1.

Title.

The objects of the Watford and District Tennis League shall be to conduct an annual competition between affiliated clubs and to organise Doubles Tournaments. The League shall be open to all clubs in Watford and District having three or more courts. Admission and re-admission to the league competition shall be at the discretion of the Committee.

3.

Affiliation

4.

Constitution

a)

The League competition shall be conducted in three sections, comprising ladies' men's and mixed teams.

b)

Where the numbers of teams in each or any section justify, such sections shall be divided into Divisions designated 1,2,3 etc in order of merit.

c)

The top team in each division shall hold for one year the championship trophy appropriate to that division.

d)

The top two teams in each division shall normally be promoted.

e)

The two bottom teams in each division shall normally be relegated.

f)

New teams joining the League shall normally be placed in the lowest division of the appropriate section.

5.

Administration

The management of the League shall be invested in a Committee consisting of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Fixtures Secretary, Results Secretary, Treasurer and up to four Committee Members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The meeting, if it so desires, may appoint a President and Vice Presidents. Elected officers and committee members elected shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall have the authority to act in any matter not governed by these rules, including the expulsion without notice of any member club deemed by the committee to be prejudicial to the competition or reputation of the league. 

6.

Annual General Meeting

7.

Fixtures

a)

The League Fixtures Secretary shall arrange the fixtures. ALL MATCHES MUST BE PLAYED ON THE ALLOTTED DATE. The only acceptable reason for postponement is the unfit condition of the courts. In general ladies' and men's matches should be played on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and mixed matches on Thursdays and Fridays and to facilitate the production of a fixture list acceptable to all, clubs should endeavour to follow this pattern.

b)

If a match is postponed, it must be played as soon as possible. The Home team must notify the League Results Secretary of the new date for the fixture.

c)

All outstanding matches should be played by 31 August unless the Committee extends this date. Any outstanding matches after the decided date may be deemed void and no points awarded to either team.

8.

Nominations

a)

A nominated player is one whose name has been submitted in writing to the League Results Secretary before the start of the season. All bona-fide members of each affiliated club are eligible to be nominated to play in League matches, but in any season no member may be nominated or play for more than one club in ANY SECTION OF THE LEAGUE i.e. the Men’s Section, Ladies Section or Mixed Section except as provided in the Transfer Rule 9a. Players who are members of more than one club who wish to play for different clubs in the Men’s and Mixed or Ladies and Mixed Sections of the League, are asked to notify the Results Secretary (by e-mail, phone or in writing) before playing for the second club.

b)

Prior to any matches being played, each club must nominate, by completing the appropriate form, a MINIMUM OF SIX PLAYERS for every team except the bottom one entered in that section of the competition. The teams must be designated A, B, C, etc in order of merit with the players for the first team being the club's best players. Nominations for the second, third and subsequent teams should be in order of descending playing ability. The League Committee reserves the right to query a club's nominations.

c)

When a club enters more than one team in any of the three sections of the League, a player may PLAY UP ON A TOTAL OF THREE OCCASIONS without penalty, providing rule 8 e) has not been broken. On playing up for a FOURTH time, the player shall be considered to be re-nominated for the team IMMEDIATELY ABOVE the one for which they were originally nominated. The re-nomination is permanent and the player must remain in that team for the duration of the season and may not play for ANY OTHER TEAM in that section.

d)

After the beginning of the match programme, further nominations may be made in writing to the League Results Secretary but AUTOMATIC NOMINATION will be accorded when scorecards are received listing players in a team whose names were not previously notified to the League Results Secretary. Such players will be nominated for the team for which they played in that match, except where it is indicated on the scorecard that nomination for a lower team is desired.

e)

In each season, no player may play in more than 15 matches in any one of the three sections (i.e.. Men's Ladies' or Mixed).

f)

A player may not normally play for a team lower than the one for which they are nominated. The only exception to this rule is in the unusual circumstance when a nominated player has NEVER PLAYED for any team in a section. They may then be re-nominated for a higher or lower team. This RE-NOMINATION IS PERMANENT and the player must remain in that team for the duration of the season and MAY NOT PLAY FOR ANY OTHER TEAM in that section. The League Results Secretary must be informed before such a transfer takes place. At the same time an appropriate replacement nomination must be made.

g)

If a player has played for a team in a section, they may only be RE-NOMINATED to the team immediately above the one they were originally nominated to play for. This RE-NOMINATION IS PERMANENT and the player must remain in that team for the duration of the season and MAY NOT PLAY FOR ANY OTHER TEAM in that section. The League Results Secretary must be informed before such a transfer takes place. At the same time an appropriate replacement Nomination must be made.

h)

In the event of an ineligible player being included in any team, any sets won by the pair that includes that player will be forfeited to the opposition.

