DIABLO FOOTHILL ATHLETIC LEAGUE

ORLANDO CHIAVINI, COMMISSIONER 155 MOUNTAIN CANYON PLACE, ALAMO, CA., 94507  TEL/FAX (925) 838-6449
ACALANES   ALHAMBRA   CAMPOLINDO   COLLEGE PARK   CONCORD   DUBLIN   LAS LOMAS   MIRAMONTE   MT. DIABLO   NORTHGATE
                   935-2600        313-0440          376-5986             682-7670          687-2030    833-3300    935-4110         376-4423         682-4030        938-0900                                                             _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BOYS & GIRLS TENNIS GUIDELINES

1.         STARTING DATE

1.1        Practice may begin:

1.1.1         Girls: On the Monday following Thursday fourteen weeks prior to Thanksgiving.

1.1.2         Boys:  On the Second Monday in February.

2.         CONTEST INFORMATION

2.1        Starting Times:  3:30 PM

2.1.1         Default time is 3:46 except for bus problems.

                        2.1.2         Host team is to contact visiting team to find out how many players will be playing and approximate arrival time.

                        2.1.3         Matches may begin earlier than 3:30, as soon as both teams are ready.

                        2.1.4         Match play during the last two weeks of the season shall start at 3:00PM for girls

                        2.1.5         Match play during the first two weeks of the season shall start at 3:00PM for boys

2.1.6         Host team is responsible for reporting match results to local newspapers the day of the event.

            2.2        Days of Play: 

                        2.2.1         Days of play are Tuesday and Thursday.  Exceptions may be made to accommodate scheduling needs.

2.3        Contest Format:  Match format will consist of six singles and three doubles matches.

2.3.1         Match will consist of two of three sets for varsity play.

                        2.3.2         No add scoring shall be used for all matches.

                        2.3.3         Warm-ups shall not exceed 10 minutes and must include practice serves.

2.4        If a dual match has been determined by win/loss points, and if darkness is imminent, a 10-point tiebreaker may be played instead of a third set.  If a team matched is tied at 4-4, a complete third set must be played, unless both coaches and the involved players agree to a super 10 point tie breaker.

            2.5        Challenge Ladder:  BOYS AND GIRLS Each school will keep a continuous challenge ladder from which participants will be chosen for singles and doubles competition.  Have a current ladder available for the other coaches to review prior to the match.

2.5.1         An absence in the singles lineup will be replaced by player(s) in the position immediately below on the singles ladder.

2.5.2         The lineup must be presented prior to the start of the match.

2.6        No Shows:  If a player does not show up for the match, the ladder will adjust up to replace that person.

2.6.1        If a default is necessary it will take place at the lowest end of the ladder.

2.7        A player must participate in a minimum of 8 league matches in order to be eligible to participate in league, NCS, and CIF competition at the post season level for both individual and team tennis competition.  Exceptions for injuries may be made by a majority vote of the coaches on a case-by-case basis at the post-season seeding meeting.  Written notification of the injury must be made to the commissioner with attending physician verification within 3 weeks of the injury.

2.8        Rain outs:  Non-league play is subject to cancellation.  League matches postponed must be made up the first available school day. 

2.8.1         Deadline for contact and cancellation of matches with opposing schools shall be 12:00 PM.

2.8.2         Cancellations will be made at the home team site by the coach or Athletic Director.

2.8.3         If a team chooses not to make up a match, it will count as a loss

3.         NUMBER OF CONTESTS 

            3.1        Maximum Number:  24 matches. 

3.2        Two scrimmages are allowed. 

3.2.1         No scores are kept, coaching is permissible. 

3.2.2         No publicity or records are given to the press.

4.         RULES

4.1        USTA rules will govern league and tournament play.

4.2        Coaching during team competition is allowed by designated coaches only and will never interfere with continuous play. 

4.2.1         Coaching is allowed only during 90-second odd game changeovers and the 10 minutes break

                                        between splitting sets.

4.2.2         Each team will be allowed two coaches.

                        4.2.3         At no time during the course of a match, excluding injury, will a coach, parent or other player

                                        be allowed within the playing area of the competitors.

4.3        Non-players will not be allowed on the courts.  Matches will be suspended until non-players are removed from the court (inside the fenced area).

4.4        The USTA Point Penalty System will govern all matches with one exception:  There will be no warning for

            Code of Conduct violations.

                        4.4.1         Warning to be given prior to start of each match to all players.  Penalties are as follows:  First offense – loss of point.  Second offense – loss of game.  Third offense – default of match and banned from participation at the next league match.

4.4.2         All other USTA rules governing the game of tennis will be in effect and knowledge of the rules will be the responsibility of each player.

4.4.3         Penalties are the sole responsibility of either coach and can be given to any player, in the best interest of controlling the match yet not interfering.  The coach must advise the opposing coach of the infraction.

5.         EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS

5.1        Game balls will be any USTA approved balls.

5.2        Home teams shall supply tennis balls for matches.

5.3        Home courts must be maintained in safe, playable condition.

5.4        All players must wear appropriate tennis attire.

6.         OFFICIALS

6.1        Players will officiate their own matches.  If a controversy occurs they may call for line judges.  A judge shall be selected, agreeable to both coaches, to assist in calls made by the players.

6.2        Coaches shall mutually resolve officiating problems that develop.

7.         DETERMINING LEAGUE CHAMPION

            7.1        League champions shall be determined by overall record.  Tie records shall be  co-champions.

            7.2        The league champion will be the team with the best overall record.

            7.3        Tie breaking criteria is for both first and second place for purposes of NCS seeding

                        7.3.1         Head to head play

                        7.3.2         The team with the most matches won in head to head play.

                        7.3.3         Winner of the second round match

8.         DFAL LEAGUE TOURNAMENT FORMAT

8.1        There will be one DFAL tournament to determine NCS qualifying.

8.2        Each school may enter up to three singles players and three doubles teams.  A player may enter doubles or singles, but not both.

8.3        The DFAL Tournament shall be a three-day tournament.

8.3.1         The first day of competition will begin at 11:00AM and will consist of no add scoring, 3 rounds.                 

8.3.2         Semi final competition will begin  at 3:00 PM .

8.3.3         Final competition will begin  TBA with add scoring.                                       

 8.4       DFAL Tournament seeding:     Both singles and doubles teams will be seeded by the coaches to fill the draw.  This shall be done according to a school’s league standing at the completion of the regular season with each of the schools getting one additional spot.  In case of a tie, the team winner of the second round match will advance.  Coaches must provide players names at the seeding meeting or lose their position in the draw.  The position reverts to first place, second place and so on.

8.5        Preliminary round to reach field of 16 will be decided by  a pro-set.

8.6        Tournament site rotation:        Tournament site will be determined by the Board of Managers.   The host               team shall provide additional team members, not playing, to serve as line judges when necessary, and to             help with other organizational responsibilities.

8.7        The same coaching rules apply during the DFAL Tournament as during the regular season.

9.         NORTH COAST SECTION QUALIFYING

9.1        DFAL Tournament winners in singles and doubles automatically qualify for the NCS Championships.  Individual schools may petition for an at-large berth in singles competition as designated by the NCS rules.

9.2        In qualifying for NCS Team Tennis the League Champion will receive the automatic bid.

9.3        Any DFAL team that meets the NCS qualifications may apply for an at-large berth.