SNDTTA Interclub Competition By-Laws

SYDNEY NORTHERN DISTRICTS TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION INC.

Interclub Competition By-Laws (July 2010)

Note that wording in italics has changed from the previous by-laws.

Any unresolved disputes arising out of these by-laws shall be referred to the Sydney Northern Districts Table Tennis Association (SNDTTA) Committee for determination. If there is a dispute during a game, the players themselves must not argue between themselves. Play must be continuous as per the ITTF rules. The matter must be referred to the umpire for a ‘quick’ resolution so as not to disadvantage any of the players. If the dispute cannot be reasonably resolved at the time, play should continue according to the umpire’s direction and subsequently the matter referred to the SNDTTA Committee in writing.

Unless superseded by any SNDTTA rules set out below, the ‘ITTF Laws of Table Tennis’ and ‘ITTF Regulations for International Competitions’, shall apply to matches played in Interclub Competitions and our District Championships.

To play in Interclub Competitions, players must be registered with TTNSW and be financial members of SNDTTA. This also applies to our District Championships. Also captains must advise SNDTTA where there has been change to a team and a new player is to be registered. This must occur BEFORE that player can compete and the relevant SNDTTA and TT NSW fees paid. Before a new player can compete they must first be registered with SNDTTA and relevant fees be paid to SNDTTA and where necessary to TT NSW, or provide proof of their TT NSW Registration. If not registered properly the players points may be deducted from the teams results and/or at the discretion of the SNDTTA committee lose all points.

Interclub Competition Rules. SNDTTA will try and restrict each Division to a maximum of 8 teams, as this gives the optimum amount of time for home and away matches. The composition of teams in the divisions below show the minimum and maximum number of players allowed to be registered for a team.

Division Player Grades Teams Composition

Div 1 predominantly A grade players Min 2 Max 4 players

Div 2 Predominantly AR1 graded players Min 3 Max 5 players

Div 3 Predominantly AR2 graded players Min 3 Max 5 players

Div 4 Predominantly B grade players Min 3 Max 5 players

Div 5 Grade C players and below Min 3 Max 5 players

The above composition is the ideal situation, but as SNDTTA does not wish to unreasonably restrict team entries from clubs, there will be some flexibility after consultation with the SNDTTA committee. Accordingly where a club wishes to introduce a higher graded player into a lower division, fully completed team entries must be submitted to the SNDTTA at least one week earlier than the usual closing date to give the committee time to assess and comment upon a teams’ player composition. To ensure as much fairness as possible for all teams it maybe necessary to introduce a system of handicap points in those situations where a higher graded player is allowed to play in a division below their grade. Where a handicap is deemed necessary before the competition starts the relevant club will have the right to appeal that decision as soon as possible before the start date of the competition. If after competition has commenced a team wishes to introduce a new player who is a standard above the grade of the team, then SNDTTA must be involved BEFORE the player can compete; and a handicap for this person may be applied. In other situations no handicap shall be imposed unless an obvious error has been made. As a general rule the handicap for the above will be 3 points in each singles game, and 2 points in each game for the doubles team in which the handicapped player plays. However the track record of the player to be handicapped will be carefully considered to ensure that the handicapped player is not unfairly disadvantaged.

Grading. Will be done as soon as possible after the previous interclub competition has finished and sent out to all clubs in sufficient time for them to select their desired composition of players in a team. Once the draw has been done players gradings will remain the same for the duration of that competition; however new players coming into the event may need to be regraded if it turns out they are significantly wrongly graded. Clubs should endeavour to make up teams for each division according to the various players grading and ONLY introduce one lower graded player to the higher division to make up the required number.

Further Interclub Rules. Players must play singles in at least three competition matches in their team to qualify to play in semi-finals, finals and grand finals. (This is to stop a team from introducing just prior to the finals, a new player of a higher standard). At other times, new players may be added during the competition provided their details are provided to the SNDTTA Committee (usually the Secretary), before competing. In the interests of fairness there may need to be some flexibility where a team reaches semi/finals and through sickness/overseas leave etc is unable to field a nominated registered team player. In these circumstances a player from that club who plays in a lower division, (or is a ‘Utility Player), may compete in the semis/finals even if they have not played the requisite 6 singles matches/rubbers for the higher division team. A singles rubber is defined as a match between two players from opposing teams.

Players from a lower division may fill in for any team in a higher division up to a maximum of three matches without jeopardising their ability to play back in the lower division. Therefore once they have played four matches in a higher division, they may not play for any other team in that division, (unless they are designated “Utility Players” – see 9 below), NOR can they play back in the lower division.

