SOUTHEND TT League Rules

General Rules

1. Title

1.1 The League shall be called the Southend & District Table Tennis League hereafter to be referred to as “SDTTL” and shall be affiliated to Table Tennis England (TTE), the National Governing Body and the Essex County Table Tennis Association (ECTTA).

2. Objects.

2.1 To foster and promote the sport of Table Tennis at all levels, providing opportunities for recreation and competition.

3. Membership.

3.1 Clubs

The following are eligible for Club Membership:

3.1.1 Clubs providing facilities that have been accepted by the SDTTL’s Executive Committee as being suitable for Table Tennis at League competitive level; the SDTTL’s Executive Committee’s decision to be final and binding on this.

     3.1.2 Clubs must submit/email registrations to the General Secretary. Subsequent new registrations must be submitted to the Divisional Results Secretary.

     3.1.3 No Club may play in the SDTTL unless they have paid the required Annual Fee, as determined by the Annual General Meeting of the SDTTL.

     3.1.4 The Annual Team Registration Fee will be determined by the Annual General Meeting of the SDTTL for the forthcoming season and published on the SDTTL website.

3.2 Players

     3.2.1 Players wishing to play in the league must be TTE registered before registering with the SDTTL.

     3.2.2 No Player may play in the SDTTL unless they have paid the required TTE Individual Membership Annual Fee, as determined by the Annual General Meeting of TTE.

4. Expulsion of Members.

      4.1 Members of the SDTTL whose conduct is inappropriate or who decline to abide by any of the rules or bye-laws may be expelled or suspended by a resolution passed at a meeting of the Disciplinary Sub-Committee where their entrance fee and subscriptions may be forfeited. Members shall have the right to appeal
in person to the Executive Committee with regard to any decision affecting them, provided that notice of such an appeal is submitted to the Chairman and General Secretary, within seven days of notification of the decision.

5. Officers.

     5.1 The Officers of the SDTTL shall be as follows:

President, Vice President, Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer, Competitions Secretary, Summer Results Secretary, Divisional Results Secretaries, Inter-League Match Secretary, Junior Secretary, Coaching and Development Officer, Web Officer, Disciplinary Officer, Child Protection and Welfare Officer, ECTTA Representative. Plus a minimum of 3 General Committee Members.

     5.2 The Sub-Committee’s of the SDTTL shall be as follows:

Disciplinary Committee, Junior Events Committee, Competitions Committee and the Ranking and Eligibility Committee.

6. Election of Officers to the Executive Committee.

     6.1 The Officers of the SDTTL shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the SDTTL from, and by, the Members of the SDTTL.

     6.2 All Officers are elected for a period of one year, but may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year.

7. Executive Committee.

     7.1 The affairs of the SDTTL shall be controlled by the Executive Committee comprising the Officers of the SDTTL elected by the Full Members of the SDTTL. The Executive Committee shall meet at agreed intervals, but not less than 3 times a year.

    7.2 The duties of the Executive Committee shall be:
7.2.1 To control the affairs of the SDTTL on behalf of the Members.
    7.2.2 To keep an accurate account of the finances of the SDTTL through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members and should be audited before every Annual General Meeting. The SDTTL shall maintain a bank current account and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign League cheques: the Chairman; Treasurer and General Secretary.
          7.2.3 To co-opt additional Members of the Executive Committee as the Executive Committee feels is necessary. Co-opted Members shall not be entitled to a vote on the Executive Committee.
          7.2.4 To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chairman shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

8. General Meetings.

    8.1 The Annual General Meeting of the SDTTL shall be held not later than the end of July each year. Notice shall be given to all Members of the Annual General Meeting via email. Members must advise the General Secretary via email of any business to be raised at the Annual General Meeting at least 7 days before a meeting. The General Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the Agenda for the meeting to Members via email not less than 7 days before the meeting.

    8.2 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:
   8.2.1 Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any General Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting.
   8.2.2    Receive the audited accounts for the year from the Treasurer.
           8.2.3 Receive the annual report of the Chairman, the General Secretary, Treasurer, Competitions Secretary, Summer Results Secretary, Divisional Results Secretaries, Inter-League Match Secretary, Coaching and Development Officer, Web Officer, Disciplinary Officer, Child Protection and Welfare Officer and ECTTA Representative.
          8.2.4 Elect an Auditor.
          8.2.5 Elect the Officers of the SDTTL.
8.2.6 Review League Subscription Fees and agree them for the forthcoming year.
        8.2.7   Transact such other business received in writing by the General Secretary from Members, at least 7 days before the meeting and included on the agenda. SDTTL will accept “Any other business” from the floor at the SDTTL’s Annual General Meeting.

    8.3 Extraordinary Meetings may be convened by the Executive Committee or on receipt by the General Secretary of a request in writing, from at least 25% of all club secretaries of the SDTTL. At least 14 days notice of the meeting shall be given.

    8.4 Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made in writing to the General Secretary in advance of the Annual General Meeting date. Nominations can only be made by Full Members and must be seconded by another Full Member.

