TIPS FOR CAPTAINS Navigating the USTA Florida Website Created by Heidi Sherrick-Duston Local Play Coordinator (LPC)

PURPOSE This presentation is intended for Captains It provides instruction on how to navigate the USTA Florida website to locate: League Rules and Regulations, Tentative season dates, Other useful Captain information

Locating the Local League Policies for IRMSL County Areas Go to www.ustaflorida.com Select “Find Local Play” in the menu Search for your county using the “Choose Your County” Scroll down until you locate “Local League Resources and Updates” section Select “Local League Rules” You’ll notice you can also find the National and Florida rules and bylaws here as well

What’s Important? Local League Policies Link The following rules are a partial list of the rules included in the Policy (please be aware of all rules) Captains must know where rules and bylaws are located and refer to them frequently Know and understand; Team/Player requirements for league, NTRP ratings, scheduling/blackout dates, match information, lineups, defaults, format of play and score entry Know and understand the RAIN POLICY (Captains will inform the LPC of any matches that are cancelled , suspended or rescheduled due to rain (by both Captains) Line calls or disputes during the match can only be resolved by the players participating in that individual match

What’s Important? Local League Policies Link (continued) Captains should contact each other at least two days prior to the scheduled match to verify the match times, court conditions, etc. Captains must exchange completed line-ups once players are present No coaching is allowed at any time by spectators, captains or professionals It is the responsibility of both Captains to verify that players appearing in the written line-up are registered via TennisLink before playing the match All electronics capable of sending or receiving communication must be turned off Questions should be raised to the LPC (League Play Coordinator)

Accessing the National and Florida Section Rules and Regulations Go to www.ustaflorida.com Click on USTA Leagues

Locating the Rules and Regulations for National and Florida Leagues (and other links) Scroll down or Click the link to “Getting Started” The National and Florida League Regulations can be accessed by the red box links Friends at Court (etiquette) can also be accessed here Helpful information can be accessed and printed

What’s Important? National League Rules, Regulations Link Captains must know where rules and bylaws are located and refer to them frequently The USTA National League Regulations link will provide access to important bylaws and forms Friend at Court (Etiquette) and The Code are shared with teams and abided by Questions should be raised to the LPC

What’s Important? Florida Section League Rules, Regulations Link Captains must know where rules and bylaws are located and refer to them frequently The USTA Florida Section League regulations link will provide access to important rules such as Coman Tiebreak, player participation, cell phone use, league progression path, etc. Team captains (or designee) are designated as the official spokesperson for the team Questions should be raised to the LPC

What’s Important? “Friends At Court” Link Captains must know where “Friend At Court” (Rules of Tennis) is located and ensure their teams abide by them This document outlines USTA Regulations and The Code such as the principles of cooperation and courtesy, including match protocols such as warm-up, serving, scoring and making line calls Club to Club, Team to Team and Captain to Captain relationships are critical to a successful, competitive and enjoyable league Questions should be raised to the LPC

USTA League Schedules Under “Local Play” you can access tentative schedules for Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall in our area This will help you plan for future league and social play

Over 40 4.0 IRMSL Section Champions Player Promise I recognize that tennis is a sport that places the responsibility for fair play on me. I promise to abide by the rules of the game, which require me to give the benefit of the doubt to my opponent. At all times I shall strive to compete with the true spirit of sportsmanship, recognizing that my behavior on the court is a direct reflection of my character. Whether this match ends with my victory or defeat, I promise to conduct myself in a way that honors my opponents, my team, those who support me, and the game of tennis. Over 40 4.0 IRMSL Section Champions BUTTONWOOD

Summary Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Local Play Coordinator I hope this information proves useful in navigating the rules, schedules, policies and programs for USTA Florida tennis in our area I am focused on helping the growth of tennis in the Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties It is also important for me to continue to build positive relationships between Clubs, Captains and Players in our area so we can all enjoy this game we love Please feel free to contact me any time at sherrick@ustaflorida.com or 407.664.5931