Girls Tennis Regulations

2011 REGULATIONS FOR GIRLS TENNIS
SECTIONAL and DISTRICT TOURNAMENTS

NOTE: The following regulations apply to all levels of tournament competition unless otherwise specified. They have been adopted by the Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors on June 9, 2011.

The Commissioner is authorized to modify these regulations when it is deemed necessary by the Commissioner, subject to ratification by the Board of Directors.

1. ORGANIZATION OF TOURNAMENTS

A. The District Athletic Boards organize and conduct Sectional and District Tournaments in their respective Districts, subject to the rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Directors.
B. The State Tournaments are under the control of the Commissioner’s office.

2. ELIGIBILITY OF STUDENTS

A. All participants must be eligible under the Bylaws and Sports Regulations of the OHSAA.
B. A student who uses anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs is ineligible for interscholastic competition until such time as medical evidence can be presented that the student’s system is free of anabolic steroids.

3. DIVISIONS

A. There will be two Divisions (I, II) in the Sectional, District and State Tournaments in Tennis.

4. TOURNAMENT ENTRY AND PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS

A. Tournament Entry/Withdraw - Member schools wanting to participate in the 2011 OHSAA Girls Tennis Tournaments must indicate their intent to participate on their 2011-12 OHSAA Sports Participation Card in myOHSAA. Tournament entry confirmation begins September 12, 2011 and ends September 19, 2011. Schools that change their tournament participation after September 19, 2011 will be subject to a $150 penalty per sport.

B. Tournament Paperwork Requirements - Participating schools must provide the tournament entry form and OHSAA eligibility certificate to their sectional site manager per their instruction of the District Athletic Board. Please do not mail the tournament entry forms to the OHSAA.

5. SUBSTITUTIONS

A. Sectional Tournaments

1. Substitutions may be made in the Sectional Tournaments for singles players or players on the doubles teams from the substitute list prior to the start of competition. Once a player participates, that same player must continue through the sectional tournament. CLARIFICATION: Substitutes do not include players who were entered as a singles or doubles participant at the Sectional Tournament Seeding Meeting.

B. District Tournaments or State Tournaments
1. No substitutes for singles permitted. A substitute for a player on a doubles team that has qualified for the next highest tournament is permitted prior to the first match but the substitute must be made from the list of substitutes that did not compete in the Sectional or District Tournaments. A singles player or doubles team, or member of a doubles team that is not present at a tournament shall not advance.

6. FAILURE TO APPEAR

A. When national playing rules do not address failure to appear, the following regulations will apply.
B. If a team or individual participant fails to appear or is not ready to compete at the time of their scheduled competition, the team or individual participant shall be disqualified and removed from the event or tournament competition.

C. The OHSAA, in collaboration with the administrative staff, District Athletic Boards and/or Board of Directors, and the tournament manager, may delay or reschedule a tournament contest/competition provided it is practical to delay or reschedule such contests/competitions.

7. SEEDING AND DRAWING FOR SECTIONAL TOURNAMENTS

A. Seeding

1. Coaches shall be notified when the draw is scheduled so they may be present to help with the seeding in the Sectional Tournaments.
2. The common draw date has currently been established as September 25, 2011 by the Board of Directors.

B. Regulations
1. Seeding is mandatory in Sectional Tournaments. No voted seeding is permitted for District or State Tournaments.
2. For seeding purposes the last matches to be counted will be those played on the date established by the District Board.
3. The number of singles/doubles to be seeded will be four.
4. Number one and two doubles, from the same team must be in opposite half brackets.
5. The three singles players from the same school must be placed in different quarter brackets.
6. There will be one seeded player in each quarter bracket and number one and two seeds must be in opposite half brackets.
7. Byes shall be placed evenly throughout the brackets.

8.   TOURNAMENT SEEDING PROCEDURE

A. Determine the number of seeds and place seeded players on the bracket based on the following criteria, see attached page, “Tennis Tournament Seeding Criteria”.

9. REPORTING BRACKETS and TOURNAMENT CONTEST RESULTS – ELECTRONICALLY

A. All tournament managers are required to report tournament brackets, including date, time and location of contest(s), immediately following your tournament seed meeting to local media outlets as well as the NEDAB.

