2006
 STA League Rules & Regulations
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 USTA SOUTHERN SECTION REGULATIONS
for USA League Tennis
Adult, Senior, Mixed Doubles, & Super Senior Divisions
League Year 2006 – Finalized 04-26-05

The USA League Tennis National and Southern Regulations have full force and applicability at all levels of play in USA League Tennis in the USTA Southern Section and there is no authorization to modify, amplify or change them by local or State League Coordinators, or Grievance or Grievance Appeals Committees. The Sectional League Coordinator, in conjunction with USTA Southern Section Adult Leagues Committee Chairman and Vice Chairman, shall have the authority to interpret the USA League Tennis Southern Section Regulations.  USA League Tennis Regulations (National and Southern) are available on the USTA Southern Section website: www.southerntennis.com. Printed below are the USTA Southern Section League Regulations as authorized by the USA League Tennis National Regulations.
(Note:  Paragraphs included herein are numbered according to pertinent paragraphs of the 2006 USA League Tennis Regulations.)
1.0             GENERAL
1.04 OFFICIAL LEAGUE REGISTRATION.  Each state must establish deadlines and procedures for registering teams on Tennis-Link.
1.05 OFFICAL SCORE REPORTING AND STANDINGS SYSTEM. Scores must be reported in TennisLink within 48 hours of the completed team match.  TennisLink will automatically confirm scores 48 hours after the team match is initially reported in TennisLink if not confirmed by opposing captain.
1.09 AMENDMENTS. These Southern Section Regulations may be amended by the Section Adult Leagues Committee.
                1.17 ADULT LEAGUES COMMITTEE. The USTA Southern Section League Program shall be governed by the Adult Leagues Committee appointed by the President of the USTA Southern Section and subject to the control and direction of the USTA Southern Section Board of Directors.
1.22 CHAMPIONSHIP COMMITTEES. Each state association within the Southern Section is responsible for appointing
championship committees within their area.
1.24 LOCAL LEAGUE SEASON.  All local leagues shall obtain approval of the State League Coordinator for the dates of the local league season(s) within the Southern Section.
2.0             GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
All local and state league regulations will include the names of grievance and grievance appeal committee members and will be distributed to captains prior to beginning of the local league season. Distributions via captains’ packets and/or websites are acceptable.  Each state shall approve all Local and State League Grievance and Grievance Appeal Committees.
2.02A Grievance Committees
2.02A(2) All grievances against administration at the local, state or sectional level will be handled by the USTA Southern Section Leagues Grievance and Grievance Appeal Committees.    Decisions of Grievance Appeal Committees shall be final and binding, provided the decisions are not in conflict or in violation of national, sectional, state and/or local regulations. (See USTA Regulation 1.08).
2.02A(4) Grievances shall be handled by USA League Tennis Grievance and Appeal Committees at the appropriate level (i.e. Local, State, or Sectional).  Grievance actions may be moved to the next higher organizational level for action, as deemed necessary by the appropriate governing body.
2.02B Self-Rate Eligibility NTRP Grievance Complaint.  By USTA waiver granted to the USTA Southern Section, States will appoint Self-Rate NTRP Grievance and Grievance Appeal Committees with approval of the USTA Southern Section.  These committees will have jurisdiction over grievances filed against any player and/or captain who commits or condones entering at one level when their actual skill level is at the top of the next NTRP level or higher. (USTA Interpretation, May, 2004).  Self-Rate NTRP Grievances filed within two weeks of the start date of the player’s and/or captain’s State or Sectional Championships will be administered after the event unless the state or section authorizes the administration of the grievance prior to that time.  If the grievance is not administered until after the event, points won by players will stand. Disqualified players and/or captains that are suspended will not be eligible to advance to the next level of championship play.
3.00       ADULT DIVISION REGULATIONS
              3.01 LOCAL LEAGUE.
3.01B Team.  State Associations may limit the number of players that appear on a team roster and/or the number of players on that roster that are at a specific NTRP level.
