Fall High School State Championships
Dates: January 10-12
PLAYER/TEAM ELIGIBILITY: All players and teams must meet USTA Jr. Team Tennis eligibility
requirements.NO PLAYER CAN BE RANKED IN THE TOP 300 in Southern July Standings
http://southernjuniorteamtennis.net/cgi-bin/ranking/db.cgi?db=default&uid&view_search=1.
There will be 18 & under divisions only; Intermediate and Beginners divisions only .
PLAY: Play will start on Friday at 6:00PM and end on Sunday (depending on the number of team entered,
finals will be Sunday) . There will be 2 divisions: Beginner and Intermediate
SITE: Lamar Tennis Center at the Paula G Manship YMCA located at 8100 YMCA Plaza Drive in Baton
Rouge.
FORMS TO COMPLETE FOR PARTCIPATION:
http://form.jotform.us/form/33246251673150
DEADLINE: January 6th, 2014.
TOURNAMENT FEE: The tournament fee for the 2014 event is $20 per player ($120 for minimum
team). The team coach/manager will submit the total team payment in one check on or before January
10th. The payment must be accompanied with a list of eligible team members competing at the state
tournament roster form.
PLAYER WAIVER FORM: Each parent of team member must sign and submit the "player waiver form"
prior to the player competing in any state tournament match. Team coaches/managers will submit their
player’s entire waiver forms at Team Check-in at least 30 minutes prior to their first scheduled match.
TEAM CHECK-IN: Team coaches/managers must check-in their team for the state tournament at the
tournament desk at least 30 minutes prior to their first scheduled match.
FORMAT: Round-robin with the following order of play: Players playing twice will play first and then the
order will follow as boys' singles, girls' singles, boys' doubles, girls' doubles, mixed doubles.
SCORING: All matches are no-ad, 2 out of 3, 4 game short sets, with a match tiebreak in lieu of the
third set. A set tiebreak is played at 3-all. A team scores a point for every game won and a point for
winning the 3'' set tiebreak. The maximum number of points a player can win is eight (8) points. The
maximum number of points a team can win is forty (40) points. Team matches can end in a tie. The
winning team is determined by the most number of games won.
NO-AD SCORING: The first team or player to win four points wins the game. If the score reaches 3all, the receiver has a choice of receiving in the ad or deuce court. The winner of the next point wins
the game. In singles, the receiver may choose to receive on either the left or right side of the
court. In doubles, the receiving team has a choice of who will receive the last point. Both players
must remain on the same receiving side they have played on during the match. In mixed doubles,
the boy must receive serve from the boy, and the girl must receive serve from the girl.
SET TIE-BREAK: If a set reaches 3-all, players must play a set tiebreak. The winner is the first to
reach seven (7) points by a margin of 2 points
In doubles, the first server shall serve one point from the right side. The second server shall serve two
points, starting from the left side and ending on the right side. The third server shall serve two points,
starting on the left and ending on the right side. The fourth server shall then serve one point from the
left side and then players change ends of the courts. The fourth server shall then serve one point
from the right side. Play continues in such a manner until one team wins at least seven points with a
two-point margin. Teams change ends of the court every six (6) points.
In singles, the first server shall serve one point from the right side. The second server shall serve two
points, starting on the left side and ending on the right side. The players continue to alternate serving
two points each until one wins a minimum of seven points with a two-point margin. Players change ends
of the court every six (6) points.
Tie-Break in Lieu of the Third set: For 12U, 14U and 18U if a third set is required a match
tiebreak will be played, first to reach 10 points by a margin of 2 points. One game point will be
awarded to the winner of the third set tie break.
SCORING DISPUTES: Players must keep score and make all calls. Team captains, coaches,
and spectators cannot interfere. If a dispute arises, players should attempt to settle the dispute. If
unsuccessful, players should summon the monitor to the court. ONLY the referee will handle foot
faults. Monitors will be provided for all division 10 matches.
PLAY TWICE RULE: If necessary, one girl and/or one boy may play two positions in a match. The
second position played must be at the Mixed Doubles position. Those player(s) may not play twice
again until each player in the line up
has had a turn to play twice. The Play Twice rule will start over as new in divisions where a playoff is
required to determine
division winners. A team does not have to have fewer than 4 boys and/or fewer than 4 girls to play
an individual twice. The "pink Play Twice Form" shall be submitted before each match and signed
by the tournament desk staff. If it is determined, that this rule was violated by an illegal lineup, all
points played will stand and the team in compliance will receive all remaining points.
