RPSC Adult Tennis Teams Policy

Policy Overview:

This policy outlines the roles of Adult Team Captains, who, it should be noted, are volunteers. It also highlights Team Player responsibilities, and the commitment level expected. The policy, processes and guidance follow the RPSC Code of Conduct.

Definitions:

Club Captains: Committee members responsible for team tennis at RPSC. The Club Captains consist of a Men’s captain and Ladies’ Captain.

Team Captain: Club Member with responsibility for running an individual league team.

Match Captain: The player, (usually the Team Captain, of if they are not available, a regular team player) who has responsibility of captaining an individual match within the season. For home matches, they will provide balls, record the score and host the visiting team.

Team Player: A club member who has been selected to play team matches for the club and who commits to play for the club as specified below.

New Players to Teams

Prior to the start of each season, the Team Captain will communicate to the general membership via newsletter and the WhatsApp Announcements group advising that the club is about to start selection of Teams players for the coming season and for anyone interested to put their name forward, by email, to the Men’s/Ladies’ captain as appropriate.

Members not currently in teams who are interested in joining should contact the appropriate Club Captain either in person or by email. The captain will then discuss the process of joining and playing in a team with you to determine your level. The captains will endeavour to respond within two weeks of initial interest shown.

Team Selection:

In selecting players to represent RPSC in competitive team matches the Club Captain will embrace transparency and fairness.

The club captain and Team Captains will decide which players will play in which teams, based on assessments by the Captains, previous season’s match results, other club tournament results and the Head Coach’s assessment. This will be drawn from players who played in club matches in the previous season or are otherwise known to be interested in playing for the teams (see New Players to Teams).

Club Captains, Team Captains and Head Coach are under no obligation to discuss reasons for team selection decisions with any individual players.

The squad size should generally be 6 players for the higher teams. Exceptions to this may be made in certain circumstances (e.g. key players temporarily unavailable due to injury or other reasons) at the discretion of the Team Captain, however the team size should not be increased merely to avoid making a decision between two or more players of similar standard. The lower Men’s and Ladies; teams can have more players.

The squad lists will then be published in the members’ section of the club website, captains will send the lists to a member of the GC who will then publish this information.

Mid-Season

Supplementing the Teams mid-season due to drop off of available Teams players follows the same process as Pre-season selection. Applications to join the Teams from members when the teams are already at capacity should be gracefully rejected. (And if they are not at capacity, the Pre-Season process should be followed.)

Team Practise

One court is reserved each week for each team from 7pm to 8.30pm when all courts are in use.

Monday evening for the Ladies and Thursday evening for the Men. Floodlights, if required, are provided free of charge by the club but balls must be provided by the Team Players.

The general principles of priority for selection for team practice will be as follows:-

1. Preparing for upcoming matches

2. Training/strengthening partnerships in the squad

3. Testing ability between squads when inter team practice is agreed

4. Bedding in new players to the team

5. Keeping active players match fit

6. Encouraging Team Players who aren’t attending practise regularly to be more active

There may be sessions when professional coaching (at a cost) will be offered. This will be voluntary.

Team Captains will decide on the format of the practise and which members of the squad will play each week. They are under no obligation to discuss reasons for their decisions with any individual players.

Player Responsibilities:

Match Availability

Once players have been allocated a team, they should complete their match availability promptly to aid the Team Captains at picking a team. Team Players should commit to being available to play in at least half of the teams matches throughout the season (4 to 6 matches in each of the Summer and winter seasons, usually on Sunday mornings). Team players should attend the majority of the weekly team practise sessions.

Match Behaviour

Team Players should endeavour to arrive at least 5 minutes early to all matches and be ready to start playing at the published match start time or earlier agreed arrival time.

Team Players must follow the RPSC Code of Conduct when playing matches, specifically they should be inclusive and act as part of the team. Team Players are not allowed to refuse to play with another Team Player. If this happens, they will be removed from the team.

After any match, any Team Players staying to socialise are asked to be hospitable to the visiting team. The club is unable to re-imburse the Team Players for food and drink.

Match Fees

Match fees (currently £3 per player per match) is payable by each player who plays in a match. This covers the league entrance fee, which is £60 per team, and balls. At the end of the season, the Team Captain will inform each player of the match fee they owe. Team Players should pay this within two weeks, and the Team Captain will forward the payment to the club treasurer.

Safeguarding:

Team Players should raise any concerns with their Team Captain, the appropriate Club Captain and Welfare Officer (if appropriate).