Regulations 2022

1A. The Junior League shall be played in five age groups as follows:

  • Aged 18 years and under for players born in 2004 – 2011
  • Aged 16 years and under for players born in 2006 – 2011
  • Aged 14 years and under for players born in 2008 – 2011
  • Aged 12 years and under for players born in 2010 – 2011
  • Aged 10 years and under for players born in 2012 or 2013

The S&D JTL Co-ordinator based on entries received will determine the formation of the divisions.

2A.  Players do not have to be registered to be eligible to play in the leagues. However players will automatically be registered during the results recording process on line. Therefore all players must have a British Tennis Membership number to be eligible to compete in the Leagues. Should an ineligible player be fielded, the opposition will receive a straight sets win for all matches in which that ineligible player participated

2B.  All team captains MUST give the opposition a completed scorecard, with names of players and British Tennis membership numbers PRIOR TO the commencement of the match. Each club must retain these hard copies until the end of the season, in case of disputes on posted results.

3. All matches, with the exception of those played as part of the 10 & under league, are to be played on a Saturday morning at 9:30am or, if stated, 11am. Those clubs participating in the 10 & Under Leagues must state a specific time and day during the weekend for when their home games will be played, prior to the start of the season. Once specified, a clubs home match day and time may only be changed with the consent of the club participating in the affected match.

4A. Matches may only be postponed due to adverse weather (to be determined by the home Captain), in which case, the home Captain should give the away team THREE alternative dates.  Alternative dates may be a combination of weeknights and weekends. 

A team MUST fulfil a fixture if 50% (or more) of their players are available giving, ideally, a minimum of 24 hours notice of their reduced numbers to their opposition.

If a team is unable to fulfil a fixture on the specified day and time that team will be deemed to have conceded that match and lost each rubber in that match 4-0, 4-0 (or as applicable).  In such circumstances, the ‘winning’ team captain MUST enter the relevant comment when entering the result on Tennis League Planner (eg “…. were unable to raise a team”)

4B. Any match played after 31 July WILL NOT COUNT towards final League placings.

5A. The 10 & Under MIXED League will consist of 2 players (any combination of boys & girls), each player playing the best of 3 sets of singles with a tie break being played at 4-4 in the first two sets and with the third set being played as a championship tie-break. In addition there will be a doubles match, which will consist of one set with a tiebreak being played at 6-6.

N.B 10&Under mini green doubles is played on a singles court. Tramlines are out.

5B. 12 & Under, 14 & Under, and 16 & Under BOYS Leagues will consist of 4 players, each player playing the best of 3 short sets of singles with a tie break being played at 4-4 in the first two sets and with the third set being played as a championship tie-break. In addition there will be two doubles matches, which will consist of one set with a tiebreak being played at 6-6.

5C. The 14 & Under, 18 & Under and 16 & Under GIRLS League will consist of 2 players, each player playing the best of 3 sets of singles with a tie break being played at 4-4 in the first two sets and with the third set being played as a championship tie-break. In addition there will be a doubles match, which will consist of one set with a tiebreak being played at 6-6.

5D. The 18 & Under BOYS League will consist of 2 players, each player playing the best of 3 sets of singles with a tie break being played at

6-6 in the first two sets and with the third set being played as a championship tiebreak. In addition there will be a doubles match, which will consist of one set with a tiebreak being played at 6-6.

6A. Players in all teams should be played according to strength, which must be determined by their LTA RATING/ITF World Tennis Number. Those players who play at number 1 may only play in 1st Doubles, and may partner any of the remaining players so long as the strongest doubles pairing is played as 1st doubles with the weaker pairing playing as 2nd doubles.

6B. Should any club wish to field a team of 5 or 6; they may do so providing they play to strength. The strongest 4 players must play in singles matches however 2 players may be substituted for doubles matches so long as the doubles pairings are played to strength with the playing ability of the additional substituted players not being better than that of those fielded for the singles matches.

