JUNIOR INTERCLUB PLAYER BRIEFING This page details everything that you need to know regarding your Interclub season. Please take the time to read the detail - it is important that you understand various matters documented here. 1. Teams Entered We have sought to ensure that there are enough players in each team to cover people who may be unavailable or injured. If there are other players interested, please let us know so we can include them. The teams have been selected by the coaches and the club, based on interest shown, previous participation and the coaches understanding of your current form. Please note that the age qualification for each grade is based on your age as at 30 April 2009. You will receive a copy of your draw for the season. Please review the draw and advise your captain at least one week before a match which you are unavailable for selection. We have experienced a few problems with people not advising their unavailability. Remember you are in a team and the team needs your participation and commitment. Auckland Tennis has draws and results posted on their web site. This can be accessed at www.aucklandtennis.co.nz under the Junior section. 3. Location Auckland Tennis is finding it difficult to schedule all junior interclub games. Games will be played either at: - Mission Bay Tennis - The opposition team courts - Auckland Tennis courts eg Vodafone Tennis Park, Auckland Tennis Centre - Some school courts For away games especially those out of the Eastern Suburbs, we suggest that the parents organise transport early in the week, especially if not all parents are attending each match. Addresses are on the Auckland website. Could the parents please indicate to the team captain, whether they are happy to provide transport when away games are scheduled. 4. Format of Matches Each team plays 4 singles and 2 doubles. Teams are typically 4 players, but a team can comprise up to 6 players on any one day. Players are entitled to play in any order each week. In the spirit of competition, you should endeavour to have your strongest players at the top. The #1 doubles combination must include the top ranked singles player who is playing in the doubles on that day (per Auckland Tennis Guidelines #8). In Beginner Grades, matches are one set, played to 6, with NO tiebreaker, thus at 5-5 a final game is played with the winner taking the match at 6-5. For open grades each match is one set played as the first to 9 games (best of 17) with a tiebreaker at 8 games all. Thus at 8-8 a tiebreaker is played and the result will be 9-8. We encourage parents to get in behind the team and support them each morning. The children really enjoy the support that you provide. We need at least one parent to be in attendance and assist with ensuring everything is under control and everyone has a good time. 5. Team Composition We have endeavoured to enter more than 4 players in each team. While the intention is to field a solid team, we must give everyone the opportunity to participate. This will mean that you will not play every week, and team composition will be determined by the team captain's. On any given match day, up to 6 players can play - 4 players play in the singles and up to 2 additional players can play in the doubles along with 2 of the players who are playing singles. Some players may only wish to play as reserves or in the doubles or singles, in which case they will be called on to play when the team is short. Please indicate to your team captain if you only wish to play as a reserve. We have had some instances of people not turning up on the day as a result of YOU MUST ADVISE YOUR CAPTAIN AT THE EARLIEST OPPORUNITY. Do not let the team down. This greatly assists in the organisation of the team for the season. Communication is vital and team captains need to advise team members who is and who is not playing as early as possible. Phone numbers are provided (email addresses available if required) so there is no excuse for any team member not making contact with the team captain. Please note that the team lists we have provided are not in any player ranked order. 6. Team Captains They are responsible for organising the team each week. This includes: 6.1. Advising all team members who is playing AND who is not playing 6.2. Determining playing order and combinations 6.3. Ensuring there is transport organised to away venues 6.4. Organising team sheets, and scheduling of matches in conjunction with the other team 6.5. Completion of results on team sheet 6.6. Returning of score sheets and balls to Mission Bay club by 5.00pm Sunday afternoon. 7. Balls Mission Bay Tennis will provide balls for the matches. Auckland Tennis requires that each team provide one pair of used balls to a contest. 8. Umpiring & Scoring (IMPORTANT) The rules around umpiring and scoring are very clear and are emphasised to all teams. 8.1. Each game must have a team member scoring from the Umpires stand. 8.2. The players on court must call their own lines. 8.3. The umpire will make a decision if the players disagree with the players call. 8.4. Parents must not be involved in making a decision as to a call, but may help the players and the umpire follow 'due process'. 8.5. Parents are specifically forbidden to call the lines, although one parent may assist the umpire keep the score or if no umpire. Score sheets are available to assist umpires keeping the score (if required). These are available at the club from Bruce Wickes, Club Manager.  If there is an additional court providing another match to be played and no juniors are thus available for umpiring, then in this instance, a parent is allowed to keep the score, but the players must call the lines. Umpiring and scoring is the single biggest issue with Junior Interclub and Auckland Tennis have set these rules to ensure there are not ongoing issues. Please abide by these rules. Please also view the Auckland Tennis clear guidelines for players and parents via the main page link. Please make sure you have read and understood both pages. 9. Procedure in Rain conditions In the event of showery weather, the team captains will liase with each other to determine whether the contest continues or is postponed. The team captain will keep you informed and if there is particularly heavy rain and endeavour to minimise travel to away destinations. Every effort is to be made by the 2 team captains to reschedule any cancelled contest, to be played within 14 days by mutual agreement. If a date cannot be agreed then the matter is referred to Auckland Tennis who will allocate an arbitrary date. If a contest is rained off after starting, the contest should be completed through mutual agreement by the following Wednesday evening. It pays to write down the scores and who was serving and from which end in the event of a match stopped mid way. Mission Bay Tennis will endeavour to make courts available if the original location is not available. 10. General You are representing Mission Bay Tennis and we expect hard but fair competition. Good sportsmanship is required at all times. This way you (and the team) will enjoy the season and allow your game to improve. Reports of bad sportsmanship or behaviour are reported to Auckland Tennis - we don't want any black marks against the excellent reputation of Mission Bay Tennis. Other clubs have recently had action taken against them where players have behaved badly. Penalties include banning juniors from playing in interclub competition. Mission Bay Tennis takes a very dim view of bad behaviour or poor sportsmanship. If anyone has any queries or questions, please feel free to contact your team captain or give me a call to discuss. Have a great season and the very best of luck with your games.