‘League/Knock-out Cup’ Competition Rules

SECTION A – MEMBERSHIP and FINANCE:

 

Rule 1 – Membership of England Squash [England Squash Ltd (ES)]

1.1       Shropshire Squash operate under the England Squash (ES) Code of Conduct (https://www.englandsquash.com/get-involved/referee/rules-and-regulations) and the World Squash Federation (WSF) current Rules and Regulations.

1.2       All clubs / teams entering the league(s) must be fully paid up members of ES Ltd in accordance with current ES membership rules.  All team players should be registered with England Squash and hold a current ES number.

 

Rule 2 – Entry Fees to the League(s)

2.1          Entry fees per team will be agreed/confirmed at, or prior to, the AGM / League Update Meeting.

  • Entry fees should be paid to the Treasurer at the league update meeting immediately following the AGM.   
  • A Discount of 5% will be applied to entry fees if paid before, at, or within 7 days of the AGM / League Update Meeting.
  • Teams may be withdrawn from the league(s) if fee(s) are not paid by the start of the Squash / Squash 57 playing season.

Rule 3 – Fines

3.1          Any fine not paid within one month of issue, will incur an additional penalty of 20 league points.

 

SECTION B – FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT: 

 Rule 4 – Court Time

4.1       The host team is responsible for providing sufficient court time for the completion of all matches, i.e. the tie must be played in its entirety. If there is insufficient time to complete the tie, the visiting team time shall concede any outstanding or unfinished matches: 3-0, if the lack of time is a result of their late arrival, otherwise the host team shall concede: 0-3.

 

Rule 5 – Facilities (Courts, Changing Rooms, Hospitality)

5.1          Two courts are required for each tie, where there are two or more courts.  (Squash 57 (Racketball) may be played on one court when there are 3 players per team.)

Rule 6 – Ties, Schedules and Start Time

6.1       All Division 1 ties will be played on a WEDNESDAY evenings, any alternative night requested will require a majority vote by the other teams in the league and final approval from the committee.  Except where specifically agreed by the committee, all other league ties will be arranged and played on TUESDAY evenings for Division 2 and THURSDAY evenings for Division 3 and MONDAY evenings for Squash 57 (Racketball). Additional flexibility will be allowed and agreed with both the other league teams and committee for the lower divisions.

6.2          All ties must start no later than 7.30pm, all specific start times must be added on each SportyHQ Club Page.

 

Rule 7 – Clothing / Eye Protection

7.1       All players must wear clothing, which is comfortable, athletic clothing that allows you to run around the court. Non-marking rubber sole shoes should be used that don’t leave marks on the court.

7.2       All Junior players must wear suitable protective eye wear on court. All suitable eye-wear should conform to British Standard BS7930.1 to ensure the right quality.

 

Rule 8 – Refereeing and Marking

8.1       ALL teams should wherever possible provide at least two ES qualified referees and/or markers. Wherever possible the home team should provide two such officials and the away team one official for each league / cup match

 

SECTION C –  ELIGIBILITY: 

Rule 9 – Higher/Lower Team (Playing for)

9.1       ANYONE playing more than four times for a higher division team will be ineligible to play for the lower division team during that season – subject to Rule 15.  This includes League and Cup matches which are not separated as different competitions in this instance.

Players will not be able to ‘play up’ within the same division. Players will only be able to ‘play up’ from a lower division.

Walkovers / forfeited match results will not count towards Rule 9.1.  When entering a result in this instance the players’ names should not be entered.

A SportyHQ instruction document explaining how to check how many times a player has played has been added to the website at https://shropshiresquash.org/downloads/

9.2       Should any player infringe Rule 9.1 that match and all lower matches will be forfeited: 0-3.

 

Rule 10 – Playing for two Clubs / Transfers

10.1      Players must not play for more than one club in the league in any one season, without due written notification to, and with prior approval of the Committee.  Where a transfer is approved, ties played for any original team may, at the discretion of the Committee, count towards eligibility under Rule 11.1

10.2      Should any player infringe Rule 10.1 that match and all lower matches will be forfeited for each occasion: 0-3.

 

Rule 11 – Eligibility

11.1       No player may play for a team in the last four league ties of the season, or the plays offs, or the semi -finals and finals of the Knockout Cup, unless that player has previously played at least once for that team in previous league or cup matches.

