South Island Tennis League

South Vancouver Island Tennis Society organizes a doubles league each spring from mid April until late June, called the South Island Tennis League (SITL). The entry fee is $125 per team and everything is organized for you - home courts (your choice), schedules and a website where you enter your scores. We play on Greater Victoria public courts every Tuesday at 6:00 pm until dark. We try to include all levels of players. If you are new to the game, We can supply mentors to help you out with scoring, league rules, and etiquette - whatever you need to get playing. Our main goal is to increase participation and to have fun playing tennis.

What’s new for 2016

Entries open Feb 14 and close Mar 25. We play league every Tuesday at 6 p.m. on public courts from Apr 19 – Jun 21.

A popular new scoring system called Tenniscores offers more flexibility and control for captains. We’ll have a demo at the captains meeting in April.

League players are now required to be members of Tennis BC. Besides being able to participate in sanctioned tournaments and the Miele Provincial League Championships, the obvious benefit is increased support and growth for the sport through Tennis BC and Tennis Canada. Most league players will already be Tennis BC members through their Clubs or as individuals. If not, please visit the Tennis BC membership web page to sign up at http://www.tennisbc.org/membership. The fee is $21 for league players for 12 months. Choose the ‘BC VI - No Club’ option when signing up as a new Tennis BC member and attach a $21 cheque payable to Tennis BC with your team’s league entry form. Note your new Tennis BC membership number on the cheque. We will submit to Tennis BC for you. See the Quick Guide for New Player Registration with Tennis BC for more details. Players who need to renew an expired Tennis BC Membership should use this Guide.

Each year, there are many men interested in playing in a 3.5 Division, but not quite enough to form a division. In 2016, we are working hard to create a 3.5 division with at least four teams. We also hope to increase the number of mens 4.5 teams, resulting in three competitive divisions instead of two. Please let us know if you’d like to help recruit and organize a team for either of these two divisions. Send an email to sitlinfo@yahoo.ca.

Send questions to sitlinfo@yahoo.ca.

The 2015 season ran smoothly for league captains and players. Forty-one teams played league on ten Tuesday evenings – one less team than last year but more than each of the three years prior to 2014. There were 15 men’s teams and 26 women’s teams. There were very few rainouts during the season. We enjoyed another Finale and awards presentations at Henderson Park.

2015 Results

Congratulations to the 2015 South Island Tennis League Winners!
Men's 4.5 Division – Saanich Strongbows, Rick Wanbon and Chad Brachat captains
Bubble Boys finished second, Langford Long Shots third

Men's 4.0 Division – Under the Radar, Tim Stockwell and Bill Bradley captains
Game, Set & Match finished second, In the Zone third

Women's 4.5 Division - Net Assets, Karen Taber and Bev MacLean-Alley captains
Court Runners finished second, Incredibelles third

Women's 4.0 Division – Volley Girls, Wanda McCall and Jean Ireland captains
Courtbenders finished second, Terminetters third

Women's 3.5 Division – Serves You Right, Judi Sigurdson and Denise Ransford captains
Sole Sisters finished second, Break Points third

Women's 3.0 Division – Servivors, Trace Samphire and Marnie Hare captains
Deuces Wild finished second, Monte Visters third

Miele Provincial Team Tennis Championships

Each summer, league winning teams from around the province are invited to participate in this championship. The 2015 Championships were held in August – in Whistler for the men’s championships, and Kelowna for the women’s. Unfortunately, due to short notice from Tennis BC this year, the women’s teams were already committed and only one men’s team attended the event in Whistler.

However, our sole representing team managed to beat out the mainland competition to win the Mens 3.0/3.5 Combined event. Congratulations to Under the Radar!

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Teams

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Download this year's entry form.

