1. 2018 Captains Meeting

2. Our purpose is to promote the game of tennis by providing successful programs and helpful service to the teams in AR was a great year for League Tennis in Arkansas!
Before we get started with the information portion, I wanted to give you a quick glimpse of the roles we play. As you can see our purpose is…..
The USTA constists of 17 sections
Our section conists of 9 states
We have a gentleman in Atlanta that is our Section League Coordinator
Denise is our State League coordinator, and manages the 14 local leagues that Arkansas has
My job is serve you guys in making season announcements, inputting your schedules, helping you understand the rules and how they pertain to your matches, helping players find team and promoting growth of tennis in our area.

3. How Do You Get One of These?

4. How Do You Get One of These?
Go to your local Revenue Office
Transfer your current plate or renew
$35 additional fee
$25 of each purchase will go to the Arkansas Tennis Patrons Foundation and the money will be used to refurbish courts around the state.

5. Do You Have a Kroger Card?
This is an easy way for you to support Arkansas Tennis without any extra money out of your pocket.
Simply register your Kroger Plus card online.

6. 2018 USTA League Season
Please “opt in” to Event Communications when you register for a team and encourage players to do so

7. Captain’s Duties – Your Roster
Team Size Limits – Spring 18/40/55
2.0, 2.5, 5.0: 12 player max
55+ roster max: 12 player max
Every other Spring team: 16 player max
Any person who turns 18/40/55/65/70 in the calendar year of 2018 is eligible for the respective league.
You guys are here because you have obviously put your teams together already.
Here is a reminder on the team size limits for each of your teams.
The general rule of thumb is to double the amount of players that are needed to play in one match.

8. Captain’s Duties – Your Roster
Players must register for your team before their first match.
Players (except 2.0) will incur a $5 late fee if they register after March 14
Players must play in two matches to qualify for State
Midseason matches do NOT count toward eligibility
One default may count towards qualification
Retired matches DO count for all players involved

9. Captain’s Duties – Your Roster
In leagues with only two teams, 40% of your roster must hold the designated NTRP rating of the league.
A player may play on more than one team
If they are on two teams that advance to State at the same level (but different local leagues), they must declare which team they will play with prior to the first match at State.
This first rule has change from last year. Last year the number was 50%. This only affects two of our leagues this Spring season….
4 new USTA players on your team, and you are eligible for a $100 prize. This goes for any coach or captain.

10. Captain’s Duties – Your Roster
18 & Over 5.0+
Roster may include up to 2 players from the next NTRP level
No more than one Plus (+) level player per team per match and required to play in 1S or 1D position
40 & Over 4.5+
Roster may include up to 3 players from the next NTRP level
No more than two Plus (+) level players per team per match and required to play in 1S or 1D position
This first rule has change from last year. Last year the number was 50%. This only affects two of our leagues this Spring season….
4 new USTA players on your team, and you are eligible for a $100 prize. This goes for any coach or captain. 10

11. 2018 Rule Changes
Southern will have no residency requirements for local league play. Exception: 51% of players on a team playing their local league at State and/or advancing directly to a state championship must reside within Arkansas district boundaries
In the case of invalid matches, (less than the minimum number of matches played), if scores are entered in TennisLink they will count only for NTRP ratings and advancement
This first rule has change from last year. Last year the number was 50%. This only affects two of our leagues this Spring season….
4 new USTA players on your team, and you are eligible for a $100 prize. This goes for any coach or captain. 11

12. 2018 Rule Changes
MOVE-UP/SPLIT-UP rule only applies to the same division, same age group and same NTRP level as the National Championship team(s). Applies to players who played in 3 or more matches (including one default) for that team.
A $100 filing fee will be required for all General/ Sportsmanship, Championship and/or Administrative Grievance and Grievance Appeals that are heard at the Southern level. The filing fee will only be returned to the grieving party if a penalty is imposed.
Home team is responsible for any guest fees charged
This first rule has change from last year. Last year the number was 50%. This only affects two of our leagues this Spring season….
4 new USTA players on your team, and you are eligible for a $100 prize. This goes for any coach or captain. 12

13. Rules
Procedures in the Event of a Tie for Local Play and Championship Play
(1): Individual Matches. Winner of the most individual matches in the entire competition.
(2): Head-to-head. Winner of head-to-head match.
(3): Sets. Loser of the fewest number of sets.
(4): Games. Loser of the fewest number of games.
(5): Coin toss.
This first rule has change from last year. Last year the number was 50%. This only affects two of our leagues this Spring season….
4 new USTA players on your team, and you are eligible for a $100 prize. This goes for any coach or captain. 13

14. Rules If a self-rate grievance is upheld, matches are reversed.
This first rule has change from last year. Last year the number was 50%. This only affects two of our leagues this Spring season….
4 new USTA players on your team, and you are eligible for a $100 prize. This goes for any coach or captain. 14

