Bournemouth Parks Mixed Box League

Introduction

What is a box league?

Box leagues provide a great opportunity to compete on a regular basis against players of a similar standard and also meet new people and improve your overall game in a fun, competitive environment.

Both players are responsible for bringing their own rackets and each supplying a set of balls to use which must be of decent quality.

Each round, players will be expected to play against all others within the box which will be on average 5 matches.

Who can enter?

To enter the box league, players must have either a Tennis in the Park or a Bournemouth Gardens membership to allow them to book and gain access to the courts. More details on how to book courts can be found in the ‘Match Organisation’ section under the ‘Rules’ tab.

Players must be 16 years +

The parks box league is a mixed league and therefore boxes will consist of both Men and Women.

The box league is designed to cater for all abilities baring complete beginners. Throughout the rotations players of similar levels will generally gravitate towards each other, making the boxes similarly competitive.

In order to take part in the box league players MUST be able to score their own games.

Players must be able to start the point with a serve and be able to hit both forehand & backhand.

In order to enter the league, players must have a BTM (British Tennis Membership) which is free to sign up for. If you a have an WTN (World Tennis Number) this will be used to help gauge your playing standard.

Rules

Rounds

During each year there will be 5 scheduled rounds. Each round usually lasts 9 weeks, however due to shorter evenings in winter we have decided to make the round in the summer 8 weeks long (Jun-Aug) to allow for a 12 week round through the winter months (Nov-Jan).

Players can enter as many rounds as they would like ranging from the minimum of 1 to the maximum of 5.

There are discounts applied when signing up for multiple rounds. Signing up to 5 rounds generates a discount of 20%

It’s important to remember that players who temporarily withdraw from the box league, or who miss a round or 2, will be re-entered as close to their previous box league standing as possible.

Match Organisation

All players share responsibility for contacting the opponents in their box to arrange their matches. The contact details you provide when signing up will be shared with the other players in the box.

Players should not leave the arranging of matches until the last few weeks and then try getting all the matches played in a short space of time, as this may then not be possible with the opponents availability, court availability and weather issues etc. Players should be making contact with their opponents within the first month to leave adequate time.

The box league has now been extended into the Bournemouth Gardens which is great news as it will allow more players to join and increase the strength and depth of the league. With this in mind it is important that you know how matches should be organised between players across the different sites with the different memberships.

If you and your opponent are both park members then both players should use their membership to book back to back courts giving you a 2 hour window to get your match completed. Similarly if you are both gardens members then the same method should be used. If a gardens member is playing a parks member then the default venue for your match is the parks. This is because the league started in the parks and has now grown to include the gardens. As a gardens member cannot book a parks court, the gardens member would need to phone West Hants reception on 01202 519455 and ask them to book a court for a box league match. This will be free of charge. If both players agree to play the match at the gardens then the parks member would need to ring the gardens reception on 01202 298570 and ask them to book a court free of charge. Please DO NOT use email to contact either reception, telephone only.

A player may claim a walkover if they are unable to arrange a match at any time during the round with another player, due to the opponent being unable to play. To be able to claim a walkover, the player must have offered at least 3 dates to play, and the opponent must have refused these dates, and not offered any alternative dates. If both players have suggested 3 dates each and no other solution can be found then no walkover can be claimed. Please note the 3 dates you are expected to give should not be all in the same week. When arranging matches most players use a WhatsApp group which is set up at the beginning of the round. If you wish to claim a walkover against an opponent, it is important that you message a player directly and offer them 3 specific dates and times. You cannot offer 3 dates to the group and claim a walkover against a particular player if you haven’t received a reply.

If you are injured at the beginning of the round you should let your opponents know so that they can plan and use their time accordingly. If you do not make any contact with the opponents and leave your matches until the end of the round, and then find you’re unable to schedule anything, a walkover will not be given. It is the responsibility of all players to help get matches completed.

If a match has been scheduled and 1 player has turned up between 15-30 minutes late then the waiting player can claim the first set. If the player has not arrived by 30 minutes then the second set can be claimed, and therefore, the match. A score of 6-0 will be given for each set claimed. If your opponent has let you know that they will be late then it is up to you and your discretion as to whether you delay the start time, reorganise the match or enforce the time penalty rules.

If players are not attempting to contact their opponents, or consistently not completing their matches, they may be removed from the league to ensure other players are getting value for money.

Scoring & Results

The scoring system is the best of 3 tie break sets. However, as long as BOTH players agree after the completion of the second set, you may play a match tie break in place of the 3rd set, which is first to 10 points, not 7 like a normal tie break at the end of a regular set. This is only if BOTH players agree. Otherwise a full 3rd set is the default scoring system. Once the results have been received by the organiser, they will amend the score on TTP to reflect a full set.

When a match is played, the winner receives 3 points and the player that has lost receives 1. If you give a walkover to your opponent, they will still receive 3 points for winning however you will receive 0 points. This is to incentivise players to play matches even if you lose rather than giving walkovers or avoiding playing some opponents in your box. The more matches you play, the more points you will receive and therefore a potential higher position in the box league standings.

Both players are required to email match scores as soon as the match has been completed to ensure it has been recorded correctly. Please send results to info@bourne4tennis.co.uk

Players are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner at all times. If there are any disputes before, during or after the match, both players should try to solve the issue amicably together. If this is not possible, please contact the organiser to see if a resolution can be found.

If any player is found to not be conducting themselves in an appropriate manner they may be removed from the league temporarily or permanently. In a similar manner, if players are reported to be cheating or not following the rules correctly a similar action may be taken. An initial verbal warning will be given by the organiser, followed by either a written warning or removal from the league, depending on the situation.

Once match scores have been received and uploaded you will be able to see current league standings within the results section.

Promotion & Relegation

Once a rotation has been completed the top 2 or sometimes 3 players will be promoted into the box above, the 2 or 3 players at the bottom will be relegated to the box below and the remaining players will remain. In some circumstances the number of players promoted or relegated may change due to players entering or leaving the league, so completing as many matches as possible is important.

If a player pulls out of the box league they will automatically be put to the bottom position in the box and therefore will be relegated for the next round. Any results that took place will still count to the LTA but will not count towards the box standings so it is fair for everyone. For example if you complete a match with a player in your box and that player has to withdraw from the round, that result would not count for either player (except towards your WTN). This is to ensure that in terms of box league standings it is fair for all.

The software TTP (Tennis Tournament Planner) is used to calculate the box league results and standings. The organiser reserves the right to vary or amend the rules and regulations as necessary to ensure the smooth running of the league.

Additional information

Upon entering the box league you will be sent an email with a few questions regarding your playing standard. This will be used where possible to help place you in the most appropriate box for your level. In some circumstances you may have to work your way up as the league is already running and there are no spaces available.

It must be noted, each box will usually contain 6 players, however in some circumstances boxes maybe increased to 8 or decreased to 4 to allow for adjustment of players joining or leaving the league.