    8.5 At all General Meetings the chair will be taken by the Chairman or, in his absence, by a deputy appointed by the SDTTL or by a Full Member attending the meeting.

    8.6 Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes from those Full Members attending the meeting. In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to a casting vote.

    8.7 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 4 Full Members, including at least 2 Officers from the Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer.

    8.8 Each Full Member of the SDTTL shall be entitled to one vote at General Meetings.

  9. Alterations to the Constitution.

      9.1 Any proposed alterations to the SDTTL Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting, convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Full Member of the SDTTL and seconded by another Full Member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by the majority of those Full Members present at the meeting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.

10. Dissolution.

    10.1 If, at any General Meeting of the SDTTL, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the SDTTL, the General Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the SDTTL to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
    10.2 If, at the Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least twothirds of the Full Members present at the Meeting, the Executive Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the SDTTL and discharge all debts and liabilities of the SDTTL.
    10.3 After discharging all debts and liabilities of the SDTTL, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst Full Members of the SDTTL, but shall be given or transferred to the Essex County Table Tennis Association (ECTTA).

11. Winter League Championship.
     11.1 TTE Laws: All competitions shall be played in accordance with the laws of table tennis as adopted by TTE.
    11.2 Fixtures: The winter season fixtures shall be arranged by the Chairman, General Secretary and Divisional Results Secretaries and submitted to the Executive Committee for final approval.
    11.3 Registrations:
   11.3.1 Details of Club, Team and Player Registrations for each Winter Season must be emailed to the General Secretary. Club and Team registrations to be with the General Secretary by the latest 30th June and the Player Registrations 24 hours before the commencement of the respective Winter Season.
        11.3.2 Applications for the registration of additional players during the season must be made to the General Secretary at least 24 hours prior to playing in a match, in accordance with Rule 3.2.1.
        11.3.3 Applications for the registration of additional players will only be accepted up to and including 1st February. Applications received after 1st February will only be accepted at the discretion of the SDTTL Executive Committee.
        11.3.4 Any players wishing to change clubs during the playing season must obtain the agreement of both clubs and then advise both the General and Divisional Results Secretary. No transfers will be allowed after 1st February.
        11.3.5 All clubs must nominate not less than three players per team and state their fixed home night, their venue address and the telephone numbers and email addresses of club secretary and team captain.
   11.3.6 Additional registrations received will be subject to the approval by the Ranking and Eligibility Committee that may veto the registration if it feels it would be detrimental to the division concerned. In these circumstances, clubs that have more than one team may be asked to resubmit the registration in a more appropriate team.
   11.3.7 Players will not be eligible to play in any lower team without the prior agreement of the Executive Committee.

11.4 New Teams:

     11.4.1 All new teams joining the league shall be placed in the lowest division of the league. In the event of vacancies occurring in higher divisions, the Executive Committee shall fill those vacancies from any division, including new teams, on the basis of the strength of each team under consideration.
     11.4.2 Teams entering after the constitution has been agreed must immediately notify every other team in the division in which they have been placed. The onus will be on them to advise each team captain in that division by email or in writing of their chart number, match night and venue. This also applies to any team making alterations to the constitution including a change of team captain. Likewise any change during the season of address of club secretary or team captain must be notified by email or in writing to both the General Secretary and the Divisional Results Secretary as soon as possible and in the case of team captain, to the other teams in their division.

11.5 Fees:

All team registration fees must be paid prior to the start of each winter season.

11.6 Matches:

     11.6.1   All matches shall be scheduled to commence play at 7.45 p.m. except those requesting an earlier start as stated on the SDTTL website. Junior teams may play all their matches, both home and away, at their home venue.
     11.6.2   Each match shall consist of nine games, with three players to each team. Each player to play each opponent the best of five sets, ends to be changed after each set, and where a game goes to five sets, ends to be changed when five points have been scored by either player.
    11.6.3 The home team players shall be denoted by the letters A, B, C and the visiting team players by X, Y, Z.
    11.6.4   The order of play shall be as follows:
            1st A v X 4th B v X        7th B v Z
            2nd B v Y        5th A v Z        8th C v X
            3rd C v Z     6th C v Y        9th A v Y
      11.6.5 The home team captain shall write down the order of play of his/her team on the score card and then pass the score card to the visiting team captain who shall then write down the order of play of his/her team on the score card. The order of play thus determined may be altered only by mutual agreement between captains.
     11.6.6 A point shall be awarded for each set won. In the event of a tie on points at the end of the season, the team winning the most matches will be declared the winner. If both teams are still equal they will play
off to decide the divisional winner or will be awarded joint winners / runners up: this will be at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
     11.6.7 No player arriving after 8.45 p.m. shall be eligible to participate in the match, unless the consent of the opposing team captain is given.
     11.6.8 If no player of a team arrives by 8.45 p.m. the whole match shall go by default to the opposing team.
     11.6.9 If a team fails to turn up to a match leaving their opponents waiting at the venue they will forfeit the points. If, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, this was intentional, the offending team may be expelled from the league.
     11.6.10 If a match is not played as scheduled or if, for any reason, a match is not completed, a full explanation must be sent by both team captains, by email or in writing to the Divisional Results Secretary within seven days of the scheduled date of the said match.

