Ten and Under Team Tennis TAUT League

Fall 2013

DATES TO REMEMBER

October 10th ............................. Mandatory meeting of all coaches/captains 5:30 p.m., Cooper Creek 2 story building Schedules/balls will be given out Captain Code of Ethics due to CORTA

October 13th ........................................................................ Team Matches Begin

November 17th ........................................................................ Player Party/ Awards

Ten and Under Team Tennis TAUT League

Championship Year 2014

Handbook for Tennis

Fall 2013

Hours: Monday - Wednesday, and Friday, 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm; Thursday 11:00 am - 5:30 pm Mailing address: P.O. Box 8236, Columbus, GA 31908.

Email address: lreis2222@hotmail.com or deby@corta.org Web site: www.corta.org

Telephone: 706-317-4136 Fax: 706-317-4501

Table of Contents

Captains/Coaches Duties Pre-League ......................................................................................................................... 3 Practice .............................................................................................................................. 3 Pre-Season ......................................................................................................................... 3 Matches ............................................................................................................................. 4 Post Match ......................................................................................................................... 4 Coaches Conduct ................................................................................................................ 4 Player/Spectator Conduct .................................................................................................... 4

Registration Becoming a Coach/Captain on TennisLink ............................................................................. 5 Returning Captain Registration/Team Creation ...................................................................... 5 Determining Level of Play (New for 2013 and Required at Captain’s Meeting) ......... 5 & 6 Team Registration on TennisLink ......................................................................................... 7 Player Registration on TennisLink ......................................................................................... 7 Captains Meeting ................................................................................................................ 7

Format of Play Team ................................................................................................................................. 8 Team Match ....................................................................................................................... 8 Age Eligibility ...................................................................................................................... 8 Ability Levels ...................................................................................................................... 8 Balls & Racquets ................................................................................................................. 8 Scoring .............................................................................................................................. 9 Warm-up ............................................................................................................................ 9 Player Participation ............................................................................................................. 9 Substitution ........................................................................................................................ 9 Medical Time Out ................................................................................................................ 9

Matches Match Schedules ............................................................................................................... 10 Defaults/Forfeits/Retirements ............................................................................................ 10 Inclement Weather ........................................................................................................... 10 Rescheduling .................................................................................................................... 11 Playing Twice Rule ............................................................................................................ 11 Stacking ........................................................................................................................... 11 Spectators/Parents/Coaches .............................................................................................. 11 Coaching .......................................................................................................................... 11 Grievances ....................................................................................................................... 12 Appeals ............................................................................................................................ 13

Scoring/Standing/General Information/Forms Score Entry ...................................................................................................................... 13 Local League Champion ..................................................................................................... 13 Awards ............................................................................................................................. 13 Progression ...................................................................................................................... 13 TennisLink Instructions ................................................................................................. 14-16 Scoring Format Instructions ............................................................................................... 16 Basic Rules of Tennis and Tennis Etiquette ................................................................. 17 Spectator and Team Etiquette ...................................................................................... 18 Hints for Beginner Team Coaches ................................................................................ 19 Release Form and Parent Code of Conduct Form (REQUIRED before first match) ... 20 Elementary School Team Tennis Practice Registration Forms ................................... 21 Area Facilities Directions .............................................................................................. 22 How To Be a Team Player ............................................................................................. 23 Code of Ethics for Captains/ Coaches of JTT Leagues (REQUIRED at Capt’s Mtg.) ... 24 National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) ..................................................................... 25 Player/Team Profile Form (New for 2013 and REQUIRED at Captain’s Meeting) ..... 26

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CAPTAINS/COACHES DUTIES

PRE-LEAGUE A. Beginning August 1, 2013 any Coordinators, Coaches, Captains, Managers or Co-Captains who are

listed in Jr. Team Tennis Tennislink with a 2014 Championship Year program must complete the National Background Screening procedures.

a) Visit www.usta.com/safeplay and go to the Education and Training section. Please be sure to allow 10 business days for completion of required Steps 1-3, as described below:

1. Review the USTA Protection Policies and Procedures for USTA Jr. Team Tennis 2. Complete your Background Screen Application. In the application, you will be required to certify and affirm that

you have successfully complete step 1. The USTA has retained the services of an independent third party, the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI), to conduct background screening of all applicants. Please begin your background screen through NCSI here.

b) Once you have submitted your background screen info, results will be generated in approximately 10 business days. Please be sure to add ncsisafe.com to your accepted email domain list. Watch for an email from Compliance@ncsisafe.com in the days following your application; this will contain an Applicant ID number which can be used to check the status of your application on NCSI’s website.

c) NCSI may contact you within the 10 business day waiting period to request more info. You can confirm the legitimacy of the request by checking your status on NCSI’s website using the Applicant ID number; your status will note the same request for info. Please watch for communications from NCSI as these emails may end up in you spam folder.

d) Following the above described waiting period, you will receive either a green or red light, based on the results of your application and the USTA’s criteria. If you receive a green light, you will receive an email from the USTA notifying you that you have been cleared through Safe Play with instructions on what to do next. You also will be listed on the results page of USTA.com: http://www.usta.com/About-USTA/background screening program results/. If you received a red light you will be notified by NCSI of your status and you will not be eligible to participate in Jr. Team Tennis.

B. Complete the online training on “How to Determine a Player’s Level”. This is crucial in helping you determine the rating of your players and the level of play. This is the link: http://www.riskmanagementclassroom.org/USTA-Southern/course.asp

PRACTICE • Establish days and location for practices, reserve courts as needed. • Juniors are responsible for paying court fees for practice

(Cooper Creek rate = $1.00 per hour per junior) • Establish rules for safety at practices (No swinging racquets, etc.) • Begin practice sessions • Discuss simple rules and etiquette of tennis to the kids (see page 17 of this handbook) • Consider recruiting high school players to help you with your teams • Teach your players how to play no-ad scoring and a tie-break. • Try different doubles teams • Fill out the “Practice Registration” form attached to schedule practices at Cooper Creek (see page 21)

PRE-SEASON • Be sure every parent has signed and dated the Release and Parent Code of Conduct waiver form.