6C. (deleted).

6D.  Any 10 & Under player who plays up in an older age group must be played at the bottom of that team (number 4 singles and 2 doubles).

7A. No player may play for more than one team on the same scheduled weekend as shown on the on-line league planner.

In the event of a rearranged fixture, the fixture shall be played and result entered on the on-line league planner as if it had been played on the scheduled fixture date. If the online league planner shows a player playing twice on one weekend, any points won by the player in the second fixture played in real life, not as it appears on the league planner, shall be forfeited.

7B. Any club playing an ineligible player shall forfeit all games and points won by the player while he/she was ineligible.

7C. Girls may participate inthe boy’s leagues. Any participating girl must be played according to strength (LTA Rating). LTA rules allow girls to play boys for Ratings purposes at 10.2 through to 9.1 levels.

7D.   Where a player wishes to move clubs, once he/she has already represented another club in a S&D Junior league match in the same season, the following should be observed:-

  1. Seven days notice shall be given to the Junior League Organiser, in respect of a player wishing to change clubs in the same season.
  2.  The ‘joining’ club shall confirm that they wish for the new member to represent their club
  3. The Junior League Executive Committee shall consult with the 2 clubs involved, take into account any relevant circumstances, and the Junior League Organiser shall inform both clubs of the committee decision/conditions within 7 days of the application.

8A. It is the responsibility of the home team to provide 3 good quality tennis balls (mini green tennis balls for 10 and under league) for each match played at their club.

8B. Appropriate tennis attire must be worn for all matches.

8C. Clubs must ensure that team captains/parents are aware of guidelines when dealing with disputes between players:

Both Team captains must accompany each other if intervening with disputes on court. Decision made by both Captains is final. Any player refusing to play on will forfeit the said match and any further matches due to be played by that player in the fixture.

8D. As a result of the above it is the responsibility of both the Home and Away Clubs to ensure that their Parent/Captain remains at the match in order to assist the opposition Parent & Captain with the supervision of the match. This applies to all age groups except for 18 Under.

8E. Clubs must display the Southport & District Junior Player Code of Conduct on their Notice Boards, and actively bring this to the attention of their players.

9. League results must be posted on the LTA League Planner website by the winning team no later than 3 days after the match has taken place. The losing team must log into the website to verify the result after the above 3 days and before 6 days has elapsed. In the event of a drawn match, it is the responsibility of the home team to post the match details and result, and the away team to verify the match.

10. The S&D disciplinary committee will be made up of the S&D JTL Co-ordinator, and Deputy Co-ordinator and the Secretary. These 3 positions must be filled from separate clubs. This Committee shall:

(a)     Deal with any written complaint arising out of league matches.

(b) Deal with any matter not provided for by these regulations, including the organisation and administration of other competitions, which may be arranged.

11. Failure to comply with any of the above regulations may, at the discretion of the S&D JTL Disciplinary Committee, result in penalties including loss of points, forfeit of match and in extreme cases, suspension from the League.

12. Any captain shall have the right of appeal to the Junior League Executive Committee on any matter. The Junior League Executive Committee shall be made up of 1 x representative from each participating club in the S&D JTL (more than 1 x representative may attend a S&D JTL meeting however only 1 x representative shall be eligible to vote). That representative has 1 x vote on any matter concerning the S&D JTL (irrespective of how many teams they have entered into the S&D JTL). Should a representative be absent from the meeting they forfeit their right to vote for that meeting. In the instance of a tied vote, the S&D JTL Coordinator shall make the final and binding decision.

13. The Junior League operates under the authority of the “SENIOR” Southport & District League.

Therefore, as such, there exists a right of appeal to the “Senior” Executive by decisions taken by the Junior Executive Committee.

Any such appeal or application hereunder shall be dealt with in such a manner as the “Senior” Executive Committee may determine and its decision shall be final.