FAQs

As the new season progresses we will be adding to this section.

01 Questions about the VSL
02 Questions about teams
03 Questions about players
04 Questions about spares
05 Questions about results
06 Questions about rankings
07 Questions about the playoffs
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01 Questions about the VSL

Can I play in the VSL without being a member of one of your member clubs?
No you must be a member of a member club to play in the VSL.

How much does the VSL charge per team?
$160. If the fees are received in time (Sept 7, 2008) there is a $30 rebate per team.

Does the VSL hold an AGM?
Yes. The VSL hosts an annual general meeting once a year usually between March and June.

Who can attend the AGM?
Anyone who is interested in squash in Vancouver is welcome. To vote on issues you must be a member of club in the VSL.

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02 Questions about teams

Can I change the name of my team in Quick Draws?
Yes. As captain one of your jobs is to update your team name or coming up with a new one altogether (ie, VRC E3 - The Baby Ducks)
It is the captain’s responsibility to make sure that the team name follows this formula: 1) club abbreviation + 2) position within your club [A for top team, B for second team, etc] + 3) the division you play in.
For example, if you play out of Denman and are in Division 1 your team name would probably be “DEN A1″. If your the next best team in your club and you play in division 2 your team name would be “DEN B2″.

Can I play on a Open (Men’s) team AND a Women’s team?
Absolutely - if you are a female player! We do encourage you to play both and not just in the Open but don’t forget to let the League Coordinator know about your plans.

Is there a minimum number of players my team must field?
No, there is no minimum but perhaps you might try to reschedule the match? Be sure to inform the opposing captain about your situation.

What’s the deadline to request a new team or to make a special request regarding your team’s divisional placement?
June 30. Please email your request to the League Coordinator. Include your team lineup, and any information that you think may be useful, before that date so that it can be considered when the board creates the league alignments for the upcoming season.

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03 Questions about players

NEW Can I play for my club on a team below my level?
If your club does not offer a team at a suitable level for you, you may choose to “float” and play for another club.
You do have the option of playing on the highest level team available within your club.

What’s a “floater” and how many can I have on my team?
(> See Rule 4.3.2)
A “floater” is a member of one club that plays for another club. This definition of player was originally created to deal with issues in the Women’s Divisions: A player is unable to represent their club in city league because their club doesn’t have the appropriate level of team or them to play on so they “float” to another club and play at the appropriate level.

There is no limit to the amount of “floaters” you can have on your team but the “floater” can only play on one team in one division. If your team is mostly made up of floaters then the VSL may reconsider whether your club should be playing at that level.

Can a floater play in the playoffs?
A “floater” is eligible to play in the playoffs if they have played 3 or more times for that team.

Can I play in the VSL if I’m NOT a member of Squash BC?
Yes: The VSL allows a player to play their first game in the league without a Squash BC membership. They must be signed up BEFORE they play again with that team or with another team in the league. The VSL strongly recommends that anyone playing squash in British Columbia become a member of Squash BC if only TO BE INSURED: If you have an accident on court while you are doing a squash activity in a sanctioned event, you will be covered for some of your costs associated with that injury. Dental work is one of the more common claims, although in some instances players have received leg braces after an injury. As with most insurance claims, it depends on your circumstances. Click here to sign up.

Why can’t I add a certain player to my team roster?
If the player you are looking for doesn’t show up on the drop down list, in Quick Draws, then they most likely haven’t renewed their membership with Squash BC. Once Squash BC has processed their renewal they will appear in the drop down list and you can add them. Remember that your team will incur penalty points if you have a player playing on your team who has not renewed their membership by October 31st.

What’s the deadline to sign up and become a member of Squash BC?
Your team will incur penalty points if you have a player playing on your team who has not renewed their membership by October 31st.

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04 Questions about spares

What’s a “spare”?
(> See Rule 4.2.4)
• A “spare” is a player who belongs to the club he/she plays for but is not a regular player on any team in that club.
• A “spare” can only play for their own club but can play for more than one team within the club.
• A “spare” can play an unlimited number of games for a team.
• A “spare” can, and should, be listed on two (2) or more teams if they plan to play for those teams. If they are listed on 2 teams as a spare then they are allowed to play an unlimited number of times for either team. It is up to the captain to ensure that the player is playing at a suitable position.
• A “spare” must play at least three (3) times for a team to be eligible to play for them in the playoffs.