This must be turned into the CORTA office before the player can participate (see page 20 of this handbook). It is advised to go over this form with every parent.

• Sign the “Code of Ethics” and turn into the CORTA office • Try to get a “Team Mom or Team Dad” to bring drinks or snacks and help with transportation or carpooling.

• Give each player a copy of the schedule. Have them look in advance and let you know if there are any matches in which they will not be present. Avoid defaults if possible.

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MATCHES

• The number of teams signed up for a division/flight will ultimately determine levels, divisions and number of matches.

• Match schedules are determined by home facility of registered teams. Every effort is made to schedule equal home and away matches.

• Matches will be scheduled using the TennisLink scheduler computer program. The schedule will be available on TennisLink and will include dates, times, locations, and match numbers for recording scores.

• If you are unable to be present at each match event, it is vital that you have an acting Coach/Captain to represent you. You must call the opposing captain and let them know who that person will be and provide the correct contact information.

• Before the match begins, the Captains must exchange scorecards with completed line-ups. (Only players that are present should be on the scorecards.) If a player fails to show for his or her match or becomes ill, or injured during warm-up, another player on the team who was not scheduled to play can legally be placed in that position. The deleted player may not be played in another position in that match. Once the match has begun, however, no substitutions may be made.

• At the conclusion of the match, both captains should compare scores and sign the scorecards. Please keep these scorecards for future reference in case of score disputes.

• Encourage good sportsmanship and appreciation for teammates and coaches. • Require your players to introduce themselves to their opponents and shake hands with each other before and

after the match. • Advise the parents that there will be no coaching. • Build the players’ confidence. Have your players’ look and act like tennis players. • Consider a “buddy” system on the day of matches using a player that is not playing that day to watch and cheer

the “buddy” on. Be sure you teach the etiquette of tennis to spectators and players. • Coaches may assist players on the beginner teams only. There will be a court monitor on every 8U court. On

the 10U teams (60’ courts) there should be a court monitor on every court to assist with scoring, rules, calls, etc. If the players are having a problem with scoring or tiebreakers, both coaches from the team can assist. No parent of a player should be the adult attending the match. Please do not sit on the court. Please do not give strategy advice to the players. Only help with a specific problem the players are having.

• There will be NO court monitors for the intermediate and advanced teams. However, if an issue arises such as score confusion, tie-breaks, etc., upon agreement with both captains, one or both captains can go on court to help solve problems. Also, during changeovers, coaching is allowed by captains only. (See page 11)

POST MATCH

• Team captains must enter scores on TennisLink. (Winner or Loser) • Both teams must confirm scores entered on TennisLink by opposing captain. COACHES CONDUCT

• The USTA Jr. Team Tennis Program is dependent on the cooperation and dedication of team managers/captains/coaches. Their contribution is greatly appreciated. All should be familiar with and adhere to the Code of Ethics for Coordinators, Coaches, Captains and Managers.

• This is included in the Training Program in “How to Rate a Player.” • See attached Code of Ethics for Captains/Coaches of JTT Leagues (page 24 of this handbook)

PLAYER/SPECTATOR CONDUCT

• If the spectators have a problem, they should discuss it with their own Captain who will, if the situation warrants, discuss it with the opposing Captain. Spectators must not get into game/match discussions with each other.

• Spectators are not permitted on the court. • If the players have a disagreement on the court, the players must settle the dispute without interference from

anyone else. If they cannot agree on that particular point, they must go back to a point at which they can agree, even if it is the first point of the game.

• No spectator may be involved in the playing of the children’s match. • See Player, Spectator and Team Etiquette for more rules (pages 17 & 18 of this handbook)

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REGISTRATION

BECOMING A COACH/CAPTAIN ON TENNISLINK

• All captains must take the online training course (Principles of Youth Protection and Tennis Program Safety Training and submit their Background screening check. This should be the FIRST thing a captain does! http://www.ustageorgia.com/jtt/volunteer_background_screening_instr.htm

• You cannot obtain a team number until this process has been completed and confirmation received. • You must register on TennisLink to become a team tennis captain. If you have a current USTA number, you may

use it. If you do not have a number, you can submit your personal information and TennisLink will give you a USTA Team Coach/Captain ID#.

• Go to www.corta.org and click on the right sidebar Helpful Links/USTA Tennislink.com. • Click on Jr. Team Tennis • At the bottom of the page under Options, click on Become a Coach/Manager • If you have a USTA number, enter the number and all your info will appear. • If you do not have a USTA number, fill in the info and you will be assigned a number. • Keep this number in a safe place as you will need these numbers in the future to access score entry, player and

team information and to print scorecards. • If you misplace the number or forget your number contact linkteam@usta.com.

RETURNING CAPTAIN REGISTRATION/TEAM CREATION

• All captains/co-captains registered in TennisLink must first complete a Safety and Child Protection Training Session and Volunteer Background Screening. If you have not completed this process within the last two years, please go to: http://www.ustageorgia.com/jtt/volunteer_background_screening_instr.htm

• You will need your USTA membership number or Captain Team Tennis number and password. • Go to TennisLink-Jr. Team Tennis. Click on Login found on the top right hand corner of the JTT TennisLink

home page just above the JTT logo. Log in with your number and password. • Under My Options on the right menu click on Create New Team. Enter Section: Southern, District: Georgia

and the area and program. Click on “Jr.”, write down your Team Number and complete team creation. DETERMINING YOUR LEVEL OF PLAY (New for 2013)

• Complete the training video on How to Rate a Player. This is located on the same page as the online training course. All captains must complete this training (in full), print the certificate and submit to league coordinator at the Captain’s meeting. Here is the link: http://www.riskmanagementclassroom.org/USTASouthern/default.asp

• Included in this is a Player Experience Score Card. You should complete this survey on each player to help determine the level of play for that junior. (See next page for summary of questions).

• The three required tools to help you determine what level your players should play are: the NTRP rating scale, the Southern standing or points, and the Player Experience Score Card.

• Only 10U Intermediate teams are required to do Player Experience Score Card and the Team Profile Form.