3.01G SCORING AND REST.
Each state association may determine the method of scoring for Local league   competition.
3.01H COMPETITION FORMAT
         3.01H(2) Team Match and Scoring.  States may decide how to handle team forfeits at the local level.  
3.01H(4) Team Lineups.  An individual match is started when the first ball is put in play.  After the start of an individual match, if injury to, illness of, or disqualification of a player occurs, the opponents will be awarded a forfeit for that individual match only.  The forfeit principles in 3.03L, shall be applicable, with the Sectional modifications that:
a.      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 only will be forfeited in local leagues.
b.       In the event that a team match must be re-scheduled and starting times are staggered, where opponents are not available and ready to play, forfeits will be awarded in the affected position only.
       c.    States will decide how to regulate rescheduling of team matches due to rain or inclement weather or pass that authority to their local leagues.
d.     Two players will play together in the higher position when both of their partners do not show in order to avoid two defaults.
3.01H(5)b The State may authorize participation in more than one NTRP level within this division in the same local league during the same season.
3.01H(5)c A player may play on more than one team within this division in the same season provided it is in a separate local league.  The State has the authority to accept or deny participation.
3.01H(5)d Players who qualify for Sectional Championships may advance  on (one) adult and (one) senior team but may not advance on two adult or two senior teams.  Players may advance to more than one State’s Championships provided they have qualified to advance in each state.  If eligible players do not participate at the State Championships, they may participate in the Sectional and/or National Championships. A state has the authority to regulate advancement on more than one adult and/or senior team to the State Championships.                3.02         PROGRESSIION
3.02B STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
              The format for winning teams to progress from local league competition to Sectional League Championships is as follows:
The State shall determine the progression from local league to State Championship.  The States shall identify to the Section their winning teams at each level.
The State Association shall hold a State League Championship to be held on or before the 5th day of July 2006 to determine its State Champions.  Any State who cannot comply with this date must seek the permission of the Section League Coordinator and Adult Leagues Committee.
3.02C SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Sectional Association shall hold a Sectional League Championship to be held on or before the 2nd day of September 2006 to determine its Sectional Champions. (Note: If the winning team at any level of State Championship competition is unable to compete further towards the Sectional Championships, then the State League Coordinator may select the second place team for such further competition, etc.) The Section may issue wildcards as necessary to fill the draw. If less than four teams are entered in a NTRP level draw within 21 days of event, the draw for the NTRP level will be cancelled unless otherwise authorized by the Tournament Committee.
                DATE AND LOCATION. 
The 2006 USA League Tennis Southern Sectional Championships will be played in Charleston, SC, July 22-30, 2006.
  FORMAT.  Sectional Championships play shall be round robin in all levels of competition.
                3.03 STATE, SECTIONAL AND NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS
                          3.03A Eligibility
              Players who play in a local league prior to January 1, 2006 and whose published rating at the time of registration was in level may advance to championship play with that team at that level unless their NTRP rating reaches the disqualification mark for that level.
              3.03A(2) In a local league where two league seasons are played, with a winner declared for each season, a player must have played two matches during the same local league season in which his/her team qualified for further competition.  A team winning both seasons without identical rosters for both seasons must choose which season's roster of players will represent the local league at championship competition.
3.03C SCORING AND REST.  At the Southern Sectional Championships, all matches will be the best of two sets and the Set tiebreak shall be used at 6-all in each set.  In lieu of a third set, a Match tiebreak shall be played.  There will be a two minute set break at the end of each set with no coaching.  The Match tiebreak shall be scored as 1 set and 1 game for tiebreak procedures in the event of a tie.  State Associations in the Southern Section have the authority to determine the method of scoring for State Championships.
       3.03M   SCORING OF TEAM DEFAULTS. A team forfeiting an entire team match during championship play may receive further penalties imposed by the Tournament Committee.