Choose your players
To form a team, you will need a minimum of 5 players. Due to illness, work schedules, injuries and other unforeseen circumstances we recommend you have at least 6 players on your team. You will need to select a Captain and Co-Captain for your team. Also, ensure all team players are at the appropriate NTRP level for the Division (no ringers please!)
Get a team registration form
This year the Registration Form is only available on-line. Go to the League's webpage: www.sitennisleague.org Download and PRINT a 2016 Registration Form. It is under the 'Registration' tab. (Someday we hope to have on-line registration....)
Fill out the registration form
TEAM NAME: Teams keep their names from year to year and due to scheduling reasons, team names cannot be used by more than one team. Check to see if there is already a team with the name you want at www.sitennisleague.org under the ‘Standings’ tab.
DIVISION: Choose the Division you wish to play in. (See #1 above.)
HOME COURTS: A list of tennis courts (with 2 courts) is available on our website and also on the Registration Form. List your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices. Home Courts are awarded on a first come, first served basis, so the earlier you register your team the more likely you are to get your 1st choice. Check to make sure the courts you choose are in playable condition.
TEAM CAPTAIN: We need contact information for both captains!!
WAIVER: The Captain signs the waiver on behalf of the team.
TEAM PLAYERS: Are listed on the 2nd page of the Registration Form. NOTE: New for this year - the League is now affiliated with Tennis BC and all players must be Tennis BC members. Players who belong to a club will not be affected as the club pays player dues to Tennis BC. Players who do not belong to a club, or have not joined Tennis BC individually will be required to register on-line with Tennis BC. Details on how to join Tennis BC is available on our home page.
Register your team
The cost per team is $125 and can be paid by cheque (payable to Cedar Hill Recreation Centre) or by cash or credit card.
Registration begins Sunday, February 14th at 8:00 am at the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre. Some teams are so keen to ensure they get their favourite court - they line up at Cedar Hill before the doors open at 8:00 am!
Captain's Meeting
It is important that you or a team rep attend the Captain's meeting on Tuesday April 12th (one week before league starts!!) The meeting is held at the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre starting at 6:00 pm.
At this meeting we will :
- Go over anything new for 2016.
- Hand out the League balls: To ensure fairness we use the same brand of tennis balls for all League matches. Please bring a cheque to pay for the balls.
- Demonstrate the new scoring website: Tenniscores.
Pre-match
Pick four or more players to play. How you do this is up to the Captain/team. Players normally play four sets, with No Ad scoring, but you can substitute players in after two sets (if some players cannot arrive by 6:00, must leave early, or do not want to play all four sets.)
Ensure your players know when and where they will be playing.

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MEETS

a. All league meets between two teams are to be played outdoors at the scheduled place and time. No change of venue or time is permitted.
b. Warms-ups should be completed and competitive play begun no later than 6:15 p.m.
c. Each team will play four two-set doubles matches (for a total of 8 sets), by fielding two doubles pairs for each meet (i.e. at least four players). The pairs switch opponents after completing the first two matches.
d. New players can be substituted in at the switch-over, but at no other time.
e. No-ad play (receiver's choice) and set tie-breakers at 6-6 are to be used.
f. All tennis will be played according to the “Rules of the Court” and “Code of Conduct” as published by Tennis Canada.

PLAYERS

a. All team players must be at the appropriate NTRP level for the division.
b. Captains may add players to their team at any time.
c. There are no league ‘subs’ or ‘spares’. Players can play on only one team during the season, except for d. below.
d. Players who are already on a team may sub into a higher division for only one team, any number of times.

SCORING

a. The home-team captain must enter the meet scores no later than 48 hours after play.
b. Enter completed set scores on the website (e.g.6-3, 6-7). Incomplete or unplayed sets do not score.
c. Over-all team rankings are determined by the percentage of sets won. This also determines division winners (or the play-off teams in split divisions).
d. If teams are tied at the end of the regular season, winners are determined by: 1) their season head-to-head record (most sets won) 2) total sets won or 3) games won, if needed.

FORFEITS

a. Teams with no doubles pairs available by 6:15 are defaulted (all 8 sets lost).
b. If a team fields only one doubles pair by 6:15, then only one two-set match is played and all six remaining sets recorded as 6-0 for the other team.
c. If any player is injured during play and cannot continue within 10 minutes, then that set (and that player's remaining sets) go to the other team (e.g. 6-4, 6-0) (note: an injured player can be replaced at the switch-over.)
d. If play is suspended because of rain or darkness, only those sets that are completed are reported. At no time should play commence or continue under dangerous conditions.
e. Captains may arrange to cancel meets in advance because of rain, but only if both agree, and only after 4:00 p.m. Tuesday.
f. Rained out meets are left unplayed. See the Scoresheet for info on reporting a rained out meet.
g. Violation of the rules of play may lead to the forfeit of sets and matches.

APPEALS

Any team that wishes to file a complaint concerning a violation of the rules, or request a temporary suspension of the rules for extenuating circumstances, or that wishes further clarification, or to make any suggestions in this regard, should send an e-mail to SITL at sitlinfo@yahoo.ca . Appeals of league matches must be submitted within 24 hours of the match.

While these rules are provided as a guide for players, the decisions of the SITL Committee on their interpretation or application will be final.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can play League?