• A Team Profile Form must be completed on each team and submitted to the league coordinator by April 14th. This will include information such as: Name, Age, NTRP rating, Standing, Experience Score Card score, gender and level of play. (See page 26 in this handbook)

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TEAM REGISTRATION • Each Captain will be provided a Team Number using the TennisLink program. • Using the team number provided, either use it to enter players in TennisLink or share this number with each

member of your team. • Initial rosters containing a minimum of 3 boys and 3 girls must be registered on TennisLink by October 14th .

Additional players may be added to each team throughout the season (see Progression page 12 for more details). • SUSPENSIONS: Any player who has been suspended under USTA Junior Suspension Points System, will be

suspended from Local League play during the suspension period. PLAYER REGISTRATION • Each player must have a current USTA Junior membership. New membership and/or renewals may be obtained

at www.USTA.com or 1-800-990-USTA. The junior membership cost is $20.00 and with this membership each player receives a monthly “Smash” magazine and is eligible to play in USTA sanctioned tournaments and other Team Tennis leagues for one year.

• If a player is new to tennis and 10 years and younger, player is eligible for a one time, free one-year membership. Register at www.tryusta.com/juniorfree. (CODE: FYF13CNS)

• Player(s) will be unable to register for a team without a current USTA membership number. • A direct link will be on the CORTA website to enable each player to simply enter their USTA number, their specific

team number to register for their team. Individuals may do this, or the captain of the team may wish to collect the fees and enter all the players at one time.

• Each player will pay an online TAUT League Tennis registration fee of $25.00. This fee will cover the Team Tennis entry fee, the TennisLink user fee, background check fees, balls, court fees for matches, end of season party, trophies, and a one year membership to CORTA. When the player registers, he will enter his USTA number and team number.

• Player(s) may be added to a team roster prior to the last match of the season. However, if a team advances, all players advancing must meet season match play requirements (see Progression page 13 for more details).

• Player(s) must be registered on TennisLink prior to participating in a match. CAPTAINS MEETING

• Mandatory Captain/Coaches Meeting: On Thursday, October 17th at 5:30 pm we will have a mandatory captains meeting at the Cooper Creek Annex to hand out the schedules and go over details of the season. All captains must be in attendance and signed Captain Code of Ethics Form.

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FORMAT OF PLAY

TEAM

• 8U Teams are non-gendered and must have a minimum of 4 players. • 10U Teams are co-ed. • 10U (Beg. and Int.) must have a minimum of 3 boys and 3 girls. • Suggestion: Have more than 3 boys and 3 girls for reasons such as illness, absences, etc. • No more than 9 players per team is recommended. TEAM MATCH

• 10U Intermediate teams will play: One Girls’ Singles; One Boys’ Singles; One Girls’ Doubles; and one Boy Doubles, and one Mixed.

A team match will consist of four (4) Matches. Preferred order of play: GD, BD, GS, and BS, MX • 10U Beginner teams will play: One Girls’ Singles; One Boys’ Singles; One Girls’ Doubles; and one Boys’ Doubles • All 8U teams will warm up with coach/captain 20-30 minutes before playing combination of Girls’ Singles, Boys’

Singles, Girls’ Doubles, and Boys’ Doubles.

AGE ELIGIBILITY • For 8U leagues: Players must not turn 9 before November 17th, 2013

• For 10 League: Players must not turn 11 before November 17th, 2013 LEVELS/DIVISIONS

There could be six (6) divisions of play: • 10U Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced-These will be on a 60’ court using orange/low compression balls • 8U Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced – These will be played on 36’ court using red/low compression balls

ABILITY LEVELS

• Before forming your teams: Read the 2013 National USTA Jr. Team Tennis Regulation 2.01E Levels of Play o Players cannot have a rating higher than the team tennis level at which they are playing. o Use past JTT history of the players (online: Player Experience Scorecard) o Complete and turn in the Team Profile Sheet (page 26 in this handbook) o For the 10U divisions, a beginner team would be a team that has played 2 seasons or less.

BALLS & RACQUETS

• The home team is responsible for providing balls for the match (provided to each Captain prior to season start)

• 10U Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced - Orange Ball/low compression – There should be 3 orange/yellow balls per court, and home team keeps the balls at the conclusion of the match. These are low compression balls and may be reused for multiple matches. Please return these at the end of the season. Racquets must be 21” – 25”

• 8U Beginner/Intermediate – Red Ball/low compression – There should be 3 red/yellow balls per court. Balls are provided prior to each match. Racquets must be 21”-25”.

SCORING • For 10U Intermediates: 2 out of 3 Four game short set with no ad scoring; with a 12 point tie-

break being played at 3 all (first to 7 by 2). If a tiebreak is played, enter the score as 4-3. All 10U teams may win a maximum of 32 points for each match.

• For 10U Beginners: One short set, win by one (play a game at 3 all) No ad scoring. • Teams shall receive 1 point for each game won.

• When a match has been completed, all players should come together to the coaches and report the score in front of both team coaches.

• See a detailed description of the scoring format in this handbook.

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WARM-UP • Warm ups should be limited to five minutes (this is very important to keeping our court time on schedule)

PLAYER PARTICIPATION • More than one team: Players may play on more than one team in a local league during the same season as long

as it is not the same division and/or flight in the same league. • Should a player be on more than one team:

o No rescheduling to accommodate play in both matches o Player may not participate on more than one championship team

SUBSTITUTION

• The coach for each team shall exchange their team match cards simultaneously, with completed lineups, prior to the beginning of the team match.

• No substitution may be made in an individual match after the warm up has begun, except for illness or injury of a player prior to the start of the match. If an illness or injury occurs, only a non-scheduled player can substitute.

• If a player does not show after cards are exchanged, the Captain cannot switch players from Singles to Doubles or vice versa to accommodate other players. Match should be forfeited.

• If no substitution is made within 15 minutes; the affected position will be forfeited. MEDICAL TIME OUT

• Medical time outs include but are not limited to an injury, illness, and heat related condition or cramping. • A medical time out consist of evaluation time as determined by the captains plus a maximum of three minutes of

treatment time. • A player may request one or more suspensions of play for a toilet visit during changeovers only. If, however, a

player is sick, a point can be suspended for a toilet visit.

