Vancouver Squash League
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
08 Questions about HOSTING
09 Questions about SPORTYHQ
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01 Questions about the VSL
I’m new to Vancouver and want to play league. How do I join the VSL?
In order to play in the Vancouver Squash League you must be a member of one of our active “member clubs”. (Listed HERE.) All of the clubs in the listing have teams playing in the VSL. Before you join a club it’s a good idea to talk to the club pro to find out more information about the club’s participation in 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 does my club become a “member club”?
Cost is $180 per court and includes a variety of benefits such as sanctioned tournaments and insurance coverage.
Please contact Squash BC to sign up: [email protected]
Check this link to see if your club is already a “member club” of Squash BC.
How much does the VSL charge per team?
$190. If the fees are paid by the club and are received prior to the deadline (September 24) there is a $30 rebate per team.
If the fees are paid by an individual team there is no rebate.
Does the VSL hold an AGM?
Yes. The VSL hosts an annual general meeting once a year usually between March and June and on the same day as the Div 1 finals and Wrap Party.
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 SportyHQ?
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.
After that you can personlize it – ie “The Baby Ducks”.
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 but only if you are a female player! We do encourage women players 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?
A complete team is five (or four in Women’s Div 1). While there is no “minimum” if you have only 3 of 5 you should probably 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?
August 1. 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. Every effort will be made to accommodate all requests but in cases of any kind of conflicts priority will be given to the first request submitted.
What’s the deadline to let the league know about a team folding?
The deadline for dropping a team without penalty is September 7th, 2014.
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03 Questions about PLAYERS
Can I play for a team below my level? Even if it’s for my club?
If your club does not offer a team at a suitable level for you, you may choose to “float” and play at that level for another club.
If you do not want to 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 for 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 only 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 SportyHQ, then they most likely haven’t renewed their membership with Squash BC. (Check with the opposing captain.) 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.
(> See Rule 7.4.2)
What about new players?
If your team uses a new player you have ONE WEEK to have them join Squash BC if you want the penalty points removed. Simply forward their Squash BC membership confirmation email to the league coordinator.
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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.
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 ONE team per division. They can spare for a maximum of two teams within their club. 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) teams as a spare then they will be able to play an unlimited number of times for either team. This is, of course, just a guide. If you find that you’re playing regularly “UP” then chances are that’s the team and the division you should be playing on.
SportyHQ 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 add spares to their roster as soon as possible 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. This question implies that you are a regular player on a team in your home club and that would make you ineligible to “float” to another club to “spare”.
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.
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 category (Open and Women’s) 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.
Can I spare in the Open and Women’s divisions for the same club?
A female player can spare in both the Open and Women’s divisions for the club they are a member of.
NEW – Can I spare for another team in my club in my division?
No. You can only spare for one team per division.
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05 Questions about RESULTS
Why won’t SportyHQ won’t let me enter match scores?
Rule 8.1.3 states that “Squash BC / SportyHQ’s rankings are to be used by captains to decide a player’s position on their team roster, unless otherwise agreed before play” so if you’ve played a player out of position (hopefully with the other captain’s permission) the software currently does not allow you to enter the results. Send an email to the League Coordinator with the results and he’ll enter them for you.
At the end of the night both teams won the same number of games. Who won the night 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 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.
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 31st.
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 SportyHQ. 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 Open division 1, starting at the end of the 2011/2012 season, only one team will be relegated. Division 2 will only see one team promoted.
In the Open division’s 3-8 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 divisional alignments. 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 in league. Do we get a prize?
No, unfortunately there is no prize for second place. The VSL only awards prizes to teams that come in first in the season or win the playoffs.
I won my match and the game scores were recorded yet the match doesn’t show up in my personal list of matches and rankings. Why?
Check your opponent’s rankings and results page. If they are new and have not won a match yet they will not have a ranking so the system does not record your match as a point gaining match. The points you receive in a win depend on your opponent’s ranking at the time of your victory.
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06 Questions about RANKINGS
When I join Squash BC do I start with zero (0) points?
No, but you will not be given any points, or a ranking, until after you WIN your first match. The points you receive will depend on your opponent’s ranking at the time of your victory.
What about when I join the VSL?
Same as above.
Can the VSL change my ranking points?
No. Your ranking points reflect the wins and losses of matches you have played.
Can the VSL change a match result?
Match results that were entered incorrectly can only be changed within 14 days of the match.
I got injured and couldn’t finish my match? Did I lose or is it a default?
As soon as a player steps into the court (even just to warm up) they are considered to be in a match. If they cannot complete that match they default and lose that match. They do get to keep the games that they had won to that point. For example: If you were injured in the second game but won the first your loss would be entered as 3-1. If you default, the rankings will reflect a loss.
What’s the difference between the rankings on Squash BC and those on SportyHQ?
There is only one “official” ranking systems currently in place. These rankings can be found on Squash BC and are available to players in BC and Vancouver.
LINK to Squash BC’s rankings – Women
LINK to Squash BC’s rankings – Men
My match history is missing games that I know I won. Why?
The matches are recorded in the league results, but may not necessarily get recorded in the rankings match history if your opponent did not have a ranking at the time of the match. 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.
What matches count toward my ranking?
All recorded matches count toward your VSL and Squash BC ranking. Tournament matches, VSL matches, PSL matches and ladder matches recorded using SportyHQ.
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07 Questions about the PLAYOFFS
When are the playoffs?
The playoffs usually start the week after league finishes. Double check the “Playoff Schedule” in SportyHQ
NOTE: The Division 1 Open and Women’s finals are played at the annual Wrap Party with the venue and date TBD each year.
