The Two-Player Rule

[Cindysphinx]

I'm in the mood to throw a huge hissy fit over the 2-player rule in our section. It is:

d. Player limitations. In local leagues of:

1. four or more teams, only two players who are registered on the same team may be members together on any other team in the same Division during the same season.

2. three or less teams, three players may be members together on another team in the same Division during the same season.



In USTA League Tennis terminology, a “Division” is Adult, Senior, or Mixed Doubles.



In other words: Player A, Player B, and Player C can be on the same 7.0 team, but only two of them may be members together on any other Adult League team at any level anywhere in the Mid-Atlantic Section.

One of my 3.0 players and I were planning to play up on the same 3.5 team. The 3.5 captain was holding tryouts and sending me 3.0 players she accepts for her team. This, I figured, was great. These 3.0s who are tough enough to play 3.5 to the satisfication of an experienced 3.5 captain would be wonderful additions to my team. We'd be sister teams!

And then we remembered the 2-player rule.

What difference does it make if more than 2 players from one team join another team? What good does this rule accomplish?

Maybe if someone can make a logical argument in favor of the rule, I would feel better. As it stands, I will probably step aside and let two of my players take the two available 3.5 slots.

So much for playing up this spring.