FAQ

FAQ – TOURNAMENTS

How should one select the type of competition for a young junior player?

Selection of competition should ideally be based on achieving a 3:1 win-loss ratio over a period of time. This ensures both the development of confidence (through winning) while still maintaining motivation to improve and train hard (through losing). In general, it is recommended that juniors compete in their proper age category and only play up if they are winning tournaments easily and have exhausted the competition in their age category.

What is the difference between 2-Star, 3-Star and 4-Star events?

4-Star events: These series of events are for players tracking to compete in the provincial and national championships.

3-Star events: This series of events is oriented towards more competitive and experienced players looking to enter the ranks of the top 30 in BC.

2-Star events: This series of events is designed for players wishing to compete beyond the Rogers Rookie Tour and Orange-Green Ball (U9U10) Circuit. Players can now attain national-ranking points in a tournament format.

Detailed description click here

How do I enter my child in a tournament?

To enter your child in a tournament, first they must have a valid Tennis BC membership. Under the Tournaments Tab on the Tennis BC website, select the tournament you’d like your child to participate in. By clicking on the link you will be directed to a tc.tournamentsoftware.com link. Click on the “Click here to enter” and follow the on-screen instructions. Your child’s entry is not complete until payment is made (if required).

Why should I bother to play tournaments that have less ranking points?

Players on the development pathway should strive to maintain a win: loss record of 3:1. Players playing higher-level, competitive events where they are not able to win two or three matches per tournament will not be receiving appropriate match-play opportunities to implement the skills they have been training in a relevant, competitive opportunity.

Should I travel to play tournaments out of province?

We encourage players to travel and compete out-of-province and in USTA events. Because we have a small pool of players playing and competing in BC, players tend to repeatedly play the same players. It is important for eacj player’s development to compete and be exposed to different environments.

What events are appropriate for someone new to tennis tournaments?

If someone is new to tennis, it is best that they start competing by playing in the Rookie Tour events.

After they have competed in Rookie Tour events and achieved a 3:1 win to loss ratio they may compete in the 2-Star Tour.

Why do some tournaments limit who can enter?

Depending on the purpose of the event, events will be limited to players that fall within a certain ranking range. For example, since 4-Star (selection series events) are designated events used to determine who will participate in the BC Provincial championships then nationals, these events will be limited to 24-36 players depending on the age category and gender.

2-Star (development series) events are geared towards players entering the competition structure, either transitioning from Orange-Green Ball (U9/U10) Circuit events into U12s or those who want to compete and are on the Tennis for Life pathway.

With court time being a huge limiting factor in the number of events we can host, and the number of participates that can compete any given weekend, we want to ensure we provide players at every level as many competitive opportunities as possible.

Why do some events have different draw sizes and regulations?

Depending on the category of the event (2 Star, 3 Star etc.) the officiating requirements and regulations will differ slightly based on the match format and draw format being used. Regardless of the draw format being used, Tennis Canada Rules of the court will be enforced for all events.

Draw sizes are limited based on court time available and format used. When a full feed in consolation or a compass draw is used, the tournament is not able to accommodate large participation numbers when using a best two-out-of-three format. To accommodate more players, the tournament-match format will be modified to two short sets or a pro-set format.

Where do I get information on officiating and penalties?

All information related to the rules and regulations of the game can be found in the Rules of Court which can be found here.

My child is on the reserve list of the tournament. When will I know if she/he can participate?

Once entries are closed and the draw is made you will see where your child sits on the reserve list. At this time players on the reserve list will only be able to get into the event if a player withdraws from the event prior to the start of play due to illness or injury. A player on the reserve list may be contacted to play up to the day the tournament is scheduled to start.

My child is new to tournaments. We signed him/her up for the selection tournaments but he/she has never got to play. Are there any tournaments that he/she can play?

4-Star events (Selection Series) are for players tracking to compete in the provincial and national championships. It is best for your child to start competing in either Roger Rookie Tour events or the 2-Star tour to gain competitive experience. 2-Star events are the lowest level events that fall within the national-ranking system. Rogers Rookie Tour events are non-ranking events.

How can my child get a ranking so that he/she can be accepted to play in selection series events (4 Star)?

Your child must compete in 2-Star events to accumulate a national ranking. As 4-Star events have limited draws, typically players must be ranked in the top 24-32 to receive entry into the event (based on player registration). Once players have significant results in 2-Star events, their rankings should allow them to receive entry into 3-Star events where they are able to accumulate a greater number of ranking points.

