Rules of Ryedale TTL

Rules of Ryedale Table Tennis League

1. Name

The league shall be called the Ryedale Table Tennis League and shall be affiliated to Table Tennis England and the Yorkshire Table Tennis Association. The rules of Table Tennis England shall apply in all respects in which provision is not made in these rules.

2. Objects of the league

The objects of the league are to promote competitive table tennis in Ryedale and to improve the standard of play and sportsmanship.

3. Officers

The officers of the league shall be: Chairman, General Secretary, Match Secretary, Treasurer, Tournament Secretary, Publicity Officer, Coaching Secretary, Awards Secretary, Yorkshire League Secretary, Social Secretary, Development Secretary, Handicap League Secretary and Summer League Secretary. The Chairman, General Secretary, Match Secretary, Treasurer and Awards Secretary shall constitute the Executive Committee.

4. Management

The affairs of the league shall be governed by a Management Committee:

The Management Committee shall consist of the Executive Committee and all other appointed officers plus one representative from each club, save where a club agrees that an appointed officer may represent the interests of that club at Management Committee meetings. It shall be the responsibility of the appointed officer thus nominated to notify the club if he/she is unable to attend a meeting so that the club has an opportunity to provide an alternative representative. Five members of the Management Committee shall constitute a quorum. The above arrangements notwithstanding, all registered players are welcome to attend Management Committee meetings.
The decision of the Management Committee on all matters relating to the League shall be final.
All officers and elected members shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.
The Management Committee shall meet regularly during the season as deemed necessary. The General Secretary shall call meetings giving at least seven days’ notice.
The Management Committee shall have the power to co-opt members of the league as necessary.
The Management Committee shall have power to appoint sub-committees, e.g. a Handicap Committee.

5. Finance

Money accruing to the league from any source shall be paid to the Treasurer and be placed in the RTTL bank account. All cheques drawing on this account shall be signed by the Treasurer and either the Match Secretary or Chairman. The financial year shall end on 31^st March. The league accounts shall be subject to an annual independent examination by an external examiner and presented at the Annual General Meeting.

6. Meetings

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the league shall be held not later than 30th June. At least 7 days’ notice specifying the place, date and time, together with the Agenda and proposed alterations to Rules shall be given to all affiliated Clubs.
The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint a President and Vice-Presidents.
Proposed alterations to Rules for submission to the AGM shall be sent in writing by Clubs to reach the General Secretary not later than one calendar month before the AGM.
Nominations for the election of Officers may be sent in writing to the General Secretary and also accepted at the AGM.
The AGM shall consist of delegates from each club.
Voting at the AGM shall be on the basis of one vote per team. Resolutions to alter the Rules or to terminate the Association shall require at least two thirds of the total votes cast to be in favour of the resolution before being declared carried, provided that there is a representation of not less than 50% of clubs. Other resolutions to require a simple majority of the votes cast.
Rules may only be added, rescinded or amended at an AGM or an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose. An Extraordinary General Meeting can be called only where at least 10% of registered members of the league are in favour.

7. Admission of Clubs

Clubs may be admitted to the league at any time, subject to the approval of the Management Committee. Applications must be made to the Match Secretary using an RTTL application form.

8. Withdrawals

The record of any team which resigns or is expelled from the league during a season shall be expunged for that season.

9. Fees

Each team shall pay an annual fee as determined at the AGM.
All fees shall be due by 1st October each year. Late payment may result in a sanction made at the discretion of the Management Committee.
Team fees shall include all Table Tennis England and YTTA subscriptions.

10. Divisions

The number of divisions in the league and the number of teams in each division shall be decided by the Management Committee.
The team finishing first in any division below the top division shall be promoted, replacing the team finishing bottom of the division above. The team finishing in second place behind the promoted team shall enter a play-off (best of 9 singles sets) against the team finishing second to bottom in the division above. The team winning the play off will play in the higher division in the following season.
New teams shall be entered in the lowest division unless, in the opinion of the Management Committee, their playing standard warrants being placed in a higher division, subject to vacancy.
Team positions in the league shall be decided on points won. Where there is a tied situation, sets won will be taken into account. If there is a still a tied situation affecting the championship, promotion or relegation, a play-off at a neutral venue, as arranged by the Match Secretary, will take place.
A play-off will consist of 9 singles sets only.

