WHAT IS A LADDER FORMAT

The Darien squash ladder is intended to encourage friendly competition and aid coaches and managers in finding partners at player’s approximate level of skill. 

Players and parents are expected to have read and understood these rules and agree to abide by them if participating in the Darien squash ladder. 

The ladder format sees all players placed in a ladder, one on top of the other. Players challenge each other.  If a player lower down the ladder beats a higher placed player, they move to the place occupied by the higher player who would then move down one place and push everyone below them down.  If the higher order challenged wins then the ladder does not change.

You can (of course) play other players (of any level) as often as you like if the game is not going to be counted towards the Darien Squash ladder standings.

HOW TO JOIN THE LADDER

If you are a ranked player on the Darien ladder, you can challenge a maximum of 2 places above, but positions 1-8 can only challenge 1 place above.  If you win, you take their place and everyone below that place shifts down one.

If you are not a ranked player on the ladder, you can challenge any ranked player.  If you win, you will join the ladder in their place.  They will drop one place and push everyone below them down.  If you lose, you will join the bottom of the ladder and everyone else stays where they were.

HOW TO PLAY

Winter.  During the winter season (on-season) ladder matches are organized by the team coach (Important: Players do not organize or record their own ladder matches.).  Ladder matches may be held during practices at the coach’s discretion.  Ladder matches will be organized by the coach in the weeks leading up to an event (for example: head to head matches, league jamborees, tournaments, etc.).  Players may be required to participate in up to 2 ladder matches leading up to an event.

Fall and Spring.  During the fall and spring seasons (off-season) players are responsible for challenging and organizing their own ladder matches per the ladder rules as outlined below.  Players are allowed to challenge once a week, and defend once a week, totaling a maximum of 2 ladder matches a week.  Do NOT schedule ladder matches during the team’s reserved court time.  The date and time of any match should be mutually convenient for both players.  It is the challenger’s responsibility to book the court.  Players are responsible for keeping track of their scores and then the winner must enter the score within 24 hours after the match.

HOW TO MOVE WITHIN THE LADDER

Ladder results are managed online with all the player names displayed.  If you are not on the ladder, read above “How to join the ladder”.   You can play 1 challenge at a time, and have 1 accepted challenge at time.  You may challenge up once a week, and defend your position once a week, totaling a maximum of 2 ladder matches in 1 week.  You can challenge a maximum of 2 places above, but positions 1-8 can only challenge 1 place above.  If you win, you take their place and everyone below that place shifts down one.   If the defender wins then the ladder does not change.

ACCEPTING/REFUSING CHALLENGE

Accepting.  Players must accept challenges that are within the appropriate amount of places from their standing (2 maximum, or 1 place for positions 1-8).  The challenge must be accepted within 48 hours and the games must be played within 1 week from the original request.

Refusing.  If the defender refuses or is unable to accept the challenge (due to illness, injury, scheduling conflicts, personal emergencies, school commitments, other sports, etc.) within 48 hours and play within 1 week, then the match is defaulted to the challenger.

If you cannot make a match that you have agreed to, then you must notify your opponent at the first opportunity.  Failure to do so will result in you forfeiting the match.  Failure to arrive at the court within 10 minutes of the agreed time will result in a forfeit of the match. 

The only time a player can refuse a challenge is when:

1. The player is already scheduled to defend their position that week.
2. The defender and challenger have played a ladder match in the previous 10 days.

If players continue to refuse challenges or are unable to play matches they will be removed from the ladder or moved down a set number of places as determined by the coach.

RULES OF PLAY

1. The date and time of any match should be mutually convenient for both players.  It is the challenger’s responsibility to book the court. 
2. Players are responsible for keeping track of their scores.  In the fall and spring the winner must enter the score within 24 hours after the match.  In the winter the winner must report the scores to the team coach within 24 hours after the match, the coach will record the scores.
3. There will be NO strokes permitted to be called in ladder matches.  All strokes and lets will be treated as lets.
4. Tournament and League competition matches cannot be used as ladder matches.
5. Ladder matches are best of 5 games, the first to win 3 games.
6. Games are scored to 11 points with points being scored on each players serve.
7. If a game score reaches 10-all, the game continues until one player wins by 2 points.
8. All matches to be played with a standard yellow double dot ball.
9. The results and an updated ladder will be input into and posted on US Squash in the appropriate ladder.

TEAM ROSTERS

Player positions on a team (e.g., team a, team b, etc.) must accurately reflect relative player skill to other players as determined by weekly ladder matches.  Position 1 is the default captain for a team.  Position 4, 5, 6 will rotate matches as to establish equal and fair playing time for all players.  Position 6 is an alternate position and will play an exhibition match if there is a willing opponent, and if time allows.  For more information please contact your coach via email at and .