      3.04    LEAGUE NTRP DISQUALIFICATION AND REVIEW PROCEDURES
3.04A(4) LOCAL LEAGUE PROCEDURES. Disqualified players may register on a higher-level team if a team agrees and there is time to register prior to the end of local round robin competition. State regulations for deadlines and roster limits would be waived if a team is found and time permits.
                                3.04D Scoring Procedures
3.04D(1) Local. If a self-rated player is disqualified for that particular level of play, all matches played by that individual player shall be considered losses and scored (6-0, 6-0).  If a computer rated player is disqualified for that particular level of play, the individual match that produced the third disqualification dynamic NTRP rating and any subsequent match won by the player shall be considered a loss and scored (6-0,6-0).  Players not disqualified by conclusion of local league round robin play will be eligible to compete in entire local playoff. Dynamic ratings will be calculated at the end of the local playoff to inform any disqualified players that they may not advance to the state championships.  Points earned by disqualified players will stand. 
3.04D(2) Championship.  Dynamic ratings will be calculated following the State and Sectional Championships.  Points earned by disqualified players will stand.  The disqualified player will not be eligible to advance to the next level of competition.
                3.05  YEAR-END NTRP COMPUTER RATINGS AND APPEAL PROCEDURES
Players may appeal their NTRP rating in accordance with the procedures of the USTA NTRP Computer Rating System and their State Appeal Procedures. Match results from NTRP Tournaments in TennisLink will be included in the 2006 year-end ratings.  
5.00        MIXED DOUBLES LEAGUE REGULATIONS
All USA League Tennis Regulations in 1.00 GENERAL, 2.00 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES and 5.00 MIXED DOUBLES LEAGUE REGULATIONS shall apply to the USA Mixed Doubles League Division with the modifications allowed to the USTA Southern Section listed below:
                                5.01 LOCAL LEAGUE
              Players who play in a local league prior to January 1, 2006 and whose published rating at the time of registration was in level may advance to championship play with that team at that level unless their NTRP rating reaches the disqualification mark for that level.
If a player’s rating is lowered during the Mixed Doubles league season, the player must continue to use the rating submitted on the roster for that season.
5.01B Team.  State Associations may limit the number of players that appear on a team roster and/or the number of players on that roster that are at a specific NTRP level.
5.01E LEVELS OF PLAY. 
The levels offered will be combined (5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0  Adults and 5.0,6.0,7.0, 8.0, 9.0 Seniors) where each individual player’s NTRP rating may be no more than 1.0 apart (i.e. a 3.0 player and a 4.0 player may play 7.0).
SENIOR MIXED DOUBLES LEVELS
The Senior Mixed Doubles Levels 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 are not a part of the national program.  The USTA Southern Section has authorized the following waivers for Senior Mixed Doubles Levels:
Players must play in at least one local or state championships match in order to advance to the Southern  Senior Mixed Doubles Sectional Championships.  If there is no local or state competition offered, a team may advance directly to the Sectional Championships. 
                                All other Mixed Doubles rules shall apply for Senior Mixed Doubles.
5.01G SCORING and REST. State Associations in the Southern Section have the authority to determine the method of scoring for local league competition. 
5.01H COMPETITION FORMAT
         5.01H(2) Team Match and Scoring.  States may decide how to handle team forfeits at the local level.  
5.01H(4) Team Lineups.  An individual match is started when the first ball is put in play.  After the start of an individual match, if injury to, illness of, or disqualification of a player occurs, the opponents will be awarded a forfeit for that individual match only.  The forfeit principles in 3.03L, shall be applicable, with the Sectional modifications that:
a.      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 only will be forfeited in local leagues.
c.        In the event that a team match must be re-scheduled and starting times are staggered, where opponents are not available and ready to play, forfeits will be awarded in the affected position only.
       c.    States will decide how to regulate rescheduling of team matches due to rain or inclement weather or pass that authority to their local leagues.
d.     Two players will play together in the higher position when both of their partners do not show in order to avoid two defaults.
