Droitwich Spa Pool League Rules
2024-2025 Season
CHANGES ARE IN BOLD PRINT
| 1. LEAGUE CONSTITUTION |
1. The league shall be known as “The Droitwich Pool League” with the headquarters at The Doverdale Arms.
2. The league shall adopt the International Playing Rules with the exception of rules 4a, 4b, 4c & 4d where a coin will be tossed to decide the break. Rule 6j (shot clock) is omitted from league and cup singles games but compulsory for league and cup doubles games except for the final stages of competitions when it is compulsory for all games. Any mid season changes to these rules shall be implemented at the end of the season.
3. The league shall be run by an Executive committee, comprising of Chairman/Treasurer, Fixtures & Web Site Secretary and General Secretary. The remaining committee will consist of each team captain or a person nominated by the team captain to represent his/her team.
4. If a committee member resigns during the season an EGM will be called following the resignation to elect a replacement committee member.
5. During the playing season the committee shall have the power to propose amendments to the League rules for voting on by the committee. At Committee meetings each committee member shall be allowed one vote on any issue with the chairman having the casting vote.
6. All teams (included new applications) must register at the August meeting for the following season.
Only teams within a 4 mile radius of The Headquarters will be permitted to apply.
7. Any rule changes must be in the committee’s hands by 22nd July, so that any proposals will be available at least 7 days prior to the AGM. There will be no further proposals accepted at the AGM, but any amendments to the existing proposals will be allowed at the meeting.
8. The league shall hold an AGM. at the Headquarters on the 1st Sunday in August each year. At the AGM each team shall be allowed one vote on any issue with the chairman having the casting vote in the event of an equal vote. Any team failing to attend the AGM may be excluded from participating in the league.
9. The league shall hold a finals week with a presentation night at the end of that week for trophy awards to the winners. All finals will implement International Pool Playing Rules in full including rule 6j (Shot Clock). The venues for all these finals will be decided by the elected committee and announced before the semi-finals take place. With the exception of cues, the equipment supplied by each venue must be used unless both teams agree otherwise.
| 2. ADMINISTRATION |
1. Any protests should be handed to any committee member in writing within 7 days of the match or incident.
2. A full committee shall sit and decide upon any protest matters.The committee’s decision shall be final regarding any protest.
3. The committee shall have the power to deal with any matters not dealt with in these rules, or any matters arising from them.
| 3. LEAGUE FEES |
1. The league and cup fees shall be £50 per team, payable on or before the August meeting,
2. After seasonal running costs have been deducted, the committee shall decide any additional expenditure.
| 4. FORMAT AND ELIGIBILITY |
1. The league shall have one division with all teams playing each other on home and away legs. Results of all league matches will count towards the league table and players’ most wins/averages.
2.The league shall be run on a league basis, with 3 points for a win and 1 point for each leg won. Each match will comprise of eight games of singles and three games of doubles. Each player is allowed to play twice in the singles and once in the doubles in any order they wish. All doubles will be scotch doubles. In the event of both teams failing to reach 6 wins due to insufficient players to complete the match then only the leg points will be awarded. If, however one team reaches 6 winning legs then they will also be awarded 3 points for a match win.
3. The champions shall be the team with the most points at the end of the season and the runners up shall be the team with the second best points tally. In the event of a tie for points, number of matches won will decide and if still level a playoff will decide the outcome.
4. All players will be registered with the League once their name appears on a match sheet. There will be no new signings allowed after 31st January.
5. All matches must be recorded on a bona-fide match sheet,
6. Either or both teams are requested to photograph the match sheet and send it to the Results WhatsApp Group once the match has ended. If no result is received by 10am the following morning then both teams will be allocated no points for the match.
7. Normally no player may play for more than 1 team in the league in any given season, unless in exceptional circumstances, a player has a reason to move to a new team. Any player requesting a transfer must contact the chairman to authorise a move to another team. No transfers will be granted after 31st January.
8. If a venue closes then all teams from that venue will need to find another venue to complete their fixtures for that season. If any team drops out of the league during the first half of the season any points won against that team will become null & void for all other teams in the league. If any team drops out of the league during the 2nd half of the season then only matches involving that team played since the halfway point will become null & void. Every registered player from that team will not be eligible to play for another team for a period of 8 weeks.
9. The player with the most wins at the end of the season will win the “Best Singles Average” trophy. Players will be awarded a win towards their averages if that player is awarded a win due to the opposition having “no player available”. In the event of a tie the player with the highest average will win. If still equal the title will be decided by a single frame(s) played on presentation night.
10. The top two ladies in the averages will compete against each other for the best of 5 frames on presentation night to win the ladies trophy. If either player is not available on presentation night then the player in third place will be allowed to play.
| 5. MATCH DAY |
1. All league and cup matches, with the exception of finals will normally be played on Wednesdays as per the fixture list. The table is to be made available to the visiting team from 7.45pm with the match starting at 8pm prompt.