Do the playoffs decide which teams move up a division?
No. The playoffs do not count toward the league’s team alignments. 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 to play in the playoffs.
My team is tied with another team in the final standings. How do we decide who plays where in the playoffs?
SportyHQ will automatically indicate final positions.
1st tiebreaker: Win/loss record head-to-head
2nd tiebreaker: Total points in the head-to-head matches
3rd tiebreaker: Win/loss ratio
My team is in the playoffs. Where do we play?
The playoff schedule for SEMI FINALS:
• 1st place team (HOME) plays 4th place
• 2nd place team (HOME) plays 3rd place
The FINALS are played at the home club of the team with the higher end-of-season ranking.
Do the two losing teams of the semifinals play each other in the second round?
No, officially, only the two winning teams keep playing. If you want to arrange a fun consolation match for 3/4 please feel free!
How does the post-match social work in the playoffs?
During the playoffs BOTH teams are expected to split the cost of the social. The home captain should contact the opposing captain to see how many players are intending to stay for the social and to inform them of the costs or to discuss a budget.
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08 Questions about HOSTING
Our division has three cycles: Do we have to host twice?
If your division has an odd number of cycles it’s expected that the post-match hosting in the last cycle be split by BOTH teams as is the case in the playoffs. Most clubs can accommodate individual food orders but if your club orders in food, or if you usually order multiple meals before the match, the home captain should contact the opposing captain to see how many players are intending to stay for the social and to inform them of the costs or to discuss a budget.
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09 Questions about SPORTYHQ
Do I already have a SportyHQ account?
If you’ve played in a recent tournament there’s a good chance you do. If you’re not sure, go to this page and follow the simple steps: https://www.sportyhq.com/help/im-not-sure-if-i-have-an-account/
How do I login?
If you have an active account, you can login by going to https://www.sportyhq.com and clicking on login in the top right hand corner. The direct link to the login page is https://www.sportyhq.com/authentication/login.
How do I add players to my team?
Please note: You’ll need to be the captain of your team in order to add players to it. If you are the captain, but you can’t access the page referenced in this article, then please contact the league administrator.
Bring up your TEAM’s page by going to the league’s main page and clicking on your team’s name in the summary box (you may have to select your division first). In this example Women’s Div 1 is selected and we’re clicking on VRC A1 to bring up the team menu.
This will be the page that pops up after clicking on your team name:
In this example seven players have already been added by clicking the blue “Manage Players” button on the far right. In this example none of the players have updated their accounts to include a photo of themselves. They can do that at any time.
After clicking on the blue “Manage Players” button a new screen will appear and you’ll see a bar that says “Add a New Team Player”. Click it and simple type in the players name. The system will search for them and you can add them. You can also designate whether they are a spare or not. You can also order your players from 1-5 but remember RANKINGS will decide the correct order of play on match day.
Close up view:
Ok, so now you have all your players signed. Make sure they activate their accounts and add their photos!
How do I rename my team?
If you’d like to rename your team in your league, please send an email at [email protected]. Be sure to include:
- Your name (you should be the captain of your team!)
- The league your team is in
- The DIVISION you play in
- The CLUB you play for
- Your existing team name
- Your new team name
How do I view the schedule?
Go to the league page and select your division from the summary box on the main page. Then, click the green Schedule button.
If you want to view only your team’s schedule, then you can visit your team’s page. To do that, go back to the main league page and click on your division, followed by your team’s name.
You can alternatively use the search box in the navigation bar (click on the magnifying glass icon and type in your team’s name). Both of these methods will take you to page where you can see the full schedule.
How do I set up my team lineup for matches?
Setting your team’s lineup is a really useful feature in SportyHQ. It takes the headache out of having to email and coordinate your team’s availability each round.
In SportyHQ, you can ask your team at the beginning of the season (and throughout) to update their availability for each round. Team members can indicate if they’re available, unavailable, or only available if absolutely necessary. That availability then shows up on your team’s page, where you can then set the line up for the coming round.
As soon as you set your line up, your entire team (including those who aren’t playing) are notified via email. You can also include useful instructions (such as carpooling information) in a free form comments field.
How does a team member indicate availability?
It’s very easy. All they have to do is visit the league’s main page. Because SportyHQ knows that they’re a member of your team, they’ll see a box on that page with upcoming rounds where they can indicate their availability. It looks like this:
SET AVAILABILITY
Clicking the thumbs up means Available! The yellow “minus” sign means that you might be available if you’re absolutely needed, while the thumbs down indicates that you’re Unavailable. As soon as you click one of these, the availability immediately updates.
Go back to to your team page, then scroll down to the schedule. Next to an upcoming round, you’ll see a button titled “Choose Lineup“. Click it.
SCHEDULE AND CHOOSE YOUR LINEUP
On the next page, you’ll see a list of your team members, along with with their availability and plenty of statistics about them that might help you set your lineup. All you have to do is pick your positions for each player (please make sure your reference any league rules that may apply to rankings and positions!), like this:
Then, enter a custom message if you would like to and then press “Save Lineup!”.
Your team’s lineup is emailed out to your entire team, and is then also available for your opposition to view, which will hopefully encourage them to set their line up, if they haven’t done so already.
Why won’t SportyHQ won’t let me enter match scores?
Rule 8.1.3 states that “Squash BC / SportyHQ’s rankings are to be used by captains to decide a player’s position on their team roster, unless otherwise agreed before play” so if you’ve played a player out of position (hopefully with the other captain’s permission) the software currently does not allow you to enter the results. Send an email to the League Coordinator with the results and he’ll enter them for you.
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