York & District Ladies Squash League

Rules for League Matches – 2008/2009 Season

PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL TEAM PLAYERS FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES

WITH THESE RULES

Every club should have a copy of The Rules of Squash, which ought to be available to all Team Captains these can be obtained at a cost of £3.00 from the World Squash website http://www.worldsquash.org/rules.html You can also download abbreviated rules f.o.c. from the website and guidance on lets and updates on new rules.

Please ensure your team is aware of the rules on interference, injury and bleeding and turning Rules of Squash 12 and 16.

Once the fixture date has been agreed at the Fixtures Meeting the match cannot be rearranged for any reason other than inclement weather. The home team captain is to confirm the fixture to the away team captain at least one week before the match.

In the event of the fixture having to be rearranged then both captains will be responsible for informing the Results Secretary within one week of the cancelled match date. Once a new date has been agreed the home team captain will be responsible for informing the Results Secretary immediately after it has been agreed. Likewise, if a match is conceded then the captain of the team that has conceded is to inform the Results Secretary a.s.a.p.

There will be a 10 point penalty imposed upon a team conceding a match. 20 points will be awarded to the team they were due to play.

Home teams will be responsible for booking courts, lighting and refreshments and the supply of new balls. NB Out of courtesy the home team captain is to be advised how many of the away team are staying for food.

Teams will consist of 5 recognised club members who will play in order of merit. Clubs wishing to enter a squad of more than 5 players for any one team must nominate those players also in order of merit. If a reserve player plays then a note should be made on the score card before being sent to the Results Secretary.

Reserves for any team must be drawn from the team or teams below, and must play below all nominated players. A player may not play more than twice as a reserve in a higher team in each half season. If a player plays as a reserve in subsequent matches they will be deemed to be nominated in the higher team and therefore cannot play any further matches for the lower team in that half season.

If a club enters more than one team to the league, players must be nominated in strict order of merit right through the teams i.e. from number 1 in the first team to the last nominated player in the third team.

All team players must be nominated and the Results Secretary notified before their first match. A club which is fielding more than one team must nominate ALL its teams’ players at the same time, BEFORE any of its teams’ first match. Re-nominations for the second half of the season must be made by 2^nd January.

The committee reserves the right to question the order of merit and suggest re-nominations, if necessary.

Re-nomination due to extenuating circumstances will be allowed at any time, at the discretion of the Committee.

Yorkshire League and County League players are eligible to play in York & District Ladies Squash League. These players must be nominated in order of merit within the Club’s team/s. Please refer to Rule 4 for clarification of how players should be nominated.

Teams may only play one junior boy in order of merit, aged 14 or under, (not necessarily the same one) in any number of matches.

The Dunlop Revelation Competition single yellow dot squash ball is to be used at all matches and competitions. If a player wishes to use the Dunlop Revelation Pro double yellow dot she/he may do so only if their opponent agrees, otherwise the single yellow dot must be used. This rule applies to each game played i.e. the choice of balls for any one match does not run through all five games (in the case of team league matches).

All games will be marked: The Home team will provide the markers and the Away team the referees, in the absence of a referee the marker may act in both capacities. NB Any player has the right to challenge a marker or a referee before the start of their game; however any change must be at the request of both players.

In the event of none of the Home team players being available to mark a game, the Away team player on court should be asked, as a matter of courtesy, before the game commences, if she/he has any objections to a non team player marking and/or refereeing a game. If the Away team player does have an objection then one of the Away team players should be asked to mark the game.

Clothing must be predominantly white or light pastel colours.

Games are to be the best of 5 with setting i.e. if the game reaches 8 all, the receiver is to choose “set 1 or set 2”.

All teams will be awarded points for any one game won with an extra 5 points to the final score of the winning team.

When a team has to play a match short of one player, the 5^th game is conceded and the remaining players are to play in order 1 to 4. Similarly in the event of the team being short of 2 players then the fourth and fifth games are conceded.

If a captain is aware that a player/players will arrive late for a match, she should advise the opposition team’s captain as early as possible, and certainly no later than the start of the match i.e. if the player is a lower positioned member of the team, then arrangements could be made for her/him to play later or last.

If the player/players’ arrive after the completion of all the games played by the team members present, their games will be conceded.

If a player/players’ absence results in the games being played out of order then their games and any lower games will be conceded.

Injury time: for injury time see The Rules of Squash, published by ‘World Squash Rule 16 Bleeding, Injury and Illness’.

Warm Up Time: Before the start of a match, the two players are allowed up to 5 minutes (2½ minutes on each side) to “warm-up” themselves and the ball on the match court.

When a ball has been changed during a match, or if the match has been resumed after some delay, the players may warm-up the ball to playing condition.

The ball may be warmed-up by either player during any interval in the match.

The time between all games is to be 90 seconds. Play is expected to be continuous in each game once a player has started serving. There should be no delay between the end of one rally and the start of the next one. Ball bouncing by the server, if excessive, can be regarded as time wasting. If the receiver is clearly uncomfortable with it, the marker should apply Rule 17 of the Rules of Squash and start with a warning.

Conduct on court: Offensive, disruptive or intimidating behavior in squash is not acceptable in squash. Included in this category are: audible and visible obscenities, verbal and physical abuse, dissent, abuse of racket, court or ball, unnecessary physical contact, excessive racket swing, unfair warm-up, time-wasting, late back on court, deliberate or dangerous play or action and coaching (except between games). Markers should again apply Rule 17 of the Rules of Squash and start with a warning.

All results are to be forwarded by the home team captain to the Results Secretary as soon as possible after the match. Cards must be completed, in full, after every match giving all details.

If the result is not received within seven days then a £1.00 fine will be imposed on the home team and added to the affiliation fee at the AGM.

If a team should withdraw from the League leaving another team from the same club in a lower division in the league, then their position in the League will be decided upon by the Committee.

In the event of a tie in the league points at the end of the season and matches won and lost are the same then the teams should play a ‘play off’ match to decide the outright winners.

New teams entering the league will normally start in division 3 unless the Committee, using it’s discretion, feel the team would be too strong.

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