Welcome to the Rochester Tennis League's third year of doubles competition. We'll be hosting our largest turnout ever this season (a total of eighteen teams in two divisions), encouraging evidence that what started in 2012 as a tentative experiment has blossomed in 2014 into a thriving enterprise. We're delighted you've decided to sign up for the league, and we look forward to enjoying an action-packed summer of fun and fellowship.
Though current weather conditions might suggest otherwise, competition commences next week. Following are several regulations and guidelines with which you should be familiar. If you've participated in the league in previous years, much of this content will be a refresher for you. If you're new to the league, however, please review this post very carefully. It's essential that we remain on the same page with regard to conventions and procedures. Educating yourselves now will deter misconceptions later. A high-school teacher gave me a similar warning, but I refused to listen to her. The result has often been bleak.
League structure: Division One contains ten teams. Division Two has eight. Division One is divided into two groups: A and B. The groups aren't segregated by skill level; they exist merely to accommodate the large turnout of teams in Division One. Teams from Group A won't meet those from Group B until the playoffs. Division Two teams, on the other hand, will adhere to a round-robin format throughout session one, playing each team in their division once until the conclusion of the seven-week stretch.
Configuration of rosters: Each team consists of three players, and each player is of equal eligibility. You may pair the same two players up all session long, dubbing your third player a sub of sorts, or you may vary your roster at your discretion. You may not, however, add players to your roster in the middle of the session. Should injury, relocation, or personal emergency force a player to withdraw from your team, please let Max and me know immediately.
Designated evenings for competition: Division One matches will occur on Mondays, Division Two matches on Wednesdays. We've selected specific days for competition to make your lives easier, not to complicate them. Getting four players on a court at the same time can be unimaginably challenging. Removing ambiguity from the conversation is advantageous to everyone.
Flexibility, however, is a trait we encourage. If two teams prefer to play on, say, a Tuesday night or a Saturday morning, they're free to give it a go. Be aware, though, that you can't require a team to play at a random time. The decision to do so must be mutual. If a Division One team, for example, is prepared to play on a Monday night but the other team can't assemble a roster at that time, the available squad has the right to impose a forfeit upon its opponents. We are, I hope, here to play tennis, not to win matches on technicalities, so please pull out the forfeit card as sparingly as possible -- and ideally not at all.
Scheduling matches: Captains are responsible for scheduling matches. They should contact opposing captains as early as possible to confirm the availability of both teams. Please reply to scheduling-related communications with cordial rapidity. We all have a lot to do. Waiting interminably to determine when we'll be playing tennis is a burden we shouldn't have to entertain.
Making up matches: Should weather or some similar obstacle prevent you from playing on your designated day, Sunday is the official time for making up matches. Again, flexibility is a vapor we should all be breathing. If you can't play on a Wednesday, go for Thursday if everyone else is on board with it. Completing matches is of greater urgency than rigidly clinging to guidelines.
Match deadlines: All matches, regardless of your division, must be completed by Sunday evening. For instance, next week's matches, which kick off on Monday May 5, must be played by Sunday May 11. You can stage matches as far in advance of their scheduled dates as you wish, but you MAY NOT complete them beyond their Sunday deadlines. This critical dictate is non-negotiable.
Score reporting: The captain of the winning team is expected to report scores. (Captains can, of course, delegate this task to other players on an as-needed basis.) Scores should be emailed to me within twenty-four hours of match completion. Scores not submitted by Sunday night will result in DNPs (Did Not Play), which will cause both teams to lose half a point in the standings. I encourage captains of losing teams to keep an eye on standings to ensure that winning captains have accurately reported scores.
The contact list Max sent you contains the email addresses of team captains and accompanying players. Schedules for both divisions are posted on the RTL website: www.RochesterTennisLeague.com. You can also follow league standings on the RTL site throughout the season.
Please email scores to me at the following address: CMJones@CMJonesTutoring.com. In addition, don't hesitate to contact me with questions. Seeking clarification is always better than lingering in confusion -- unless you're dealing with the IRS. Engaging them will only augment your bewilderment.
Here's to a happy summer of outdoor tennis. Good luck in your opening matches next week. If the rain persists, we might be playing on arks with canopies. We won't be able to lob, but at least we'll be outside for a few months.
