2010 USTA Local Regulations

Mobile Area

(Adult Divisions)

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Underscore denotes new this year.   
The USTA League Regulations can be found on USTA.com.  Southern sectional Regulations can be found on southerntennis.com, and Alabama State Regulations can be found on alabamata.com .  These National, Southern, and State Regulations have full force and applicability at all levels of play in the USTA League Tennis Program in Mobile and there is no authorization to modify, amplify, or change them by players, captains or Local League Coordinators.

Major Changes to USTA Alabama Regulations

 

1.                  NEW LOCAL LEAGUES.  Any area of the state wishing to begin a new USTA league must be approved by the Adult League Committee using the following criteria.  The league must be a minimum of 60 miles from any existing league.  The league must have a minimum of two teams at the same level with the potential for growth in future leagues.   The league must have a local league coordinator.  (refer to 1.25A)

 

2.                  All local leagues will limit the number of players that appear on a team roster to no more than 16 (refer to 3.01B )

 

3.                  Each player shall have reached the age of eighteen years prior to or during the calendar year in which such player plays in his/her first local league match.  (refer to 3.01C)

 

4.                  Leagues that play their local league at the state championships may have no more than two players from outside the state of Alabama.  (refer to 3.02A(2) and 4.04A(2))

 

5.                  4.0 men will now play at the state championships with 2.5, 3.0, 4.5, 5.0 men in Mobile.  (refer to 3.03Q)

  1. Regulations

The Mobile Area League Tennis, all players and teams agree to abide by all applicable USTA League, Southern Tennis Association and Alabama Tennis Association rules and regulations as published. In addition, the Mobile Area League Tennis also sets forth the following rules to apply to local team matches.

  1. Membership

    2.  
    1. All team members must have reached the age of eighteen (18) years prior to or during the calendar year in which such player plays his/her first local league match.
    1. All players must be current (paid) members of the USTA through their local league season and must register for a team via TennisLink.
    2. Each player must pay a local league fee of $12 plus an internet TennisLink fee per league season.
    3. New players to the system must "self-rate" when registering for a league using the NTRP Guidelines (See USTA League Registration 3.01 D).
       
  1. Registration


    1. The captains should read and be familiar with the rules and regulations of the USTA, STA, ATA, and Local League, and must be responsible for his / her team registration on TennisLink, captains must do the following:

      1. Obtain a team number by using Captain's USTA membership number that is current through end of local league season.  Register as player on team with credit card to complete team registration process (note: Non-playing captains must register one player to obtain team number.) Let LLC know when you want to be a non-playing captain.
      2. Choose to register all players or give team members the team number to register themselves. (note: If captains choose to register other players, they should first verify current membership of players through end of local league season and NTRP ratings before registering team. captains may verify memberships by calling 1-800-990-USTA.)
      3. Captains should not register players who will need to self-rate.  (See Section 4A Local Regulations)
    1. Registration Deadline Date for submitting initial roster can be found in the Calendar of Events for both men and women .  A minimum of eight (8) players should be registered per team except for 2.0, 2.5, 5.0 at the close of registration.  Without the necessary number of players,  a team cannot be included in the schedule.  The Local League Coordinator may amend the dates as needed.
    2. A team may have no more than 16 players on a roster.  A maximum of 4 players may reside outside the state.  The local league has the authority to accept or deny participation.  (The State Coordinator must approve denial.)
    3. Captains should have blank score cards from TennisLink to exchange simultaneously prior to the beginning of the team match. Match numbers are located on the schedule.
    4. One captain (no matter which one) or team member should enter scores on TennisLink by match number at the conclusion of each match.  Confirmation must be done within 48 hours of posted scores by the second team's captain or team member.
       