MATCHES

Match Schedules • Captains will be given an opportunity to give the coordinator avoidance dates for matches

• Matches will be scheduled using TennisLink Scheduler computer program. • Schedule will be available on TennisLink and will include the dates, times and location of all matches. Matches will

be played at various tennis facilities. 10U matches will be played at Lakebottom, Cooper Creek, Double Churches Road Tennis Courts, Green Island Club, and Columbus Country Club.

• Matches will be played on Sundays. • Matches will begin promptly at 2:00 / 3:00 p.m. (Subject to change – may be earlier!) • Matches, including the 5-minute warm up, must begin at the scheduled time.

• Court assignments will be given for all Cooper Creek matches. • Some divisions may have double headers. (First match 2:00 and second match 3:00)

DEFAULTS/FORFEITS/RETIREMENTS

• An individual default occurs when a player fails to appear within 15 minutes of the scheduled match time. • If a team needs to default a position, it must be a position that will affect the fewest number of players on

each team. If it is one player, you must default singles and play mixed. • If your team must forfeit a position, you must contact your opponent at least 24 hours before the

scheduled match. • A team must have a minimum of 6 eligible players. A team may forfeit a maximum of two positions in a

match without forfeiting the entire match. In such cases, the forfeits are dependant on the number and gender. If a team is short one boy and one girl, boy and girl singles MUST be defaulted. You may NOT forfeit mixed.

• Forfeiting matches: If a team forfeits one entire match, an email/letter will be sent to the captain warning that another entire default will result in their team’s entire season being nullified.

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• A retirement occurs when an individual match has started and a player or a doubles team is unable to continue due to injury, loss of condition, or emergency.

• In case of retirement, the non-retiring player or doubles team shall be credited with such number of additional games as would have been won if the match was completed and the non-retiring player or doubles team won every subsequent game.

Inclement Weather • Weather conditions that shall authorize the cancellation of a scheduled match are lightning, rain or severe

temperatures (a temperature of 32º or colder, or a temperature of 100º or more). • If there is any question about weather, please check the CORTA website for a posting. Matches will not be called

until 3:00 pm on the day of the match. If in doubt, call Lynn Reis (706) 566-9048 or the Cooper Creek office 706-317-4186. You may also check the Cooper Creek Tennis Center Facebook page.

• Schedule the makeup match before the next regularly scheduled match, preferably on the first Friday following the cancelled match.

• Both captains should agree on the makeup day, time and location. If one cannot be agreed upon, contact Lynn Reis and she will assist.

• Inclement Weather During Play: In the event inclement weather occurs after play has begun, completed individual matches will stand as played and incomplete matches must be resumed by the same players at the exact game and point that existed when play was halted. Suggestion: write match details (score, servers name) down as players leave the court.

Stacking • Deliberate stacking of players on a team is not allowed. • If stacking is found to be deliberate; the league coordinator will have the discretion of forfeiting that match.

• If after the season has begun it is obvious that a player is playing out of level, the league coordinator will have the discretion whether or not to move that player up to a higher level team.

Spectators/Parents/Coaches • No excessive cheering or clapping is permitted. • No clapping for errors. • It is the responsibility of the coaches and captains to work together as a team to control the spectators and

parents conduct during match play. • No one should be on the court or in the players’ seating area unless involved in actual match play. Parents or

coaches may never sit on the court.

Coaching • Coaching is considered to be communication, advice or instruction of any kind, audible or visible, to a player. • A Coach/Captain may coach the player(s) when the players change ends at the end of a game, but not when the

players change ends after the first game and not during a tie-break game. • Only the Coach/Captain may coach. No parents or spectators. • Coaches should remain outside the fence. • Coaching should be a positive reinforcement to your player and not against the opponent. • A player is not allowed to be coached, if, the coaching is given by signals during play. • Any violation of these Coaching policies may result in the suspension of the coaching privileges.

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GRIEVANCES

• Any league captain has the right to file a grievance against a team, player or captain. All complaints alleging a

violation of the CORTA Jr. Team Tennis Regulations or standards of good conduct, fair play and good sportsmanship, shall be filed online electronically with the CORTA Jr. Team Tennis Grievance/Appeal Committee responsible for enforcement. Decisions of such grievance appeal committee shall be final and binding.

• Play during grievance procedures: An individual or team may continue to play during a grievance but must understand that, if upheld, all matches played during that time may be defaulted.

• Types of grievances: Violations of USTA Constitution and Bylaws, USTA Regulations, the Rules of Tennis or other USTA regulations, the USTA Jr. Team Tennis Regulations or standards of good conduct, fair play and good sportsmanship, rating grievances, and player ineligibility and CORTA Rules and Regulations.

• To expedite the grievance process, captains need to file electronically. Please follow these instructions carefully: o You must be the captain of the team that has competed in the match where the alleged violation

occurred. o All complaints alleging a violation during local team competition should be filed in writing (email) prior to

the commencement of the next team match involving the team or individual, or within 24 hours after the end of local team tennis play, whichever occurs first.

o You must include in your email a statement providing details of the grievance issue. o Your email must include a cc (email copy) to the opposing captain, the league coordinator

(deby@corta.org) and assistant coordinator (jtt@corta.org). o Complaints are not to be made to, or filed with, the coordinator or assistant coordinator. o Failure to comply may result in this grievance being dismissed. o Email your grievance to Grievance Committee Chair, John Illges (at jpillges@bellsouth.net) and use the

below steps: Identify yourself, providing your name and daytime contact number Identify your team by name, level and flight Identify the person or team filing against Give the captain’s name and email address (available on that team’s Team Information Page or

the contact sheet) Identify the player or players (if applicable) Give the date of the match and match number. Be sure the scorecard for that match has been

entered on TennisLink. The body of your email should include a complete statement of the issue or incident from which this grievance arises.

• Grievance committee will follow all procedures as written in the 2014 USTA Jr. Team Tennis Regulations. • Following the receipt of a complaint, the Committee shall, as soon as reasonable, review the complaint and if

appropriate arrange for a hearing at which the parties involved shall have the right to appear personally and present evidence.