11.7 Umpires:

     11.7.1 Umpires for each set must be mutually agreed upon and umpiring shall be generally undertaken alternately by a member of the home and visiting teams.
     11.7.2 In the case of a dispute as to who should umpire, the visiting team has the choice.
     11.7.3 In the case of a disputed point, the umpire’s decision shall be final.

11.8 Score Sheets:

     11.8.1 The home team shall provide and complete the one official score sheet, which on completion of the match, shall be checked by both team captains.
     11.8.2 Players names should be in block capitals and forenames included.
     11.8.3 The home team should ensure that the official emailed result is received by the Divisional Results Secretary for their respective division not later than the Friday following the scheduled fixture week.
     11.8.4 In the event of no match result being received, the Divisional Results Secretary will contact the home team captain for confirmation of the match result at the same time requesting the home team to forward the official email result.
     11.8.5 In the event of no result being received by the Divisional Results Secretary after a further 7 days, the full 9 points may be awarded to the visiting team.

11.9    Postponement of Matches - The SDTTL has a “No Postponement” Policy:

     11.9.1 The League operates a no postponement rule. However, in exceptional circumstances and backed up by proper justification, a team may postpone only one fixture per season, subject to prior agreement from both captains and the Divisional Results Secretary. The revised will be agreed by both captains and the Divisional Results Secretary.
     11.9.2 Inability to play the teams strongest players or to field a full side will in no circumstances be considered sufficient reason for postponing a match.

11.10    Team Expulsion:

     11.10.1   Any team that forfeits more than 21 points during the winter season may be expelled from that year's competition. In exceptional circumstances the Leagues Executive Committee may decide to allow a team to continue unless in the opinion of the Executive Committee, it is in the best interests of the respective Division, for that team not to continue.
     11.10.2 The record of any team withdrawing, or being expelled from the league, shall be expunged and points will not be awarded to teams who have not played the expelled or withdrawing teams.

11.11   Executive Committee empowered to insist non played matches are played:

     11.11.1 In the event that a non-played match affects relegation or promotion of other teams not involved in the respective cancellation, the Executive Committee may insist that, in order to provide fair play, the match must be played.

11.12    Executive Committee empowered to ensure that the League functions fairly:

     11.12.1 The Executive Committee is empowered to take any steps necessary to ensure that the League functions in the interest of all players

11.13   Players playing up in a higher team – 6 win rule:

     11.13.1 Players may play for a higher team of the same club in any division until they have won 7 games for the higher team. After the match in which they won their 7th game for the higher team, they shall be ineligible to play in the lower team for which they were registered and their registration will automatically be transferred to the next highest team for which they have played. In exceptional circumstances the Executive Committee may allow Players to revert to the lower team for which they were originally registered.
     11.13.2   Where a premier division club has more than one team in the same division, the No. 1 ranked member of the lower team will not be eligible to play up for the higher-ranking team. Other players will be eligible to play up subject to Rule 11.13.1.

11.14    Promotion and Relegation:

     11.14.1   At the end of each season, where possible, the two bottom teams will be relegated to the next lower division and the two top teams promoted to the next higher division.

12. Summer League Championship.

12.1 A Summer League will be run and entry to this competition and allocation of teams into divisions shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Rules pertaining to this competition will be sent in April every year to club secretaries, together with the Summer League Constitution.

13. Bill Smith Hard Bat Open Championship.

13.1 The Bill Smith Hard Bat Open Championship will be run annually. Entry Forms will be on the SDTTL website under “Other Information” Forms.

14. Rose Bowl Team Knockout Competition.

   14.1 A handicapped knockout competition, up to 21 points, may be run every Season at the discretion of the League. Rules pertaining to this competition, first round opponents and relative handicaps, will be sent to club secretaries in October each year.

15. Individual Closed Championships.

15.1 An Individual Closed Championship will be held every February:

15.2 Tournament Eligibility

     15.2.1 Entry to the Individual Closed Championship shall be open only to registered players of the League. Applications for entry shall be submitted to the Competitions Secretary on the prescribed form or electronically by the stated closing date accompanied by the correct fee. Registered players must have played in a minimum of 3 of their team's/Club's league matches, in the current season, in the League before the closing date for entries to the Individual Closed Championship.
     15.2.2 Registered players not fulfilling these conditions may exceptionally be permitted to enter the individual Closed Championship at the discretion of the Competitions Committee. Entrance for any junior events may be supplemented by invitation from the Competitions Committee to Non League playing members dependent upon ability.

16. Balls.

     16.1 All matches must be played with the ball currently adopted by TTE. The use of orange/yellow balls will only be permitted with the agreement of both team captains.

17. No Time Outs.

17.1 Notwithstanding the TTE rule, the League operates a no ‘Time Out’ rule.

18. Coaching.

     18.1 Notwithstanding the TTE rule, coaching is allowed at the end of sets for a maximum of 2 minutes only