11.2       The Committee shall have the discretion to accept a player to play otherwise than in accordance with  rule 11.1 on receiving 7 days notice in writing of the relevant tie, including where there have been / requested postponements.

11.3        Penalty for infringement of rule 11.1 will be loss of that players’ games (0-3) within the relevant tie.

 

Rule 12 – Eligibility for a Club

12.1        A club may be represented by any male or female, who is a member of that club.

 

Rule 13 – Professionals

13.1     Professional players may play in the league, either for the club by whom they are employed, or for a club of which they are a bona-fide member, but not for both.

 

Rule 14 – Omitted.

 

SECTION D –  NOMINATIONS/ ORDER OF MERIT: 

Rule 15 – Player Seeding / Order of Merit.

15.1     All team players are to be seeded in their ‘home team’ in order of playing merit by the start of the first match of the season. (Squash 1 – 5, Squash 57 1 – 3).   Players who join a team after the start of the season must be added to the ‘seeding’.  Players may only play in the team for which they are seeded or a HIGHER LEAGUE TEAM, subject to the provision of Rule 9.1. When playing for a Higher League Team players should be positioned according to playing ability / overall club ranking.

15.2     Team Captains must publish their teams’ Order of Merit (team order) prior to each match.  Teams not adhering to this rule will forfeit 5 points (Squash) and 3 points (Squash 57 (Racketball).

15.3    There will be an opportunity to re-seed players following the first cycle of fixtures.  Notice of re-seeding will be published by the League Secretary.  

15.4        If a team is found to have included a player clearly out of order, that match and all lower matches will be forfeited: Squash 0-5. Squash 57 0-3.

15.5     Where a player plays without prior nomination they will be considered nominated for that team for the remainder of the season and be subject to rule 11 & rule 15.1.

 

Rule 16 – Teams from the same Club in same division

16.1        No Club shall have more than THREE teams in the same division without permission from the committee.

16.2     If a Club has two or more teams in the same division, those teams must play each other as the first and the immediate subsequent ties in each half of the season

 

SECTION E – POINTS/RESULTS CARDS/ MAXIMUM WINNING POINTS: 

Rule 17 – Points / Bonus Points / Walkover Points.

17.1   Points – Division 1 and Racketball (Squash 57) – Best of 5 games – PAR 11;  Divisons 2 and 3 – Best of 5 games – PAR 15.  All KnockOut Cups – Best of 5 games – PAR 11.   2 Clear points if the score is tied at 10-10 OR 14-14 respectively.   In the event of a drawn match the winner shall be decided on games won or if still a draw then points won.   in accordance  with the World Squash Federation (WSF) Rules of Squash (https://www.worldsquash.org/rules-of-squash-2/) and the ES regulations currently in force.

17.2     Bonus Points – One point will be awarded for each individual match won within the tie, with a bonus of 5 points (5 player team) or 3 points (3 player team) for the team winning the most matches.

17.3     Walkovers – Unless extenuating circumstances exist, the defaulting team will be awarded minus 10 points, with 14 points awarded to the non-defaulting team. 

Note:      A rubber is played between individuals, a tie is a series of five / three rubbers played between two teams

 

Rule 18 – Results cards (exchange of order)

18.1     Team Captains must ensure that their teams’ Order of Merit is published on SPORTYHQ prior to the commencement of the tie. Non- compliance will result in a 5 point deduction (Squash) and a 3 point deduction (Squash 57 (Racketball).  (See Rule 15.2).

 

Rule 19 – Results cards (submission)

19.1     The host team must complete the online results card within 24 hours of the tie being played.

19.2     The online results card should be confirmed by the visiting captain within 24hrs of notification of the results being posted by the host captain.

19.3     Failure to complete the online results card in-line with Rule 19.1 and 19.2 may result in the team at fault (19.1 Host team, 19.2 Visiting Team) forfeiting the match and maximum winning points being awarded to the other team.

 

SECTION F – TEAM PROMOTION / RELEGATION:   

Rule 20 – Promotion and Relegation

20.1    Squash Leagues:  Promotion and relegation will be on a two up two down basis which will include a ‘playoff’.

The top team in each division will be promoted.  The bottom team in each division will be relegated.

A ‘playoff’ will be held, as arranged by the appropriate team Captains, between the team 2nd from bottom in the higher division & the team 2nd in the lower division, the winning team will remain in, or be promoted to, the higher division, the losing team will remain in, or be relegated to, the lower division.