11. Registration and teams

At least three players per team must be registered with the Match Secretary by 1^st September
Additional players can be registered during the season up to January 31st unless otherwise decided by the Management Committee
A team shall consist of three players. Each team must nominate a representative, or secretary, whose contact details are available to members of the league.
A club may enter any number of teams.
Clubs having two or more teams in the same division are to rank the teams A, B, C etc. according to their perceived strength. Players registered for a lower ranked team may play up for one or more of the higher ranked teams on not more than ten occasions during the season.
Where clubs have teams in different divisions, players registered for a lower division team may play up for one or more teams in the higher division on not more than ten occasions during the season.
No player may play for a team in a division lower than that for which he/she is registered. However, in exceptional circumstances, players may play for another team from their own club within their division with the permission of both team secretaries and the league's Match Secretary.
Should any team play an ineligible player, any sets won by the offending player will be awarded to the opposing team.
Exceptions to rules 11e, 11f and 11g can only be made in special circumstances with the consent of the Match Secretary who will consult other members of the Management Committee if necessary.

12. Transfers

No player shall play for more than one club during the season unless a transfer is approved by the Management Committee and the player.

13. Fixtures

Matches will normally be played in accordance with the fixture list supplied by the Match Secretary.
Every effort must be made to avoid postponing matches. In cases where a team wishing to postpone a match is able to call upon players from a lower ranked team, it must do so before seeking a postponement. Where a postponement cannot be avoided, the reason for the postponement must be given to the Match Secretary by the team requesting the postponement. A team postponing a match must give at least 24 hrs notice to the opposing team.
All matches scheduled for completion before the Christmas/New Year break must be played before league fixtures resume in January for the second half of the season. Failure to comply with this rule shall result in the unplayed matches being declared void. All matches scheduled for completion from January onwards must be played before the end of the second week following the last week of fixtures for that season. For these purposes the playing week ends on a Friday and the date by which matches must be played may differ for each division depending on the division’s scheduled completion date. Failure to comply with this rule shall result in the unplayed matches being declared void.
Rule 13c notwithstanding, any team which is unable to provide sufficient players either on a fixed date or in compliance with Rule 13c may choose to concede the match, thereby allowing the opposing team 10 points.
A team not turning up for a match, without prior notification, shall be penalised by loss of points (the opponents being awarded the match 10-0) unless at the next meeting of the Management Committee the offending team can give a satisfactory explanation. The decision of the Management Committee shall be final.
Matches will begin at the times given in the handbook. If a team is not ready to start a match 30 minutes after this time, providing all three members of the opposing team are present, the team which is present shall have the option of claiming the match.
Any claim for a match will be dealt with by the Management Committee. Any claim must be made in writing to the Match Secretary and the team making the claim must send a copy of the claim to the opposing team representative who in turn must send his/her account of events to the Match Secretary if they intend to oppose the claim.
The home team shall be responsible for advising the Match Secretary of the result of the match. This must be done within 24 hrs either by phone or email. A fully completed scorecard, signed by both team representatives, must be posted or scanned and emailed to the Match Secretary within three days of the match.
The Management Committee will decide what action to take in instances where any part of Rule 13 is broken.

14. Matches

All matches shall be played according to the official Laws of Table Tennis as set out by Table Tennis England.
Rules relating to the correct form of service are particularly important.
Service shall start with the ball resting freely on the open palm of the server’s stationary free hand. The server shall then project the ball near vertically upwards, without imparting spin, so that it rises at least 16cm after leaving the palm of the free hand and then falls without touching anything before being struck.
From the start of the service until it is struck, the ball shall be above the level of the playing surface and behind the server’s end line, and it shall not be hidden from the receiver by the server.
All players shall use a bat which is in accordance with the current Table Tennis England rules on bat rubbers: 'The surface of the covering material on a side of the blade, or of a side of the blade if it is left uncovered, shall be matt, black on one side, and of a bright colour clearly distinguishable from black and from the colour of the ball on the other.
Only Table Tennis England approved 3 star balls shall be used for matches.
An umpire shall be appointed for every game by mutual agreement.
Teams shall consist of three players, each of whom shall play each member of the opposing team a set, the best of five games. A set of doubles shall also be played. Normally two of these three players would make up the doubles pairing, but if required, a fourth player may play in the doubles contest.
The home team shall be the first to indicate the order in which their players will play the match.
The points awarded in each league match shall correspond to the number of sets won by each team.

15. Protests

Full details of any protest, appeal or complaint shall be sent to the relevant Officer (with a copy to the General Secretary) within 7 days of the incident occurring or becoming apparent, and a copy shall be sent at the same time by the protesting Club to any other Club concerned. All decisions concerning protests shall be made by the Management Committee.

16. Other matters

To qualify for the averages award, a player must have played 60% of matches for that season.
Rules for the league’s annual Closed Tournament shall be issued separately on tournament entry forms. To qualify for the Closed Tournament, players must have played three matches by the closing date given by the Tournament Secretary.
The Rules of the Bower Trophy team knockout shall be given at the time of the competition.

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Last Updated: Friday 24th December 2021