5.01H(5) Player Participation
                                           5.01H(5)b The State may authorize participation in more than one NTRP level within this division in the same local league during the same season.
5.01H(5)c  The State may authorize participation on more than one team within this division in the same season provided it is in a separate local league. The State has the authority to accept or deny participation.
5.01H(5)d Players who qualify for Sectional Championships may advance  on (one) adult and (one) senior team but may not advance on two adult or two senior teams. Players may advance to more than one State’s Championships provided they have qualified to advance in each state.  If eligible players do not participate at the State Championships, they may participate in the Sectional and/or National Championships. A state has the authority to regulate advancement on more than one adult and/or senior team to the State Championships.
                5.02 PROGRESSION.
                                5.02B AREA/STATE CHAMPIONS
             The format to progress from local league competition to Sectional League Championships is as follows:
The State shall determine the progression from local league to State Championship.  The States shall identify to the Section their winning teams at each level.  The State Association shall hold a State League Championship to be held on or before the 1st day of October, 2006 to determine its State Champions.  Any State who cannot comply with this date must seek the permission of the Sectional League Coordinator and Adult Leagues Committee.
5.02C SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Section may issue wildcards as necessary to fill the draw. If less than four teams are entered in a NTRP level draw within 21 days of event, the draw for the NTRP level will be cancelled unless otherwise authorized by the Tournament Committee.
 5.03 AREA, SECTIONAL AND REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
DATE AND LOCATION.  The 2006 USA League Tennis Southern Sectional Mixed Doubles Championships date and location will held in Cary, NC, October 20-22, 2006.                                 5.03A Eligibility.
5.03A(5) Teams that compete at State, Sectional or Regional Championships are not required to disperse to form a new team for the following league year.
5.03C Scoring and Rest. At the Southern Sectional Championships, all matches shall be the best of two sets and the Set tiebreak shall be used at 6-all in each set.  In lieu of a third set, a Match tiebreak shall be played. There will be a two-minute set break at the end of each set with no coaching. The tiebreak procedure shall be scored as 1 set and 1 game.  See 5.03O USTA Regulations for scoring in the event of retirements.  State Associations in the Southern Section have the authority to determine the method of scoring for State Championships.
6.00        SUPER SENIOR LEAGUE REGULATIONS
All USA League Tennis Regulations in 1.00 GENERAL, 2.00 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES and 6.00 SUPER SENIOR LEAGUE REGULATIONS shall apply to the Super Senior Division with the modifications allowed to the USTA Southern Section listed below:
                                6.01 LOCAL LEAGUE
              Players who play in a local league prior to January 1, 2006 and whose published rating at the time of registration was in level may advance to championship play with that team at that level unless their NTRP rating reaches the disqualification mark for that level.
If a player’s rating is lowered during the Super Senior league season, the player must continue to use the rating submitted on the roster for that season.
6.01B Team.  State Associations may limit the number of players that appear on a team roster and/or the number of players on that roster that are at a specific NTRP level.
6.01E LEVELS OF PLAY. 
The Sectional Championships levels of play for 2006 are Super Senior 60 with 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 levels and Super Senior 70 with 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 levels.  States may add additional levels in the local leagues at their discretion.
6.01G SCORING and REST. State Associations in the Southern Section have the authority to determine the method of scoring for local league competition. 
6.01H COMPETITION FORMAT
         6.01H(2) Team Match and Scoring.  States may decide how to handle team forfeits at the local level.  
6.01H(4) Team Lineups.  An individual match is started when the first ball is put in play.  After the start of an individual match, if injury to, illness of, or disqualification of a player occurs, the opponents will be awarded a forfeit for that individual match only.  The forfeit principles in 3.03L, shall be applicable, with the Sectional modifications that:
a.      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 only will be forfeited in local leagues.
d.       In the event that a team match must be re-scheduled and starting times are staggered, where opponents are not available and ready to play, forfeits will be awarded in the affected position only.
       c.    States will decide how to regulate rescheduling of team matches due to rain or inclement weather or pass that authority to their local leagues.
d.     Two players will play together in the higher position when both of their partners do not show in order to avoid two defaults.
