P I T
T S B U R G H S Q U A S H L E A G U E G U I D E L I N E S
(09/12/2009)
Pittsburgh Squash A/B League
and
Pittsburgh Squash C League
Carlos Londono,
League Commissioner
Pittsburgh Squash
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Through the Pittsburgh Squash League, Pittsburgh Squash (PSQ) intends to accomplish the following objectives:
a. To promote the game of squash in Pittsburgh by providing team leagues for players from various clubs throughout the city to play competitive squash.
b. To improve the level of squash in Pittsburgh, thereby preparing players to compete more effectively at local, regional, and national tournaments.
c. To accomplish the above goals by playing squash with better technique, finesse, and sportsmanship.
The Pittsburgh Squash League organizes two leagues, namely the A/B league and the C league, under the supervision of the League Commissioner. Each league comprises teams from squash clubs throughout the city that meet weekly to play competitive matches. A team is represented by a specified number of players who are ranked by their clubs to play their correspondingly ranked opponents at other clubs for these matches. Match scores are reported to the League Commissioner who ensures that the leagues are operating as scheduled. At the conclusion of the squash season, the four teams with the best records in each of the A/B and the C Leagues will play each other to determine the best teams in the city. Semi-finals are held at the court selected by the #1 and #2 ranked team in each league at the conclusion of the regular season. The Finals for both leagues will be held at the court selected by the team with the higher ranking at the conclusion of the regular season.
The League Commissioner for the 2008 – 2009 squash season for the A/B and C leagues is Carlos Londono. All team league concerns should be addressed to him, preferably by e-mail.
E-mail: carlos.londono@us.hjheinz.com
Telephone: 412-953-8958 (cell)
The A/B and C squash leagues are governed by the same rules and organizational structure. The two leagues differ in the following two ways: (i) number of matches played per week, (ii) day of the week of play. The general guidelines for the two leagues are listed below. Rules specific to the A/B and C leagues are outlined in sections 5 and 6, respectively.
i. All league players must be PSQ members by the fourth week of league play. Any matches played by a player who is not a registered PSQ member as of the fourth match will be forfeited, regardless of the actual outcome of the match. However, a player who registers at any time during the season (but after the above deadlines) will be eligible to play matches beginning on the date of their registration. Late registration after the date will not cure forfeits caused by failure to register prior to the deadline; rather, it will allow the player’s post-registration match results to count. This policy will be strictly enforced to ensure that only PSQ members enjoy the benefits of team league play. To become a PSQ member, complete the online membership form on the US Squash website <http://www.ussquash.com>, designating "Pittsburgh" as the "District Association". More details regarding membership benefits are also available on that website.
ii. While PSQ encourages teams to play all matches on the scheduled date, individual matches may be rescheduled by unanimous consent of the two players and both of their team captains. The captain of the team requesting the postponement must notify the League Commissioner of the postponement and, later, the match result. A rescheduled match must be played, and the score reported, within two weeks after the originally scheduled team league match date. Any match score not reported within such two-week period will be recorded as a forfeit against the player who requested that the match be rescheduled.
iii. Matches start at 6 pm.
i. The official ball to be used is the Dunlop Revelation XX Pro squash ball.
ii. Each individual match is best of 5 games.
iii. Games are to 11 points using point-a-rally scoring.
iii. The US Squash Rules of Squash govern league play.
i. Each team will appoint a captain who will carry out the following responsibilities:
1. Register his/her team with the League Commissioner.
2. Determine the ranking of his/her team’s roster for each week’s matches.
3. Visiting team captain will communicate the line-up and confirm scheduling of individual matches with the home team captain prior to the match.
4. Home team captain must report his/her team’s scores to the League Commissioner.
ii. Teams will correspond with the League Commissioner via the team captain.
iii. The line-up is in rank order for each team. Captains should schedule their best players as #1, second best as #2, etc.
iv. If a team is unable to field a full line-up for a match, each missing player is reported as a forfeit (see section 5(d)).
v. If both teams are unable to fill a position, it is recorded as a mutual forfeit, and both teams will be charged a forfeit point (see section 5(d)).
vi. A team can add players to their roster at any time (subject to Section 4(c)(viii) below).
vii. A player can play in the annual playoffs only if he/she:
1. was registered as a team member at least 2 months prior to the playoffs, and/or
2. has played at least three games during the season.
i. Team captains will register their team players by emailing the League Commissioner.
ii. The deadline for team registration is two weeks prior to the beginning of the season. This is to ensure that schedules can be prepared and sent in time, allowing home team captains to reserve courts a week in advance.