CHECK-IN TIME is 10 minutes prior to each match at the tournament desk. Team
Coaches/managers shall submit their lineups on the official scorecard and the "pink Play Twice" form
BEFORE reporting to the tournament desk. All team members must be present and ready for play
at time of check in. Teams will be assigned a minimum of 3 courts per team match. Tournament Desk
will assign what court each line is to play on.
.
DEFAULTS: if a team needs to default a position, it must be at singles as this will affect the fewest
number of players. The opposing team may change their lineup in the event of a default. At all
championships, a minimum of 3 boys and 3 girls shall be available and eligible to compete. The
Championship Tournament Committee, by majority vote, may reduce the number of eligible team
members.
TIME PENALTIES: Penalties may be enforced at the tournament committee's discretion, i.e.
every individual match will start 1 game down for every five (5) minutes the lineup is late. At 15
minutes late, the entire match is defaulted and will be administered by the referee and
tournament committee.
SCORECARDS : along with the pink Play Twice form, must be completed BEFORE reporting to the
tournament desk. At the conclusion of each team match, the team coach/manager must sign
scorecards and return the match balls to the tournament desk. As individual team matches are
complete, the players will report scores to the tournament desk. It is the captain’s responsibility to
sign all scorecards 30 minutes after each match. At this time it is up to the captain to challenge a
scorecard. If the captain does not sign the scorecard within 30 minutes after the match all scores are
FINAL.
SUBSTITUTIONS af ter the scorecard has been submitted are allowed due to illness or injury
and approved by the tournament committee. Substitutions are not allowed after the first point
has begun in an individual match.
WARM-UP is limited to (5) minutes, including serves. All players on the court must take warm-up
serves prior to the beginning of play. Team coaches/mangers will assist the tournament staff with
monitoring the warm-up time.
Procedures in the Event of a Tie: In the event of tie between two or more teams in a division, the
tie shall be broken by the first of the following procedures that breaks the tie:
Head-to-head total games,
Head to head
individual matches
won Percentage of
Round Robin Games
Won Most total Round
Robin Team Wins
Most total Round Robin Individual Match Wins
Playoff Match Tie-Break:
Once the Tie is determined each team coach/manager designates a mixed doubles team to play
the Match Tie Break. The teams will flip a coin to determine who serves first and be given a 5 minute warm-up. Mixed Doubles will play a Match Tie-Break for 12, 14, and 18 & Under the
winner is the first to reach ten (10) points by a margin of two (2) points. 1OU Mixed Doubles will
play a Set Tiebreak the first to seven (7) points by a margin of two (2) is the winner.
GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP of juniors, parents, and spectators is mandatory at all times; on and off the
courts. Interference by parents or spectators is not permitted. If spectators do not comply with
spectator conduct rules, they will be asked to leave. Players are expected to comply with player conduct
rules and can be subject to Point Penalties; Abusive or unsportsmanlike behavior by players or spectators
will not be tolerated.
COACHING WILL BE ALLOWED BY ONLY TEAM COACHES/TEAM MANGERS during the time when
players change ends at the end of a game. Coaching is defined as communication, a d vi c e , or
instruction of any kind, audible or visible, to a player. The following coaching policies shall be followed
and any violation of these coaching policies may result in the suspension of the coaching privileges and
point penalties:
Only one person per team shall be designated as the Team Coach and will receive a "Team
Coach" badge from the registration desk. Only Team Coaches with a tournament registration
badge will be allowed to coach during the tournament.
A Coach/Captain may coach the player(s) when the players change ends at the end of a game,
and may be done when the players change ends after the first game, without delay, and not
during a tie-break game or tie-break in lieu of the third set.
Coaches must remain outside the fence; coaches are not allowed on
the tennis court. Coaching should be a positive reinforcement to your
player and not against the opponent. A player is not allowed to be
coached if the coaching is given by signals during play.
