2017 Championship Year

Eligibility

Each player shall have reached the required minimum age prior to or during the calendar year for each of the Age Groups in which they compete for all leagues - Adults, Mixed, Southern Combo and Tri Level. All players must be current (paid) members of the USTA through their local league season and must register for a team via Tennis Link. When registering, each player must pay the present local league fee plus an internet Tennis Link fee per league season.  Players must have a NTRP computer rating.  New players to the system must "self-rate" when registering for a league using the NTRP Guidelines.

Team Rosters

Each team shall appoint a team captain and he/she may only captain one team per level per league.  The captains should read and be familiar with the rules and regulations of the USTA, STA, ATA, and Local League found on each organization's website.  It is the captain's responsibility to create his/her team via TennisLink each season and notify the players of the team number so they can register for the team.  Non-playing captains must appoint one player to create the team and register in order to obtain a team number. Let the Local League Coordinator (LLC) know when you want to be a non-playing captain.  The Registration Deadline Dates are published on the local MALT (Mobile Area League Tennis) website under Leagues. The LLC may amend the dates as needed.

All local leagues will limit the number of players that appear on a team roster to no more than 16 for Adult 18 & over and Adult 40 & over, all other leagues will be limited to 14 players on a roster.  The only exception to this regulation would be when a player needs to be placed on a higher level team after being disqualified from his/her present team before the end of the season's local round robin competition. Adult 40 & Over 4.5+ may register (3) 5.0 players but the restriction of two (2) players in each match still applies. A maximum of four players on a roster may reside out of the state of Alabama with the exception of teams that play their local league at state championships.  These teams may have no more than two out-of-state players; this also includes the 65 & Over Invitational.  See (USTA-Alabama 1.04D(4).  The 18 & Over 5.0+ men and women will play local at state, may request local play if only league in the state.  See USTA-Alabama 1.04G 
 
If any Adult Age Group consists of only two teams in a level of play, each team must maintain its roster with at least 40 percent of its players at the designated NTRP level of play. The exception is the Adult 55 & Over Age Group that uses combined NTRP rating levels and will not be required to comply with this Regulation. 

Addition of Players to Roster

Additions can be made prior to the last two scheduled matches for the  Adult 18 & Over, 40 & Over and 55 & Over Age Groups as well as the Mixed Division. Additions can be made prior to the last scheduled match for Southern Combo Doubles and Tri Level. If any of these leagues are played as a weekend tournament, the LLC will establish the deadline date for adding a player. The State League Coordinators (SLC) will establish a roster addition deadline for all leagues that play their local league at the state championships. Roster additions cannot be made for play-off purposes only.

Team Match

Each home team shall identify and reserve its home courts. If your facility does not have water on the courts, the opposing team captains should be advised. The home team provides new balls which must be a standard Type 2 USTA approved ball and any USTA "transition" ball is prohibited. The home team will be responsible for court fees for the visiting team, if applicable. If a match is scheduled and the home team’s courts are not playable one and one quarter hours prior to match time and the home team does not have an alternate location, then the captain should consider playing at the opposing team’s courts if the courts are playable and available. Any team having to split their times of scheduled matches due to court availability should notify their opposing captain at least three (3) days prior to the match, not including match day.  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.  Players feeding in should be present one half hour before the designated start time agreed upon by the two captains

All women teams playing a scheduled USTA Winter Night League match should have all 5 courts (3 courts if 2.5) available at match time.  This is to avoid players having to be out any later than necessary.  Matches can be played earlier than the scheduled match time if courts are available and both captains agree.  

A player may not use electronic devices such as cell phones or any device capable of receiving communication.

Format of Play
 
All matches will be the best of two sets, with a set tie break at 6-all. In the event of split sets, a match tie break (first to 10 by 2) shall be played in lieu of a third set with the two minute set break and no coaching allowed. The tie break shall be scored as 1 set & 1 game for tie break procedures. All tie breaks should be the Coman tie break (Click for Details).  Team format for the Adult 18 & Over shall be two individual singles and three individual doubles matches for 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 levels. For 2.5 and 5.0+ levels the format shall be one individual singles and two individual doubles. The format for the Adult 40 & Over shall be two individual singles and three individual doubles for 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5+ levels.  The format for all other leagues (Mixed Doubles, Combo Doubles, and Tri Level) is three individual doubles.  A team will be awarded a point for each individual match won.

Team Line-up

Captains should exchange line-ups simultaneously prior to the beginning of the team match. Match numbers are located on the schedule. A 15-minute default rule is in effect, starting at the exact time the match is scheduled to begin and subjects players to being defaulted.  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.  If a team does not have enough players to field a full lineup, the team not having enough players will forfeit from the bottom spot of either singles or doubles and move other players up (exception is Tri Level where defaults are by the NTRP level)..

At the conclusion of each match one of the captains, no matter which, or a team member should enter scores on TennisLink by match number. Confirmation must be done within 48 hours of posted scores by the team captain that did not enter the scores.

