Championships - Regs - 2.01 | Jr. Team Tennis | United States Tennis Association

USTA Jr. Team Tennis connects kids together in teams to play singles, doubles and mixed doubles against other teams within a league.

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2.00 USTA JR. TEAM TENNIS LEAGUE REGULATIONS
The Regulations in 2.00 shall apply to the USTA Jr.TeamTennis League.

2.01 LOCAL LEAGUE

2.01A Number of Teams
A local league is a team competition in a specified geographical area that applies specific local team regulations and consists of NTRP level(s) with a minimum of two or more teams per level. A local league may choose to divide any or all NTRP levels into flights. A playoff structure may be established to determine a champion for each NTRP level.

2.01B Team
A team shall consist of a minimum of three (3) boys and three (3) girls eligible to compete at a specific level of competition.Team members may not have a higher NTRP rating than the level at which they are competing.

2.01C Age Categories

2.01C(1) USTA Jr.TeamTennis is divided into five age categories:
18 & under, 14 & under, 12 & under, 10 & under and 8 & under.

2.01C(2) Only the 18 & under and the 14 & under age categories have advancement opportunities to National Championships.

2.01C(3) Players must remain age eligible through August 31 of the championship year to be eligible for advancement opportunities.

2.01C(4) 10 & Under and 8 & Under Play

2.01C(4)a Court Size
Team competition in the 8 & under age division is reccommended to be played on a 36-foot court and team competition in the 10 & under age division is recommended to be on a 60-foot court. Please see Appendix A.

2.01C(4)b Scoring
Scoring in the 8 & under age division is recommended to be the best of 3 games with the 1st to 7 points in each game and scoring for the 10 & under age division is recommended to be the best of 3 sets of 1st to four games with the 3rd set, 1st to 7 points. Please see Appendix B.

2.01C(4)c Ball
The 8 & under age category ball is recommended to be the USTA and ITF Stage 3 “red” (foam or very low compression) while the 10 & under age category ball is recommended to be the USTA and ITF Stage 2 “orange” (low compression). Please see Appendix C.

2.01D NTRP Player Rating
All players must be rated by their team coach/manager to enter a league. (See NTRP chart.) Local and area league coordinators may require a player to be moved to another level if the player’s level of play is above the NTRP level at which the player has been rated by his or her team coach/manager.

2.01E Levels of Play
The USTA Jr.TeamTennis play levels are defined as Beginner (NTRP 2.0 & below), Intermediate (NTRP 3.0 & below) and Advanced (NTRP 3.5 & above). Players cannot have a rating higher than the team tennis level at which they are playing.

2.01F Scoring
Leagues may use a scoring format which best meets the needs of the local league. (See theTennisLinkTeamTennis online system.) For play at or below the section level, the section association may authorize the use of any USTA approved scoring methods.

2.01G Competition Format

2.01G(1) Round Robin or Other Format

2.01G(1)a All divisions are required to play a minimum of three (3) team matches.

2.01G(1)b The league coordinator may use the format which best meets the needs of the local league, including a round robin or other format.

2.01G(2) Team Match and Scoring

2.01G(2)a To prepare the local teams for advancement to section championships and above, it is recommended that each team match consist of one boy’s and one girl’s singles, one boys’ and one girls’ doubles, and one or two mixed doubles.

2.02G(2)b The method of determining the winning team of a local team tennis match and the winner of the local team tennis competition is determined by the local league coordinator.

2.02G(2)c The scoring in the event of a default, forfeit or disqualification shall be according to the format selected inTennisLinkTeamTennis.

2.02G(2)d Scores must be recorded inTennisLinkTeamTennis to meet the local play history eligibility requirements of three (3) team matches (said matches may not come from a one day event at the local level) prior to advancement to the championship levels.

2.01G(3) Individual Match An individual match is any singles match, doubles match, or mixed doubles match played as part of a team match.
2.01G(4) Team Lineups The coaches/managers for each team shall exchange their team match cards simultaneously prior to the beginning of the team match. No substitutions may be made in an individual match after the lineup has been presented, except for injury to, or illness of a player prior to the start of such match and except under such further circumstances as the section association authorizes. If the substitution is made during the warm-up, the substitute player is entitled to a five-minute warm-up.

2.01G(5) Player Participation

2.01G(5)a More Than One Team
A section association may authorize participation on more than one team. Players may play on more than one team in a local league during the same season, based on the decision of your section association. Prior to an advancing championship, the player must declare which team he or she will participate on in such championship.
2.01G(5)b More Than One Individual Match
An individual may play in any number of individual matches in a team match as determined by the section association.

2.01G(5)c Section Rankings
Each section association will determine the appropriate use of their ranking system to distinguish between Intermediate and Advanced level for any players, across all age categories, who participate in Sanctioned tournaments as long as this determination is on file and has the agreement with the USTA Jr.TeamTennis National Manager. (Please contact your section coordinator for more information.)

2.01G(5)d National Ranking
Players with a national ranking, in any age division and determined at a specified time of the year, must enter at the advanced level (NTRP 3.5 and above) at any age division. (Please contact your section coordinator for more information.)

2.01G(6) Coaching
The local league coordinator shall determine whether and at what times to allow coaching at the local level. In no event is coaching permitted during a tiebreak.

2.01H Local League Champions
At the conclusion of the local competition, the local coordinator shall certify to the area, district, state or section coordinator the results of the competition and contact information for the qualifying teams’ coaches/managers.The local competition must be concluded prior to the deadline set by the section association.