What does your area USTA league calendar look like?

[cak]

There is an ongoing NorCal discussion about Early Start Ratings and Up and Out Rules to try and make the two leagues that span end of the year ratings fair. Right now both the senior 2009 league and the mixed adult 2009 leagues start in September 2008 and extend through January, with local playoffs in March, districts in April, and sectionals in May or June. The problem is people that say, sign up and play say 3.0 seniors in September, and then get bumped to 3.5 at the end of November. So the present solution is to tweak Early Start Ratings and Up and Out Rules to somehow make everyone happy.

It occurs to many of us that if all 2008 seasons ended in November or December, and then leagues starting in Jan 2009 used 2009 ratings this wouldn't be a problems. So, how do the other areas set up calendars to not span the end of the year ratings? Do most areas really have 9 month seasons? How many games are your local league seasons, before playoffs. Or alternately, how long a season would you like to see?

 

[AP328]

There is an ongoing NorCal discussion about Early Start Ratings and Up and Out Rules to try and make the two leagues that span end of the year ratings fair. Right now both the senior 2009 league and the mixed adult 2009 leagues start in September 2008 and extend through January, with local playoffs in March, districts in April, and sectionals in May or June. The problem is people that say, sign up and play say 3.0 seniors in September, and then get bumped to 3.5 at the end of November. So the present solution is to tweak Early Start Ratings and Up and Out Rules to somehow make everyone happy.

It occurs to many of us that if all 2008 seasons ended in November or December, and then leagues starting in Jan 2009 used 2009 ratings this wouldn't be a problems. So, how do the other areas set up calendars to not span the end of the year ratings? Do most areas really have 9 month seasons? How many games are your local league seasons, before playoffs. Or alternately, how long a season would you like to see?

Well, I have encountered this issue myself. I moved to a new section about 18 months ago. In my old section, the USTA league (men's/women's) ran April to June then the playoffs. In my new section, the league runs from late Sept to mid April. District playoffs in May, Sectional playoffs in August.

I don't quite understand "Up and Out Rules". We also have Early Start Ratings, but they can be appealed just like End of Year Ratings.

From what I have read/heard, the 9 month season is rare. I didn't realize anyone else did it. It was very nice to have a opportunity to play so many matches. We had 20+ matches a season vs. 9 in my old section.

However, the biggest CON I see finding a team to play with if you are bumped up by ESR. This happened to me. I got bumped up, but couldn't find a team with "room" for me. So, since I was in range, I appealed down and finished the season at my old level. I don't know the best solution for this problem.

 

[fridrix]

It looks like a grid with little numbers in the boxes, and up on top it says "USTA League Calendar." :-?

 

[cak]

The "Up and Out" rule is if you are say, playing 3.5 Senior league that started in the fall as a 3.5, and then the National ratings come out in November and bump you to 4.0 your existing matches stand for your 3.5 team but you are not allowed to play any more 3.5 matches, unless you are granted an appeal back down.

NorCal just came out with a revised calendar for 2009. The only 2009 league that will start before 2009 ratings come out will be the Senior league (50 and over.) The mixed league will now run Jan-Apr, with the regular adult league running Apr-June (July local playoffs). Combo stays in the summer/fall, hopefully picking up all those under 50 year old players hankering for a USTA match that were too busy playing mixed. So under 50s can now play year round too.

However, the seniors will still straddle the year end ratings, and use ESR for the beginning of the season. The other downside is our people turning 50 in 2009 can only play on the 2009 senior teams for the Jan matches. So they miss the first three months of the season.

(And right now the fifty mixed, Super senior 60 and super senior 65 teams are all in the midst of their seasons. Couldn't they spread some of those leagues out?)

 

[amarone]

USTA Atlanta is currently playing matches in the 2009 season. Early Start Ratings were published by USTA Georgia in March. Play began at the end of May and will complete by late August. There will be more ESRs published in August in time for the second 2009 season which begins in November. Players can be bumped in the National ratings published at the end of November, but as long as they are already on the roster, they can play through the remainder of the 2009 season on their original team all the way to Nationals, as long as they don't reach a DQ level (3 strikes).

 

[cak]

In Atlanta, how do they deal with ages? For instance, do they say you can start playing adult the calendar year you turn 19, or you can start playing in the season you turn 19? Do you have 18 year old high school players playing in May for the 2009 season? Or do they have to wait for calendar year 2009?

 

[amarone]

In Atlanta, how do they deal with ages? For instance, do they say you can start playing adult the calendar year you turn 19, or you can start playing in the season you turn 19? Do you have 18 year old high school players playing in May for the 2009 season? Or do they have to wait for calendar year 2009?

They have to be 19 in or before the calendar year in which they start playing.

 

[10sany1]

It is my understanding that ESR are still coming out in summer 2008 (next week as a matter a fact) but the really have no meaning for those of us under 50 as there are no longer any ES leagues; mixed moved it season start to January 2009.

I think USTA should end the ESR system and just rate everyone after every season with a final national unappealable adjustment at the end of each calendar year.