• The Grievance Committee shall have the power to dismiss the complaint or direct the correction of any violations by reasonable means, including the suspension of a player or team.

• The Grievance Committee shall prepare a written decision setting forth the basis for its decision and the deadline for any written appeal and promptly email copies to the parties involved.

• The decision of the committee will be by majority vote. • A list of the rules committee and grievance committee members can be found on the CORTA website under

Junior Team Tennis

APPEALS

• Any party to the complaint may appeal the decision of the grievance committee to the grievance appeals

committee within the time fixed by the grievance committee in its findings. Upon receipt of an appeal of the decision of the grievance committee, the grievance appeal committee shall act promptly to resolve the appeal.

• The party appealing shall file written notice of appeal with the Chair of the Appeals Committee, Mark Levy, (at MarkLevy444@aol.com) and shall, at the same time, send a copy to the chair of the Grievance Committee whose decision is being appealed, the area JTT Coordinators, and to the other party involved in the complaint.

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• The parties appealing shall have an opportunity to submit in writing facts and arguments in support of the respective positions.

• Appeals committee will follow all procedures as written in the 2013 USTA Jr. Team Tennis Regulations. • A copy of the grievance appeal committee’s written decision setting forth the basis of its decision shall be

promptly sent to all interested parties and such decisions shall be final and binding. • The decision of the appeal committee shall be by majority vote and will be sent to all parties via email.

SCORING/STANDINGS

SCORE ENTRY • Either team may enter the match scores in TennisLink. • Teams should verify the scores entered, and confirm the results.

• Scores should be entered within 72 hours of the completion of the match. • If there is discrepancy, please select “dispute” the scores online and contact the CORTA office. • The CORTA office will enter the appropriate changes. LOCAL LEAGUE CHAMPION • A point will be awarded for each individual game won. The team who has accumulated the most points will win

the season. • In the event of a tie at the end of the season, the tie shall be broken by the first of the following procedures that

does so: 1. Team Win/Loss record 2. Head to Head

• Stats and Standings are available for your review at www.corta.org. AWARDS • November 17th (tentative) all players are encouraged to attend Player party/Awards. All 8U players are awarded medals. Players on first and second place 10U Teams are awarded individual awards. PROGRESSION • For a team to win the local league championship, all players must meet match play requirements. Each player

must have a history of a minimum of three local team matches. Of the three match minimum requirement, only one may be recorded as a default.

TENNISLINK USTA MEMBERSHIP - TO JOIN OR RENEW You will need: • Credit card information (name on card, expiration date, billing zip code) • If renewal, USTA Number of player

Step 1: Go to www.usta.com/membership Step 2: On right side of the page, select Join or Renew Step 3: Follow instructions from there.

OBTAINING A TEAM NUMBER Step 1: Go to www.corta.org Step 2: On the right side of the page, select Helpful Links, then USTA TennisLink (Home) Step 3: Under TennisLink, click on Jr. Team Tennis

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Step 4: At the top of the page, click Login Step 5: Enter USTA # of captain and password and select Login Step 6: Click on Create New Team Step 7: Under Type of Program click – Jr Step 8: Under Section click – Southern Step 9: Under District click – Georgia Step 10: Under Area: click – Columbus-CORTA, then select Go Step 11: Click on the blue Jr. next to CORTA Elementary School Team Tennis Step 12: Enter Team Name (School Name/Captain Name Ex: Clubview/Jones) *Note Team Number Step 13: Under Site click on Cooper Creek Tennis Center Step 14: Under Division click on (choose one)– 10U Beg, 10U Int, 10U Adv, 12U Beg, 12U Int, 12U Adv

PLAYER REGISTRATION You will need: • Credit card information (name on card, expiration date, billing zip code) • Team number • USTA Number of player Step 1: Go to www.corta.org Step 2: On the right side of the page, select Helpful Links, then USTA TennisLink (Home) or go to direct link on

CORTA website Step 3: Click on Jr. Team Tennis Step 4: On the right side of the page, select Register for a Team Step 5: Enter Team number that captain/coach provided and USTA Membership # of player Step 6: Click Submit Step 7: Verify registration is for correct team Step 8: Enter payment information; select Submit (NOTE: Do not use spaces or punctuation marks when entering your credit card number.) You will have the option to print a receipt for a record of your payment.

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TENNISLINK - Continued TO ENTER SCORES: You will need: • Match number (Hint: Print a “Match Summary” report, which lists your match ID numbers. Save this for

reference throughout the season.) • Scores from match Step 1: Go to www.corta.org Step 2: On the right side of the page, select Helpful Links, USTA TennisLink (Home) Step 3: Choose Jr. Team Tennis, and then click Login. Enter your information Step 4: On the right side of the page, choose Coach/Captain Step 5: On the right side of the page, under “My Options”, select Score Entry Step 6: Enter the match number, select Next Step 7: Verify it’s the correct match for which you wish to enter scores, select Next Step 8: Scorecard: Enter the date the match was played. Select players in each position from the drop down list and enter scores Put the winning score first then click on winner. Click Next. Step 9: Verify information entered is correct. If accurate, click Finish. TO CONFIRM SCORES You will need: • Match number (Hint: Print a “Match Summary” report, which lists your match ID numbers. Save this for

reference throughout the season.) • Scores from match Step 1: Go to www.corta.org Step 2: On the right side of the page, select Helpful Links, USTA TennisLink (Home) Step 3: Choose Jr. Team Tennis, and then click Login. Enter your information Step 4: On the right side of the page, choose Coach/Captain Step 5: On the right side of the page, under “My Options”, select Score Entry Step 6: Enter the match number, select Next Step 7: Verify it’s the correct match for which you wish to enter scores, select Next Step 8: Scorecard: Review players, positions and scores. Step 9: Select Confirm, if accurate. Click Dispute, if not accurate and contact the league coordinator for correction of

scores. Step 10: Click Finish to complete the process.

