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FAIRFIELD COUNTY TENNIS LEAGUE RULES AND REGULATIONS
A. BASIC PROCEDURES AND SCHEDULES
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The League shall consist of Clubs in Fairfield County, divided into divisions
based on the result of the previous season except that all teams in divisions below
the first division shall be assigned to a geographical division as determined by
the Board of Directors in accordance with the record from the previous season. The
number of Clubs and divisions may be adjusted subject to League approval.
- Each team must have a captain who will fulfill League responsibilities as outlined
in these Rules and Regulations. A list of teams with the division assignments and
their captains will be listed on the League website: www.fctl.org.
- League competition shall begin in mid-May on a Wednesday, the date as approved
at the Annual Meeting, normally between May 13-23, and continue each subsequent
Wednesday until the season is complete. Each team in the League will play every
other team in its division on one occasion on the dates and places shown on the
schedule of matches.
- Home team captains are responsible for contacting visiting team captains a few
days prior to their engagements to:
a. acknowledge the engagement;
b. advise the visiting team captain whom to contact for last minute weather decisions;
and
c. coordinate any other arrangements necessary.
- Each engagement shall consist of four men’s doubles matches between four doubles
teams from each team. The four doubles teams shall be ranked one through four in
the order of their ability, and shall play the correspondingly ranked doubles team
form the opposing team. Compliance with this requirement is basic to the integrity
of each team and its responsibility to its opponent and other teams in the League.
Team captains will maintain a record of team members for each match and order in
which their teams played. This record shall be made available to the Executive Committee
upon request. To ensure competitive matches, we rely on the principle, “Best against
Best”. The clear implications of this principle are that captains must play their
teams in the order of their ability, and that the clubs must play their better players
on their higher- ranking teams. Where a club has two teams in the same division,
it should play all its better players on the higher-ranking team. When regular members
of a higher- ranking team are unable to participate in a match, the club should
send the next most capable players to take their place, irrespective of the latter’s
usual affiliation with a lower-ranking team. Even last minute unavailability should
be handled this way, to the extent possible. The only exception to this practice
is that the Captain of a lower-ranking team may properly remain with his team even
if his ability as a player would otherwise call for him to play in the match of
a higher-ranking team within the club. Where an opposing captain becomes aware of
a violation of these principles, he is encouraged to communicate it to the Executive
Committee for appropriate action.
- Each match will be two out of three sets. When in any set the game score becomes
6-all, a 12 point tie-breaker game will be played.
- Home team captains are responsible for providing yellow balls and refreshments.
- A post-season tournament, the Alex Reddin Memorial Tournament (which has no affect
on team scoring or ranking), may be played on the second or third weekend of September,
as voted at the Annual Meeting.
B. SCORING, RANKING AND DIVISION TRANSFERS
- One point will be awarded for each match won; no points will be awarded for matches
lost. In certain circumstances, as outlined in Rules C1-C6, teams may win a half
point for unplayed or unfinished matches, or such other points as the Executive
Committee decides.
- Home team captains shall be responsible for reporting match scores, including
which team got the (+) where the teams tied 2-2, to the League website immediately
following the engagement, but no later than noon the following day. A “rainout”
must also be reported. In the event that the home team captain or his surrogate
does not enter the scores on the website by noon the day following the Match, one
point shall be deducted from the season’s score of the team responsible for reporting
the results. That deduction shall appear with an * in the final standings. In the
event of extenuating circumstances, the point penalty may be remitted, but only
upon petition to the President of the League.
- The team winning the most points during the season in each division will be the
winner of that division; the team with the second highest total, the runner-up.
The winner of Division I will be the winner of the League.
- In the event of a tie for any position within the division at the end of the
season, particularly the first two places and last two places, the following procedure
will eliminate ties:
a. The score of the team match or matches against the team tied will decide the
winner.
b. If the match score was tied, then the number of sets won by each team during
the match or matches between them will decide the winner.
c. If the sets were even, then the number of games won by each team during the match
or matches will decide the winner.
d. If the games were even, the spin of a racket will decide.
e. In the event of a three-way tie within a division at the end of the season, the
tie shall be broken by adding up the total points earned by each team against the
other two teams in the tie. Second place shall be determined by the regular season
head to head result.
If two teams have the same number of points but more points than the other team,
the team with the fewest points shall be third and the regular season head to head
result shall determine the winners. If all the teams have the same number of points
then the number of sets won shall be used in lieu of points. If sets are tied, then
the number of games won shall be used. If the number of games are tied, the spin
of a racket shall determine first place with the odd team being the winner and second
place determined by the regular season head to head results. If more than three
teams are tied at the end of the regular season, the above procedure for a three-way
tie shall be used to rank the teams.