B. Contest results, with scores, are to be reported no later than 9:00am the morning following the contest to the NEDAB.  If your result is posted to the state website, MyOHSAA, then you do not need to inform the NEDAB.  If results are not on MyOHSAA you are to e-mail the NEDAB webmaster Genne Zimmerly at nrcn_gennez@tccsa.net

C. Managers should obtain media outlet information from teams at their seed meetings with regard to who should be contacted with brackets, results and other pertinent tournament information.
  
10. TIME BETWEEN MATCHES

A. There shall be a minimum of 30 minutes between matches in Sectional Tournaments and a minimum of 45 minutes between matches in District Tournaments for all competitors. In the state tournament, there shall be a minimum of one hour between matches, weather permitting.

11. QUALIFIERS

A. Qualifying information, with regard to numbers of individuals, for the District and State Tournaments can be found at:  http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/te/girls/gterglts.pdf

12. DISTRICT TOURNAMENT DRAW
A. The District Athletic Board hosting a District Tournament shall conduct the District Tournament draw using the following criteria:
B. The four qualifiers from each sectional will be placed in separate quarter brackets.
C. First and second place qualifiers from a sectional must be placed in opposite half brackets.
D. Third and fourth place qualifiers from a sectional must be placed in opposite half brackets.
E. First round District Tournament matches will pair sectional winners versus fourth place qualifiers from a different sectional, and sectional runners-up versus third place qualifiers from a different sectional.
13. SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE
A. No team or individual entry will be allowed to compete in the Sectional, District or State Tournaments unless accompanied by a coach or person authorized by the Board of Education. Teams and individual entries unaccompanied by a coach or authorized person will be disqualified. The school representative shall be present during play of their entries.
14. AWARDS
A. Sectional Tournaments – awards will not be awarded by the OHSAA.
B. District Tournaments – an award will be presented to qualifying State Tournament participants in singles and doubles.
C. State Tournament – an award will be presented to the winner, runner-up, third and fourth place finisher in singles and doubles.

15. TOURNAMENT QUALIFIERS
A. To enter the District Tournament, a singles player or the doubles team must first qualify from the Sectional Tournament. Substitutions may be made for a player on the doubles team qualifying for the District and State Tournaments but they must be made from the substitute list and must be competitors who did not participate in the Sectional or District Tournaments. Substitutions for a doubles team must also be made prior to the start of the respective tournament. All tournaments must be played to a winner.
16. VOLUNTARILY DEFAULTING MATCHES
A. A player who voluntarily defaults a match, other than for injury or illness, shall be disqualified from further OHSAA tournament participation that year and is not eligible to receive an OHSAA tournament award.
B. A singles player and/or a doubles team must be present at a match to advance. Note: See the Substitution Rule (#5) and Failure to Appear (#6).
17. RULES
A. The United States Tennis Association rules shall prevail for all tournaments sponsored by the OHSAA unless otherwise noted. All matches shall be the best of three sets.

18. UNIFORM
A. Players must wear proper tennis attire in all tournament matches.
B. Appropriate tennis attire is defined as clothing specifically manufactured for tennis wear, preferably in the school’s colors.
C. Any lettering or pictures on clothing (including hats) must pertain to the school name or emblem. Exception – Manufacturer’s names or logos are permitted on all tennis uniforms provided they do not exceed one and one-half inches in height.
D. "Doubles" teams players shall wear like color tops. Any visible undergarments that extend below the uniform shorts or skirt shall be the same color of the shorts or skirt or represent school colors or be all white or all black.
E. The dress code is to be enforced by the tournament manager.
F. Failure to comply will result in a player being denied the right to participate.
G. Further information can be found in the uniform regulations contained in the OHSAA general sports regulations.
H. Slogans or phrases, such as “state bound” are not permitted on uniforms at any levels of the tournament.
I. Participants may wear apparel sold by the OHSAA.