How many times can a spare “spare” for my team?
A spare can play an unlimited number of games for any given team. In some cases you may start the season with five regular players and two spares but when one of the regular players is injured your spare may end up playing a considerable amount of matches. We don’t want to limit the number of times they can play and then have the team default because a spare is limited to playing a certain amount of times.

How many teams can a spare “spare” for?
Spares are allowed to be listed on two (2) or a maximum of three (3) teams within their division. If they spare within their division the captain must place them in the appropriate position using ranking points, or recent matches, as a guide. There is no limit on the number of teams a spare can “spare” for in higher divisions within their club

If they are listed as a “spare” on my team can they “spare” up for another team in my club?
Yes. If they spare “up” on the higher division team it is expected that they will play in position 4 or 5 - whichever is suitable.

Q: “A team in a lower division needs me. Can I spare for them?”
NO. A PLAYER IS NOT ALLOWED TO SPARE FOR A TEAM IN A LOWER DIVISION.

How many times can a spare “spare up” (play for a higher division) before they are ineligible to play for a lower team?
There is no magic number: If they are listed on two (2), or three (3), teams as a spare then they will be able to play an unlimited number of times for either team.

Quick Draws related: Will the home captain be able to select the spare, from the drop down menu, when entering the match results?
Yes, if the captain has added the spare’s name to their roster before the match or before the match results are recorded. It is strongly suggested that all captains do this in order to avoid having to use the “default/guest” option.

Can a spare play for a team in the playoffs?
A spare must have played three (3) times for a team in order to be eligible to play for them in the playoffs.

Can I play for my regular team AND “spare” for another team on the same night?
Absolutely not. See Rule 4.2.5 No player is eligible to play more than one match each week, with the exception of women playing in both Women’s and Open divisions.

Can I “spare”up for another team AT A DIFFERENT CLUB if my club doesn’t have a team at a higher level?
No.
Rule 4.2.3 Players shall play for the club of which they are a member (with the exception of floaters), and only for one team.

NEW - I’m a member of two clubs. Can I play or spare for both clubs?
A player CAN spare for two clubs only if they are playing in a different division for either club. For example, the player would play in the Open division for Club A and in the Women’s division for Club B. Players ARE NOT ALLOWED to play for two clubs in the same division.

NEW - Can I spare in the Open and Women’s divisions for the same club?
Yes, a player can spare in both divisions for the club they are a member of.

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05 Questions about results

NEW - At the end of the night both teams won the same number of games. Who won and who gets the bonus points?
The winner is decided by who won the most MATCHES not games. The team that won the most matches wins the night and receives the 5 bonus points.
(See Rule 7.3.2: The team winning the most individual matches will be awarded five (5) bonus points.)

What do I do if my opposing captain records the results incorrectly?
Contact the other captain to see if they are aware of their error and are willing to change it: CC the League Coordinator on your original email (info[at]vancouversquashleague[dot]com).

If you are not satisfied with the results of your requests email the League Coordinator with an official protest and let the League Committee Executive conduct an investigation. For more info on protesting please see the Protest page.

In the future, consider asking your opponent for a copy of the night’s results for your own records.

Why is my team listed in second place when we won more matches and held the other team to lesser points?
The display may not show you as number two, it may be that you are tied for first. The display order of two teams tied in points is purely random. The league standings are based on points, not on games or matches won. At the end of the season, if two teams are tied in points, the league would set a playoff night between the two tied teams, it would not count games or matches or points to determine which team is ahead of the other.

I’m trying to enter my results and I can’t find my opponents in the drop down menu. Why?
Check with the captain of the team you played and make sure that they’ve entered their team list and that all their players are members in good standing with Squash BC.
Send the League Coordinator an email if you have any problems after that: (info[at]vancouversquashleague[dot]com)
NOTE: All team lists should have been entered by October 1st, 2008.