If, at any stage, there is an equality of points, ties won count and if there is still equality, there will be a challenge match to decide.

Squash 57 (Racketball) League:  Only 1 Division currently exists so no Promotion or Relegations.

 

Rule 21 – Team Entry / Withdrawal

21.1     If clubs wish to enter a new team in the league(s) or remove a team from the league(s) they must inform the League Secretary at least 21 days before the AGM.

21.2     New teams will normally be placed in the lowest division. However in exceptional circumstances the Committee may allow a new team to enter the league(s) at an appropriate higher level.

 

SECTION G – POSTPONEMENTS / WALKOVERS:

Rule 22 – Postponements / Walkovers

22.1     All leagues and cup ties will be played in accordance with the schedule posted on SportyHQ.  

22.2     Postponement of a match.  A match may be postponed by mutual agreement of both Captains. Once the new date has been agreed, that date becomes the new re-arranged date.   All postponed matches must be played prior to the final scheduled fixture.  Approval by the League Secretary must be sought prior to a match being postponed.  

‘A shortage of players should not be used as a reason for postponement.’

22.3    Walkovers – Teams at fault will concede points as detailed in rule 17.3.

22.4     The team at fault (Postponements or Walkovers) must additionally refund any out of pocket expenses to the other team i.e. court fees, food for the home side or travel expenses for an away side. Proof of expense must be provided by the team requesting the refund and the committee must be informed.

22.5     Any team conceding two walkovers will be considered for immediate  withdrawal from the league(s) and all their scores will be cancelled.

22.6     A club whose team concedes two walkovers may be required to reduce the number of teams it enters into the league in the next season.

 

Rule 23 – Court Safety.

23.1     Before the start, or up to the completion of the first game on either court the captains can elect to postpone the tie if it is agreed that the courts are in a dangerous state because of on-court moisture or other conditions which may make play hazardous to the players or damaging to the court. After completion of the first game(s) both captains must agree or the tie will continue. If postponed the entire tie will be replayed

 

SECTION H – MISCONDUCT / DISPUTES: 

Rule 24 – Misconduct (Verbal / Physical)

24.1     If a player’s conduct is unacceptable, the Referee must penalise the player, stopping play if necessary in accordance with the World Squash Federation (WSF) Rules of Squash (http://www.worldsquash.org/ws/rules/rules-of-squash-2) and the ES regulations currently in force. The referee must inform the League Secretary within 24hrs of any conduct penalties applied during a match.

24.2     Any other complaints made regarding a match by either the referee or captain of the team should make his or her complaint in writing (Email) within 7 days of the offence, to the League Secretary.

The Committee shall take whatever action it deems necessary in the interest of the parties and award penalty(ies) according to the seriousness of the offence and as recommended by the WSF/ES Code of Conduct.

 

Rule 25 – Players not turning up

25.1     Prior to the start of the fixture, any team having less than five players will be deemed to be without their number five player. Where 4 or 3 players only are required, they shall be deemed to be without their number 4 or 3 player respectively.

25.2     After the start of the fixture, should a player otherwise not arrive without prior warning or in breach of rule 26.1, that match and all lower matches will be forfeited: 0-3.

 

Rule 26 – Turning up on time

26.1     As a matter of courtesy both teams should arrive on time, however three players from each team should be present by the advertised start time so that two matches may commence. Any player arriving outside these limits without prior arrangement may be subject to rule 25.

 

Rule 27 – Disputes

27.1    In the event of a query on the league rules or a dispute prior to or during a tie, the League Secretary is to be contacted as soon as possible. If an equitable solution cannot be found the matter will be referred to the Committee who may take such action as it deems necessary. The decision of the Committee on any matter relating to the League and Cup competitions, whether or not covered by these rules, is final and the Committee will not enter into further correspondence.

Amended – September 2022 – Rule 9.1 to delete the sentence which allows players to play up within the same division and to add players can only play up from a lower division. (Agreed at Annual General Meeting 10th Aug 2022.) 

Amended – September 2021 (to take into account late season start and revised Squash 57 (Racketball) player numbers.

Amended –  September 2019 (agreed at Annual General Meeting 5 Sep 2019).

 

Shropshire Squash © 2016.
All Rights Reserved.

Designed by Lighthouse