iii. The following information is required for each team:
1. Team name with unique abbreviation (e.g. Squash Club, SC).
2. Full name of each player.
3. US Squash membership number of each player.
4. Expiration date of US Squash membership for each player.
All scores must be submitted to the League Commissioner via email by the home team captain no later than the day after the match.
i. Points will be awarded to the outcome of individual matches, as shown below:
Win: 5 points
Loss: 0 points
Forfeit: -1 point
No Show-No Call: -2 points
ii. Point System Definitions:
1. Forfeit – A team forfeits a match for which it is unable to field a player. For example, an A/B team that fields only 4 players, instead of the required 5, forfeits one match. A team will be assessed one penalty point (i.e., the team’s score for the match will be -1) for each match forfeited. In order to forfeit a match, the captain of the team that will forfeit must notify the opposing captain by 4:30 p.m. on the day of the match.
a. Player accepting forfeit need not attend match. Please note that a team does not need every player to be present to accept a forfeit win. For example, if the home team notifies the visiting team that the home team’s fifth player cannot play, the visiting team will be awarded a forfeit whether or not it brings a fifth player to the match. Also note that if both teams forfeit a match, both teams are charged a forfeit point.
b. Decision to forfeit irrevocable. A team’s decision to forfeit a match is irrevocable. That is, if a team captain notifies the opposing captain of its decision to forfeit a match, but a player later becomes available to play the forfeited match, the forfeiting team captain may not then request that the match his team has already forfeited be played and counted as a league match. However, exhibition matches are encouraged under these circumstances.
2. No Show-No Call – A team will suffer a No Show-No Call with respect to each match for which:
a. it does not field a player, and
b. its captain fails to notify the opposing team captain that it will be unable to field a player by 4:30 p.m. on the day of the match.
As mandated by US Squash policy, all PSQ League play will require the use of protective eyewear (as in US Squash -sanctioned tournament play). No exceptions will be allowed. Unlensed eyewear is not permitted. Players failing to comply with this policy will forfeit their matches, and their teams will be charged forfeit points. Individuals wearing corrective prescription eyeglasses may be exempt from this requirement, provided these prescription eyeglasses are worn during match play.
a. The A/B league meets every Monday at 6 pm.
b. Five matches per team will be played every week.
c. The minimum number of players required to register a team is 3.
d. During any weekly league match-up:
i. the maximum points that an A/B team can obtain is 25.
ii. the minimum points that an A/B team can obtain is -10.
e. Teams with fewer than 5 players will be charged forfeit points for every match. For example, consider a club fielding only a 3-player team. Assuming all 3 players play a given match, and win all 3 matches, the maximum number of points that can be obtained is 13: (3 wins x 5 points per win - 2 forfeit points).
a. The C league meets every Wednesday at 6 pm.
b. Three matches per team will be played every week.
c. The minimum number of players required to register a team is 2.
d. During any weekly league match-up:
i. the maximum points that a C team can obtain is 15.
ii. the minimum points that a C team can obtain is -6.
e. Teams with less than 3 players will be charged forfeit points for every match. For example, consider a club fielding only a 2-player team. Assuming both players play a given match, and win both matches, the maximum number of points that can be obtained is 8: (2 wins x 5 points per win - 1 forfeit point).
Playoffs for both leagues will be held the last two weeks of the season. The four teams in each league with the highest point total during the regular season will play semi-final matches. The number one team based on regular season standings will play a semi-final match against the number four team; the number two team will play the number three team. The semi-final matches will be played at the club of choice of the two teams in each league with the highest regular season point totals. The winners of these semi-final matches will face each other in the finals, which will be held at the club of choice of the team in the finals that had the highest regular season point total. All league players are invited and encouraged to attend the finals and join the festivities planned at the conclusion of the matches.
a. League Commissioner Initially Resolves Disputes. All concerns and/or disputes regarding league matches must be submitted to the League Commissioner via e-mail by the team captain. This ensures that the team captain is aware of any concerns a team may have, and also allows the League Commissioner to be more efficient in correspondence. The League Commissioner shall issue a decision in all league disputes.
b. Appeal to League Arbitration Panel. A team dissatisfied with the League Commissioner’s decision may appeal the decision to the League Arbitration Panel. PSQ intends this appeal process to be used only for serious matters, not, for example, for routine disputes regarding scheduling and forfeits. The Panel will have three members: the PSQ President, the PSQ Vice President, and the PSQ Squash Pro. Any matter submitted to the League Arbitration Panel will be decided by a majority vote of the Panel members. The Panel’s decision will be final and unappealable.