RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR INTRACITY PLAY

Any situation not covered by these Rules and Guidelines should be referred to your captain or for singles, the coordinator, and she will contact the Executive Board.

All rules and Guidelines apply to both singles and doubles play, except that the sections titled "SINGLES" and "DOUBLES" apply accordingly.

Any protest regarding violation of these Rules and Guidelines should be lodged immediately. (See section "PROTEST" for procedure.)

A "regular" team member is defined as a paid member listed on the team roster that is not designated as a substitute.

The Fall season will begin the fourth Tuesday of August and the Spring season will begin on the third Tuesday of February. The start dates of each level may be changed at the desecration of the Executive Board.

All matches are to be played as scheduled and are not to be postponed except for inclement weather.

A request for postponement for any reason other than stated above (i.e.: extenuating circumstances) must be made to and approved by the Executive Board AND both captains/singles players must agree to the postponement.

Unless there is prior approval of the Board, all matches, past and present, are considered voided when a team forfeits all three courts in one match.

For Singles, matches will be the best two (2) out of three (3) sets, using regular scoring.

For Singles, one point shall be awarded for the winning player. The player with the most accumulated points at the end of the season shall be determined the winner.

The 12-point tiebreaker will be used when the score reaches 6-all in any set.

The host team (or singles person) will choose and reserve court surface for match play.

1. In doubles, different court surfaces may be used.

The host team (or singles hostess) will furnish one can of unopened USTA approved balls for each match.

The home team (or singles hostess) will pay all court fees.

All warm-ups, including service, must be taken before match begins. Once the match begins, play will be continuous except for a ten-minute break that can be taken between the second and third sets.

Players should call the score before each point is served.

A 20-minute default rule is in effect for all scheduled matches; no one will be allowed to waive this rule.

Should a player not arrive before the 20-minute default time expires, the match point will be credited to the opponents if both players are present. The remaining team members will play according to the written line-up.

For doubles, players will be on the court at 9:00 AM (8:45 AM Indoors).

1. Match play beings at 9:20 AM sharp (9:05AM Indoors according to the Indoors clock). All matches will be played at this time even if different court surfaces must be used.

No children will be permitted at courtside during league play.

If a team forfeits more than 30% of their courts within a season, all matches, past and present, are considered voided. The team will also have to "sit out" or "regroup" with no more than 1/2 of their regulars/subs the following season. All opponents, past and present, will be awarded a 3 court win for their match against this team and games recorded as:

• 1st court- 6/0, 6/0

• 2nd court- 6/0, 60

• 3rd court- 6/0, 6/0

In case of tie of matches won on a level, there will be no playoff. The winner will be determined by the "head to head" rule.

If a level has been divided into two (2) sections, the play-off format will be that the first place winner for each section plays the second place winner of the other section, and then the two winners play off.

In Doubles play-off matches will be scheduled by the Executive Board if captains need assistance.

1. Location of play-off matches will be at a neutral site determined by the two team captains.

2. If location has more than one type surface, a coin will be flipped in advance to determine which surface will be used.

In Singles, the Coordinator will choose a neutral location and determine surface of a court by a flip of coin.

The scorekeeper must be notified by the host captain of any match postponement within 24 hours of the time of the originally scheduled match.

Any postponed match must be rescheduled with the scorekeeper seven days from the date of the originally scheduled match.

In case of inclement weather, a match may be postponed and rescheduled if it is mutually agreeable to both captains or singles persons and provided it is not postponed earlier than one hour prior to match time.

Temperature & Wind

1. Should the wind chill prior to match be 39 degrees or lower, matches will be rescheduled unless both parties are mutually agreeable to play.

2. Should the heat index be expected to reach 100 degrees or higher, the matches will be rescheduled unless both parties are mutually agreeable to play.

3. Temperature may be checked by the club pro, any member of either team, or other interested party. Temperature information must be from a recognized media source.

4. Should the sustained wind speed prior to match time be 25 miles or greater, matches will be rescheduled unless both parties are mutually agreeable to play.

5. These make-up matches may be played at any time up to and including the cut-off date.

Once a date or time for a make-up match is agreed upon, teams or singles are committed to play on that date at that scheduled time.