TEAM REPORTS Step 1: Go to www.corta.org Step 2: On the right side of the page, select Helpful Links, USTA TennisLink (Home) Step 3: Choose Jr. Team Tennis and click Login. Enter your information Step 4: On the right side of the page, choose Coach/Captain Step 5: On the right side of the page, under “My Options”, select Teams Step 6: On the far right side of your team information, click on the icon

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From here you can view: Team Summary - contains players, team standings and team matches Match Summary - includes match schedule along with results* Match Schedule - includes schedule along with captains’ phone number

Player Roster – includes players’ names, address, phone number, etc.

HELPFUL HINTS Match ID Numbers You will need match numbers for score entry and score confirmation. Print a “Match Summary” report, which lists your matches along with their ID numbers. Save this for reference throughout the season. Scorecards If while in Match Summary, or Match Schedule you click on a match ID number, you can print a blank scorecard for the designated match. This blank scorecard will list the names of all registered players on both the home and visiting teams. Take this to the match for recording scores.

INSTRUCTIONS ON SCORING FORMATS

No-ad scoring for a Four game short set (first player to 4 games with no ad). In a game: the first player to win 4 points wins the game. If the score reaches 3 points all (6 points total), the 7th point becomes the game point. In singles, the receiver may choose to receive either in the ad or the deuce court. In doubles, the receiving team may choose to receive in either the ad or deuce court. In mixed doubles, the boy must receive serve from the boy and the girl must receive serve from the girls. In calling the score of a no-ad game, players may either use 1, 2, 3 and game: or 15, 30, 40, and game. They may call the score of 3 all or deuce. Tie-Break. All players should know how to play a tie-break. If a set reaches 3 games all, players must play a tiebreak. The order of serving is the same as that of the start of the match.

• When the score reaches (3) games all during the match, a 12-point tiebreak is played to determine the winner. When one team wins a minimum of seven points in the tiebreak by a margin of two points, the set is won. The person whose turn it is to serve after the 3-3 score is established shall serve one point from the “deuce” court. His or her opponent shall then serve two points beginning on the “ad” court. Points shall alternate with the players changing ends of the court after ever six points. In doubles, the first server shall serve one point from the right side. The second server shall serve two points, starting from the left side and ending on the right side. The third server shall serve two points, starting on the left and ending on the right side. The fourth server shall serve one point form the left side and then players change ends of the courts. The fourth server shall then serve one point from the right side. Play continues in such a manner until one team wins at least seven points with a two-point margin. Teams change ends of the court every six points. In singles, the first server shall serve one point from the right. The second server shall serve two points, starting on the left side and ending on the right side. The players continue to alternate serving two points each until one wins a minimum of seven points with a two-point margin. Player’s change ends of the court every six points.

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BASIC RULES OF TENNIS

AND TENNIS ETIQUETTE

FIRST RULE OF TENNIS:

ALWAYS TREAT YOUR OPPONENTS WITH COURTESY AND RESPECT

1. Server/Receiver—Players stand on opposite sides of court. The person who delivers/hits the ball is the server and the other the receiver.

2. Spin of racket—The player that wins the racket spin may choose or require the opponents to choose the right to serve or receive. The other side shall choose which side he (she) wants to start on.

3. Beginning—Server waits on receiver to be ready and stands behind the baseline to put ball in play. Receiver must allow ball to bounce in service box before returning. In delivering the service, server stands alternately behind right and left courts beginning every game from the right side. Ball served shall go over the net and land in service court, which is diagonally opposite the server.

4. Faults—Service of a fault if server misses ball in attempting to serve, if ball does not land in proper court, or if ball touches anything before hitting ground.

5. Service after Fault—After a fault (if it is first serve), server serves again from the same side/place. If the second serve is also a fault, server loses the point.

6. Service Let—During service, a ball that touches the top of the net but lands in proper court is termed a let and counts for nothing. Serve is replayed. There is no limit to the number of lets.

7. Receiver becomes Server—At the end of the first game, the receiver becomes the server. Player’s change ends at the end of the 1st, 3rd, 5th and subsequent alternate games.

8. Players lose point—Players lose the point if: ball hits ground twice, if ball hits any object (such as net post) before landing inside lines, if player or racket touches the net, if ball touches anything other than player’s racket.

9. Ball landing on the line is good. (Repeat…BALL LANDING ON ANY PART OF THE LINE IS GOOD.) Please talk to your players about the importance of making good line calls.

10. Scoring—If player wins 1st point, score is called 15 for that player and love [zero] for the other player. The server’s score is always given first. On winning the 2nd point, the score is called 30. On winning the 3rd point the score is called 40. On winning the 4th point, the score is called game. If both players have won 3 points, the score is called Deuce (same as 40-40). The player that wins the next point in no-ad scoring wins the point.

11. Set – A player who wins 6 games (1.5-2.5) or 8 games (3.0 and above) wins the set, except the margin must be by 2 games over opponent. A 12 point set tiebreaker is played at 5 games all. THERE IS TO BE NO COACHING OR CALLING OF LINES BY PARENTS OR SPECTATORS DURING MATCHES.

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SPECTATOR AND TEAM ETIQUETTE

Besides the rules of tennis, there are also some important unwritten laws, which come under the title of tennis etiquette. Tennis is a social game, a game involving simple politeness and consideration. Everyone will enjoy the game so much more if those standards are maintained. Here are some of the rules, which are most important:

• Talk quietly when standing near tennis courts that are in use. • Never walk behind a court when a point is still in play. Wait until the point is over and then cross as fast

as possible. • Always come prepared. Bring not only balls, but also towels and water to drink when it is hot. • Wear sneakers for tennis. Other shoes may wear out quickly, hurt your feet, or damage the court. • Wear clothing with pockets so they can manage two balls when serving (one in a pocket) and never to

leave a ball at their feet. Remind them not to chase balls between first and second serves. • When you’re ready to play, put racket covers, ball cans, jackets etc., out of everyone’s way. • To see whom serves first, spin your racket. If you win the spin, the choice is yours. You may serve first,

or you may choose to receive first or to pick which end of the court you want to start playing on. As a third choice you may make your opponent choose first.

• When sending balls back to a neighboring court, roll them to the back of the court. Never send them back while play is in progress.

