Guidelines for League Players

Playing

League player guidelines:

Highfield has a long tradition of involvement in Squash Leagues originally in Cork Squash Leagues and more recently in Munster Squash Leagues. Typically over the years there have been separate men's and Women's Leagues and more recently mixed teams. Last season saw the return of a Women's League and they are likely again this year.

Leagues are organised by Munster Squash League fees of €100 per team are paid by the club as are the lights. Highfield encourages involvement in competitive squash but is also committed to helping to maintain the level of enjoyment for all so we ask players to add their names to league panels only where they have committed to fulfilling fixture obligations.

Organisation:

Each season the club captains or league organising committee will send out advance notice to club members in an effort to collect the names of interested players who can commit for the duration of the league.
Typically a team of 5 players would need a panel of 10 to ensure that fixtures are fulfilled. Usually those panels are fixed for either the first half of the league or the entire league, depending on Munster Squash League Rules.
Usually there is one league match per week for the duration of the league.
Leagues can be round robin - where each team plays the others, usually twice on a home and away basis with the winners being the team with the most points. Alternatively league can be sub-divided into two sections with the winners and runners-up playing in semi-Finals and Finals to decide the outcome.
Individual matches in a tie are the best of 5 games and, depending on the league the scoring in League matches will be Point-a-Rally (PAR) to 11 or 15 with the player being required to win by 2 points.
Team captains are agreed and team members should signal their availability for fixtures well in advance so that a substitute from the panel can be arranged in good time. It might be worthwhile for the team captain to set up a group to facilitate communication among team members but in all cases a player should make direct one-to-one contact with the team captain where there is an issue.
Postponing ties already fixed is best avoided as although it may be easy to request and receive a postponment it is always difficult to agree on the new date and time.
Allowing walk-overs should be avoided but where that is necesary, all other matches should still be played as the tie can still be won with only 3 players. It is strongly preferred though that all 5 players needed will fulfil the fixture, in line with Munster Squash league rules.
All matches in the tie are played as per fixture list and although a player might be last on court (usually the number 2 player, as the order on court is usually 5,4, 1, 3 and 2) it is better for team morale for all players to be there to support their teammates.
Players should acquaint themselves with the Rules of Squash as it is usually the case that the home team referees 3 of the 5 matches in the tie and qualified referees are rarely available.
Results are usually required to be sent to the relevant League Secretary immediately after the tie has been completed and this process has been made easier through the use of the SportyHQ refereeing App Scoresquash that all league players should have already downloaded. Through their Irish Squash membership (the fee for which is included in the Annual Subscription) all Highfield members have access to SportyHQ.
It is customary for the home team to supply the food for the visiting team and that is done by the team players themselves and not supplied by the club. Players either make or buy sandwiches and bring them along on the night. Where the bar is open, tea and coffee will be available but if the bar is not open tea and coffee making facilities should be used in the bar, where food should be consumed - and not in the court area.