In the event of rain during a match, play will be discontinued. Incomplete matches, when resumed, must be continued by the same players and resumed at the same location, set, game, and point as they stood when halted. Any point played is always counted and never played again.

1. There will be a 20-minute warm-up unless play has only been interrupted for a very brief period.

Matches postponed in accordance with the by-laws will be played at the location originally scheduled unless both teams or singles want to play at another location (example — indoors due to bad weather).

For Doubles, if absolutely necessary, a foursome may schedule a different date or time.

At any time that the Caddo/Bossier public schools are cancelled, (whether being for weather or other circumstances), match play may be rescheduled.

The Executive Board will serve as the PROTEST COMMITTEE.

An immediate protest should be lodged through the doubles team captain or singles coordinator regarding any violation of these Rules and Guidelines.

The President must receive in writing from the captain of the protesting team or singles person any reasonable objection within forty-eight (48) hours after the match in question has been played.

1. The Captain of the protesting team or singles person must, at the same time, mail a duplicate copy of her letter to the captain of the team or singles person being protested.

2. The captain of the team or singles person being protested will have forty-eight (48) hours to present a rebuttal in writing to the President.

The Executive Board has the option to enlist the help of a tennis professional, not involved with the club or the parties in dispute, in resolving any protest.

The Executive Board will act as the arbiter and have authority to penalize a team by subtracting up to three (3) points from their cumulative score and awarding those points to the opponents. The penalty in Singles will be one (1) point.

Each team must have a captain, or acting captain, present at the Captains' Orientation meeting. Failure to comply will result in one penalty point.

1. In her absence, the captain will appoint a team member to represent her at all meetings and matches.

Each Captain will enter her Roster or updated Roster on the SALT website (www.salt-tennis.com) by a specific deadline. Current names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses should be listed and updated. One check, per team, must be turned in at the Captains' meeting. Failure to comply will result in one penalty point.
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Each captain is responsible for filling out the SALT score sheets and exchanging their written line-ups before match begins.

1. The captains should arrive with, and exchange, their written line-ups prior to 9:00 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. at Indoors.

When all matches have been completed, each captain will record all scores on their score sheet and sign both score sheets.

The winning Captain must enter the results on the SALT website (salt-tennis.com) within 48 hours of match completion. Failure to comply will result in one pentaly point. The opposing Captain must check the website to verify that the scores were entered correctly. The opposing Captain must report any errors to her Scorekeeper with 72 hours of match completion.

A captain will act in her team's behalf in any protest situation (see section PROTEST).

Each captain should check with each regular member prior to the captains' meeting to be sure all dues are paid.

All other Rules and Guidelines, except the SINGLES heading, apply to doubles play.

Each team will select a captain to represent them. The captain must have a local phone number or a local contact number. It must be listed on the sign-up poster as well as the schedules. Level of play is scheduled on specific days:

If a member substitutes on a higher level team three times during a single season, she becomes a regular playing member for that season and surrenders her previous team position, leaving scores intact with no effect upon matches previously played.

At all levels each team must have a minimum of six (6) players, with no more than twelve (12) including substitutes, with the exception of Level C and/or BC which may have a minimum of four (4) players as deemed by the Executive Board.

1. Team matches will consist of three (3) doubles matches with the exception of Level C and/or BC, which may have two (2) doubles matches if deemed by the Executive Board.

Each level of play must have a minimum of four (4) teams. If there are less than
four (4) teams, these teams will be combined with another level (lower or higher) at the discretion of the Executive Board. Exception: Level C and/or BC may have 3 teams if deemed by the Executive Board. In which case, they will play each other twice.

If there are 13 or more teams in one level, they will be divided into two (2) sections.
a. If there are 12 teams in one level, captains will vote on playing every team or
splitting into 2 sections.

If there are four (4) or five (5) teams in a level, they will play each other twice; if there are six (6) or more teams, they will play only once or twice as determined by captains' vote. Seven (7) or more teams in a level will play each other only once.

Only the players listed on a team's roster will be eligible to play for that team during the regular season.

A member may be a regular player on one team and may be on the sub list of a next higher level team from any club.

A player may only be on one substitute list.

No regular playing member of a team may be listed as a regular player on any other team or as a substitute on a lower level team.