- It is mandatory that the winner and runner-up of a lower division move into the
next higher division in its geographical area the following year, trading places
with the two teams with the lowest point totals in the division above it, except
in Division II, the single winner of each region shall advance to Division I. This
rule remains in effect even if it results in two teams (e.g. 1&2) form the same
Club being placed in the same division. Provided, however, a team may apply for
a lower division placement if, in its judgment, its team strength has been materially
affected by the loss of one or more top players. Said application must be made before
or during the League’s Annual Meeting to allow opportunity to prepare the schedules
for the upcoming season. This application is subject to approval by the Officers
of the League.
- When a change in the number of teams in the League or other circumstances make
a change in the rules of division transfer advisable, the Directors will make a
recommendation at the Annual Meeting, and this recommendation will be subject to
voted approval.
C. UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES
- 1. All-engagements not started due to weather or other unusual circumstances shall
automatically be rescheduled to the first Monday or Tuesday following the scheduled
match. The home team Captain shall make the election of whether the rescheduled
match shall be played on the following Monday or Tuesday, and shall communicate
his choice to the captain of the opposing team on the same day that the original
match was scheduled. If the home team can’t schedule the match for the following
Monday or Tuesday(assuming they are not national holidays), the opposing team has
the option of being the host and electing whether the match will be played on the
following Monday or Tuesday. In the event the home team Captain selects a Monday or Tuesday
that falls on the observance of a national holiday (Memorial Day or July 4th), the
opposing captain may opt to not play on that day. The following Monday or
Tuesday shall then be selected by the home team Captain. In the event a rescheduled match must again be postponed because
of bad weather, the home team captain shall again make the election and communicate
his choice within the time specified above. Since available daylight decreases rapidly
in August and the likelihood of rain increases, all captains are urged to make-up
postponed matches on other evenings/weekends throughout the season. The captain
of the home team and the captain of the away team need to agree on playing indoors
in the event of inclement weather. This is true even if the home team has indoor
courts.
- When it is known in advance that a match or matches must be defaulted due to
a shortage of one or more players, the defaults must start with doubles team four
and proceed up from the bottom.
- Matches should begin at 6:00 p.m., but in no event later than 6:45 p.m. For the
purposes of this paragraph C-3, a doubles team will be “ready to play” if both team
members are on the court in tennis attire. If the team members of one of the teams
are not ready to play at 6:30 p.m., one set of the match will be defaulted to the
team which is ready to play. If the team members of one of the teams are not ready
to play by 6:45 p.m., the match will be defaulted, with one point awarded to the
team which is ready to play. If both teams are not ready to play by 6:45 p.m., then
that particular team match will be considered a default with no point awarded to
either team and with no option by either team captain to reschedule.
For clubs with lighted courts, home matches may begin
after 6:00p.m., if both the
home team Captain and opposing Captain agree. The first set default time will be
30 minutes after the agreed upon start time and the match default time will be 45
minutes after the agreed upon start time.
- It is mandatory that captains shall include in their weekly report of match results
to the League website: www.fctl.org, the number of defaults that occurred in connection
with the match. The Board is authorized to take appropriate action, including suspension,
where any team has defaulted excessively.
- Any scheduled match begun but interrupted because of rain, darkness, or other
unusual circumstances may be settled by:
1. Continuation of the match that evening indoors or substituting
a 10 point tiebreaker for the third set, with the agreement of both the
home and away captains.
2. Continuation of the match at a mutually agreeable time and place within eleven
days.
3. The default of either team at that time.
4. If other than the final week of the season, scoring each team a half point if
mutually agreeable to both captains at that time.
In the continuation of an interrupted match, it shall begin at the point the match
was interrupted, with the same score and the same teams (the same four players).
All of the continued matches for a team do not need to be played at the same time
or date.
- In the event that match has not been completed according to paragraph C-1, then
the Division Secretary shall make
a reasonable effort to confer with each team captain and shall promptly set a date
for the match to be played. In the event that either team does not appear on such
date, it shall be defaulted. In the event of a rain-out or rain interruption, the
Division Secretary shall reschedule the match.
- If the teams leave the court in an interrupted match without agreeing on any
option as outlined in Rule C-5, or if the match should not be played in eleven days,
the Executive Committee will make a prompt determination of how it will be scored
and may include a penalty of up to two points per match for failure to play the
match.
