A.  COACHES
1. A coach shall either be a certificated employee of his or her school district or sign a coaching contract with the district.

2. A coach shall be certified upon the completion of a district’s coaching workshop.


B.  TEAM LADDERS
  Definition of Team Ladder
     A. A team ladder is the arrangement of a team’s players in rank order so as to determine the line-up of a team on any given day for match purposes.

1. Establishing an Initial  Team Ladder
    a. Singles Players

2) Singles players shall be selected from among the six (6) strongest players on the team. 5/26/05)

3) Singles players shall be placed on a ladder in order of their strength as determined by head-to-head competition "using best 2 out of 3 break sets. (The #1 players shall have beaten the #2 player, the #2 player shall have beaten the #3 player,etc) 5/26/05

a) Coaches shall not elevate or lower a player based on injury, illness, or  any         other criterion other than head-to-head competition.

b.   Doubles Teams

4) Doubles teams shall not be composed of any of the top four singles players as determined above. (1-25-99)

5) Doubles teams shall be placed on a ladder in order of their strength as determined by head-to-head competition "using best 2 out of 3 break sets. (The #1 players shall have beaten the #2 player, the #2 player shall have beaten the #3 player,etc) 5/26/05

a) Coaches shall not elevate or lower a doubles team based on injury, illness, or any other criterion other than head-to-head competition.

3. Submission of  Team Ladder
a.  Each coach shall submit the initial team ladder to the division chairperson prior to the first division play date. The division chairperson in turn will send the ladders to the division coaches.
b.  Each coach shall submit the final team ladder to the division chairperson prior to the next to last division play date. (10/19/02)

c.  The division chair shall inform the AD of any school failing to comply no later than 24 hours before the 1st play date.

    a.  Further failure to comply shall result in forfeited matches. The division chair shall inform any schools affected by the forfeitures. (5/25/06)

4 Maintaining a Team Ladder

A.  Coaches shall not elevate or lower a player based on injury, illness, or any other criterion othan head to head competition.

B.  All varsity challenges shall be a best 2 out of 3 tie break sets. (10/19/02)

C.  Each player or doubles team on the varsity squad may challenge only the player or team that is one spot or ranking ahead on the ladder. Example: #3 can only challenge #2.

D.  During the league season, players shall make no more than one challenge per week.

E  . Any player or team being challenged by the player or team one spot below must accept the challenge.

F,.  . The challenge must be held during a regularly scheduled weekday practice in the presence of the coach.

G.  Coaches shall have recorded evidence of every challenge match on the team. The coach shall be prepared to show these records at any time. (e.g., match, coaches’ meeting, etc.)

H. After a successful challenge, all players shall play at least one league match at their new spots prior to challenging or being challenged again.

I.   A new player joining the team after initial season ladder is set:
1) is not limited to one challenge per week.
2) shall have at least one win and one loss in team challenges prior to representing the team in a league match. (Exception: the player who challenges at #1 Singles and wins.)

5.1  Replacement of a Player
Replacing a player lost to the team for a prolonged period of time( because of injury, eligibility or travel)
a.  Single positions must be filled by moving up all necessary player(s) from directly below (according to the singles ladder)
b.  Doubles positions may be filled by reorganizing all necessary players, but the doubles ladder must be reestablished through challenge match(es) between affect teams.

C.   LEAGUE MATCH PLAY
1. Dual Match Format
a.  . Shall consist of seven (7) matches: four (4) singles and three (3) doubles matches. (1-25-99)

Boys b.  . All individual matches shall be best two of three tie-break sets, using regular (Ad) scoring.

Girls c.  . No-ad scoring shall be used in girls tennis matches

2. The official U.S.T.A. Rule Book shall govern the play in individual matches, including  a variation of the USTA point penalty system. (warning for 1st infraction, followed by loss of a point, a game and finally the match (5/26/05)

3.  All matches must be completed prior to the 1st day of team playoffs.  Matches not completed will result in a loss in the final standings for BOTH teams. (5/29/03)

4.  . Starting Line-ups
a.   Announcing the Starting Line-up.
1) The introduction of players shall constitute the beginning of the match.
2 ) Line-ups may not be altered after the introduction.
a) In the event of the continuation of a match, a missing player’s spot shall be defaulted.
b). Absence of player(s) or doubles team(s) either at announcement of Starting Line-up or when courts are newly available. (5/26/05)

1) The player(s) or doubles teams shall forfeit one game every 5 minutes or portion thereof and lose choice of serve or receive. (5/26/05)

2) After 20 minutes a default will be called. (5-25-00)

B) Default/Substitution
1)  Defaults of Individual Matches
(a) In the absence any player(s) or doubles team(s), a coach may choose to default at most one spot in the entire lineup.
(b) A singles player or doubles team may not be defaulted in two consecutive matches.

