LEAGUE RULES
HART SQUASH
HSC SQUASH LEAGUES INFORMATION AND RULES
LEAGUE FORMAT
To help accommodate all standards of players there are two Leagues running concurrently in Hart Squash Club:
a) The HSC Open Box League
b) The HSC Super League
All members of HSC can elect to play in the Open Box League, which will be played and managed under the HSC Open Box League rules described below.
The HSC Super League is designed for more advanced club players (i.e. those who play competitively for the club and/or typically maintain their Squash Levels ranking at or above the Super League threshold).
At inception the Super League threshold is 2650 points. This will be varied from time to time to ensure that the Open Box League and Super League remain competitive. HSC Super League will be played and managed under the HSC Super League Rules described below.
In order to achieve promotion from the Open Box League to the Super League players will need to win the HSC Open Box League Division 1 on two consecutive occasions regardless of their squash level ranking.
Players will be relegated from the Super League if they come last in the bottom division AND their Squash Levels ranking has fallen below the Super League threshold.
Both Leagues are integrated into Squash Levels, so results scored will impact every players rating. Please make sure your profile in Tap Leagues has the check box selected for this integration (default setting).
LEAGUE COMMITTEE
a) The League Committee are members of the Hart Squash Club Committee and consist of the Chairperson, the League Administrator and an additional Committee member appointed by the Chairperson.
b) The League Committee is responsible for setting up and managing the league cycles in Tap Leagues and arbitrating any disputes.
MATTERS NOT COVERED
a) Any matters not covered by these Rules shall be referred to the League Committee, whose decision shall be final and binding.
b) These Rules may be amended at the discretion of the League Committee for the benefit of the Club.
TOURNAMENT COMPETITIONS
a) The HSC Committee shall organise tournaments from time to time as the members’ request and circumstances permit.
b) In the case of over-subscription of applications to any Tournament, preference will generally be given to those members who are currently playing in the Leagues.
c) The Rules governing any Tournament shall be set out by the Organiser. They must be clearly set out in writing, be available to all members at the time of the Tournament and have been approved by the HSC Committee.
HSC OPEN BOX LEAGUE RULES
A. LEAGUE MATCHES
a) All matches to be played under the current World Squash Singles Rules
b) All matches will use Point-a-rally scoring to 15 (as per Appendix 3 Rule 1of World Squash Rules)
c) Matches to be best out of five games, i.e. first player to win three games wins the match.
d) All Scores are to be recorded using the points scored per game in Tap Leagues by the winning player (please aim to record these on the same date you played the match). Tap Leagues will determine the League Points allocated as follows for completed matches:
e) Unfinished matches may be re-arranged if desired by BOTH players. A re-arranged match is to be regarded as a new match and played under Rule A(c). In these circumstances, the losing player may claim the greater number of games won in either the original game or the replayed game.
f) Players may elect to regard an unfinished match as completed and enter their scores in Tap Leagues. In this case Tap Leagues will determine the League Points allocated as follows:
g) All matches played count towards the final points total, although the League Committee reserves the right to vary this rule for the benefit of all other members in a League Division, whenever necessary.
h) No points are awarded for matches not arranged.
i) If a player fails to arrive for an arranged match, then the opponent may claim a walkover for the match, entering this in Tap Leagues “Walkover-Forfeit” (W-F), PROVIDED a written explanation is given to and accepted by the League Administrators. Tap Leagues determines the League Points scoring as 4–0.
j) Players failing to arrive for an arranged match have a responsibility to reimburse their opponent for the cost of the court.
k) Where an opponent declines the offer of a third court, without reasonable explanation, having already declined to play on two previous occasions, then the arranging player may claim a walkover for the match, entering this in Tap Leagues “Walkover-Forfeit” (W-F),
PROVIDED a written explanation is given to and accepted by the League Committee. Tap Leagues determines the League Points scoring as 4–0.
l) Members failing to complete any matches in a session, without explanation, shall be removed from the Leagues.
m) All matches shall be played using a single yellow spot ball, however if both players agree prior to the start of the warmup a double yellow spot ball can be used instead.
n) An agreed marker may be used to score matches at the request of either player. If players are unable to agree the marker, then the League Committee shall appoint an independent marker.
o) All members have a responsibility to arrange League matches.
p) Tap Leagues automatically adds a 2-point bonus once a player completes all of their matches in a League cycle. This is an incentive to encourage match completion, and this option will be kept under review by the League Committee.
q) WhatsApp groups for each league will be created by the League Committee at the start of each league cycle. All games should be arranged via these WhatsApp groups as this supports the League Committee and helps them to arbitrate any queries and requests for Walkovers etc.
B. LEAGUE POSITION
a) League positions will be determined upon the basis of total points obtained in each league cycle.
b) Promotion and relegation will normally be on a two-up and two-down basis. This will vary on occasion to accommodate promotions to/relegations from the Super League along with accommodating new entrants and leavers.
c) Should a tie result, it will be resolved by applying the following criteria:
• The first criterion will be the points against; least number wins.