Some venues have time restrictions particularly at closing time. We don’t wish to disadvantage home clubs so the committee may enforce the forfeit rules for teams/players that arrive unreasonably late to start with. Note that the home club has the discretion to allocate and use extra tables as required. Furthermore there are things which can be done to reduce wasting time. For instance – warm up time may need to be short; a willingness to use two tables; readiness to play just as soon as the previous match is finished. It is the responsibility of team captains to ensure that matches are played expeditiously – particularly when you are a visiting team. See point 5 on the forfeit list on our web site.

In the interests of avoiding forfeited rubbers and/or matches, upon application by a club to the SNDTTA Committee, the Committee may designate certain players as "Utility Players" who are permitted to play for their club in more than one team in a division. The committee will only designate as a utility player, those players who are not, in the Committee’s judgement, leading players in that division. Note that a club cannot have a ‘Utility Player with only one team in a Division; and only one ‘Utility Player’ is permitted where a club has 2 teams in a Division, and only two ‘Utility Players’ where there are more than two teams in a Division. Note furthermore that a regular nominated player must play in preference to any utility player in the semi or finals of the competition. If a team cannot field through sickness etc, a nominated player for the semi finals or finals, then a utility player may be used provided that utility player has played during the round robin part of the competition, in three matches (i.e. six singles) for the team now going through to the finals. Once approved by the Committee, the names of the club, division applicable, and utility players’ names will be posted on our web site. (Where a forfeit has occurred – our web site contains information how to record the score.)

10.

ITTF approved balls must be used. Balls must be orange or white at the discretion of the home team.

11.

Player clothing and footwear must not be of a standard likely to reflect adversely on the Association and member clubs. In addition, clothing colour must not be unreasonably similar to the ball colour. Players should preferably wear uniform sports clothing or club shirts. I.e. no predominantly white shirt with white ball, and no predominantly orange or yellow with orange ball.

12.

Towelling -- as per ITTF rules brief intervals for towelling every 6 points from the start of each game, and at the change of ends in the last possible game of a match, is allowed.

13.

SNDTTA is not going to introduce a ‘Timeout Claim’ rule as this is confined to top matches where there are various officials, umpires and referee to correctly and fairly enforce this.

14.

SNDTTA is not going to introduce the ‘Expedite System’ as covered in the ITTF Rules of Table Tennis

15.

Coaching. Coaching is only allowed between games within the usual timeframe.

16.

Change of rackets and rubbers allowable under the ITTF rules. In accordance with ITTF rules, players must not change their racket/rubber once a match has commenced unless it is accidentally damaged so badly that it cannot be used.

17.

Matches are to be played on dates and at locations shown in the draw, unless both captains agree to re-schedule the date and/or location. Requests for re-scheduling must be made as early as possible and re-scheduled dates must be either before the draw date or as soon as possible after the draw date and, in any event, not later than the last week of the rounds. The captain asked to consider a request for re-scheduling should not withhold agreement unreasonably but, if agreement cannot be reached, the draw must be followed or the match forfeited. However, forfeiting is a last resort and a team must endeavour to use a fill-in player from a lower division, or a nominated utility player to avoid forfeiting.

18.

Promotion and Relegation. Due to the larger number of teams wishing to play at a higher level, and the limit in playing weeks, there shall be a policy of promotion and relegation. At the completion of the Spring and Autumn round robin competition, the bottom team in each of Division 1 and Division 2, may be relegated at the discretion of SNDTTA to the Division below. Likewise the top team in Division 2 and 3 may be promoted to the Division above again at the discretion of SNDTTA, if the team’s players remain largely unchanged. However the SNDTTA Committee shall exercise its right to place teams where they consider it makes for a fairer competition between all teams.

19.

All clubs have the right to raise, and communicate to SNDTTA about any ruling of the SNDTTA committee, whether or not they are represented on the SNDTTA committee.

20.

-- The Umpire -- there is an interesting website about the etiquette of the game for players/spectators and the umpire. It is http://tabletennis.about.com/od/beginnersguide/a/spectator_etiq.htm. The article covers many aspects of the job -- just a few are: ‘ don’t try and help out the umpire by calling out your opinion on nets, edges and the score, orby calling out ‘let’ when another ball comes on the court. Let the umpire do his/her job -- that is why they are there.’ (Thanks to Sonny Ching)