Why do you accept players who are ranked lower than my child? (WC)

In some situations players may be granted a Wild Card to participate in a particular event. Wild Cards are typically issued to players who have proven results but have not been in the system long enough to accumulate significant ranking points. An example would be players new to Canada who have international ranking but not a Canadian National ranking. Wild Cards may also be issued for players of the host clubs in 2-Star development tournaments. The criteria for Wild Card acceptance can be found on the fact sheet and under the regulations tab of the tournament.

My child is doing very well. Can he/she play up an age group?  

Players may play two age groups up, with some exceptions of U10 players.  See BC Competitive structure page for eligibility of different levels of tournaments

Where can I find the draw and schedule for my child’s matches?

All tournaments can be found on the Tennis BC website. By clicking on the tournament link, you will be redirected to the tc.tournamentsoftware.com link associated to that tournament. Click on the draws tab, select the age category your child is registered for. You will see your child’s draw with tournament location and scheduled match time. If you do not see a time beside your child’s name it indicates that the schedule has not been completed. Typically, tournament referees will include any important information regarding weather, schedule updates etc. in the blue box on the front of tournament home page.

I signed up my child for the tournament but I do not see her/his name on the list?

Once you complete your child’s registration, you will automatically receive a confirmation email. The information is stored in the back end of the tournament file until the tournament file is updated and published by the tournament host. On the tournament homepage under the tournament name you will see “Last Updated: February 5, 2017 8:30 PM,” for example. If you entered your child after this date, you will not see your child’s name under the players’ list until the page is updated.

I signed up my child for the tournament. Will you send me an email with his/her match schedule?

No. Emails are only sent out to the players if there is a last-minute change in schedule or if your child is registered in multiple age categories and they are only eligible to compete in one category. All draws, schedules, and important information can be found by following the tournament registration link. It is your responsibility to find the information by going to the appropriate link.

I want to withdraw my child from the tournament but the entry is closed. Can I withdraw without being penalized? 

If you are withdrawing your child from the tournament after the entry deadline, but prior to the draw being made, you may do so without your child being penalized. If you are withdrawing your child after the draw has been made, your child will receive a Late Withdrawal penalty point (See LW/FC Policy for details). Summary of general scenarios (of withdrawal or retirement) and their consequences can be found in this document.

What are the refund policies?

• Withdrawal on the website before entry deadline – full refund
• Withdrawal by emailing organizer after entry deadline but before draw is made – full refund
• Withdrawal after entry deadline after the draw is made – no refund

All refunds are processed within seven days after completion of the tournament.

Can I register my child in two different levels of tournaments on the same weekend as I am not sure if he/she will be accepted in the main draw of the higher level tournament?  

Yes, you are allowed to register your child into two different levels of tournaments (for example Selection Series and 3 Star) on the same weekend.  However, to avoid any penalties, make sure you are aware of what to do when both acceptance lists are published.

FAQ – OFFICIATING / TOURNAMENTS

What should I do if I am going to be late for my match?

If you think you are going to be late for your match, call the tournament and ask to speak to the Referee. Explain your situation and the Referee will be able to advise you on the current state of the matches and what is likely to happen in your case. Only the Referee can make decisions on punctuality, so it is important to make sure you speak to them, and not the tournament desk, or other tournament staff or volunteers. Opinions or advice given to you by someone other than the Referee may not be upheld on your arrival at the tournament.

What are the penalties if I am late for my match?

• Late 5:00 minutes or less: loss of toss plus one game
• Late 5:01 – 10:00 minutes: loss of toss plus two games
• Late 10:01 – 15:00 minutes: loss of toss plus three games
• More than 15:00 minutes late: default (at discretion of Referee)

Will I automatically get penalized if I am late for my match?

The lateness penalty clock will be started by the Referee after the match is called and a court is available and he/she judges that one or both of the players is not present or available to start the match having made reasonable attempts to find the missing player. As an example, if you are running 10 minutes late for your match, but the tournament is running 30 minutes behind, then it may be that a court is not available at your match time, so you may not incur a penalty.

I am only going to be 10 minutes late for my match. Can the tournament please keep the court free for me so I can go straight on and play when I arrive?