6.01H(5) Player Participation
                                           6.01H(5)b The State may authorize participation in more than one NTRP level within this division in the same local league during the same season.
6.01H(5)c  The State may authorize participation on more than one team within this division in the same season provided it is in a separate local league. The State has the authority to accept or deny participation.
6.01H(5)d Players must play in at least one local or state championships match in order to advance to the Southern Super Senior Sectional Championships.  If there is no local or state competition offered, a team may advance directly to the Southern Super Senior Sectional Championships.  Players who participate in Super Senior 60 and Super Senior 70 divisions will not be accommodated in scheduling of event. The one match requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Tournament Committee for players advancing to the Sectional Championships. The deadline for players to register on teams that are advancing directly to the 2006 Sectional Championships is 12/31/06. This deadline may be waived at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.  Players may advance to more than one State’s Championships provided they have qualified to advance in each state.  If eligible players do not participate at the State Championships, they may participate in the Sectional Championships and/or National Invitational. A state has the authority to regulate advancement on more than one Super Senior team to the State Championships.
                6.02 PROGRESSION.
           6.02B AREA/STATE CHAMPIONS
             The format to progress from local league competition to Sectional League Championships is as follows:
The State shall determine the progression from local league to State Championship.  The States shall identify to the Section their winning teams at each level.  The State Association shall hold a State League Championship to be held on or before the 1st day of December, 2006 to determine its State Champions.  Any State who cannot comply with this date must seek the permission of the Sectional League Coordinator and Adult Leagues Committee.
6.02C SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Section may issue wildcards as necessary to fill the draw. If less than four teams are entered in a NTRP level draw within 21 days of event, the draw for the NTRP level will be cancelled unless otherwise authorized by the Tournament Committee.
 6.03 AREA AND SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
DATE AND LOCATION.  The dates and location of the 2006 USA League Tennis Southern Sectional Super Senior Championships will be announced at the Southern Annual Meeting in January 2006.
                                6.03A Eligibility.
6.03A(3) A minimum of 6 team members who were on the final roster of their local league team at the conclusion of local league play must be available and eligible to compete at the State and Sectional Championships.  The Tournament Committee can reduce that number to not less than four.
6.03A(4) Teams that compete at State or Sectional Championships or the National Invitational are not required to disperse to form a new team for the following league year.
6.03C Scoring and Rest. At the Southern Sectional Championships, all matches shall be the best of two sets and the Set tiebreak shall be used at 6-all in each set.  In lieu of a third set, a Match tiebreak shall be played. There will be a two-minute set break at the end of each set with no coaching. The tiebreak procedure shall be scored as 1 set and 1 game.  See 6.03O USTA Regulations for scoring in the event of retirements.  State Associations in the Southern Section have the authority to determine the method of scoring for State Championships.
2005 & 2006 USTA Southern Section Adult League Committees

             Adult League Committee

Bud Spencer, Chairman
            Bonnie Vandegrift, Vice Chairman                  
            Donna Bailey
           Jerry Groce
            Dodie Hanchett      
            Henry Hostetler
            Phil Meador
            Bee Stewart
            Sue-Anne Stuntz
            Brenda Witt
Sectional Championships Subcommittee
            Dodie Hanchett, Chairman
            Carl Brukiewicz   
            Steve Grooms
            Teri Hennessey
            Barbara Hooper
            Mike Mathes
            Bee Stewart
            Terri Wiley

southern Grievance Committees & Grievance Appeal Committees are formed as necessary first utilizing members of the Adult League Committee and Sectional Championships Subcommittee and then other committee members selected by the Adult League Committee Chairman and Vice Chairman.