Anyone who is a Tennis BC member. Some people are Tennis BC members through their local tennis club membership, and some people have individual memberships. You don’t need to belong to a tennis club. You need to pay the team dues and ensure your team is registered in the appropriate division based on your skill levels.

Which courts do we have reserved at Henderson, Lambrick and Oaklands?

Henderson - Courts # 2 and 3 and Courts # 4 and 5
Oaklands (Kings Road) - all four courts are reserved
Lambrick - all four courts are reserved
These courts are first come, first served for league teams.

Can I add a player to the team at the last minute?

Yes, you can add a new player to your team at the last minute. Put their name on the scoresheet and on the scoring website and let us know by email (sitlinfo@yahoo.ca) that you have a new player.

Are there spares available if we are short of players?

There are no spares, only players who are looking to join a team. We keep lists of interested players, so contact us at sitlinfo@yahoo.ca if you need more players. Keep in mind that this new player becomes part of your team; so hopefully, they will get to play more than once.

What's the best way to tell the public to leave the courts?

Tell them nicely. If necessary, point to the 'reserved poster' and tell them the league is sanctioned by the municipality. Recommend the closest single court to them and encourage them to play league next year!! They do not have to leave before 6:00 pm.

What should we do if we arrive at the courts and they are unplayable due to construction, broken nets, etc?

There isn't much we can do as most other courts will be used for other league matches. If you cannot play your meet, it will be treated as a rainout and will not be rescheduled. Please let us know about the courts as soon as possible.

How and when do we decide to call a rainout?

No earlier than 4:00pm on game day. If the captains cannot agree, then both teams must show up.

Why can't we go indoors or reschedule our meets if it's raining?

There are not enough indoor courts for the whole league (remember you'd need two adjacent courts for 3 hours). Some teams may not be able to field enough players on another day. Also a basic principle of this league is to minimize the effort required by captains.

A couple of my opponents arrived late. Should I declare a default?

Use your judgement, but remember that everyone wants to play and maybe the delay was due to circumstances beyond their control like a traffic accident. Be reasonable, and if you do declare a default, see the rules on the entry form to determine scoring.

How do you play 'no-ad' scoring?

At deuce, the receiving team decides who will receive the next serve. That point ends the game.

Some people like to hit overheads at the person at the net. Is that good sportsmanship?

It's all part of the game. You might want to back up.

Can we bring in new players at half time?

New players can be substituted in at the switch-over, but at no other time. Give the new player(s) a 5 minute on-court warmup. This is convenient if some people aren't able to play all four sets due to busy schedules or conditioning.

What happens if my opponents want to quit due to darkness, but the set is almost finished and we are ahead?

Some people can't see very well as the daylight fades. Stop playing and if you think there is some gamesmanship involved, take note of the conditions and send details to league@sitennisleague.org within 24 hours and we will investigate. Gamesmanship is discouraged of course.

Is coaching from the sidelines permitted?

From Rule #30 in "Rules of the Court" by Tennis Canada:
"...where there is a team captain sitting on-court, the team captain may coach the player(s) during a set break and when the players change ends at the end of a game, but not when the players change ends after the first game in each set and not during a tie break game." No other person may coach the team.

How do I access the scoring web site?

TBD

How do I record a rained out, or partially rained out, meet?

Enter any completed sets as usual. Enter incomplete sets, even if all eight are incomplete. Use 'Rain Out' for players names and 0 - 0 for scores. This tells us that the scoring is up to date.

Why doesn't the league start later in the spring and continue into July?

The municipalities provide, at no cost, public courts for league play in April, May and June. In July and August, the municipalities use the courts for lessons and children's camps.

When the schedules were made up, did you schedule full rotations within the division, or did you try to maximize the number of matches during the season?

We scheduled as many games as possible, so you might play some teams one more time than other teams (not full rotations). This shouldn't affect the division standings too much since they are based on percentages, and not total games.

What if the home team doesn't enter the scores on the website?

Please send us an email (league@sitennisleague.org) and we'll get them entered.

What is the Miele Provincial Team Championships?

It is an annual event that Tennis BC organizes for winning league teams from around the province. Not all divisions are invited each year and the venue changes from year to year. It is usually held in August. Watch our website for more details.

Is the League associated with SITA?

The South Island Tennis League (SITL) is no longer associated with the South Island Tennis Association (SITA). The League is a separate organization under the Societies Act. As Captains and players, you should not notice any differences.