• Retrieve balls for your partner and your opponent. • Don’t criticize your partner, but offer encouragement. • Call your own lines and let your opponent hear the call. If the ball is good say nothing and play on. • Always call the score out before serving, and make sure opponent can hear. • Always respect the line calls of your opponent. However, if you are involved in a match where many calls

are questionable, report the problem to both captains. • If there is a disagreement, offer a let. In other words, replay the point, even if it was a second service. • There should be NO cell phones on the court. The following are unacceptable court behaviors:

• Throwing a tennis racquet. It is “racquet abuse,” and is not acceptable.

• Throwing or hitting a tennis ball in anger. • Negative verbal exchanges between players. Exchanges should be polite, not negative. • Laughing at or teasing another player when a mistake is made. • Profanity in any form. Profanity should be dealt with immediately. First offense: the captain or

coach will speak with the player. Second offense: the Coordinator will speak with the player. Third offense: The player will sit out two matches. Fourth: Can no longer play in the league.

Consequences of inappropriate Court Behavior: Any player who has been reported at least 3 times to the league coordinator will be dealt with in the following manner: First offense - The captain or coach will speak with the player. Second offense - The Coordinator will speak with the player. Third offense - The player will be accompanied by a court monitor, assigned by the coordinator, for the next match. Captains’ will be notified and it is the captain’s responsibility to contact the coordinator to let them know about the next date of play.

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HINTS FOR COACHING BEGINNER TEAMS

1. De-emphasize winning. Children learning the game should not feel any pressure to win. Consider a first season

strictly a learning experience and make sure your players and parents understand this. 2. After the match, praise and encourage the children for their accomplishments, even if they may seem minor.

(“You reacted better to the ball this time.”) 3. Limit warm-up strictly to 5 minutes. Frequently, young children have no idea how to warm up and need to be

taught to warm up groundstrokes, volleys, and serves. 4. Employ the “retirement” rule in situations where a match has gone on too long and the children are exhausted.

Under this rule, the side “retiring” gets to keep any games they have won up to that point, which the opponent is credited with the “win.” Mark the scorecard “retirement”, along with the score. It is permissible for both sides to jointly retire where all the children are too tired to continue to play and all agree to stop the match. In this case, both teams keep any games won to that point, but neither team is credited with the “win.”

5. Encourage the children to learn how to score their matches. Have them spend some time at practice in actual game situations. Watch tennis on television or play tennis video games to learn how to keep score.

6. If a player tosses a ball to serve and then swings and misses, this is considered a service fault. A player can toss the ball, decide it is a “bad toss”, and not swing. However, if he or she swings and misses, it is a fault.

7. Monitors or coaches may be used on the 8U Beginner teams and 10U Beginner teams ONLY. (As needed on 10U Intermediate)

8. If the children become confused about a score, the monitor should help them recreate the game and agree on a score.

9. A monitor must be knowledgeable regarding the rules of tennis. 10. Monitors should stop monitoring around the 4th match. Children should learn independence even though they

may make mistakes. 11. If a player consistently calls balls out that are good, you may stop the match after that point and remind the

players that a ball on a line or in the alley in doubles is always good. Do not single out an individual for correction-bring all players to the net and remind them as a group.

12. If the score is called wrong consistently, remind the children how to score, but do not tell them the score. 13. Remember that eye/hand coordination and tracking can be issues for children. Frequently, they do not see the

ball correctly and may be making unintentionally bad calls. If both players seem satisfied that the calls are correct, then do not interject your opinion into the match.

14. If the players come to a situation where they cannot agree on the score, they must try to reconstruct the points. Encourage the children to review points played up to a time when they can agree.

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Release Form and Parent Code of Conduct Form I, the undersigned, agree to be legally bound, hereby, for myself, my heirs, executors and administrator, waive and release any and all right and claims for damages I may have against the USTA and CORTA, the host facility, and any and all sponsors and their representatives, successor, and assigns for any and all injuries suffered by me in said event. I have read and understand the foregoing releases, waivers and indemnity agreement. Medical Release: I hereby consent to emergency first and other medical procedures, or hospital service that may be rendered by or at accredited hospitals, by appointed physicians, which at the time of injury or illness seem reasonably advisable. I further understand that I will be responsible for payment of any such medical procedures. Media Release: I hereby give USTA Georgia and CORTA and their representatives the irrevocable right to use my name, picture, photograph, or other likeness in all forms and media and in all manners. This includes but is not limited to print and the web. I waive the right to inspect or approve the finished version(s), including any written copy that may accompany it.

PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT The essential elements of character building and ethics in sports are embodied in the concept of sportsmanship and six core principles: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship. The highest potential of sports is achieved when competition reflects these "six pillars of character." I therefore agree: 1. I will not force my child to participate in sports. 2. I will remember that children participate to have fun and that the game is for youth, not adults. 3. I will inform the coach of any physical disability or ailment that may affect the safety of my child or the safety of others. 4. I will learn the rules of the game and the policies of the league. 5. I (and my guests) will be a positive role model for my child and encourage sportsmanship by showing respect and courtesy, and

by demonstrating positive support for all players, coaches, officials and spectators at every game, practice or other sporting event. 6. I (and my guests) will not engage in any kind of unsportsmanlike conduct with any official, coach, player, parent or spectator such

as booing and taunting; refusing to shake hands; or using profane language or gestures; or physically abusing anyone. 7. I will not encourage any behaviors or practices that would endanger the health and wellbeing of the athletes. 8. I will teach my child to play by the rules and to resolve conflicts without resorting to hostility or violence. 9. I will demand that my child treat other players, coaches, officials and spectators with respect regardless of race, creed, color, sex

or ability. 10. I will teach my child that doing one's best is more important than winning, so that my child will never feel defeated by the

outcome of a game or his/her performance. 11. I will praise my child for competing fairly and trying hard, and make my child feel like a winner every time. 12. I will never ridicule or yell at my child or other participant for making a mistake or losing a competition. 13. I will emphasize skill development and practices and how they benefit my child over winning. I will also deemphasize games and

competition in the lower age groups. 14. I will promote the emotional and physical well being of the athletes ahead of the desire I may have for my child to win. 15. I will respect the officials and their authority during games and will never question, discuss, or confront coaches at the game field,

and will take time to speak with coaches at an agreed upon time and place. 16. I will demand a sports environment for my child that is free from drugs, tobacco, and alcohol and I will refrain from their use at all

sports events. 17. I will refrain from coaching my child or other players during games and practices, unless I am one of the official coaches of the team. I also agree that if I fail to abide by the aforementioned rules and guidelines, I will be subject to disciplinary action that could include, but is not limited to the following: • Verbal warning by official, head coach, and/or head of league organization • Written warning • Parental game suspension with written documentation of incident kept on file by the organizations involved • Game forfeit through the official or coach • Parental and/or player season suspension *This waiver/agreement is valid for one year from the initial signature date.

