Metropolitan Squash Racquets Association

League rules
2007-2008 Season

• To officially sign your team up for the League, call the MSRA at 631-421-6806 or email the MSRA executive director at kenny.scher@msra.net . For questions or comments about the league format for the season, email League Chair Corey Modeste at corey.modeste@msra.net.

• MSRA League Teams may be initiated by a MSRA member club, the Pro or squash staff at a member club, or by a group of MSRA members. If you have any questions about how to create a league team please call or email Corey Modeste or Kenny Scher (see above).

• The MSRA League season will commence on Monday, November 5, 2007.

• League Finals night will be held on the same evening as the 2008 Hyder Trophy tournament first round matches. All league finals will be completed on or prior to that evening.

• The MSRA has revised the League Rules this year. Please read them carefully.

Contact information

• MSRA League Chair :

Corey Modeste
Email: corey.modeste@msra.net

• MSRA Executive Director:

Kenny Scher
Tel: 631-421-6806
Email: kenny.scher@msra.net

• MSRA general info:

Email: squash@msra.net

League Rules

Eligibility

• All players must be current members of the USSRA and the MSRA. Players may apply online on the Railstation site, which is accessible from www.us-squash.org . Click on the “Join Now” and follow the instructions for sign-up. Be sure to check off “ New York ” as the local association.
• Players whose memberships have expired may be added to a roster, but they may not play a match until they have re newed their membership. A match played by an expired member will be automatically defaulted by the system. There will be no exceptions to this.
• To prevent a default, the MSRA allows a one time exemption for a team captain (with the consent of the other team captain) to add a new player to a roster without that person being an MSRA member. However, that new member must become a member for any future matches to count for their team.

• Each Member Club may enter a maximum of two teams for play on a specific night. Evenings of play are as follows:
• Men's A/Open: Mondays
• Men's C: Tuesdays
• Men's Ltd A, Women's B: Wednesdays
• Men's B+: Thursdays
• Men's B: Thursdays

• A player in league competition may compete in a higher division than the one in which he or she is rated, but under no circumstances in a lower division. For the purposes of the 2007-2008 season, a player may play on a team ranked higher than the team for which they are registered, but may not play in a lower ranking team. Please contact the League Chair with any disputes, questions, or concerns.

• If a player represents one team in three or more matches during the season, that player will not be allowed to represent any other team in that division during that particular season.

• Where one club enters more than one team in the same division, players may represent only one team during the season of League Play. Violation of this rule will result in the individual match being forfeited.

• Team dues are $150.00, made payable to Metropolitan Squash Racquets Association (MSRA), and sent to the MSRA at: 2A Anchor Court , Huntington , NY 11746 .

• It is the responsibility of the team captain to arrange for payment of the league fee if the club for whom they play does not have a policy of paying for their league teams. Payment should be in the form of one single payment rather than multiple payments from each team member.

Teams

• Teams in the Men's and Women's A division will consist of three (3) player-teams with a minimum of five (5) players on each roster to start of the season. Teams in all other divisions will consist of four (4) player-teams with a minimum of seven (7) players on each roster to start of the season.
• A woman may compete on a Men's League Team.
• Each league team must have a Team Captain and a co-captain . One of these individuals may be the club pro. One person may not be the Team Captain for multiple teams in a given division unless that person is the Club Pro.
• Lineups will be determined by each team's captain and exchanged a minimum of 3 days in advance for a Monday match, 4 days for a Tuesday match, or 2 days in advance for all other matches. The lineup shall follow the current team player rankings.
• The Home Team captain must contact the visiting team captain as per the guidelines above to confirm the match, match times and the home team roster. Visiting team captain should respond in the time frame above confirming the visiting lineup.
• Substitutions are allowed to prevent a default. The Captain of the team substituting a player must notify the opposing team's captain and/or the player the substitute will be playing. The lineup must still follow current team player rankings.
• Current Team Rankings shall be determined through challenge matches, intra-club round robins, and comparative results against other players. Team rankings may not be changed once a lineup has been announced for an upcoming league match.

Captain's Responsibilities 

•  Work with your club pro to pre-book your courts for the entire  season. Schedules will be posted online by COB October 26. Make sure you have adequate courts set up each week.

•  Home Team Captains are responsible for double-checking with his/her club to verify that courts are reserved and for canceling courts if they are not needed. If a woman is participating on a men's team for a match played at an all-male club, the Captain of her team will inform the home team captain.

•  League Teams must conform to individual club rules . Individuals found breaking club rules will forfeit that match. Various clubs throughout the MSRA have different club rules for dress code, noise restrictions on-court, and court attire. Home Team captains should explain all relevant club rules when exchanging team line-ups.

•  Have an active roster (see below) ready to play every week. If one of your scheduled players cannot play  on short notice , you should will still  have an alternate  available to play.

Minimum:
Teams of 3: 6 players
Teams of 4: 7 players

•  Players can play up but can not play down. Although somewhat subjective, obvious cases of abuse may result in matches defaulted. 

•  Court time will be paid for by the Home Team . 

•  Home team c aptains supply new balls for the matches  as well as score sheets for markers. 