• The second criterion will be the result of their match; the winner of the match wins.
• The third criterion will be the number of games played; the player having played the most games wins.
• The fourth criterion will be the based on the position last session; higher placed player wins.
d) New entrants to the Leagues will be evaluated to determine their playing standard and placed in a division with players of an equivalent standard to achieve the Objectives under the HSC Constitution 2(c) and 3(a), however no players will be entered directly into the top division if they are previously unknown to the club.
e) From time to time it will be necessary to amend the members in specific League Divisions to accommodate joining and leaving players and to help ensure that the overall League is balanced to achieve the Objective under HSC Constitution 2(c) i.e. The League Committee reserves the right to vary these arrangements to achieve 2(c).
f) If a player withdraws from a League Cycle due to injury, or other reasons, which means they miss subsequent cycles, then when they are ready to rejoin, their position at the end of the last cycle participated in will be considered to determine which Division they rejoin. This position may be amended by League Committee as per d) and e).
g) Any player who wins Division 1 on two consecutive occasions will be promoted to the HSC Super League.
HSC SUPER LEAGUE RULES
A. LEAGUE MATCHES
a) All matches to be played under the current World Squash Singles Rules
b) All matches will use Point-a-rally scoring to 11 or 15 (as per World Squash Rules)
c) Matches to be best out of five games, i.e. first player to win three games wins the match.
d) All Scores are to be recorded using the points scored per game in Tap Leagues by the winning player (please aim to record these on the same date you played the match). Tap Leagues will determine the League Points allocated as follows for completed matches:
e) Unfinished matches may be re-arranged if desired by BOTH players. A re-arranged match is to be regarded as a new match and played under Rule A(c). In these circumstances, the losing player may claim the greater number of games won in either the original game or the replayed game.
f) Players may elect to regard an unfinished match as completed and enter their scores in Tap Leagues. In this case Tap Leagues will determine the League Points allocated as follows:
g) All matches played count towards the final points total, although the League Committee reserves the right to vary this rule for the benefit of all other members in a League Division, whenever necessary.
h) No points are awarded for matches not arranged.
i) If a player fails to arrive for an arranged match, then the opponent may claim a walkover for the match, entering this in Tap Leagues “Walkover-Forfeit” (W-F), PROVIDED a written explanation is given to and accepted by the League Committee. Tap Leagues determines the League Points scoring as 4–0.
j) Players failing to arrive for an arranged match have a responsibility to reimburse their opponent for the cost of the court.
k) Where an opponent declines the offer of a third court, without reasonable explanation, having already declined to play on two previous occasions, then the arranging player may claim a walkover for the match, entering this in Tap Leagues “Walkover-Forfeit” (W-F), PROVIDED a written explanation is given to and accepted by the League Committee. Tap Leagues determines the League Points scoring as 4–0.
l) Members failing to complete any matches in a session, without explanation, shall be removed from the Leagues.
m) All matches shall be played using a double yellow spot ball.
n) An agreed marker may be used to score matches at the request of either player. If players are unable to agree the marker, then the league committee shall appoint an independent marker.
o) All members have a responsibility to arrange League matches.
p) Tap Leagues automatically adds a 2-point bonus once a player completes all of their matches in a League cycle. This is an incentive to encourage match completion, and this option will be kept under review by the League Committee.
q) WhatsApp groups for each league will be created by the League Committee at the start of each league cycle. All games should be arranged via these WhatsApp groups as this supports the League Committee and helps them to arbitrate any queries and requests for Walkovers etc.
B. LEAGUE POSITION
a) League positions will be determined upon the basis of total points obtained in each league cycle.
b) Promotion and relegation will normally be on a one-up and one-down basis. This may vary on occasion to accommodate promotions from/relegations to the Open Box League.
c) Should a tie result, it will be resolved by applying the following criteria:
• The first criterion will be the points against; least number wins.
• The second criterion will be the result of their match; the winner of the match wins.
• The third criterion will be the number of games played; the player having played the most games wins.
• The fourth criterion will be the based on the position last session; higher placed player wins.
d) New entrants to the Leagues will join the bottom Division of the HSC Super League via promotion from the HSC Open Box League.
e) From time to time it will be necessary to amend the members in specific League Divisions to accommodate joining and leaving players and to help ensure that the overall League is balanced to achieve the Objective under HSC Constitution 2(c) i.e. The League Committee reserves the right to vary these arrangements to achieve 2(c).
f) If a player withdraws from a League Cycle due to injury, or other reasons, which means they miss subsequent cycles, then when they are ready to rejoin, their position at the end of the last cycle participated in will be considered to determine which Division they rejoin. This position may be amended by League Committee as per e).
g) If a player finishes at the bottom of the lowest Division in the HSC Super League AND their Squash Levels Ranking is less than the current Super League threshold then they will be relegated to Division 1 of the HSC Open Box League, except if this relegation would result in insufficient participants in a League Division or otherwise be of detriment to the other players in the Super League as determined by the League Committee.