If a team forfeits an entire team match during round robin play, the local league coordinator may disqualify the team.  A forfeit of more than two courts is considered an entire team forfeit for both the Adult 18 & Over and 40 & Over leagues.  For all other leagues (including Adult 55 & Over) that play three courts a forfeit of 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.

Player Participation

Players may play on only one team in an NTRP level within an age group in the same local league during the same season.  In local leagues where NTRP levels are divided into flights, a player may not play in more than one flight. 1.04G(2)
 
A player may play up to one NTRP level above the player's current NTRP level. (For example: a 3.0 can play up to a 3.5)

Rescheduling Matches


The following weather conditions - rain, lightning, or severe temperature (below 32 degrees F or the wind chill is below 32 degrees one and one half hours prior to match time) shall authorize the cancellation and re-scheduling of a scheduled match.  Either captain may elect to reschedule.  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. Rescheduled matches should 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 or before the published end date of the league whichever comes first. The only exception would be a league played as a weekend tournament. In this case, the LLC will reschedule the matches.
 
If a match is not played due to inclement weather, the following procedures should be followed::

The home team captain should contact the opposing team captain and offer three (3) possible days for rescheduling.  These offered dates should be within the 12-day rescheduling timeframe. The opposing team captain should try to field a team on one of those three offered days of play. Notification should be made to the home team
within two days of the offering. If a rescheduled date is agreed upon, the only reason for not playing on that agreed upon date would be inclement weather. Once a date has been agreed upon, the local league coordinator should be notified. It is the home captain's responsibility to make court arrangements for rescheduled matches.

Captains may request the rescheduling of a match due to a conflict with player(s) involved in USTA Alabama League Championship play (Flight, State, Section, or National Championships). No more positions may be rescheduled than the number of players registered or participating in said championship.  Eligible players for rescheduled positions are defined as players listed on the championship roster submitted for the flight playoff, State, Section, or Nationals.  These rescheduled matches must be played either prior to the originally scheduled match or within 12 days of the completion of the championship event. If earlier arrangements have not been made, Captains needing to reschedule should exercise courtesy and good sportsmanship and notify the opposing captain at least 7 days prior to the scheduled match date about his conflict.

The local league coordinator may administratively reschedule a match.

Progression to State Championships

Local 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 Regulation     (2.03H) for tie breaks should be followed. The tie shall be broken by the first of the following procedures that does so:

     Individual matches: Winner of the most individual matches  

     Head-to-Head: Winner of the head-to-head match
    Sets: Loser of the fewest number of sets
    Games: Loser of the fewest number of games
    A Coin Toss

In the Adult and Mixed Division, a player is eligible to progress to championship level below National Championships if that player has played on the same team in at least two (2) matches at the same NTRP level in the same Age Group during its local league season.  A maximum of one default received by a player during local league competition shall count for advancing.  Retired matches shall count toward  advancing for all players involved in both USTA League Divisions 2.03A(3).  In order to advance out of local leagues to Combo Doubles and Tri Level Championships a player must have participated in one (1) match with one default counting.

USTA Alabama:  Players who qualify for the Adult State Championship may advance on an 18 & Over, a 55 & Over, and 65 & Over team. Players may not advance on two teams in the same age group except the 40 & Over division as it is played on separate weekends.   Players who qualify for the Mixed State Championship may advance on one 18 & Over and 40 & Over team, but may not advance on two teams in the same age group. See USTA Alabama Regulation 1.04G(6) for exception.
 
Teams entered in the State Championships that withdraw after the state entry deadline will be subject to a fine of $75 per person payable to ATA. Any team that defaults a court throughout the championship is also subject to the $75 fine unless excused by the tournament committee.  Said players will be ineligible to compete in any USTA league, including Tri-Level and Combo Doubles leagues, until the fine is paid.  Appeals may be submitted to the chairman of the Adult League Committee within one week of the said championship.  All entry fees will be forfeited

Grievance Procedures

A grievance must be filed in writing with the Local or State/Area League Coordinator prior to the commencement of the next match in the 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. Self-Rate Eligibility Grievances are filed with the State League Coordinator.  USTA Alabama mandates that the party (or parties) filing the self-rate eligibility grievance complaint must provide the documentation to support their complaint at the time of their filing..

The Local League Grievance and Grievance Appeals Committee may consist of:

                                         Brenda Barter                         Bryan Cooper
                                         Kim Barton                             Fred Cooper
                                         Megan Cooper                        Brian Dorgan
                                         Lisa Hansen                           Andrew Fusaiotti
                                         Carol Ann Jeffery                     Thomas Galloney
                                         Becky Lund                            James Giddens  
                                         Kelly McGinley                        Ernest Ladd
                                         Kristen Pfeffle                          Mark Pawlowski
                                         Lizbeth Stanton                       Kenneth Sands
                                         Bebe Lindsey                          Barry Lund

                                          Lynes Crocker                         Louie Brackett

The grievance and grievance appeal committee members may be selected from the above list and may be amended by the LLC in the event conflicts exist. It is the team captain's responsibility to update changes in an email address with the LLC and with USTA.  Email is the primary means of communication used by the coordinator.