  2. NTRP Computer Rating and Appeal Process
     
    1. Players who do not have a computer rating on file in TennisLink shall self-rate in accordance with the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) Guidelines and declare their self-rating on TennisLink when registering for a team.   Omission of information regarding a player's tennis history will subject the player, the captain and/or others who condoned inaccurate self-rating to sanctions and disqualification.  
    2. Local players (who did not advance to championships competition) that wish to appeal their current  2007, 2008 or 2009 computer rating must do so on TennisLink.
    3. Adult players  whose most current computer rating is from 2007  will be allowed to self-rate on TennisLink .  See AL Regulation 3.05 A. 
    4. A player with a NTRP computer rating may a request a medical appeal of  his/her rating due to a permanent disabling injury or illness by written request to the Medical Appeal Committee (see Alabama Regulations 3.05 B ).
    5. A championship benchmark may not be appealed following the championship year it is received except for medical reasons .  A year-old championship benchmark may be appealed in accordance with the NTRP Computer Rating System Procedures. See AL Regulation 3.05 C.
  1. NTRP Disqualification and Appeal Procedures
    1. NTRP appeals are administered at the state level.  NTRP disqualification appeals are considered based solely on missing or incorrect information.
    2. Llevel three (3) times bOCAL:   Year-end computer (C) and benchmark (B) players are not subject to dynamic NTRP disqualification.  All others (S, A, T, D) will be NTRP disqualified if they reach the disqualification ased on all matches reported in the National database for USTA League Tennis Adult and Senior divisions.  If a self-rated player is disqualified for that particular level of play, all matches played by that individual player shall be considered losses and scored (6-0, 6-0).
    3. CHAMPIONSHIP: Dynamic ratings will be generated following local play-offs, state and sectional championships,  points earned by disqualified players will stand.  The disqualified player will not be eligible to advance to the next level of competition.
 
  1. Format of  Play
    1. Each team shall identify and reserve it's home courts.  If your facility does not not have water on the courts, you should advise the opposing team captains.   The "home" team provides new balls for each match.  The home team will be responsible for court fees for the visiting team, if applicable.
    2. Any team having to split their times of scheduled matches due to court availability should notify opposing captain at least three (3) days prior to the match.  Failure to do so may result in a forfeit by the home team for not having enough courts when the opposing team arrives for the match.
    3. All matches will be the best of  two sets, with a set coman tie-break at 6-all, in the event of split sets, a match coman tie-break (first to 10 by 2) shall be played in lieu of a third set with the two minute set break with no coaching allowed. The tie-break shall be scored as 1 set 1 game for tie-break procedures.
    4. Team format shall be two individual singles and three individual doubles matches for 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 levels.  For 2.0, 2.5 and 5.0 the format shall be one individual singles and two individual doubles. A team will be awarded a point for each individual match won.
    5. A 15-minute default rule is in effect, starting at the exact time the match is scheduled to begin.
    6. In the event of illness, injury, disqualification, or no-show of a player prior to the start of an individual match (once the lineup has been exchanged), a team may substitute a player in the affected position within the 15-minute default time, using a player not already listed on the lineup. If no such substitution can be made, the affected position will be forfeited.
    7. If a team forfeits an entire team match during round robin play, the team may be subject to having a grievance filed against them by the Local League Coordinator. A forfeit of more than two courts is considered an entire team forfeit. The local league coordinator may dispute/correct stats and standings to reflect the proper scoring for all other teams in the round robin when a team forfeits an entire match.  This may occur at the end of the local league season.   If all teams in contention for the championships have already played the forfeiting team in good faith, those match results will stand as played.
    8. Players may participate in more than one NTRP level within a division in the same local league during the same season. No scheduling considerations will be made. A player may play on more than one team within a division in the same season provided it is in separate local leagues.  
    9. Levels with more than one flight in a season will have a play-off, structured and approved by the State Coordinator (within two weeks of schedule being published).
    10. Cell phones are not allowed.  If a phone rings during a point, the opponent may give a warning.  If it rings during a point the second time, the opponent may take the point.  
  1. Scheduling              
    1. Inclement Weather.

      2.  
          1. The following weather conditions - rain, lightning, or severe temperature (below 35 degrees F) authorize the cancellation and re-scheduling of a scheduled match.
          1. In the event that rain or inclement weather forces the cancellation and re-scheduling of a team match, unrestricted substitutions from the team roster may be made in any individual matches that have not begun. This includes moving a player from one position to another. Completed matches will stand as played and incomplete matches must be resumed by the same players at the exact point, game, and set that existed when play was halted.
          2. Rescheduled matches must be completed within 12 days of the scheduled match. Notify the coordinator within 24 hours of the originally scheduled match, giving the coordinator the rescheduled dates and times. Rainouts of the last match of the season must be rescheduled within 6 days of the original match date.  Please note that the only reason for rescheduling a match will be inclement weather or when players on a team are scheduled to play in a USTA league championship event.  If a match is rescheduled, inclement weather is the only thing that should prevent that rescheduled match from happening.  If a team cannot play on the rescheduled date, then they should forfeit.
             