An individual may substitute twice in a single season without being a member of SALT; dues must be received by a SALT Board Representative before the third match play (see BY-LAWS, Article Two).

1. The penalty for each illegal substitution will be a forfeit of one match point.

Teams are strongly urged to play their strongest pair in the #1 position followed by their next strongest pair in the 2nd position and so on. Teams will be awarded points based on sets won on particular courts. Three bonus points will be awarded to the team winning the matach, ( 2 out of 3 courts). A total of all points at the end of the regular seson will determine the winners in each division.

Court 1: 4 Points per set(s) won
Court 2: 2 Points per set(s) won
Court 3: 1 Point per set (s) won
***3 Bonus Points per Match won

If a team member does not appear, the defaulted match point will be credited to the opponents if both of their players are present. The remaining team members will play according to the written line-up.

A team as a whole may move up a level without winning their current level.

A team winning two (2) consecutive seasons must play at the next higher level for at least one season.

1. To remain at the current level of play, a team may regroup with no more than half of the existing team's Regular players on the newly formed team's roster. The lowest level of play is excluded from this rule.

2. Level A may regroup or continue to play with the existing roster. The team who previously won two consecutive seasons will not get points counted toward their wins but only for their opponents who win courts from that particular match play.

If a doubles team does not win at least 20% of courts played, for two consecutive seasons, excluding forfeits and defaults, the team must move down to the next lower level of play the following season.

1. To remain at the current level of play, a team may regroup with no more than half of the existing team’s regular members on the newly formed team’s roster. The lowest level of play is excluded from this rule.

All other Rules and Guidelines sections apply to singles play, except the DOUBLES and TEAM CAPTAINS sections.

Matches.

The singles league will consist of five (5) levels of play. The hostess for each designated week will contact her opponent to schedule the match for that week. The match will be played at a location selected and reserved by the hostess and at a time convenient to both players. A 20-minute default rule is in effect for all scheduled matches. No one will be allowed to waive this rule.

1. A level must have at least five (5) players.

2. If any level has six (6) or more players, trophies will be awarded for first and second place.

3. If a level has eleven (11) or more players, it will be divided into groups.

Dates for beginning and completion of matches are in mailed schedule.

A hostess will be designated for each match. The hostess will be responsible for providing balls and designating the site for play.

Two postponements by a player for any reason will be allowed during the season. The player requesting the postponement should notify her opponent by direct telephone contact no later than one hour prior to time of match. The player requesting the postponement will notify her scorekeeper within twenty-four (24) hours of the scheduled day of play that the match has been postponed. If the scorekeeper cannot be reached, notify the Singles Coordinator.

1. Failure to notify the scorekeeper of the postponement will result in one (1) Penalty point to the player requesting the postponement.

2. More than two postponements in one season will result in a forfeit of each subsequently postponed match by the player postponing the match.

3. Any postponed match must be rescheduled and reported to the scorekeeper within seven (7) days from the date of the originally scheduled match.

   Any match not completed by the deadline will result in a forfeit by both players. It is the responsibility of the player who requested the postponement to reschedule the match with her opponent.

4. If a singles player does not win at least 20% of matches played, for two consecutive seasons, excluding forfeits and defaults, that player must drop down to the next lower level the following season.

Play-Offs.

USTA rules will be followed when a tie occurs (two players, head to head; three players, least sets lost, least games lost.)

1. If a level has been divided into two (2) sections, the play-off format will be that the first place winner for each section plays the second place winner of the other section, and then the two winners play off.

2. The Coordinator will choose a neutral location and determine surface of a court by a flip of coin.

Penalties.

1. When each match is completed, the players will record the scores and both players will sign the score sheet. The winning player will mail the completed score sheet to her scorekeeper within forty-eight (48) hours from the time the match is played. No hand deliveries will be accepted. Failure to comply will incur a forfeit.

2. When a player starts the season and does not finish, all of her matches are voided. Forfeiting over half of one's matches will be considered the same as dropping out.

3. The player who drops out of singles must also drop out of doubles, unless for medical reasons, at which time the board should be addressed for allowance of doubles play to remain.

4. The player who drops out will not be allowed to play singles the following season unless approved by the Executive Board.