15. New for 2018 2.0 teams register until Feb. 19
Play it Forward captains opportunity!
40 & Over 3.5 Women’s trial on format change (1Singles/4Doubles)
This first rule has change from last year. Last year the number was 50%. This only affects two of our leagues this Spring season….
4 new USTA players on your team, and you are eligible for a $100 prize. This goes for any coach or captain. 15

16. Scheduling

17. Scheduling
PLEASE be sure to send your complete match schedule to Schelle as soon as possible so that it will show accurately in TennisLink
Match ID #’s (last 4 digits), opposing team name, date, time and location of match must be included on submitted schedules
You are only responsible for submitting your Home matches, but it is very helpful to send your complete schedule

18. Scheduling
Visiting teams should not ever be asked to split court fees for outdoor courts.
If Home team chooses to provide indoor courts vs. outdoor courts, the Visiting team is not required to split indoor court fees.
If Home team and Away team mutually agree to play indoors when setting up the match, the Visiting team is required to split court fees.
Court surface is decided by the Home Team.
Stress that you don’t HAVE to pay court fees. Don’t agree to play inside if you don’t want to pay. Just say no.

19. Scheduling
Once a match has been scheduled, the date/time CANNOT be changed unless MUTUALLY agreed upon.
You must notify the local league coordinator as soon as a match has been rescheduled.
If you cannot agree on a match schedule, we will set the match time and location.
Rescheduling has gotten out of control. You guys have worked so hard to get schedules set – don’t schedule until you are SURE you can play. It is out of hand and you do NOT have to reschedule. It is not a bad thing to say no.

20. Captain’s Responsibilities
The Home captain should contact the opposing captain 24 hours prior to each scheduled match to confirm date, time and location.
Each team must have a captain or acting captain at each match.
Lineups must be exchanged simultaneously just before play begins.
If the lines are playing at staggered times, the entire lineup must still be exchanged.
This first rule seems trivial, but it often goes overlooked and is actually very important. If you are not able to attend your match, please be sure you have nominated a suitable candidate that is prepared with a set of regulations in case an issue arises.

21. Captain’s Responsibilities
Use Scorecards from Tennis Link or the match cards that you were given today.
If you are the captain and you send your line 1 singles player to play before everyone else, please be sure they are equipped to give the entire lineup.

22. Captain’s Responsibilities
If a captain knows in advance that they need to forfeit a line, they are to let the other captain know as soon as possible.
Must default from the bottom up.

23. Match Play Substitution Rule:
Prior to the start of an individual match, if injury to, illness of, disqualification of, or a no show of a player occurs, a team may substitute a player in the affected position within the 15 minute default time, using a player not already listed on the lineup. If no substitution can be made, the affected position only will be defaulted.

24. Match Play
If a team defaults an entire team match for any reason during round robin play, that team will be ineligible to participate in Midseason or State. A grievance may be filed against the captain and the team and fines up to $50 per player and $100 per captain may incur.

25. Match Play Confirm scores before leaving the match
The WINNING captain is responsible for entering scores
Scores must be entered within 48 hours and confirmed within 48 hours after first entered
If you dispute a score – hit the dispute button and please notify LLC
Rescheduled matches must be turned into the Local League Coordinator ASAP

26. Timed Matches
"For any local league TEAM match that must be completed in a limited period of time (e.g., all individual matches in 1.5 hours),
prior to the start of the TEAM match, the home captain must notify the opposing captain of the allotted time for the TEAM match, the end time of the TEAM match, and the method of timekeeping on each court.  
Play must end on all courts at the designated time unless a rollover court is secured prior to the beginning of the match.”

27. Inclement Weather/Loss of Court Time
"In case of inclement weather and/or loss of court time, before one or more INDIVIDUAL matches are completed, the following procedures will be used to determine individual match and team winners, unless prior to the beginning of the match, the team captains mutually agree to complete the match at a mutually convenient time/place in lieu of these scoring procedures.  NOTE:  If a captain knows that any individual match will be subject to loss of court time, the captain must notify the opposing captain of the allotted time of the individual match, the end of the individual match and the method of timekeeping on that court."

28. Inclement Weather/Loss of Court Time
Scoring procedures to determine individual match and team winners:
All completed matches stand.
All individual matches in progress will use total (completed) games won to determine the winner of each court.
If there is a tie on an individual court with total games won, EACH team will be awarded a win for THAT COURT ONLY. (Notify our office is this happens). This could possibly cause a tie on overall courts won. If this happens, a tiebreak procedure will be used to break a team match tie 28

29. Inclement Weather/Loss of Court Time
Procedure to break a Match tie:
Fewest sets lost (completed sets only are counted).
Fewest games lost (if any tiebreaker -third set or otherwise- has been started but not completed, it is considered an incomplete game).
A coin toss. Home team tosses; visiting team calls heads or tails.
The winner of the match will receive credit for the tied court(s) in TennisLink and State League Coordinator must be notified. 29