    2. If necessary, team matches or individual matches may be played prior to the originally scheduled date, if both captains agree.
    3. Rescheduling a match of a team whose players are involved in any USTA championship match on that same date may be necessary.  Captain's of the involved teams should notify their opposing captain at  least 5 days prior to the scheduled match. 
    4. The local league coordinator may administratively reschedule a match.
  1. Addition of Players During a Season

A.      A team may have no more than 16 players on a roster. The only exception to this regulation would be if a player needs to be added to a higher level team after being disqualified from his/her present team before the end of the season's local round robin competition.

B.      Additions can be made prior to the last two scheduled matches of that season. The TennisLink rules for registering a team member apply.

D.    Roster additions cannot be made for play-off  purposes only.

C.      There is a deadline of May 23, 2010 for roster additions to a 2.0 team.

 

  1. Grievance
    1. Any grievance must be filed in writing with the Local or State League Coordinator prior to the commencement of the next match in that flight involving the team or individual complained against, or within twenty-four hours after the end of local league play, whichever occurs first.  A copy will be sent to the appropriate league Grievance Committee and to the party or parties against whom the complaint has been filed.
    2. A coordinator or a member of a championship committee may file a grievance at any time.
    3. Self-Rate Eligibility Grievances (see Alabama Regulations 2.02 A).  USTA Alabama mandates that the party(ies) that field(s) the self-rate eligibility grievance complaint must provide the documentation to support their complaint at the time of their filing.   
  1. USTA League State Championships

    2.  
    1. The season champion shall be the team with the greatest number of team matches won and shall represent the local league at the State Championships. In the event of a tie, The USTA League Regulations for tie breaks will be followed. The tie shall be broken by the first of the following procedures that does so:
      1. Individual matches: Winner of the most individual matches in the entire competition
      2. Sets: Loser of the fewest number of sets in the entire competition
      3. Games: Loser of the fewest number of games in the entire competition
      4. Head-to-Head: Winner of the head-to-head match
    1. If a team wins both seasons (Winter & Spring) with identical rosters for both seasons, the adult league committee will choose which season’s roster will represent the local league at the state championships.
    2. In any Division, a player on more than one team at the same or different NTRP levels must choose to advance on only one team when entering the State or Sectional Division Championships. Each State or Sectional Championship in a division is considered the "same competition" if the event is divided into more than one weekend. NOTE: Playing in two levels may generate a rating at the higher level.
    3. Players who qualify on two teams advancing  to the same NTRP national championship must declare which team they will represent.
    4. In order to advance out of local league to championship an individual player must have participated in  2 matches on that specific team with no more than one (1) default counting.
    5. In order to advance  to national championship an individual player must have participated in 3 matches during all competition on that specific  team with no defaults counting.
    6. For each season; the number of teams, per flight, qualified to advance to the State Championships will be as follows:

02 - 10 Teams:     1 Team

11 – 20 Teams:    2 Teams

21 – 30 Teams:    3 Teams

31 + Teams:         4 Teams

    1. A minimum of 8 team members (adults), 6 team members (seniors), 5 team members (2.0, 2.5, 5.0) who were on final roster of their local league team at the conclusion of local league play must be available and eligible to compete at the State Championships. The Tournament Committee can reduce that number to not less than four.
    2. In order to be eligible for the state championships a 2.0 player can only play 2.0 locally.  Roster addition deadline is  May 23, 2010.  All 2.0 teams will be invited to the state championships.  Players may play 2.0 level for one year only and must play at 2.5 or higher the following championship year. 
    3. Players on teams entered in the State Championships that withdraw after the schedule has been published will be subject to a fine of $75 per person payable to ATA.  Said   players will be ineligible to compete in any USTA league until the fine is paid.  An appeal may be submitted to the State League Coordinator within two weeks after the end of the said championship.  All entry fees will be forfeited.

Grievance and Grievance Appeal Committee

Carol Ann Jeffery
Becky Lund
April Boudreaux
Mary Lou Mundy
Ceil Johnson
Linda Smith
James Giddens
Brian Dorgan
Ken Daugherty
Barry Lund
Jim Gray
Mark Johnson

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