ONLY THE TEAM MANAGER/CAPTAIN/COACH WILL COMMUNICATE WITH THE TOURNAMENT
REFEREE AND TOURNAMENT STAFF. Abusive or confrontational behavior from anyone toward
tournament officials/tournament staff will not be tolerated and may result in the suspension of coaching
privileges and/or point penalties and/or strikes issued.
THE POINT PENALTY SYSTEM will be in effect. This means that abusive or unsportsmanlike
behavior by players or spectators will not be tolerated. Examples of behavior that warrant PPS or
but not limited to:
Disrespect of officials & tournament staff, racquet abuse, ball abuse, swearing, and but not limited to
delay of game.
The referee will enforce the Point Penalty
System as follows: First
Offense:
Loss of Point
Second Offense:
Loss of Game
Third Offense:
Default
ELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING CELL PHONES ARE NOT ALLOWED
ON THE COURT DRESS CODE: The Dress Code will be strictly enforced.
Girls: No sports bras without a t-shirt; no shorts/skirts with a rolled
down waistband; no bare midriff.
Boys: No tank tops. Hemmed sleeveless shirts are permitted.
RAIN DELAYS: In the event of rain, the tournament staff will provide information and all teams must
remain at the site
until released by the tournament referee. Team Coaches/Managers will record scores of individual
matches and submit to the tournament desk. If scoring is changed a conversion of scores may be
necessary.
CANCELLATION: Should inclement weather or other circumstances prevent the completion of the
tournament; the Tournament Committee will determine whether the matches played at the point of
cancellation will be used to determine the round robin group winners and a champion and finalist in each
level. Winners may be determined by percentage of games won and commonality among teams. If the
Tournament Committee determines that there was a lack of "equal opportunity" for all teams in the level
due to the schedule of play, the Tournament Committee will place all teams in a drawing to determine the
champion and finalist in each level. (For instance, in a five team round robin, one team may be in first
place at the time of cancellation with two matches played, while other teams in the round robin have
fewer matches played. This example would not provide "equal opportunity" for all teams in the round
robin and would not be used to determine the round robin group winner). If any team in a round robin
flight is mathematically out of contention at the time of cancellation, they will be excluded from the
drawing. Winners also may be determined by total games won and commonality among teams or
percentage of games won or by the percentage of games won of those played when play is suspended.
COMPLETION OF TEAM MATCHES: Teams are expect to complete all matches on the tournament
schedule. Failure to do so may result in penalties for the team coach/manager and team members for the
next league season/year.
ADVANCEMENT TO THE USTA LOUISIANA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Winners will be invited to go
to the state championships in June.
PLAYER CONDUCT:
Each player shall abide by the following rules of conduct while at the USTA Southern Jr. Team
Tennis State Championships:
1. If you have any doubt as to whether a ball is out or good, you must give your
opponent the benefit of the doubt and play the ball as good.
2. It is your obligation to call all balls on your side, to help your opponent make calls
when the opponent requests it, and to call against yourself (with the exception of a
first service) any ball that you clearly see out on your opponent’s side of the net.
3. Any "out" or "let" call must be made instantaneously; otherwise the ball continues in
play.
4. Do not enlist the aid of spectators in making line calls.
5. If you call a ball out and then realize it was good, the point is over and your opponent
wins the point.
6. To avoid controversy over the score, the Server should announce the set score before
starting a game and the game score prior to serving each point.
7. If players cannot agree on the score, they may go back to the last score on which there
was agreement and resume play from that point, or they may spin a racket.
8. Do not stall, sulk, complain, or practice gamesmanship.
9. Wait until the players on another court have completed a point before retrieving or
returning a ball.
10. From the beginning of the match, play must be continuous. Attempts to stall or to
extend rest periods for the purpose of recovering from a loss of physical condition are
clearly illegal.
11. Intentional distractions that interfere with your opponent’s concentration or effort to
play the ball are against the rules.
12. Players are expected to put forth a full and honest effort regardless of the score or
expected outcome.
13. Players are expected to maintain full control over their emotions and the resulting
behavior throughout the match. If you begin to lose your composure during play, try the
following:
a. Take several deep breaths, exhale as slowly as possible and feel your muscles
relax
b. Concentrate on your own game and behavior while ignoring distractions from
your opponent or surroundings.
c. Be your own best friend – enjoy your good shots and forget the poor ones.