- Teams which do not have courts, or sufficient courts, may play “away” more than
normal. For the purpose of providing balls, these teams will be designated “Home
Team” for half of their engagements and will be responsible for contacting the other
team captain and for providing balls at these engagements as indicated on the schedule.
D. QUALIFICATION
- 1. Each team may play one junior player during each engagement. Different junior
players may play during the season, but never more than one per engagement. A junior
player is defined as a non-dues paying member who will not have reached his 25th
birthday during the current year (There is no lower limit of age). In the event
a team plays more than one junior in any engagement, or plays a player who is otherwise
ineligible without announcing this fact to the opposing captain and forfeiting the
match in which such ineligible player participates, it shall forfeit all four matches
of the engagement. Forfeits must start at position #4 and move upward.
- Where a Club has more than one team in the League, the eight highest ranked players
in rank order,
including a junior, must be designated for play on only each higher team (#1 team
and #2 team if there is a #3 team, and #3 team if there is a #4 team). The designated
players may not play for a team lower than their designation. All other interchanges may be made as needed. #1 team captains
(and #2 team captains if there is a #3 team and #3 captain if there is a #4 team)
must send to the League website a list of their team’s designated players for
the current season, and #2, #3 and #4 team captains should have a copy of the list
or lists of higher teams available to show on request to any opposing captain during
the season. Undesignated players that play for a club with 3 or 4 teams, may not
play down more than 1 team from where they normally play (an undesignated player
that normally plays on the club’s # 1 team, could play for the club’s #2 team, but
not for their # 3 or #4 teams). The designated players must be posted on the League website by the
start of the season. The team will only earn points for matches played after the
designated players are posted on the League website.
- Where a player belongs to more than one Club, that player may play for only one
Club during the season, except that he may play for another Club in the Masters
League.
- Because Clubs have conflicting rules regarding tennis apparel, players must abide
by the dress code of the home team Club or be defaulted.
- Two doubles teams from each team in the League in Division I, and one doubles
team from each team in the other divisions may play in the post-season tournament.
After reasonable notice, other teams may enter on a first come basis if openings
are available.
- A player who participates in any playoffs or in the post-season tournament must
have played in at least one match for his team during the regular season.
- No person will be allowed to play in a League/team match if his job title is
that of head or assistant tennis professional or equivalent title(ie., tennis director,
etc.). An aforementioned tennis professional will be allowed to play under the following
circumstances:
a. He is at least 40 years of age
b. He has been
a full dues-paying member of the club for
at least a year
c. He can not play for the club at which he teaches
d. Division I teams will be allowed to field (2) tennis
professionals and Division II teams will be allowed (1) professional
e. The professional will be included on the team's designated
player list(if one is required) and indicated as a teaching professional
A junior may teach
tennis in the summer as long as it is not year round(this rule is intended to
allow high school and college students to teach tennis as a summer job). Students may not
play for the club at which they teach.
- Teams will not be admitted to the League unless 4 HarTru or equivalent courts
are available at the Club for home matches. A third (#3) team from a single Club
can be admitted if the Club has and can use 8 courts each week for home matches.
E. ORGANIZATION
- A membership fee to be determined annually is payable promptly on June 1st. Fee
should be sent to the League Treasurer, payable to Fairfield County Tennis League.
- Any disputes concerning these rules or concerning matters not covered by these
rules should be directed at once to the Division Secretary. If the Division Secretary
is unable to resolve the dispute, he will refer the matter to the Secretary of the
League and, if he is unable to affect a solution agreeable to the disputing parties,
the Secretary of the League shall convene a Grievance Committee to arbitrate a solution
which shall be final. The Grievance Committee and/or the Board shall have the power
to place a team or player on probation or suspension.
- It's Board of Directors shall govern the League, subject to the powers of the
Annual Meeting.
- The Annual Meeting, by a majority of those team captains present and voting,
shall elect a Board of Directors and the Officers of the League.
- The Board shall have the power to admit new teams, remove existing teams, realight
divisions and move teams between divisions.
- The Board shall receive the Treasurer's report and establish annual dues.
- The Board shall the power to amend these Rules and Regulations.
- The Board shall consist of 11 participants in the League, five of whom shall
be the Officers of the League:
a. President
b. Vice President
c. Secretary for Scheduling
d. Secretary of the Open League
e. Secretary of the Masters League
f. Treasurer
- The President shall be responsible for the proper functioning of the League.
He shall preside at the Annual Meeting and at meetings of the Board of Directors.
He shall not vote at any meeting, except to break a tie vote.
(MAY 2008)
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