USTA Mens 4.0; Need your help / Advice!

[Jon Hampton]

So, my team is in desperate need of your help / advice. As I'm sure many of you know, the USTA has a rule whereby you cannot have more than 25% on your team be below the level of the league...so, for example, you cannot have 6/10 3.5 players on a 4.0 team. Because of bump ups that occurred last year, more than half of us were bumped to from 3.5 to 4.0 (we lost in the finals of the sectional against South Florida). However, some of us remained 3.5 and they want to play on the new 4.0 team.

But, because of the rule, my team is running into the problem of not having enough 4.0s on the team to support the number of 3.5s we have. Currently, we sit at 8 4.0s and 2 3.5s. I already had a friend who was a 4.0 sign up just so we could be legal to play, even though he isn't available for any of the matches. We're not in this to take it all the way to nationals, but we'd just like to play and have fun. I have one more 3.5 I'd like to play, but we need another 4.0 in order to be able to sign him up to make the percentage correct.

So, this is where I need your help / advice. I'm almost tempted at this point to ask if anyone on here isn't playing this season and has a USTA membership & is 4.0 player and is willing to sign up for my team. I'd be willing to pay your $18 league fee, of course. LOL. Not sure if that's legal, but like I said, I'm just looking to give my players a chance to get out there and play this season. Of course, if you have any other advice, I'm all ears. We already tried bumping this 3.5 player, but his request was DENIED, sadly.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Nor'easter]

USTA requires 8 in level players for the initial roster.

 

[JLyon]

Is there a rule that states a minimum number per level or is this a local/sectional rule?
Ok just saw you are now required to hold 60% of designated level, darn it that is only 2 Teams in a league.
http://assets.usta.com/assets/1/15/2011%20USTA%20League%20Regulations%20FINAL.pdf

 

[polski]

I see your dilema, there is only two teams in your league & there aren't enough 4.0 guys to fill up rosters. I hate that rule.

I'm a 4.5 or else I would give you my USTA # and let you have at it. I love the idea of bucking the system & I think it would be hilarious if you fielded a team of people from all over the country.

 

[tennismonkey]

email me through my profile jon.

 

[J_R_B]

Is there a rule that states a minimum number per level or is this a local/sectional rule?
Ok just saw you are now required to hold 60% of designated level, darn it that is only 2 Teams in a league.
http://assets.usta.com/assets/1/15/2011%20USTA%20League%20Regulations%20FINAL.pdf

That's got to be a local rule. 75% at level is pretty harsh. It's a lot lower here.

 

[Jon Hampton]

I'm a 4.5 or else I would give you my USTA # and let you have at it. I love the idea of bucking the system & I think it would be hilarious if you fielded a team of people from all over the country.

I agree. I'd love to have people from half way across the country.

 

[Jon Hampton]

Ok just saw you are now required to hold 60% of designated level, darn it that is only 2 Teams in a league.
http://assets.usta.com/assets/1/15/2011%20USTA%20League%20Regulations%20FINAL.pdf

We have 4 teams in our league. 3 are legal to play at the moment because of this rule. Ourselves (78%), another team (80%) and another team with 8/10 players who are self-rated (scary!) at 4.0. The other team is sitting at 62%. It's a sad day indeed. Thanks for the advice, though.

 

[Xisbum]

I'll join my Tennismonkey friend on your team, Jon. Shoot me an e-mail.

 

[cneblett]

My understanding is that a team which played at a lower level and went X distance, can't remember how far but thought State would do it, is exempt from the % rule. The rules state that a team must either move up or breakup the year after advancing. I have a friend who did not get bumped and stayed with her team, even though the percentages are not right, more 3.5 than 4.0 players left. That might help you add the people who did not get bumped.

 

[Nellie]

Can't you get someone you know to join the USTA and self-rate at 4.0?

 

[J_R_B]

Can't you get someone you know to join the USTA and self-rate at 4.0?

The problem is that presumably this would be someone who is not interested in playing for the team or they would have self-rated and joined already. In that case, you will have to pay their USTA membership fees as well as the $20 league fee that Jon already offered to pay. This becomes expensive quickly. Besides, if you are going to go down the road of registering "fake" tennis players self-rated at 4.0 with no intention of ever playing USTA, why do you even need to get friends to do this? Why not just check the local obituaries?

 

[Jon Hampton]

Why not just check the local obituaries?

LOL. Exactly. I can invent people, but $18 is a lot cheaper than paying the $40 or so for a new USTA membership. Thanks for the laugh.

 

[polski]

Can't you get someone you know to join the USTA and self-rate at 4.0?

...or just make up a name, join & self rate at 4.0?

 

[goober]

Hmm I thought USTA league fees were uniform? You only have to pay $18 while I am paying $25! In some leagues the captains don't have to pay the league fee at all I have heard. Am I getting ripped twice?

 

[Jon Hampton]

Hmm I thought USTA league fees were uniform? You only have to pay $18 while I am paying $25! In some leagues the captains don't have to pay the league fee at all I have heard. Am I getting ripped twice?

Don't know. As a captain, I pay $3 instead of $18. Maybe it's different depending on the section?

 

[J_R_B]

It's $20 here, up from $18 last year, and I paid the full $20 as captain.

 

[kendall22]

All these fees and rules are specific to the section/locality.

League fees are $33 in NYC.

If this were NYC, we couldn't pull off a strategy of listing random 4.0s from around the country because there is a residency (live or work) requirement in the Region.

 

[jonnyjack]

They just upped the league registration fee from $21 to $23 here in Norcal for 2011. Captain's registration fees are waived. That $23 doesn't cover all the headache and hassle of being a captain so this is my last season as a captain.

 

[michael_1265]

So, my team is in desperate need of your help / advice. As I'm sure many of you know, the USTA has a rule whereby you cannot have more than 25% on your team be below the level of the league...so, for example, you cannot have 6/10 3.5 players on a 4.0 team. Because of bump ups that occurred last year, more than half of us were bumped to from 3.5 to 4.0 (we lost in the finals of the sectional against South Florida). However, some of us remained 3.5 and they want to play on the new 4.0 team.

But, because of the rule, my team is running into the problem of not having enough 4.0s on the team to support the number of 3.5s we have. Currently, we sit at 8 4.0s and 2 3.5s. I already had a friend who was a 4.0 sign up just so we could be legal to play, even though he isn't available for any of the matches. We're not in this to take it all the way to nationals, but we'd just like to play and have fun. I have one more 3.5 I'd like to play, but we need another 4.0 in order to be able to sign him up to make the percentage correct.

So, this is where I need your help / advice. I'm almost tempted at this point to ask if anyone on here isn't playing this season and has a USTA membership & is 4.0 player and is willing to sign up for my team. I'd be willing to pay your $18 league fee, of course. LOL. Not sure if that's legal, but like I said, I'm just looking to give my players a chance to get out there and play this season. Of course, if you have any other advice, I'm all ears. We already tried bumping this 3.5 player, but his request was DENIED, sadly.
.
Thanks everyone!

I don't know what the time restrictions are for bumping, but have you tried appealing all of your 3.5s up? One of them might meet the criteria.

 

[Jon Hampton]

Quick update. Thanks to everyone for all of your advice and especially to Tommy, a very sympathetic soul who has now balanced our team out. In other news, we played our first match today and won 3-2, so we're off to a great start. Thanks all!