30. Inclement Weather/Loss of Court Time
Any individual match not started must reschedule at a convenient time for all players involved. Every attempt by both captains must be made to accomplish this. If this cannot be determined, the local league coordinator will set the match time and location. If necessary, the State League Coordinator will reschedule any matches not yet completed. All matches must be completed by deadline or the teams involved cannot advance to the State Championship. 30

31. State Selection Process
18+, 40+ and 18/40 Mixed Teams are chosen in the following manner:
An NTRP level with fewer than seven teams statewide will have four bids.
If a local division has:
7 teams or less = they receive one bid
8 – 14 teams = they will receive two bids
15 – 21 teams = they will receive three bids
The State will issue Wildcards as necessary to fill the draw. Wildcards will be based on the wild card spreadsheet for each division. These will be posted on

32. State Selection Process
If a local league winner declines their bid to state that bid stays within that local league until all teams have been asked.
Number of bids to state will be determined 2 weeks after the completion of each mid-season tournament.
Adult 55 & Over, Interim, Combo and Mixed 55/65 we will bring 40% from each local league rounded down.
Please make sure you respond promptly on whether or not your team will be accepting the State Tournament Bid. 32

33. Wild Cards – 18 & Over 2.5M 2.5W 3.0M 3.0W 3.5M 3.5W 4.0M 4.0W 4.5MNE
CON
RUSS
WATA
HSV
NWA
STUT SE S RR TL
CLR
GHS MP

34. Midseason Bids
If the winner of Midseason is already a local league winner, then bid will go to the next in line at Midseason, not that team’s local league.
A player may play on two teams at the same level during the Midseason Tournament.
Championship Procedures are posted on the arktennis.com website under “Adult League - League Tournaments”

35. Seeding for State
First place winners from each local league will be placed in separate round robins with, in some cases, round robins having more than one first-place winner.
All other spots will be by random draw. We try and keep local league teams from playing each other as much as possible.

36. Of Note….
18 & Over 4.5 and 5.0+ will play the second Midseason and the first State Weekend
18 & Over 2.5 will play the first Midseason along with the 55s
Mixed Doubles and Interim State Championships will be combined and held over two separate weekends.
Sept. 7-9 will be held in Bentonville, AR
Sept will be held at Burns Park 36

37. NTRP RATINGS
The USTA posts the official NTRP ratings on our website, TennisLink, located at tennislink.usta.com. This is the only public website where official NTRP ratings authorized by the USTA are posted and can be obtained.
The USTA is aware of other sites that suggest they provide NTRP ratings or player statistics and skill analysis. Any alleged NTRP related information available on these sites is not endorsed by the USTA, may not be accurate and cannot be relied upon. USTA is in the process of taking all appropriate actions against these sites available to us.

38. NTRP Grievances
Only self-rated players can have a rating grievance filed on them.
No grievance can be filed against a player with a valid computer rating unless…
Captains complete the NTRP grievance form and submit to the LLC or call the state league office

39. Understanding NTRP Ratings
All players who play three (qualifying) matches in 2018 will generate a year-end NTRP rating.
Your DYNAMIC rating is to the nearest 100th of a point (3.42). YOU only see your year-end rating to a 10th of a point (3.5)
Only Adult League matches count as qualifying (not combo, interim, mixed, etc)

40. Understanding NTRP Ratings
With each match you play, your dynamic rating goes up or down based on how you perform against the computer’s guesstimate.
The system considers your LIKELY score based on current dynamic ratings of each player in the match.

41. Understanding NTRP Ratings
If you perform better than expected, your rating goes up.
If you don’t perform as well as the computer thinks you will, your rating goes down.

42. Understanding NTRP Ratings
Is it possible for your rating to go up to the next level during a season?
YES
Is it possible for your rating to drop down to the level below during a season?

43. Understanding NTRP Ratings
Mixed Rating? What is that?
Players who participate in mixed doubles exclusively will receive an M rating at year-end.
If they choose to re-enter the Adult League season, they must use their latest Computer Rating or Self-Rate

44. Understanding NTRP Ratings
Self-rated players:
Must honestly and accurately fill out the self-rate questionnaire.
If not happy with the rating produced, players may file a self-rate appeal
If a self-rated player is promoted to a higher level during the season, ALL prior matches will stand.

45. Understanding NTRP Ratings
If a captain/team has 2 or more promoted players within a 12-month period, they may be subject to an NTRP Grievance and subsequent suspension from USTA League

46. Understanding NTRP Ratings
Computer-rated players may NOT be disqualified during a season.
Appeals for 65 & Older players may not be working correctly

47. Sportsmanship
Definition of sportsmanship: Fair play, respect for opponents, and polite behavior by someone who is competing in a sport or other competition. 47

48. Sportsmanship Examples of Poor Sportsmanship:
Throwing or slamming a racquet
Foul language or Verbal Abuse
Slamming of balls on the court or out of the court in anger
Throwing objects at your opponent
Knowingly making bad line calls
Coaching 48

49. Sportsmanship
A grievance may be filed against a player for unsportsmanlike behavior. At the state tournaments, the PPS will be used. 49

50. Thank You for Attending!
Questions 50