9.

Inter-Club Transfers

a)

A player may be transferred from one club to another at any time during the season provided that both clubs and the player agree. The League Results Secretary must receive 48 hours written notice of the transfer from both clubs and during that time the player shall not play for either club. Any such transfers are at the discretion of the Committee and no player may be transferred on an inter-club basis more than once during the season. In the case of a dispute, the matter should be referred to the Committee.

b)

Any player transferred from one club to another shall be considered to be a new player at the new club. They should be nominated for a team in each appropriate section if their playing standard warrants a nomination, otherwise they will be automatically nominated for the team for whom they make their first appearance, unless the scorecard bears a request for nomination in a lower team. 

10. 

Match Procedure 

a) 

A team shall comprise six players arranged in pairs. In a match each pair shall play against each pair of the opposing team. Making nine sets in all. 

b)

If, in any set the score reaches 6-all, a tie-break shall be played to decide the result.

c)

No match shall be arranged to start later than 6.30pm. If a team does not have six players available to play at 6.50pm, the appropriate set or sets shall be forfeited to the opposition.

d)

If a match is abandoned because of bad light or bad weather it must be replayed unless one team has gained five or more sets.

e)

In all other circumstances (except as in d) above, when a match is not completed and a result not obtained (i.e. a team has gained five or more sets), a full written report must be submitted by the captains of both teams to the League Results Secretary, who shall refer the matter to the Committee for a decision.

f)

In any unfinished match where a result is obtained, any unfinished or unplayed sets shall not be counted in the score.

g)

A team fielding only two pairs shall forfeit three sets to the opposition. If one team fields only one pair the match shall go by default to the opposition.

h)

If both teams field only two pairs the match is void and must be replayed.

i)

The League Results Secretary shall have the power to award a walkover against the defaulting team in the following circumstances:

i)    If a team fails to arrive to play a match

ii)   If a team arrives to play a match and the required number of courts are not available at 6.30pm

iii)  If a team refuses to re-arrange a cancelled or abandoned match (see Rules 7a & 10d) 

The team receiving the walkover will be awarded 2 points immediately. At the end of the playing season, an AVERAGE of the number of SETS GAINED from the total number of MATCHES PLAYED rounded to the nearest whole number, will be given to the team receiving the walkover. The team giving the walkover will not receive any points.

j)

A team that fails to contest three matches in a season will be deemed to have withdrawn from the competition and will be required to reapply in writing to rejoin the League. If their application is accepted by the Committee, they will normally be demoted by two divisions.

k)

The team gaining the greater number of sets shall be given two points. In all divisions, positions in the tables shall be based on points won. In all cases of points equality, positions will be based on sets won and if these are equal, on the percentage of games won to games played (excluding walkovers).

l)

In all matches balls must comply with ITF regulations.

m)

If possible matches not completed under natural light should be completed under floodlights.

n)

Clothing worn for matches must comply with individual clubs clothing rules. Any clubs that insist on predominately white tennis clothing must ensure that all opposing teams are aware of this restriction prior to a match being played.

11.

Notification of Match Results

Both the Home and Away teams must notify the League Results Secretary of the result of a match without delay, giving the names of the players LEGIBLY and IN FULL and the sets scores on the official scorecard. The captains of both teams must sign the cards. The Home team must notify the League Results Secretary of any match not played as per the fixture list and, where applicable, give details of the revised date of the match.

12.

Publication of League Tables

The League Results Secretary must issue League Tables to clubs at reasonable intervals during the season as well as the Final Tables at the end of the season.

13.

Trophies

All League Championship and Doubles Tournament Trophies shall be permanent trophies and must be insured by the committee with an Insurance Society of good repute. A club holding a trophy must undertake to abide by any conditions laid down by the Insurance Company.

14.

Tournaments

In any Tournaments organised by the League, Clubs will be responsible for nominating pairs who must be members of that club. Entries will be accepted automatically for pairs where each player has played three or more times for that club in Watford & District Tennis League matches during the current season. Other entries will be at the discretion of the Committee. Note: In the Mixed Doubles event, players from different clubs may play together.