Wakefield and District Tennis League

Rules of the League

1. NAME OF LEAGUE
 
The league shall be named ‘The Wakefield and District Tennis League’
 
2. OBJECT OF LEAGUE
 
The object of the league is to promote competitive mixed tennis amongst the clubs in and around Wakefield.
 
3. CONSTITUTION
 
a) The committee of the League shall consist of one representative from each member club, with the addition of a Chairman, who shall have a casting vote only.
 
b) The club providing the Chairman for any particular year shall be entitled to one further representative for that year.
 
c) The AGM of the committee shall be held during the first week in March each year to elect a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Auditor. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be designated League Officials and shall conduct the business of the League. The Committee may meet at such other times as the Chairman and Secretary consider necessary or upon the written request of more than half the Member Clubs.
 
d) The names of the club representatives must be notified to the Secretary at a meeting of the League Committee.
 
e) No business shall be transacted at any Committee meeting unless a quorum of members is present. A quorum shall exist when more than half the member clubs are represented.
 
 
4. MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEAGUE
 
a) Membership of the League shall be by application to the Committee whose decision will be final.
 
b) Upon election to League Membership, a club shall provide one representative to serve on the committee.
 
c) Any club failing to send a representative to the Annual General Meeting, after receiving 14 days notice, shall be subject to a fine of £10
 
5. CONDITIONS OF MATCH PLAY
 
a) Each club shall provide a team of two ladies and two gentlemen. Each couple will play a mixed set against both the opposing couples. The ladies will play against each other and the men will play against each other. ( Making six sets in total for the match) Tie Breaks in a set will take place at eight games all unless it is agreed by both captains at the start of play to have the Tie Break at six games all in case of bad light or adverse weather conditions.
b) Evening matches shall commence at 6-30pm promptly. If either team is incomplete at 7pm the defaulting team shall give one set to their opponents; if incomplete at 7-30pm, two sets and if incomplete at 8pm, three sets. No players arriving after 8pm will be allowed to play. In the event of players not arriving at all they shall forfeit the sets they should have played.
For the first two matches of the season only, play shall commence at 6pm and all the above times will accordingly move forward one half an hour.
 
c) If, in the event of a match having to be abandoned because of weather, no winning position having been reached, that match shall be replayed ‘de novo’
When a winning position has been reached, and weather prevents the completion of the match, any uncompleted rubbers will be halved.
 
6. FIXTURES
 
a) All member clubs shall be provided with a list of fixtures for the ensuing season following the Committee meeting. In the event of a club having two teams in the same Division the first fixture of the season shall be between the two teams concerned.
 
b) All matches shall be played on the date shown on the fixture list. The only reason for postponing a match shall be weather conditions. If a match is postponed or abandoned for the above reason, the Home team shall offer two weekday dates, not being the same day of the week, to the Away team; such dates to be within three weeks of the original match. If neither of the dates is acceptable to the Away team the Away team must concede the match. Should the Home team fail to offer two dates as outlined above the Home team would then become the defaulter. Should any match be conceded, an aggregate of sets will be applied based on the performance throughout the season of the non- defaulting club. If a rearranged date shall be affected by weather conditions, the same procedure shall apply.
 
c) Results of fixtures shall be forwarded to the League Secretary by the winning club within seven days. The results shall be published regularly on the web-site. The final table will show matches played, won and lost, set details and total league points gained.
 
d) In the event of any dispute, the decision of the League Officials shall be final.
 
e) Fixtures shall be completed by the third Monday in August.
 
7. MEMBERSHIP OF CLUB TEAMS
 
a) Where a club has more than one team in the League, the club is under an obligation to field their strongest team players in their highest team.
 
b) Team members must be full playing members of the club. No player may play in two teams in one week and each player may only play in 14 matches (or pro rata in divisions with fewer than 8 teams) during any one season.
 
c) Players contravening rules 7a or 7b shall have the sets counted 6-0 against them and the match results amended accordingly.
 
d) A player may transfer from one club to another at any time with the consent of the two clubs concerned, but cannot play for the new club in League matches until seven days have elapsed from the transfer being granted. If the clubs disagree the League Officials shall make a decision.
 
8. APPEALS PROCEDURE
 
Should the League officials consider that a club has contravened a League Rule the Club shall have the Right of Appeals to an Appeals Panel. The panel is to comprise of The League Officials and an elected Representative from each of three Member Clubs. Any Member of the Panel with a vested interest in an Appeal would be required to stand down for that particular Appeal. The Appeals Panel will be elected at the Annual General Meeting each year.
 
9. PROMOTION AND RELEGATION
 
a) The two teams finishing first and second in each division shall normally be promoted to the next higher division and the bottom two teams in each division shall be relegated to the next lower division.
 
b) No division shall exceed eight teams or have less than four and the number of teams shall be adjusted in the divisions accordingly.
 
10. ALTERATION OF RULES
 
The Committee may repeal or modify existing rules and add rules as may be deemed necessary for the proper management and well being of the League dependent upon a two thirds majority of the clubs present.
 
11. SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
The subscriptions payable by each member club towards League expenses shall be £10 per team for the year, subject to payments being made by the end of June of the current year. Outstanding subscriptions shall then be increased to £20 per team
 
12. INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES
 
Should any question arise on the construction or interpretation of the rules, the opinion of the League Officials shall be taken and their decision shall be final.
 
Judith Hartley
League Secretary