Kent Senior League Rules

KENT SENIOR SQUASH LEAGUE RULES

These Rules are in addition to the Rules of Kent SRA . They take effect at the start of the 2022 Summer League.

The competition shall be open to clubs in Kent and adjoining counties. All clubs and players must be affiliated to England Squash & Racketball Association (ESR), Kent SRA and membership must be maintained. Participating clubs must have at least two courts that comply with ESR specifications.

Changes to these Rules may be made at meetings of Kent SRA. Voters must be in attendance at the meetings and must represent a participating Club.

The league is operated in two sections, North West and South East Kent. Each section shall appoint its own Administrators as required, subject to the approval of Kent SRA.

There will be a winter and a summer season.

Players may play in the North West and the South East leagues.

1. OBJECTIVE

  The objective of the League is to organise and encourage the playing of team squash in Kent, in a fair and sporting manner, with an emphasis on socialising after matches.

2. COMPETITION FORMAT

• The Rules shall be the World Squash Federation 2014 or as modified by these rules. The scoring in all Divisions 1-3 shall be PAR 11 and in lower Divisions PAR 15. The balls shall be as approved by WSF (Kent SRA recommends Karakal) Double Yellow Spot unless both captains agree that the temperature of the courts warrants Single Yellow Spot.
• The league competition shall be played as a league and split into divisions. In any division, each team plays all other teams in that division both home and away. Generally, at the end of the league, the bottom two teams in each division shall be relegated and the top two teams in each division shall be promoted, except between divisions 1 & 2 where only 1 team may move. The league secretary may, at his discretion, balance teams in leagues.
• Vacancies caused by any team ceasing to compete or any subsequent vacancies shall be filled at the discretion of the League Secretary.
• Teams will usually consist of 4 players. Each match shall be the best of 5 games.
• The league is run on League Master. Clubs must enter their club and team details. The league is monitored by the League Monitoring System (LMS) which sends notices to team captains and advises of errors and mistakes.

3. ELIGIBILITY AND NOMINATIONS

• At the beginning of each season, an entry fee will be charged for each team competing in the league. The entry fee will be fixed at the Kent SRA AGM and be payable 2 weeks before the first tie of each season. Any club not having paid by this date will be deemed to have withdrawn from the league.
• To play in either the league or cup ties, clubs must nominate players in known order of merit i.e., a club strength nomination with number 1 being the best player. Clubs may re-nominate players for the second half of the season no later than the first fixture date of the second half of the season. The league secretary may amend nominations retrospectively by agreement with the club where a genuine mistake has been made. Players must be entered by clubs into their Players List within League Master together with the player's ESR membership number.
• Players may only be added to the nominations before the last 4 weeks of the winter league or the last 2 weeks of the summer league if agreed by the league secretary prior to the player playing in any tie.
• Teams must be nominated in League Master before the first match of the first and second half-season with a minimum of 4 players nominated in each team, at least 3 of whom must have played in either the previous Summer or Winter Kent Leagues.
• Clubs with more than one team may allocate players across teams to balance the strength of teams.
• Players may play for their nominated team or a higher team, but not a lower team.
• Players may play up to a higher team twice in each half-season. On playing up a third time, they will be team tied to the higher team for the remainder of the half-season. Where players have played up to different teams, they will be team tied to the lower of the higher teams. Playing up from the tied team will team tie the player to a higher team.
• Before the start of each tie, the two captains shall confirm the name of each team member and their player’s nominated position.
• Any team playing a non-nominated player will result in that player’s match and all those below them being void and the points being awarded to the opposition.
• The players within a team must play in club nominated order. Otherwise, all players who are playing below their nominated position will lose their points and the points being awarded to the opposition.
• In exceptional circumstances, when double-header ties are played, each player will have been considered as playing twice regarding eligibility to play. Approval for a double header fixture must be sought from the league secretary at least 7 days prior to the fixture.
• No player may be nominated by two different clubs in the League or for two teams in the same division during a season. Requests from players to change clubs during the season will be at the discretion of the league secretary and chairman following written agreement by both clubs. This rule may be relaxed in the South East league at the discretion of the league secretary and chairman.
• No player may play for a team in the last three fixtures of the season unless they have previously played for the club in the league or cup on at least two occasions per half, during that season or have been registered with the appropriate Results Secretary at least 7 days prior to the fixture as a potential player. The penalty for infringement of this Rule will be the tie in which the offending player played and all lower ties will be forfeited.

4. FIXTURES, VENUE AND COURT TIMES

• All matches within a tie must be played at the same venue, to start and conclude after the agreed start time.
• Matches in the North West League are scheduled for a Tuesday, Division 1 matches must be played on a Tuesday.
• Teams playing on a day other than that originally scheduled in League Master, shall at the earliest opportunity once the new league is activated, and in any case at least 5 days prior to the league commencing, change the day/date of their home fixtures. Team captains must ‘check’ the Confirmed box adjacent to the dates for each home game prior to the first fixture. Ties must be played in the scheduled week unless agreed otherwise with the league secretary.

  If subsequently a team wishes to alter a fixture date, it may do so with the agreement of the opposition and the league secretary. If agreement is not reached, the fixture must go ahead or the team must concede. In the event of a conceded fixture, the points will be awarded to the opposition.