No, The Referee is not required to keep a court open while awaiting a player. The next match will go on court and your match will be put back in sequence when you arrive and are ready to play.

I cannot make my match time when it is scheduled, so I am just not coming. It’s ok if you default me, I don’t care.

Players who do not show up for their matches and have not made any contact with the tournament referee will be defaulted from the tournament. In addition, they will be subject to suspension points under the Code of Conduct. Players accruing three or more points in a 12-month period will be suspended.

Sometimes there are officials on court at tournaments and sometimes there are not. Why is this?

Different levels of tournaments have different officiating requirements. Typically, the higher the level of tournament, the more officials are present at the event. Junior matches generally have more officials than adult/NTRP tournaments.

My son is playing a match and the opponent is clearly cheating. Can I request that a referee be sent to his court?

It is the player’s responsibility to call an official when they need one. For juniors this can sometimes be quite a difficult thing to do. A good phrase is “I’m not seeing the ball the same way you are, I am going to get us some help.” This is a non-threatening way to let the opponent know that you are leaving the court to fetch an official. It is also worth remembering that your view from the spectator area is different from the players’ view on court; the issues may not be as bad as you perceive.

I am playing someone who has a very bad reputation for bad line calls. Can I request that an official stay on my court for the whole match?

Roving umpires are usually monitoring four or more courts by themselves, so are not able to stay on one match for its duration. However, umpires are trained to know where they need to spend the most time, so if your court is having a lot of difficulties, the umpire will likely be spending as much time as they can on your court.

What do I do if my opponent and I disagree on the score?

Players should attempt to resolve the dispute themselves using one of the following methods, which are listed in order of preference.

• Count all points and games agreed upon by the players and replay only the disputed points;
• Play from a score mutually agreeable to all players.

If still unresolved, players may then request the help of an official; however, they must accept the official’s resolution as final.

Today when I smashed my racquet on the court I received a Code Violation Warning. What is this? What happens next?

The Code of Conduct is a system of warnings and penalties designed to keep a match under control. Typically, at the first sign of bad behavior, the on-court official will issue an unofficial or ‘soft’ warning. If this is not heeded and the behavior continues, then the official will move to the Code. First Offence – Code Violation, Warning; Second Offense – Code Violation, Point Penalty; Third and subsequent offenses – Code Violation, Game Penalty. However, after the third offense, the Referee will decide if any further infractions constitute a default. Suspension points are awarded for all offenses that involve a point penalty and beyond. Players are notified by letter in the week following the tournament.

I am entering a tournament in Vancouver, but I live on Vancouver Island. I would like to request that I do not play for the first day of the tournament. OR I am entering a tournament that runs during the day and evening, but I work during the week. I would like to be scheduled after 6pm.

When a tournament is being scheduled, the organizers do their best to grant reasonable requests. However, this is not always possible. You are always welcome to ask, but depending on your position in the draw, court availability and other factors, your request may not be accommodated. If you are not certain, contact the referee who will be able to give you the best advice for your situation.

I was injured in my last tournament and I am not sure if I will be able to play next weekend. What should I do?

You need to determine whether you are fit and healthy to play all required events to the end of the entire tournament. If this is not the case, then you should withdraw, preferably before the draw for your event is made. Juniors that withdraw late (i.e. after the draw has been made) are subject to penalties under the Late Withdrawal / Failure to Complete policy, posted on the TBC website.

There are two tournaments next week and I would like to play in both. How will the tournaments schedule my matches so that I can play them all?

Players are not permitted to play in two tournaments that are held in the same week unless they have the express written permission of the referees of both tournaments. This is usually only given in extremely exceptional circumstances. If a player is found to have entered two tournaments in the same week, they are subject to Code of Conduct suspension points. In addition, depending on the type and level of tournament, they may also forfeit all ranking points earned in both events.

I played my match and I lost, so I thought I was out of the tournament. Then the next day I got a call from the referee asking me where I was. I didn’t know I had a match.

It is always good practice when you have finished a match, to return to the tournament desk and check to see if you have another match scheduled. Also, get into the habit of checking the tournament website regularly during a tournament. There are many event formats and types of consolation rounds, which would mean a losing player would have another match. First-match consolation, full-feed-in consolation, and triple knockout are just a few. Compass format and round robin draws also mean that players losing may have additional matches.

FAQ – RANKINGS

How do rankings work? How is the Points Race different then rankings?