2. The games must be continuous with no waiting for players, in the order as laid out on the match sheet with the next frame starting no later than five minutes after the end of the previous one. At the end of the five minutes a team not having a player available to play shall loose that frame. This will then be repeated for any subsequent frames. At any convenient point during the match a 10-minute food break can be taken.
3. Only in exceptional circumstances and with the express permission of the Chairman will a match allowed to be postponed. (A shortage of players is not a valid reason for postponement). The Chairman shall be obliged to grant a postponement providing both captains are in agreement, and an alternative date set within 28 days of the original fixture for the match to be played.
4. Any team failing to arrive by 8.15pm for a league match, without prior arrangement, will be deemed as having postponed the match, and an alternative date must be set within 28 days of the original fixture for the match to be played. If any team accumulates 2 missed matches, then that team will be excluded from the league.
5. There will be no penalties or fines for legs conceded in league and cup matches providing the match is started but each team must have a minimum of 3 players present to fulfil a match otherwise the match will be deemed as a missed match.
6. The home team on the fixture list will provide a referee conversant with the rules and calling procedures even if, for whatever reason, the venue has been changed. The away team shall provide an assistant referee/Timekeeper who can converse with the home referee if the appointed assistant deems it necessary. However, the home referee’s decision is final.
7. The home team must register a player on the match sheet. The home side of the match sheet is then covered and passed to the away team for them to register their player(s) before the commencement of each leg. If any team is short of players they can then enter “no player available” in any position on the match sheet. If they are 2 players short then “no player available” can be made in any relevant positions on the match sheet.
8. The home team referee shall toss a coin for the away player to call for choice of break for the 1st leg. The break (not choice of break) will then alternate between both teams for subsequent legs.
9. All venues are to ensure that their table(s) are maintained at an acceptable standard and that additional equipment required to complete the game is present i.e. short cues where there is restricted room and appropriate rests/spiders etc. The venue must also have a notice board to display weekly pool information. The committee will deal with any issues, possibly that those venues would be unsuitable to host any cup finals at the end of the season.
10. Any change of venue for whatever the reason must be authorised by the league chairman or in his absence the Fixtures Secretary.
| 6. COMPETITIONS |
1. The same playing and match day rules shall apply to all competitions as per our league rules. All doubles played are to be SCOTCH doubles in all competitions.
2. Draws will be made for all rounds of the team knock outs (including semi-finals) by the committee at committee meetings.
3. In team K.O.’s the first teams out of the hat shall be the home teams, (unless their venue is unavailable)
4. The Winter (and shadow) Cup K.O.’s is to be the first team to reach six winning frames and will comprise of up to eleven games of singles with no games of doubles. Players shall be allowed to play twice in any order they wish.
In the event of both teams failing to reach 6 wins due to insufficient players then the team with most wins will be awarded the match. If a shortage of players results in a draw a black ball shoot-out will decide the tie. This shall be contested by the best of 3 using different players. If teams are still equal, there will then be a sudden death shoot out using the same or additional players until the tie is decided.
5. The Spring (and shadow) Cup K/O’s is to be the first team to reach six wining frames and will comprise of eight games of singles and three games of scotch doubles in the order as laid out on the match sheet. Doubles players will be allowed a discussion before each shot is played. Any player may play 2 singles and 1 doubles in any match.
In the event of both teams failing to reach 6 wins due to insufficient players then the team with most wins will be awarded the match. If a shortage of players results in a draw a black ball shoot-out will decide the tie. (As in rule 6.4 above)
6. Any team failing to arrive by 8.15pm for any cup match, without prior arrangement, will forfeit the match.
7. All players participating in K.O.’s must be registered with a team.
8. Players entering singles and doubles competitions must ensure they are available for all dates of that competition as per the fixture list.
9. Singles and doubles K.O.’s are to be one frame matches in round one, best of three frames in quarter & semi-finals with the final being best of five frames. The shot clock is to be used for all matches with the only exception in round one where no shot clock is required.
10. Singles & Doubles games must be played on the dates stated with no exceptions.
11. The draw for the first round of the singles & doubles competition will be made at a committee meeting to decide the venues for individual players. Anyone not present on match night by 8.05pm will be excluded from the match night competition draw and will then be suspended for the next 2 matches of the winter season for their team unless a valid excuse has been previously authorised by the chairman prior to the start of the competition.
12. In singles or doubles K.O.’s the first name out of the hat shall be deemed the home player. The away player(s) will call for choice of break. In 3 & 5 frame matches the break will alternate until completion of the match. In 3 & 5 frame matches all games must be continuous and only in exceptional circumstances the referee may grant a toilet break if requested.
13. Doubles partners can pair up with any registered player from any team.
14. Any changes to the singles K/O competition should be made prior to the venue draw. No additions will be allowed following the draw for the venues, however if players become unavailable for whatever reason they will be allowed to change with another new player prior to 1st round games being played.
15. In the doubles K/O competition a league registered replacement to one of the players will be allowed prior to playing in the first round games. There will be no further changes allowed in other rounds of the doubles competition.
16. For any trophies lost, damaged or not handed back at the end of a season, by a team or individual, the cost of a replacement or repair will be charged to the team or individual involved.