Vancouver Doubles Squash League
2013-14 Rules

DRAFT — this is a working document; but, it does represent the basic intentions of the league. If you have any comments, questions, suggestions please contact Lynn Broman, Rick Kochanski, or Marvin Mizinski.

1. The League

1.1 The Vancouver Doubles Squash League (the ‟League”) functions as a non-profit organization, and as a sanctioned event of the British Columbia Squash Racquets Association (‟Squash BC”).

1.2 The League consists of club teams in, for the 2009/10 season, 4 divisions.

1.3 The League sees its purpose as facilitating competitive, team matches in each division. It expects that its members are involved because they wish to play competitive, fair matches; and, engage in a social environment around the game they love.

2. Composition of Divisions

2.1 The League will determine the number of divisions and the number of teams in each division, so that a sensible schedule can be constructed, and that matches be balanced competitions.

2.2 The League will use the previous season's results as the basis to determine placement of teams for the season. However, Club Reps may make alternative requests for team placement which will be reviewed and decided upon by the League.

2.3 The League is responsible for allocating teams to the various levels and shall have the right to allocate any team to any particular division, or to refuse participation to any team.

2.4 Without limiting the League's ability to allocate teams to divisions, the expected calibre of play for the divisions is as follows:

• Div 1: Tournament Open and top Men's Div 1
• Div 2: Upper/high Touranment Men's Div 1
• Div 3: Lower/low Tournament Men's Div 1 and top Men's Div 2
• Div 4: Tournament Men's Div 2 and novices

3. Composition of Teams

3.1 Each team shall consist of four (4) players.

3.2 All teams of a club shall be selected, at the start of any season, on the basis of the players available and able to play regularly in order of their merit. If a club chooses to field more than 4 regular players to any team, the players sitting out on any given week can play for a team in an equal or higher division for any club in the league, but cannot play on a team in a lower division.

3.3 It is expected that players designated as belonging to a team will stay with that team for the season.

3.4 The League will solicit the number of teams, and desired level (see 2.2) prior to the start of the season. Once, all clubs have made their requests, the League will assess the requests, approve teams, and assign each to a division - the one requested if possible.

3.5 Each captain will advise their opponent captain of their pairings (1st and 2nd in order of strength) prior to the start of each match.

4. Eligibility

4.1 Teams

4.1.1 All clubs with a doubles court, which are in good standing with Squash BC, may apply for one or more teams to participate in the League. They can apply for multiple teams in each division.

4.1.2 All players in good standing with Squash BC are eligible to play. Teams with players not in good standing with Squash BC may be subject to penalties.

4.2 Players of Member Clubs

4.2.1 Any member or associated professional of a club in good standing with Squash BC, and with a doubles court, and any current individual member of same, are eligible to play.

4.2.2 If a player is not a current member of Squash BC when they play for the first time, the team they played for will be penalized one (1) penalty point. If they play a second time without becoming a member of Squash BC the team they play for will forfeit ALL points for that player earned in the second match. However, if the captain, or player, has renewed their membership with Squash BC prior to league result entry no penalty point will be applied.

4.2.3 Players should play for a club of which they are a member (with the exception of clubs without a doubles court), and only for one team.

4.2.4 When a team has a bye, or when any regular player assigned to that team is sitting out on any given week, the players allocated to that team may play for an equal or higher division team for any club in the league.

4.2.5 A player should not play more than one match each week. However, the league would prefer to see matches played rather than defaulted. So, if there are no spares, a player did not show, etc, a player can play a second time for their team, or for another team later in the evening.

4.3 Players of Non-Member Clubs

4.3.1 Players from clubs without a doubles court are eligible to play for a team from any member club - assuming the individual club policy permits them to do so.

4.4 Team Applications and Fees

4.4.1 Applications for League teams should be submitted by a date as approved by the League each year.

4.4.2 Clubs will be informed as to their allocations sometime after the date as set down in 4.4.1. All team fees are due on the date specified on the club invoice which will be forwarded along with divisional allocations.

4.4.3 Clubs may request changes in allocations (excluding withdrawals) without penalty at any time; however, these are subject to the realm of possibility.

5. Scheduling and Court Useage

5.1 Starting Times

5.1.1 League play is on Wednesdays for all divisions (see 5.4).

5.1.2 League matches shall start at 6pm or 8pm.

5.2 Rescheduling

5.2.1 A match may start earlier or later by mutual consent, assuming court availability. Otherwise, matches are not to be postponed or rescheduled, except for extraordinary circumstances.

5.2.2 Clubs wishing to reschedule a match must inform the League and arrange a mutually agreeable time with the affected club.