I’m trying to enter my results and I can’t some of my players in the drop down menu. They are listed on my team roster - what’s wrong?
Check to see if your players are members in good standing with Squash BC. Sometimes a membership can expire. Occasionally a club using the “bulk membership” option to sign up players may miss someone. Check with your Club Rep first and have them contact Squash BC. Send the League Coordinator an email if you have any problems after that: (info[at]vancouversquashleague[dot]com)

Can I fax my results to the league?
No. The league no longer accepts results via fax.
Please enter all results through Quick Draws. If you are unfamiliar with the process ask your Club Rep for assistance.

How many teams move up and how many move down at the end of the season?
In the Open division the top two teams move up one division and the bottom two teams are moved down. In the Women’s division only the top team and the bottom team moves up or down respectively.

At the end of the season my team placed third but then we won the playoffs. Do we move up?
No. The playoffs do not count toward the league’s team alignments. At this time the VSL believes that the season’s results should outweigh those of the playoffs. The thinking is that a season of matches is a better indicator of a team’s position, within the league, than two matches at the end of the season.

One of my players retired in the fourth game. Do I enter their name in the results or enter “default”?
 Just like in tournament play, if a player begins a match (ie Steps on court) it is considered a “match” and if the player retires, they lose the match.
In the case of a retirement the losing player gets credited with however many games s/he won, and the winner gets three games, and the associated ranking points, for the victory.
Defaults are only recorded as such if the match never started.

My team came in second. Do we get a prize?
No, unfortunately there is no prize for second. The VSL only awards prizes to teams that either win the season or the playoffs.

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06 Questions about rankings

What’s the difference between the rankings on Squash BC and those on Quick Draws?
There are two ranking systems currently in place: Squash BC’s and Quick Draws available to players in BC and Vancouver. Squash BC’s rankings are those of the entire provincial membership whereas the rankings on Quick Draws refer specifically to those players playing in the Vancouver Squash League.

When I join Squash BC do I start with zero (0) points?
No. You will be given ranking points after you win your first match. The points you receive will depend on that person’s ranking at the time of your victory.

What about when I join the VSL?
Same as above.

My match history is missing games that I know I won. Why?
 The matches are recorded in the league results, but may not neccessarily get recorded in the rankings match history because your opponent did not have a ranking. The Squash BC policy, for players to obtain a ranking, is to wait until they win a match. So if your opponent hasn’t yet won a match they won’t have a ranking and if they lost to you the match cannot contribute to the rankings so it doesn’t appear in the rankings history.

I’ve played a couple of league matches but I still don’t have a ranking. What’s going on?
Until a player records a match WIN, they will not get a ranking. The problem is that for many players, their first match may be against someone ranked very much higher, and a loss does not provide a good indication of where they should be initially placed in the rankings. But any win will establish their lowest possible position, and after that if they have more good wins they can move up in the rankings fairly quickly.

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07 Questions about the playoffs

When are the playoffs?
This season, 2008/2009, the semifinals are to be played on March 23 & 24 and the finals on March 30 & 31 for all divisions EXCEPT Division 1.
Division 1 may schedule their semifinals on either week (March 23 or 30) but the finals will be played at Vancouver Lawn & Tennis Club on April 25th.

Do the playoffs decide which teams move up a division?
No. The playoffs do not count toward the league’s team alignments. At this time the VSL believes that the season’s results should outweigh those of the playoffs. The thinking is that a season of matches is a better indicator of a team’s position, within the league, than two matches at the end of the season.

Can one of my spares play for my team in the playoffs?
A “spare” must have played a minimum of three (3) matches for your team in order for them to be considered eligible.

Does my team have to wait the three weeks to play our playoff match?
Not necessarily. You can contact your opponent and see if you can schedule a mutually agreeable date and time. Don’t forget to let your Club Rep know so that they can book courts for you and don’t forget to let the League Coordinator know about the new date.

My team is tied with another team in the final standings. How do we decide who plays where in the playoffs?
The first tiebreaker is your head-to-head record and if that is a tie then the second tiebreaker is total points won in the head-to-head matches. If you are still tied after that please contact the League Coordinator.
The playoff schedule SEMI FINALS:
1st plays 4th at the 1st place team’s home club.
2nd plays 3rd at the 2nd place team’s home club.
The FINALS are played at the home club of the team with the higher end-of-season ranking.
Please note that during the playoffs both teams are expected to split the cost of the social.