2..)  Substitutions
(a) Substitutions shall be made prior to the introduction of players.

(b) A coach shall inform the opposing coach if a substitution is being made.

(c) If the substitution is in singles, all singles players below that spot on the ladder (down to Number 4 Singles) shall be moved up to fill the open spot(s). (1-25-99)

(d) An opening at #4 singles may be filled by any player below that spot on the Ladder. (1-25-99)

(e) A coach need not break up a varsity doubles team to fill the #4 Singles spot.

(5) If the substitution is one member of any doubles team, the coach shall have the option to replace the absent member by moving any player up to fill the spot.  The coach may not move any player down to fill the spot. (10/19/02)

5) Forfeits of Team Matches
A. An entire match under which any of the following conditions occur shall be forfeited.
1. playing an ineligible player

2. playing a lineup that does not follow rules listed under Team Ladder

3.. failure to follow any of the rules for a sub listed above.

B. If a school wishes to protest a match you need to follow the guidelines as stated in Article 15 of the BVAL Constitution. (4-99)


D.  COACHING IN A MATCH
1. Only a school’s coach may advise or coach the team during a match (no teammates, parents, outside coaches, etc.)
a.  . If a school employs more than one coach, only one may coach during a match.

2. Unless there is a dispute or a problem arises, a coach shall coach players only during the ninety-second changeovers after every odd game.

3. Coaches may talk to players during the 10-minute break between the second and third sets.

4. Coaches shall not enter the playing area to talk to players while the match is in progress.

E.   DISPUTES WITHIN A MATCH
1. Disputed scores shall be handled by the players involved in that match except in cases of impasse or solicitation of coach(es) when  agreed upon by all players. (5/26/05)

2. Disputed line calls:
a.  . Only a player involved in a match may request line judges for that match.
1) Players shall request line judges through their respective coaches.
2) A coach shall not initiate a request for a line judge.

b.   Status of the match prior to entrance of line judges are stationed on a court.
1) Play stops and does not continue until both line judges are stationed on a court.
2) All points played -- including the disputed point -- stand as called.
3.) Line Judges:
a) Each team shall send either a player or team member (team manager or scorer) to serve as a line judge.
a.1) A relative shall not act as a line judge.

b)   Placement of the line judges:
b.1)  Line judges shall stand at the opposite net poles. (10/19/02).

c) The line judges shall make a call only when requested to do so by one of the players involved in the match.

d) A player may ask either of the two judges for a call regardless of team affiliation or placement of the ball.

e) A judge may make a call on a ball that lands anywhere on the court.

f) If a line judge is asked to make a call, and the other line judge is not asked, the call made by the lone judge shall stand. If the other line judge is asked, both calls shall be considered. If line judges can not agree, the point shall be replayed.

g) Line judges may not talk to the players involved only during the changeovers, but they shall not coach. (29/03)

h) Line judges shall not display partiality by shouting, screaming, or clapping while serving as line judges.

i) Line judges should rotate position at each player changeover.

3.   Opposing coaches may call foot faults only after asking the players coach to issue a warning. (5-25-00)

F.  DRESS CODE

1.  Identical tops and same color shorts/skirts shall be worm by all team members.  There shall be no exposed midriff.  The school name shall be identified on the shirt or only on the front bottom of the skirts/shorts.  In all matches, league season and post season, all members of a team will wear matching tops and matching shorts/skirts (5/26/06)  Failure to comply in the wearing of the team uniform will result in a forfeiture of that position. (12/02/05)


6. POST SEASON PLAY
1. Team entry into Central Coast Section Championships:
a.   The top two finishers in the Mt. Hamilton Division shall both gain automatic entry to the Central Coast Section Championships.

b.  . Playoffs for remaining CCS Spots.