5.2.3 Matches missed for unforseeable circumstances (i.e. snowstorms) must be rescheduled promptly. A missed match before Christmas must be rescheduled and played during the Christmas break. Those missed after Christmas must be rescheduled and played up to and including the last scheduled match in that division.

5.3 Court Usage

5.3.2 Home teams must book courts for 6 to 10 PM for each Wednesday of the schedule.

5.4 ‟DTBA” Matches

5.4.1 Due to the limitations imposed by only having 5 doubles courts available for league play, and the necessity to schedule numerous teams in each division, some matches — a.k.a. ‟DTBA” matches, each week, may not be able to be scheduled for Wednesday. These matches will be identified on the schedule.

5.4.2 The two affected team captains will find a mutually satisfactory alternate day of the week and venue to play the two matches - it is desireable that this date be within the same week as it would otherwise have been scheduled. N.B. the two team matches can be played on different dates, and/or at different venues; they need not be played in a single two hour window.

5.4.3 The appropriate captain, preferably the host team captain, will arrange to book the court for that time and venue.

5.4.4 If a mutually agreeable alternate date/venue can not be found, the match will be considered null and void. No penalty, no gain.

5.5 Host vs Home Team

5.1.1 Due to the scheduling limitations, a host team may not be the home team.

5.1.2 Host teams are designated in the schedule.

5.6 Attire

5.6.1 Players playing matches at Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club are required to wear white attire.

5.6.2 Players playing matches at Hollyburn Country Club, though not required to wear white attire, are required to wear "reasonable" attire.

5.6.3 Captains are responsible for ensuring their team members follow the above dress rules. Teams failing to do so can may, at the League's descretion, be subject to one (1) penalty point.

6. Game and Ball

6.1 Matches will be played on American doubles courts. The match will be played according to the Squash Canada Rules of Doubles Squash.

6.2 All matches are to be played according to the laws accepted by Squash Canada.

6.3 Each team pair shall play one match consisting of the best of five (5) games.

6.4 The official league ball will be the Dunlop Elite Doubles Hardball.

6.5 It is the responsibility of the host team to supply a ball in good condition for each match.

7. Play and Scoring

7.1 Markers and Referees

7.1.1 The League would like the host captain to have each match Marked/Referreed to help ensure games are played in a sporting spirit and in accordance with the laws of the game.

7.2 Order of Matches

7.2.1 Captains are responsible for conferring with the opposing captain to ensure the pairings and matches are equally balanced.

7.2.2 All players must be available to play at the designated start time — either 6 PM or 8 PM. Selecting from the pairings available to play (see 7.2.1), the visiting captain decides which is to be the first match.

7.2.3 If the commencement of a match is delayed for more than 10 minutes because of a player's lateness, then the pair, with the late player(s), forfeits its match (see 4.2.5).

7.3 Team Points

7.3.1 Each pair will score one (1) team point for each individual game won.

7.3.2 The team winning the most individual games will be awarded two (2) bonus points.

7.3.3 An individual defaulted match is scored 3-0.

7.3.4 In the event of a tie in games won, the sum of each team's game scores will be used to determine the match winner. If the game scores are also equal, the match is a draw or tie and a single bonus point is awarded to each team. If the game scores were not recorded, to the satisfaction of both captains, a single bonus point will be awarded to each team.
(Revised 2010.01.14.)

7.4 Results

7.4.1 The league has a draft version of a match record sheet. This should be used to record the individual game and match scores.

7.4.2 The host team is responsible for reporting results immediately (by first thing the following morning) online through Quick Draws. Results entered later than Friday at noon, for Wednesday matches, and Sunday at noon, for DTBA matches, will be subject to a one (1) point penalty.

8. Penalties

8.1 Reporting Results

8.2.1 One (1) penalty point will be assessed for not recording results in a timely manner (see 7.4.2).

9. Results and Playoffs

9.1 At the end of the regular season, winners will be declared based on total points accumulated (the sum of match points minus penalties). Where necessary, i.e. unequal number of matches for teams in the division, a ratio of actual to possible wins will be used to determine the winners.

9.2 At the end of the regular season, up to four teams, in each division, with the highest total points may enter the playoffs — if the League decides to hold playoffs.

9.3 For a team to be eligible to enter the playoffs, each player on that team must have played at least 3 matches for that team during the regular season.

10. Host Responsibilities

10.1 It is the responsibility of the host team to supply a ball in good condition for each match.

10.2 The host team is to provide the visiting team with suitable beverages following the completion of their matches. A meal is neither required, nor expected.

10.3 The host captain is to record the match results promptly (see 7.4).