Note: Rules highlighted in RED have been amended. 

LEAGUE RULES 

Qualification for entry into the League:

1 (a)     Each Club and Sports Centre must be affiliated to England Squash.

1 (b)    All players must be fully paid up members of the Club they represent, as noted in the Dorset Squash constitution.

1 (c)     An entry fee, as agreed at the Annual General Meeting, must be sent to the League Co-ordinator.  This may be paid in full, and accompany the entry form, to reach the League Co-ordinator by the date stated therein.

1 (d)    Entry Fees are non refundable.  

Teams

2    Clubs may enter as many teams as they like, provided enough court time is available.

3     Any new team entering the Dorset League will be placed in a suitable division at the discretion of the League Co-ordinator. 

Players

4 (a)     Players will be registered for the Team they play their first match for in the season, unless the League Organiser is notified in writing or by Email prior to the commencement of the match.  

4 (b)    Teams will play in a registered, fixed, squad order throughout the season.

4 (c)     Each player playing out of their registered playing order will be deemed to have lost that rubber by 3 games to 0.  If players from both teams are playing out of order in the same rubber, the result between the two players stands.

4 (d)    Teams may only change their playing order during the season after notification of the change, in writing or by email, to the League Co-ordinator. If the change is agreed the League Co-ordinator will notify the team as to when the change can be implemented.

4 (e)     A player cannot play their first match of the season for their Club in a teams last 3 matches of the season.           
Penalty - The team will forfeit the rubber of the offending player and all lower rubbers.

4 (f)     All players who play more than 2 matches for their Club must be individual members of England Squash.

4 (g)     England Squash & Racketball membership numbers must be supplied by Club Representatives to the League Co-ordinator by 31^st March.

4 (h)     If the England Squash & Racketball membership number has not been supplied for a player, that player will be deemed to have lost every match during the season by 3 games to 0, and the league table adjusted accordingly.

4 (i)      Each club will provide a ranking list of ALL the players that they expect to be playing in that clubs teams during the season by the first Monday of the season.  This list will be used to monitor the positions of players playing up for higher ranked teams.  The list can be amended to during the season by notifying the league co-ordinator as per rule 4(d).

Matches

5 (a)   All matches will be played in accordance with England Squash and Racketball rules as published on the website and will be to the best of 5 games. www.Englandsquashandracketball.com

5 (b)   Division 1 matches will use point a rally (PAR 11) scoring.  Each game is point a rally scoring to 11.  If a game is tied at 10-10 a player must win by two clear points.

5 (c)   All other Divisions will keep to the regular scoring to 9 points with only the server scoring.  At 8-8 the receiver will clearly indicated “Set One” or “Set Two” and the game will finish at either 9 or 10 points respectively.

5 (d)     All matches must be played by the end of April. One match to be played at home and one away, unless the numbers in the league are small (e.g. the Ladies league) in which case a third round of matches may be scheduled.

5 (e)    Matches will be played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays as scheduled by the League Co-ordinator.  Other nights may be used if mutually agreed between the two captains.5 (d)     A team will consist of 5 players in order of ability in accordance with Rule 4 (a, b, i).

5 (f)    A team may not play with less than 2 players.

5 (g)     A team short of players will forfeit the missing strings.

5 (h)     Unless previously agreed with their opponents, teams should have three players ready to play by 15 minutes after the start time, four players ready to play by 30 minutes after the start time and all five players ready to play by one hour after the start time.            
Penalty - The team will forfeit the rubber of the offending player and all lower rubbers

5 (i)     Written team lists must be exchanged by the match start time, as determined in Rule 4 (b).

5 (j)     The Home team is responsible for marking matches in accordance with the current England Squash rules.  Where possible, each match should have a marker and referee (one from each side).  Dorset Squash recommend that each team should include a qualified referee.

5 (k)      Any differences should be amicably settled between the Team Captains at the time if possible.  If this cannot be achieved, both Team Captains should Email or write to the League Co-ordinator within on week of the date of the match.  If the league coordinator cannot settle the matter or the team/s dispute his/her decision the matter can be escalated to the Dorset Squash Committee whose decision will be final.

5 (l)     A double yellow dot, black, England Squash & Racketball approved squash ball should be used at all times unless both captains agree otherwise.

5 (m)    The home team is responsible for providing sufficient court time for all rubbers.  If there is insufficient time to complete a match, the home team will concede all unfinished rubbers, unless the delay is due to the late arrival of the away team, when both team captains should email, or write, details to the League Co-ordinator within one week of the date of the match.

5 (n)      Match results must be entered on the Dorset Squash web site within 14 days of the fixture.  It is the home teams responsibility to enter the result. It is the away teams responsibility to check that the result has been entered correctly.
Penalty- 5 points will be deducted from the Home Teams score if the result is not updated within 14 days of the fixture unless the League Coordinator has been advised that there will be a delay.

5(o)     Match cards should still be completed and held by the home team for reference in case of disputes.  (It is recommended that the Away team also keep a record in case of dispute).

Fixtures

6 (a)     The fixture list will be devised by the League Co-ordinator and be posted to all club representatives at least two weeks before the first match of the season.

6 (b)    There will be no postponements unless under exceptional circumstances, matches will either be played or forfeited. There will be two opportunities to re-arrange matches:

1.     After the fixtures are issued until the start of the season.

2.     During the Christmas break.  Revised dates should be given to the league coordinator before the start of the season and before the start of the second half of the season respectively.           

Under exceptional circumstances, e.g. extreme weather or courts unavailable, matches may be re-arranged.  The league coordinator should be notified immediately if this is the case.