19. LIGHTNING AND INCLEMENT WEATHER

A. Recognition and Management:
1. Coaches, athletic trainers, athletes, administrators and contest officials should be educated regarding the signs indicating thunderstorm development. Since the average distance between successive lightning flashes is approximately two to three miles, ANYTIME that lightning can be seen or heard, the risk is already present.
B. Weather can be monitored using the following methods:
1. Monitor Weather Patterns – Be aware of potential thunderstorms by monitoring local weather forecasts the day before and morning of the competition, and by scanning the sky for signs of potential thunderstorm activity
2. National Weather Service – Weather can also be monitored using small, portable weather radios from the NWS. The NWS uses a system of severe storm watches and warnings. A watch indicates conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop in an area; a warning indicates severe weather has been reported in an area, and everyone should take proper precautions. Any thunderstorm poses a risk of injury or death even if it does not meet the criteria for severe weather. Therefore, anytime thunderstorms are in the forecast (even if it is only a 20 percent chance, event organizers should be at a heightened level of awareness to the potential danger of lighting.
C. Management:
1. Evacuation – If lightning is imminent or a thunderstorm is approaching, all personnel, athletes and spectators should evacuate to available safe structures or shelters. A list of the closest safe structures should be announced and displayed on placards at all athletic venues.
2. Thirty-minute rule – Competition or practice should be suspended once lighting has been recognized or thunder is heard. It is recommended to wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning is witnessed or thunder is heard prior to resuming practice of competition. Given the average rates of thunderstorm travel, the storm should move 10-12 miles away from the area. This significantly reduces the risk of local lightning flashes.
3. Any subsequent lightning or thunder after the beginning of the 30-minute count shall reset the clock, and another count shall begin.

20. INTERRUPTED TOURNAMENT

A. Any OHSAA tournament interrupted due to events beyond the control of the responsible administrative authority shall be resumed from the point of interruption.

21. UNSPORTING CONDUCT PENALTY
A. During participation in OHSAA Tournaments any student or coach ejected for unsporting conduct or flagrant foul shall be ineligible for the remainder of that day as well as for all contests in that sport until two regular season/tournament contests are played.
B. Individuals ejected for unsporting conduct shall be reported to the OHSAA Commissioner by the tournament manager.
C. The Commissioner will investigate the situation and may impose additional penalties in accordance with Bylaw 12 if the situation warrants it.
D. Participation in an athletic contest is a privilege.
E. Each individual is expected to conduct himself or herself in an exemplary manner while participating.

22. PROPERTY DAMAGE
A. There is no insurance covering property damage.
B. If property is damaged at a tournament site by competing school teams, student body or spectators, the school from which the students and/or spectators come shall be liable and pay the cost of repair or replacement.
C. The tournament manager is authorized to deduct from the school’s share the cost of any damages caused by competing schools.
D. Other damages to facilities not attributed to a competing school could be a legitimate tournament expense and may be deducted from tournament receipts.
E. If damage is extensive, the District Board or Board of Directors will become involved.
F. Student crowd control at the state-sponsored tournaments is the responsibility of the principals of the competing schools.

23. SPONSORSHIP AND RIGHTS
A. The Ohio High School Athletic Association is the sponsoring association for the Sectional, District and State Tennis Tournaments.
B. The OHSAA reserves all rights in regard to the management of these tournaments and the sale of any items or any audio-visual reproductions. Any sale of food, clothing, souvenirs or any other items is strictly prohibited without permission of the respective District Athletic Boards for Sectional or District Tournaments and the OHSAA Commissioner for the State Tournaments.

24. PROHIBITED ADVERTISING
A. There shall be no advertising through printed media, billboards, radio or television that includes beer, wine, liquor, tobacco, political parties or candidates or any other advertising contrary to the philosophy of the high school athletic program.

25. RAFFLES PROHIBITED
A. There shall be no raffles or any type of games of chance permitted at the site of tennis tournament contests during the period beginning one hour prior to the tournaments and ending one hour after the tournaments have ended.

26. PROHIBITED SALES
A. The sale of, the distribution of, or the consumption of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs is not permitted at the site of any contest involving OHSAA member schools.

27. STATE INFORMATION:  http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/go/gorglts.pdf