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Captains Guide

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This is intended as a guide for new captains and a reminder for everyone else.

 

Contact Details – Online

 

Each season the captain's contact details are copied from the previous season.

It’s important that you check that your details are correct, particularly if you are a new captain.

Ideal to provide both an Email and a mobile number.

If the details are incorrect, you can correct them yourself online (see the link to the How to Guide below).

Where your club enters teams in the Cups competitions unless advised otherwise, it will be assumed that you will also be the captain of that team. PLEASE CHECK and correct if necessary.

Link to How to Guide here

 

Know Your Squad?

 

Yes, I expect you do know your squad. We’re asking because you have two choices regarding entering the names of your squad online.

  1. Enter the names of all the players you expect to play for your team in advance.

  2. Enter the names of your players as you go. IE via the online match card.

Pros and Cons: 

  1. The advantage of entering names at the start of the season is that it will save you time when filling out online match cards

  2. If you are adding players to your squad as you go, then the obvious place is via the match cards

Unknown Player Info

If you cannot find your players online, ask them for their LTA Advantage membership numbers(9 digits). If they are not LTA members, we hope your players will join, as membership is FREE and for life. After joining, they need to link to your club.

Link to LTA Membership Info here

Finding Players Tips

  1. Use their LTA Advantage number. Quickest way.

  2. Use their first name & or Surname. Ask for the info they registered with.

Link to How to Guide here

 

What’s Your Style?

 

This is about whether you organise your team in advance or as you go. There is no right or wrong approach. Just highlighting a couple of examples.

  1. Organising your team availability in advance suits players who have busy lives and will hopefully be more likely to support your team if you pin them down on dates early. Also, knowing advance availability gives you options to plan regular pairs, swap around numbers, or simply know who your reserve players are.

  2. As you go planning suits smaller but dependable squads who pick themselves.

 

Confirming Matches

 

  1. It is good practice for both captains to confirm arrangements at least one week prior to each match. 

  2. IF THERE IS A CHANGE OF CAPTAIN for a match, it is courteous to let the other team know who they are, plus their contact details. If there are doubts as to whether the match should be played (due to bad weather), the other team's captain will need to be able to reach the 'stand-in' captain.

  3. The home captain is responsible for ensuring that enough courts are available for the appropriate time and ready for play at 6.30 pm (Midweek play). If, for any reason, a team wishes to alter the 6.30 start time, this can only be done with the agreement of both captains.

  4. If your club has to floodlight, you ensure they are available, working, and someone knows how to operate them.

  5. If your club has a clubhouse/changing rooms/toilets, they are open and available for the away team.

  6. It is good practice for home captains to agree with the away captain whether refreshments will be provided.

 

Rearranging Matches

 

  1. The safety of players is paramount. 

  2. It is the responsibility of captains to be aware, as far as is practical, of on-court playing conditions for players.

  3. Before the match, the home captain should be aware of or be able to judge whether playing conditions will be suitable for match play.

  4. If the opposition team has a long commute, aim to agree on a decision before travel.

Reasons matches can be rearranged.

  1. Before the date of their club’s first match: Changes can be negotiated between clubs/teams.

  2. Rain: By mutual consent, either before or during a match

  3. Heat: This can only be by request. In 2022 the LTA issued advice regarding heat. 

  4. Illness: This is no longer a reason for rearrangement.

  5. In all cases: The league secretary should be notified (within one week) of the postponement by email to tennisnorthdevon@gmail.com , plus adding a comment when amending the fixture online. Three dates, not all in the same week, should be offered promptly, and when one is accepted by the away captain, the new date should be entered online. This should be done within two weeks of the original fixture.

Match abandonment/Bad Light

  1. If a minimum of two rubbers have been completed, this is an acceptable result.

  2. The unfinished rubber results should be updated online, and where appropriate, the remaining points will be shared.

 

 

Tournament blank out weeks

  1. In 2023 we expect to have three weeks that are blanked out as tournament weeks.

  2. Please do not arrange any matches on any date during these weeks, which will not be selectable within the League Planner system.

  3. To view and support these Tournaments, go to our website here

Link to How to Guide here

Player Eligibility

i.It has been reported that were occasions last season where ineligible players were illegibly fielded in teams but were not declared beforehand. 

Examples: Players are club members and play in the correct age category.

ii. states that players should be Bonafede paid-up members of their clubs.

iii. allows for ineligible players to be played, provided they are declared in advance.

iv.In the spirit of playing in the ND programme, we urge teams to ensure their players are eligible and, where it is unavoidable ineligible players are declared in advance.

If a captain has any concerns, they should first raise the issue with their club. If necessary, the club should notify the ND committee of their concerns.

 

 

Tricky Situation on Court?

 

  1. Remaining calm cannot be overstated.

  2. Follow LTA advice on calling scores and making line calls

  3. Communication is the key: If in any doubt, be loud and clear or ask if you are not sure

  4. Know the rules: The rules for tennis and league/cup rules. Read and remind yourself ahead of the season.

Link to League Rules here

  1. The league is here for you to provide advice and make rulings as appropriate.

Email: tennisnorthdevon@gmail..com

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Entering Results

  1. Division one: Match rubbers are best of three sets, with third sets as match tie-breaks

  2. All other divisions are best of two sets

  3. All results should be entered within two weeks maximum

  4. Ideally, we’d like the results entered between 24 hours and a week.

  5. The future expected update to league planner will allow results to be entered more easily on the court via your mobile device. 

Match Card Tips

  1. You don’t need to enter everything on the match card in one go, BUT

  2. Rubber scores should be entered as soon as practical, as described above

  3. Player names: Ideally at the same time as above, but if players need to be found online, use the same techniques as described above (section 2: Know your squad)

 

 

 

This Guide & Future version of League Planner

 

This is a guide which we expect will be amended and tweaked over time.

 

A new version of the online system League Planner is in the works. We should expect a few changes related to that. Hopefully, there will be a suitable lead-up time to any changes.

 

Above all, we hope that being a captain will be a rewarding experience. Your fellow team captains, your club and here at the league are here to support you.

 

If you cannot answer your queries by talking to your fellow team captains or club or by looking at our online guides, please direct your enquiries to

Email: tennisnorthdevon@gmail.com

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