1) Eligibility
a) The third- and fourth-place finisher in the Mt. Hamilton Division and the winners of the Santa Teresa and West Valley Divisions shall gain entry into a play-off for the remaining CCS automatic entry.

(1) Ties between teams from the same division shall be broken by:

(a) Head-to-Head Competition

(b) Playoff (time permitting and if only two teams are tied)

(c) Match scores: Fewest total individual matches lost in head-to-head competition. Example: If team A defeats team B, 5-2; and Team B defeats Team A, 4-3, then Team A takes higher spot in the division standings.

(d) Fewest sets lost among tied teams.

(e) Coin Flip (5-22-97)

b) A coaches meeting shall be held immediately prior to the playoffs in order to confirm playoff status, seeding/pairings, & participating schools' team ladders. (5/29/03)

2) Seedings/Parings:

a) The Playoffs shall be single elimination.
b) All matches shall be played on neutral sites.
c) Playoffs shall consist of two rounds of play.

(1) First Round (Semi-Finals)

(a) The #1 seed (third-place finisher in the Mt. Hamilton Division) shall play the #4 seed ( Champions of the West Valley Division).

(b) The #2 seed (fourth place finisher in the Mt. Hamilton Division) shall play the #3 seed (Champion of the Santa Teresa Division).

(2) Second Round (Championship): The winners of the first round of play shall splay for the championship.

(3) The winner of the second round receives automatic entry into CCS. 1-25-99

(4)  If a players drops out prior to the first round and time permits, the alternate shall be placed into the lower seed, and all remaining players will move up.  Byes are given to the number 1 seed and down. (5/27/04)

2. Blossom Valley Individual Tournament Play
a.  . Blossom Valley Division Tournaments
1)   Each division will hold an individual singles and doubles tournament to select their League champions and entries for the BVAL (CCS qualifying) Singles and Doubles Tournament.

2)   The division chairman shall be responsible for carrying out the by- laws that pertain to this tournament.

3)  . Singles/Doubles

a) Draw
1) the draw shall consist of no more than sixteen (16) entries.

2) a school may enter no more than two (2) singles and two (2) doubles teams.

3) every school is guaranteed at least one entry in both singles and doubles.

4) entries from the same school will be placed in the opposite-half of the draw, whether seeded or unseeded.

5) there shall be a maximum of one (1) seed for every four (4) players in the draw.

6) the seeded players shall be placed on lines 1, 5, 12 and 16 (as per U.S.T.A. rules)

b) Seeding Criteria: Seeding shall consider all of the following:

1) head-to-head competition
2) league record
3) common opponents
4)  past performance in the tournament

b.. Blossom Valley Individual Play Tournament (CCS Qualifying)
1). Singles/Doubles
a) Draw
    (1)The draw shall consist of eight (8) entries

b) Entries
    (a) Each of the three divisions is guaranteed the entry of its top two available singles players and doubles teams as determined by a division tournament.(5/26/05)

    (b)  Each division shall submit its third place finishers for consideration for the final two wild-card entries. (10/19/02)

    (c)  The two wild-card entries shall be selected by a vote of the BVAL coaches in attendance. The alternate shall be chosen from among the top four (4) finishers from all divisions. (5/26/05)

    (d) If  an entry player drops out prior to the first round and time permits, the alternate will be added to the draw. (5/26/05).

    (e) For purposes of substitution all divisions will bring their 4th place players. (5/26/05)

c) Seedings
    (1) All entries will be ranked in order

    (2) The seedings in the first round will add up to nine (#1 plays #8, #2 plays #7, etc.)

    (3) Seeding Criteria: Seeding shall consider all of the following:
        (a). Head-to-head competition
        (b). League record
          (c)    Common opponents
        (d)   Past performances in the tournament

    (4)  The #1 seed will go on line 1, the #2 on line 8, the #3 on line 5, and the #4 on line 4.

d) CCS Representatives
        (1) The finalists and third place finisher shall gain automatic entry into the CCS Championships.

        (2) The fourth-place finisher shall be the alternate.


Revised  5/26/06)