Captain Name: Team Name/Flight: Received Date:

Print Child/Player’s Name: ____________________________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________________________________________________ Date: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

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TAUT League Team Tennis Practice Registration

NOTE: Practice courts are not guaranteed. Availability is limited. Day/Date Requested: ____________________________________

Number of Courts Requested: _____________________________

Team Name/School: _____________________________________

Coach: ________________________________________________

Cell Phone: ____________________________________________

Email Address: _________________________________________

Coach’s Signature: ______________________________________

Date: _________________________________________________

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AREA FACILITIES DIRECTIONS

Cooper Creek Tennis Center 4816 Milgen Road Columbus, GA 31907 (706) 317-4186 Directions: Take I-185 To Exit 7 (Manchester Expressway). Turn east onto Manchester Expressway. Travel approximately 2 miles to the Warm Springs Road Connector. Travel up the exit ramp and turn right. The entrance to Cooper Creek Park is directly ahead. The clubhouse is a two-story building located on your right as you enter the park. Double Churches Park 2300 Double Churches Road Columbus, GA 31904 Directions: Take I-185 to Exit 7 (Manchester). Turn west onto Manchester Expressway. Travel approximately 1 mile and turn left onto Woodruff Road. Travel through the intersection at Warm Springs Road. Turn right on Camille Drive. (This street merges with Cherokee Avenue.) The Country Club will be about 1 mile ahead on your left. Lakebottom (Weracoba) Park 1950 18th Avenue Columbus, GA 31906 Directions: Take I-185 to Exit 7 (Manchester Expressway). Turn west onto Manchester Expressway. Travel approximately 1 mile and turn left onto Woodruff Road. Travel through the intersection at Warm Springs Road. Turn right on Camille Drive. (This street merges with Cherokee Avenue.) Travel several blocks. Lakebottom Park will be on the right. Brookstone School 440 Bradley Park Drive Columbus, GA 31904 Directions: Take I-185 to Exit 10 (North Columbus Bypass) Turn west toward Phenix City and downtown Columbus. Take the first exit on to Bradley Park Drive, then bear right. Brookstone School is approximately 1 mile ahead on the left. Just past the second school entrance you will see the hard courts at the bottom of the hill on your left. Phenix City Tennis Facilities Cliff Farrar Tennis Center (phone - 334-291-4733) 1004 Airport Road Phenix City, AL 36867 Directions: Take I-185 to Exit 10 (North Columbus Bypass). Turn west towards Phenix City, AL. After crossing the Chattahoochee River entering Alabama, take the second exit (Summerville Road). Turn left at the top of the exit ramp. Immediately after crossing over Highway 80, turn left at the second traffic light (Airport Road). The courts are located approximately 1 mile down on the left.

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HOW TO BE A TEAM PLAYER

Although tennis is often thought of as an individual sport, once you play with a partner or become part of a larger squad, you are no part of a team. To be an effective team player you need to make a fundamental shift in your mindset from “I” to “we.” It doesn’t matter how you play as an individual as much as how well you perform as a team. The win or loss is attributed to the team and not the individual. A team player functions by always answering the following questions: “What’s in the best interest of my team?” The answer almost always requires a high degree of caring, commitment and sacrifice. Here is a partial checklist of team player behaviors: Here is a partial checklist of team player behaviors:

1. Do you come to practices on time and stay through the end? 2. Do you practice and play matches with a high degree of enthusiasm regardless of your partner, opponent or the

score. 3. Do you make every effort to play at each match, which you are scheduled? 4. Do you willingly play with whatever partner you are asked at the position you are asked without making a big

fuss? 5. Are you open and receptive to feedback from others? 6. Do you make every effort to stay and support your team if your match has finished early? 7. Do you look for opportunities to provide praise and encouragement? 8. Are you generous with compliments and stingy with criticism? 9. Do you demonstrate good sportsmanship both on and off the court? 10. Do you know and abide by the rules of the game, team, league and facility you represent?

Your responses to these questions can provide you with goals you can work on to become a great team player. By: Dr. Robert Heller USTA Southern Tennis

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Code of Ethics for Captains/Coaches of JTT Leagues • Be familiar with all rating tools for players to ensure that each player is at the correct level of

play. Rate each player honestly and fairly. • I will exemplify good sportsmanship when participating in all USTA Jr. Team Tennis programs

and CORTA leagues. • Winning is a consideration, but not the only one, nor the most important one. Care more about

the player than winning the game. • Support Jr. Team Tennis and CORTA policies and regulations. • Work to provide a league that promotes fair play and sportsmanship. • Be a positive role model to demonstrate qualities conducive to being roles models to the team

players. Display emotional maturity. • Set a good example in every area of the game at all times. • Keep your emotions under control. • Follow the rules and regulations of your association to ensure that the CORTA philosophies and

objectives are enhanced. • Attend all captain meeting’s, conduct the background screening and online training courses

offered by USTA. • Read and become familiar with the contents of the coaches handbook, rulebook and playing

rules. Know the playing rules, their interpretations and proper application. • Recommended program changes should be submitted through proper channels for

consideration. • In compliance with this, support the administration or league official on and off the courts. This

approach will help in the development and support of the game and league. Trust their judgment and integrity

• Never openly criticize league administrators, officials, coaches or players. Criticisms only hurt the game

Captain/Co-Captain Signature: ____________________________________________________ Date: ________________________________________________________________________

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