PLANTATION PICKLEBALL LEAGUE RULES
To promote consistency among all leagues, all managers and players will abide by the Governing Rules for Plantation Pickleball Members, U.S.A.P.A. Rules, Plantation Pickleball Rules of Play, and the following League rules:
1) League Organization / Schedule
· League(s) will be organized and scheduled by the Board Documentation Member (DOC) and other members of the Plantation Pickleball Association Committee (Board).
· There will be three league seasons: Winter, Spring and Summer. Winter league will begin the first week in November; Spring league will begin the first week in February, Summer league will begin the first week in May. All leagues will end after twelve (12) consecutive weeks.
· The league will consist of divisions made up of 12 players each, playing an 8 player round robin format, playing 7 games a week over a 12 week season.
· Leagues will have the following division designations: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (etc).
2) Manager Responsibilities
· Take charge and be responsible for league play.
· Knowledgeable of all the rules governing pickleball.
· Knowledgeable of player rotation.
· Available for all scheduled league games or will arrange for a qualified substitute when not available. (Only another manager may substitute in a manager’s absence.)
· Keep accurate player statistics using the current computer worksheet. Upon completion it will be electronically submitted to the documentation chair.
· Keep an accurate record of player attendance.
· Post player statistics on the Pickleball Association bulletin boards as soon as possible but not later than five days after weekly league play.
· League managers have the right to correct player calls and make "out" or "foot fault" calls.
· Managers have the right to halt/postpone play due to safety related playing conditions. NO league play will be allowed when the temperature is 32 degrees or less. This temperature restriction is in place regardless of players still willing to play.
· Managers should encourage players to sign up for future leagues.
3) Player Responsibilities
· Sign up by deadline for each season they wish to play in otherwise they will be placed on a sub list
· Commit to play 56 of the available games during a scheduled Winter or Spring league season
· Because it is difficult to find replacements at the last minute a player must notify their manager as soon as possible when unable to play
· Conduct themselves in a sportsman-like manner
4) Forfeit Scoring / Player Sent Home
If a player has to quit, for any reason, that game is forfeited. Forfeiting team will get a loss; opposing team will get a win.
There is no penalty for being "sent home". If this happens the player will be given credit for the number of games that were played that week.
5) Player Ranking
After league sign up is complete for the upcoming season and the final league statistics for the current season are available, the ranked players who signed up for the upcoming season will be sequenced into lists (mixed & women’s). Unranked players who signed up for the current season will be submitted to the Placement Committee for proper division assignment.
If a player finished first in division 1, they are ranked first. If they finished last in that division they are ranked 12th. If a player finished first in division 2, they will be ranked 13, the second player in that division will be 14, etc.
In the event of a ranking tie, the tie will be broken first by the higher total number of games played. If everything is statistically even then the final tie-breaker will be decided by the players’ starting rank for that league.
6) Players Missing a Season(s) / Snow Birds
To maintain a rank, each player must play a minimum of 42 games in either the Spring or Winter league within a one year period. A player will need to be re-ranked when two consecutive ranking leagues are missed. Unranked players will be submitted to the Placement Committee for proper assignment in a division at such time when they sign up again for league play.
7) Statistics:
Will be based on player's win/loss record. Statistics will be calculated as follows: Number of total wins divided by number of total games played, to two decimal places.
8) Substitutes
· A substitute can be called upon to play only if a regular player is unavailable for league play.
· Substitute players can play up or down one division level of their ranking..
· Statistics will be kept on all substitute players. Only their own division statistics will be used for ranking purposes.
· Managers should rotate substitute players as they are needed.
9) Promotions / Demotions at League End
PROMOTIONS:
At the end of league, the winners of each division that have a win average of 65% or greater will be promoted to the next higher division at the start of the next ranking season. Managers who believe that mitigating circumstances exist will be able to address the Board on behalf of a player who does not meet the 56 games requirement for promotion. The Board will decide if the mitigating circumstances presented are sufficient to waive this requirement.
DEMOTIONS:
Players who commit to playing league but only play 14 games or less in that league will be placed in the next lower division.
10) Winning A Division
A player must play a minimum of 56 games and have the highest win average during the Winter or Spring league seasons and 66% of available games during the Summer league season to be eligible to win their division. Winners of the Winter or Spring league seasons will get their name on the Pickleball League Plaque displayed at Hermitage Hall.
11) Non-League Players
Ranking non-league players that sign up for tournaments or Olympics is required. The Placement Committee will determine assignments for these players.
12) League Make-Up Play
All make-up games must be played within the scheduled time period of that League. No make-up games will be scheduled after the end of Week 12 of league play unless first approved by the documentation chair.
13) Rule Violations
The Board has the right to replace any manager that intentionally violates any of the listed rules.
Revised: 2-01-11
By: Plantation Pickleball Association Board of Officers
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