  If a club has 2 teams in the same division then the matches will be scheduled to play each other within the first 2 fixtures of each period. These fixtures cannot be rearranged for later in the period. This is to prevent result manipulation.

  Ties are to commence at 7.30pm unless otherwise agreed by the captains involved. It is imperative that as many of the team as possible arrive promptly. Three players from both teams should be present and ready to play by the agreed start time. :

  Three players from both teams should be present and ready to play by the agreed start time.  Start times for matches should be confirmed on League Master by the home team.

  If a player from either team arrives so late that it prevents the tie from being completed within two hours from the confirmed start time, that player may be treated as a ‘walkover’.  If they do not arrive at all, the points gained by the strings below them may also be forfeit

  It should be regarded as exceptional to arrive more than 30 minutes late. If, without reasonable explanation, a team has not one member present and ready to play within 30 minutes of the agreed start time, it shall forfeit the tie. Similarly, if any team member is not present when all other matches have been played he/she shall concede his/her match and any other strings below him/her.

• It is the responsibility of the home team to provide sufficient court time. The minimum requirement is considered to be two courts, each available for at least two hours play. If after a prompt start has been made, a tie must be curtailed because courts are unavailable for further play, then the home team shall forfeit the uncompleted matches.

5. LEAGUE RESULTS

• On completion of every tie, the home captain must enter the result and game scores on the website within two days. The away captain shall validate the result within 2 days of being requested to by an e-mail from the league administrator. Any disagreement with the result entered by the home captain is to be raised immediately with the league secretary. Failure of the home captain to enter the result within 3 days will result in the offending team having an automatic five point penalty applied by the LMS.
• Non-entry or incorrect entry on the website of player’s names, league points or results will result in a one point deduction to the home team for each incorrect or non- entry.
• Entering a false name for a player will be regarded as a serious offence and the tie awarded to the opposition by 20-0 points.
• One point shall be scored for each game won in a best of five games match between two players. Five bonus points will be awarded to the team winning most matches in the tie. In the case of teams of 4 players, the winning team shall be awarded 5 bonus points. In the event of a 2-2 tie in matches, the winning team will be determined on games won and then points won. If tied on points, both teams shall be awarded 2 bonus points. The result of the League Competition shall be decided on the total points scored, and in the event of a draw between two or more teams, the order of precedence shall be decided by the greater number of ties won and then the games won.
• A 2 point penalty will be awarded for each walkover i.e. 2 points per string, 10 8 points for a team walkover. The penalty will double where a name is entered instead of ‘walkover’ Any team giving two team walkovers in a season may be relegated regardless of their final position in the league.
• A team not playing either of the last 2 ties of a season will receive an additional penalty of 20 points per tie.
• A club that does not pay ESR affiliation or Kent County Subscription fees within 30 days of receiving the invoice will receive penalty points to drive their teams to the bottom of their league. Penalty points will be removed when due payments are made.
• A plaque or trophy will be awarded to each team winning a division of the league.

6. MARKING

  All matches in all competitions must be marked. The home team is responsible for supplying three two of the markers and the visiting team two, unless specifically agreed otherwise between the opposing team captains. In the event of a referee being called for, he/she must be from the opposing team to the marker.

7. DISPUTES AND DISCIPLINE

• All disputes shall be submitted in writing to the League Secretary who will either decide the matter or refer it to the Leagues & Rules Committee.
• The League Secretary has authority to take certain actions as specified in the Kent SRA Code of Conduct.

8. MISCELLANEOUS

• If a team does not play a return home fixture in the season they shall contribute half of the food and beverage costs of the away fixture, with make a £35 minimum contribution to the opposition. All cases in dispute shall be submitted to the League Administrator in writing, who may refer it to Kent SRA. Failure to comply with this rule will result in the club being removed from the league.
• The cost of any bar bill shall be shared equally between the two teams, unless mutually agreed by the two captains before the first match is played. Any abuse of the bar bill should be notified to the league secretary without delay. The offending team will be penalised in the league until the matter is resolved.
• The cost of supplying the balls, courts and adequate refreshments for the visiting team is the responsibility of the home team. To prevent unreasonable costs anyone who is unable to stay for the post tie food should inform the home captain 48 hours before the tie.
• Players are responsible for their own travel costs.

9. CUP SPECIFIC RULES

  These rules are in addition to the general rules above.

• The division one winners (if no cup) or the division one cup winners (if played) will represent the league in the Cornwallis cup against the other half of the county. The winner of the Cornwallis Cup will represent the county in any regional or county competitions.
• A cup competition will be held for division 1, division 2 & 3, and for division 4 &5 etc.
• The cup competition will take place during period 2 of the winter league
• Nominations for the cup competition shall be those for the second half of the winter league.
• Players may play for their nominated team [or, if they are team-tied, the team they are tied to in the second half season], or a higher team. Players are tied to the first team they play for in the cup competition.
• No player may play for more than one team in the cup competitions.
• Any player representing a team in any cup semi-final or final must have represented that club in the league or cup or a combination of both on at least three occasions in the winter season.
• The onus is on the home team captain to make contact with the away team captain.
• Cup results must be entered into league Master within 48 hours
• The cost for supplying the balls and courts is the responsibility of the home team; this is to offset the additional travelling costs for the away players.
• The cost of any food and bar bill shall be shared equally between the two team