6 (c)     If a club feels that they are out of pocket financially due to a cancellation they can raise the issue with the DS Committee.  The committee will then decide on whether the cancelling club should be liable for paying compensation for the cancelled match.

6 (d)    Teams failing to complete their fixtures will either have all match scores voided or a walkover given at the discretion of the League Co-ordinator.   

Points System

7        Teams will gain one League Point per game won plus 5 bonus League Points for winning the most rubbers in a match.

League positions, Promotion and Relegation

8 (a)     Teams will be ranked in order as follows:           
- Highest number or points           
- Highest number of matches won           
- Tied teams will be ranked by matches against each other by rubbers won, then games won and then points won

8 (b)    The top team in each division will automatically be promoted and the bottom team relegated in each division except for the top team in the top division and the bottom team the bottom division.

8 (c)     The teams finishing in second place and second from bottom will be promoted/relegated at the discretion of the League Co-ordinator.

8 (d)    The League Co-ordinator may adjust the league to compensate for teams joining and leaving the league and teams that are obviously in the wrong division the previous season. 

Playing for higher Teams

9 (a)     No player shall play in a lower team than they are registered for. 
Penalty - The team will forfeit the rubber of the offending player and all lower rubbers

9 (b)    Players may play for a higher team 5 times, this includes Cup matches as well as league matches.  On the 6th time that they play for a higher team they will automatically be registered for the lowest team they have played up for.

9 (c)     If, in the League Co-ordinator’s opinion, the player playing for a higher team is obviously playing in the wrong position in the higher team, ie they win and every other player loses or vice versa.           
Penalty - The team will forfeit the rubber of the offending player and all lower rubbers  

Re-Registration of Players

10 (a)   No player may be registered for two different clubs in the same season.

10 (b)   If a player would like to change club, they should Email, or write, to the League Co-ordinator, who will advise whether the re registration will be allowed.

10 (c)   In the event of a significant change in playing strength, a player may be either re registered for a lower team or change their team playing order. Requests should be made to the League Co-ordinator, who will advise whether the re registration will be allowed.

10 (d)  Changes in registration will, if agreed by the League Co-ordinator, be effective from the 1^st of the month following one month from the request.  For example if a request were received, and agreed, by the League Co-ordinator in October, the registration would be valid from 1^st December.

10 (e)   Players from a team withdrawing from the league will not be eligible to play for a lower team.            
Penalty - The team will forfeit the rubber of the offending player and all lower rubbers 

Clubs with more than one Team in the same Division

11 (a)   No club shall have more than three teams in any division.

11 (b)   If more than one team from one club is in the division, there can be no interchanging of players within the teams, except in the lowest division where players from the lower designated team may play for the higher team.           
Penalty - The team will forfeit the rubber of the offending player and all lower rubbers

11 (c)   Clubs may split the strength of its teams if they wish.

11 (d)  Players playing up from a lower division may only play for one of the teams.            Penalty - The team will forfeit the rubber of the offending player and all lower rubbers

11 (e)   Matches between clubs with two teams in the same division must be played at the start of each half of the season.  If a Club has three teams in the same division, the fixtures of the third team will not be affected by this rule.  If the match is postponed, it must be replayed within one calendar month of the date of the original fixture.           
Penalty - The offending team(s) will be penalised 10 League Points

11 (f)   Players from a team withdrawing from the league will not be eligible to play for the other team in that division.            
Penalty - The team will forfeit the rubber of the offending player and all lower rubbers 

Miscellaneous

12 (a)   The home team is expected to provide suitable refreshments after the match, unless otherwise agreed prior to the match.

12 (b)   The league rules will be maintained by the League Coordinator.    

Disputes and Disciplinary Matters

13 (a)   Disputes should be sent, by Email, or in writing, to the League Co-ordinator.

13 (b)   Matters of discipline should be sent, by Email, or in writing, to the League Co-ordinator.

13 (c)   The League Co-ordinator will rule on any disputes or issues.  If the ruling is contested an appeal can be lodged with the Dorset Squash Committee whose decision will be final.  

LADIES RULES – Exceptions to the main body of rules 14       

In exception to rule 10 (a) – Ladies may play for a men’s team at a different club from that which they represent as a member of a ladies team.  

KNOCK OUT CUP RULES – Additions to the main body of rules Entry into the Cup

15        All teams who enter the Dorset Squash Ladies or Men’s Leagues are automatically entered into the Dorset Squash Cup when they enter the relevant league unless they advise otherwise before 1^st September. 

Cup Competitions

16        There will be 5 Cup competitions and entry will be split as follows:  

Ladies Cup
Division 1 Cup
Divisions 2 and 3 Cup
Divisions 4 and 5 Cup
Divisions 6 and 7 Cup

Sections

17 (a)   Each cup will be run on a knock out basis.

17 (b)  All matches before the Final will be scheduled by the organiser.

17 (c)   Teams may, if they wish, play matches before the schedule date, or up to one week after the date the match was scheduled.  If a match is not played by this date, the team responsible for the postponement will be deemed to have lost the match.  If a match is mutually arranged for a date other than the scheduled date, the Cup Organiser should be notified accordingly.

 17 (d)  All finals be played on the same day, the date and venue of which will be decided by the organiser. 

Players

18 (a)   To be eligible to play in for a team in the Cup, a player must be eligible to play for the relevant league team at the date the match is played.

18 (b)  Up to and including the Quarter Final Round, there is no minimum requirement for the number of League matches a player must have played to be eligible to play in a Cup match.

18 (c)   For the Semi Finals and Finals, players must have played a minimum of 3 matches for their Club. 

Ian Chislett Bruce – Dorset Squash League Co-ordinator cbruce352@btinternet.com