or why there is a delay in this decision. Be sure to contact your clubs with any schedule changes so they can revise their court reservation schedules.

17) File grievances in a timely manner.

Club Professional Responsibilities ~ Club Professionals will receive informative e-mails from the league.

1) Verify team members NTRP ratings before registering team players.

2) Responsible for any and all actions made by a team representing their Club.

3) Keep up to date on all league rules, dates, and procedures.

4) Provide league players with schedules and playoff information.

5) Make sure courts are “reserved” for home matches at your club.

6) Stay informed of your teams league standings (available at TopDogTennis).

7) In the event that your club fields the winning team, let the League Coordinator know as soon as possible if your club is unable to host playoffs.

Playoffs

Divisional Playoffs ~ Most divisions will have a playoff the week following their last regularly scheduled match on their normal day of play. Once the season begins the captains will be notified the date of their division playoff. Very small divisions where teams have played one another an equal number of times, and several times may not have playoffs.

If the division has seven (7) teams or less, there will be a playoff for the top two teams. For those divisions with eight (8) or more teams, the top four teams in each division will play in the playoffs. If a division has two flights, the top two positions in each flight will play in the playoffs. If the division has three flights the top position in each flight will play in the playoffs and one 2nd place team with the best record will play in the playoffs. If an eligible team is unable to play in the playoffs, the team with the next best record may be invited to participate.

Divisions with Flights divided into ability levels ~ Some divisions flights may based on performance. The teams with the best overall records are placed in Flight 'A'. Flight 'B' contains the rest of the teams. At the end of the season, the top and bottom teams in each flight will be reviewed for placement next season. Playoffs will be held separately for each Flight. Flight 'A' will not play Flight 'B' in a Playoff.

Divisional Playoffs Tie-Break Procedure ~ When determining which teams go to the playoffs, there could be multiple ties. TopDogTennis lists teams in order of strength using the tiebreakers listed in the rules. (See section 'Scoring' above.)

Playoff Match ~ Playoffs are played on the same day of week as your scheduled matches. Playoffs are completed in one day. Teams will field the same number of positions as in regular season matches. If participating clubs do not have enough courts to host a playoff, number of positions played may be reduced.

Rostered Players Only ~ All players on your roster are eligible to play regardless of how many regular season matches they have played.

Two Teams in playoffs ~ A regular two set match is played with a third set Super-Tiebreaker (if necessary).

Four Teams in playoffs ~ Play will be two rounds of seven game pro-sets. If the set score reaches 6-6, a 7-point Coman style tiebreaker (first to 7 by 2 points) will be played.

First Round: If there is one flight in the division, the first place team plays the fourth place team, second plays the third. If the division has two flights (not for weak and strong flights) the first place team in Flight 1 plays the second place team in Flight 2 and vice versa. With three or more flights, all the participating teams names will be thrown into a hat and a drawing by an impartial party will determine the draw. Second Round: The winners of the first round play each other for first place, Playoff Champion, and the losers play each other for third place. Teams may use different players from their roster for the second round.

Playoff Tiebreak ~ At the end of the playoff match if the number of courts won is tied (1-1 or 2-2), least individual sets lost will be counted, then if still tied, least Individual games lost will be counted. If still tied, on separate sheets of paper, Position 1, 2, 3, 4 (or 1, 2) will be written and the slips thrown into a hat. A drawing by an impartial party will determine which position will play in the final tiebreak. The position selected will have the two players from Team A that just played in that position, play against the two players from the same position of Team B. They will immediately proceed to play a 7-point Coman style tiebreaker, (first to 7 by 2 points), to determine a winner and break the tie.

Cost ~ There will be no additional charges by the league to play in the playoffs.

Balls ~ League will provide one can of balls for each playoff court.

Refreshments ~ Host Club will receive some funding from the League to help defray the

cost of refreshments. Money provided varies with the number of teams and number of positions played.

2 courts 2 teams - $20.00      2 courts 4 teams - $40.00

3 courts 2 teams - $30.00      3 courts 4 teams - $60.00

4 courts 2 teams - $40.00      4 courts 4 teams - $80.00

Playoff Locations ~ The First place team in each division with the overall best record hosts the playoffs at their home club. If there are several flights in a division, first place team with the best overall record will host the playoffs. Exact times and locations for playoff matches will be posted on the website as soon as final match results have been entered and locations have been determined.

Host Club ~ is responsible for running the playoffs at their club. The League Coordinator will provide the Host Club with the line-up, score sheets, balls and plaques. The League Coordinator will attempt to attend every playoff but with many playoffs held on the same days this is not always possible.

The Host Club must have enough available courts for the playoff matches. Four teams in the playoffs: # of positions played during a regular season match x 2 = # of courts needed. Two teams in the playoffs - same number of courts as a regular season match. Courts should be freshly lined and swept if time and conditions permit.

Playoff Pictures ~ Arrive looking great! Host Club / League Coordinator will take group pictures of all the participating teams.

Playoff Awards ~ The playoff winners in each division will receive a team plaque. No award will be given if playoffs are cancelled.

 

Grievance Process

The Team Captain, using the following steps, may file all complaints alleging a violation during league play. Grievances will not be accepted from individual players.

1. When the problem arises, stay calm and be courteous to the opposing team. Patience and courtesy are appreciated.

2. Play the match. File a grievance and the League will decide on the issues later.

3. All complaints alleging a violation during the local league must be filed IN WRITING / EMAIL with the League Coordinator PRIOR to the commencement of the next team match, or within twenty-four (24) hours after the end of local league play, whichever occurs first.

4. The Grievance should state the following:

   1. Team Captains' Name, email address and telephone number.

   2. Name of league and level playing.

   3. Date, Time and Location of incident.

   4. Names and telephone numbers of all parties involved.

   5. Description of incident. Why you feel there is a grievance.

5. The League will review the grievance and render a decision as quickly as possible. All decisions are final.

Waiver of Liability:

Acceptance of my entry in the CTA League is without assumption of responsibility of any kind by this organization, TopDogTennis, the host club, committees or the management and officers of the CTA League in which I may be entered or may participate. In consideration of the acceptance of my entry, I do hereby for and on behalf of myself and my heirs and legal representative release and forever discharge the organization, organization and host club, their officers, umpires, committees and representatives and their successors and assigns, of and from any and all claims and demands of every kind, nature and character which I may have or may hereafter acquire for any and all damages, losses or injuries which may be suffered or sustained by me in connection with my activities during the period for which such permission is waived and released and I covenant not to sue therefore. I understand that this tournament/league will be governed by applicable organization rules and regulations, the rules and regulations of this tournament/league, the rules and procedures governing discipline of players in TournamentsForFun, TopDogTennis, and Topdog Sports sanctioned tournaments/leagues, the TournamentsForFun, TopDogTennis Code of Ethics, tournament/league policy, and ranking regulations, and agree to conduct myself accordingly.