•  Protective eyewear is mandatory .  NO EXCEPTIONS .  All captains will be required to affirm that they will enforce, and gain their teammates' agreement, that all will abide by the MSRA and club rules requiring that a participant wear lensed eye protection that meets USSRA specifications. Street eyewear does not meet legal standards and will be counted as not wearing any eye protection. Players may not agree to waive this rule. If a player participates at his or her own risk - without wearing eye-protection – and another player, Team Captain, or Club Pro reports this behavior, the player violating the rule will be defaulted. A player is not obligated to play a match against an un-lensed player and the un-lensed player's match will be defaulted, even if the match was played. A player's second infraction of this rule will result in that player's team forfeiting the match. A player's third infraction of this rule will result in that player's expulsion from the MSRA Leagues for the season in addition to the team forfeiting that match.

•  The winning team's Captain is responsible for entering the results on the Railstation website within 48 hours of the completion of the match. Promptness is required, as standings in each division will be posted on the League Homepage on a bi-weekly basis. The losing team's Captain must confirm the results as entered, or alter them for accuracy. If the losing team's Captain alters the results, the winning team's Captain must confirm the newly entered results. Any disputes regarding final match scores should be brought to the attention of the League Chair.

•  The League Chair will enforce match and team defaults if scores have not been reported within 48 hours of the appointed day of play. No exceptions to this rule will be made under any circumstances. Contact the League Chair as soon as possible with any questions in this regard.

•  Know the rules of league conduct and etiquette. Encourage your players to be on time. If you see your players forming bad habits, not calling let's, not clearing, not accepting strokes, it is up to the captain to maintain fair play and should address the player.

•  Failure to fulfill one's responsibilities shall result in individual match defaults, team forfeitures, or other disciplinary measures.

Match Play

• Warm-up should be limited to a maximum of five (5) minutes - two-and-a-half (2.5) minutes per side. Captains or home team player must ensure adherence to time limits.
• All Matches will be three-out-of-five games (3/5).
• Scoring for each game will be traditional international scoring to 9 points, except where otherwise noted.
• All other USSRA rules shall apply to all matches.
• Individual Match Victories may count towards a player's national ranking as well as towards the final team result in the match.

• In the event of a tie in four player-team matches, the total accumulated games will be counted to decide the winner.
• In the event of a tie in games, the total accumulated game points will be counted to decide the winner.

Refereeing

• Matches will be refereed and marked by a player from each team whenever possible . Each call will be decided by both referees. If they agree, then their decision will stand. If they disagree, a let will be played. Referees will rotate marking duties.
• Matches if self-refereed . Players should be made aware that the procedure for dealing with lets is as follows:

•  If there is a dispute, it is a let.

•  Strokes may only granted by the obstructing player . Strokes cannot be taken, or demanded.

•  If the let is questionable or in dispute, play a let .

•  Conflict should not occur if these guidelines are followed .

Defaults and No-Shows

• Starting for the 2007-2008 league season, all league matches must be played on the night scheduled.
• Defaults or rescheduling will not be allowed.
• If a player fails to appear for their match within 15 minutes of the assigned time, the opposing team's player or Team Captain may enforce a default. If a match is started more than 15 minutes after the assigned time and cannot be finished in the assigned time, follow the “unfinished match” rules below. Note that a default cannot be awarded if the match was started.

•  If court time runs out during an individual match , and reasonable time was allocated by the Home Team's club for matches, then the unfinished match must be completed within 14 days – as per the “Match Rescheduling” rules (above). If fewer than two games had been completed at the time play was suspended, the match will be replayed in its entirety. If more than two games were completed, then the match will be resumed at love-all for the interrupted game, with all completed games remaining as they stood (e.g. if the match is 2-1 and 4-2 in the fourth game, the match resumes at love-all (0-0) with the game score 2-1, the winner of the third game to serve).

• A Team Captain who cannot fill all 3 or 4 roster positions on a given night must notify the opposing team captain and players in good time such that courts may be released.
• If a player defaults and the opposing team's players were not informed such that all three or four players (full team) arrive at the club expecting a match, it is the decision of the team or Team Captain of the complete team as to whether the remaining players remain at their agreed-to roster positions or move up to play in the highest positions that remain.
• Failure to field a complete team on the specified day may result in a team default.
• A Team may default one match per League Season. If a second match is defaulted, that League Team will be ejected from the League for the remainder of the season. A team default has occurred if more than one individual match is defaulted, or more than one player does not show up to play, on a given evening.
• A team which has an average of one default per match, or more, throughout the first half of the season shall be ejected from the league for the remainder of the season.

Playoffs

• Leagues with four to seven teams will have a playoff of no fewer than two teams.
• Leagues with eight or more teams will have no fewer than 4 teams represented in the playoffs.
• If two teams are tied at the conclusion of the regular season, the team which participated in more matches (defaults do not count as having participated in a match) will advance to the playoffs.
• If the two teams participated in the same number of matches, then the team which had a better head-to-head record (1. team match record, 2. then individual match record, 3. then total games) will advance.
• If a tie still ensues, a playoff match will be scheduled to determine the playoff team.
• Home Court Advantage will be held by the team with a better record (see “tie-breakers”), subject to their having regulation international (21') courts.
• All Playoff matches will be played on 21' wide, regulation international courts. If regulation international courts are not available, preference will be given to the team with the wider courts.
• No player may compete in any playoffs unless he or she has played in at least 20% or a minimum of 3 matches (whichever is greater) during the regular season.
• Playoff finals for the A divisions will be held at a site to be determined by the League Chair on Finals Night.

Disputes