Tennis BC follows the Tennis Canada Rogers National ranking system which factors in players results from provincial, national, and international events. Because the National ranking system follows a 52-week rolling calendar, Tennis BC implemented a Points Race system to determine who will represent BC at Indoor and Outdoor Nationals. The Points Race accounts for player results from 4-Star events and the provincial championships. There is a separate Points Race for the indoor and outdoor season.

Why do some tournaments out of province have different rules and ranking points?

The rating for each province is based on the performance of the players from that province at National Championships over the last three years. Based off these results, a Nationals Performance Rating (NPR) for each province is calculated by gender. These are reflected in the ratings in the provincial point award chart.
Detailed information click here

How does the ranking system work?

The ranking system is a national ranking system used by all provinces across the country. Players participating in any events that take place in Canada, Junior ITF events, and selection International events, will be factored into a players national ranking. Points are accumulated from a player’s top-five results based on a rolling 52 weeks. Results from each new week will be added and the results from the corresponding week of the previous year will be dropped. Within the player’s profile a yellow star is placed beside the tournaments used for ranking calculations.
Tennis Canada works closely with the provincial associations, receiving feedback, and making adjustments as needed. Adjustments to the ranking system are made January 1 of each year and will not immediately impact the rankings due to the 52 rolling weeks.
Detailed Rankings information click here

Do consolation matches count for ranking points? How many points can my child earn from being the winner of the consolation?

Players are awarded points according to their finish position in the draw.
In Full feed-in consolation and compass-draw formats where a players’ finish position can be defined, players are awarded points accordingly.
In first-round-only consolation where players’ positions cannot be defined, players are awarded points per the finishing positions in the main draw. The advancement in the consolation draw will not improve a players’ position.

My child lost his match in the first round. Player B received a Bye and lost his first match. Why did he receive more points than my child?

A bye is treated as a win. A player who receives a bye in the main draw by virtue has advanced to the second round. The finishing position is therefore higher than the player who loses his/her first round match.
Byes in detail:
Byes will be awarded to seeded players in order of seeding. Where the number of byes exceeds the number of seeds, a somewhat different situation exists. For example, if there are 21 players in a 32 draw, there will be 11 byes. With 21 players, we will still have six seeds. These six seeds will receive byes, meaning that five additional byes must be placed in the draw. For detailed illustration of bye placement visit Rules of the Court (pg. 59) click here

My child should have received the winner points after winning the tournament. Why are only a portion of the points added to their ranking total?

Points are accumulated per the players’ top-five results. If the points earned in this event make their top-five results list, the lower result of the previous top five will drop. The best results are indicated with an asterisk besides the tournaments that are considered within a player’s total ranking.

How do I know the points for each tournament?

Go to the rogersrankings.com website, click “about rankings” (Junior Rankings). You will be directed to a page like the one below. Next to the home button on the top of the page you will be able to select any province. To see the point allocations for BC, please make sure you select British Columbia. By selecting the age category, gender, and draw size, the different point allocations based on the level of the tournament will be displayed.

FAQ – DEVELOPMENT / TRAINING

What is progressive tennis?

Progressive Tennis introduces the sport of tennis in a fun and interactive way and ensures immediate success for young players aged five to ten, and adults new to the game. Using modified tennis balls, racquets, nets, and courts, young players are properly equipped to enjoy rallies and learn the fundamentals of the game early on.

What are the Red/ Orange/ Green balls all about?

The type of ball that is used during the child’s development is important. The progressive ball moves through the court slower and bounces lower. Young players are able to receive and send the ball more easily, which helps in the development of proper technical fundamentals (grip, set-up, impact point, hitting zone, and recovery). Using the progressive ball also promotes longer rallies and the overall importance of consistency.

• Red Court ball (low compression ball) used in half court
• Orange Court ball (50% slower ball) used in three-quarter-court tennis
• Green Court ball (25% slower ball) used in full-court transition

How do I know if my child is a high-performance player?

High Performance is a relative term based upon the level of competition at the time, place, and age of the competitors. For example, High Performance for the best juniors in the world is a long way from high performance at our provincial level. High Performance is a moving target.

Tennis BC’s high-performance criterion is defined by our 4-Star tournaments, and within those tournaments, players that reach the quarter-finals or better are classified as potential high-performance athletes. While this is a changing target each year, our commitment, as a Provincial Sports Organization that is funded by Government grants, is to have our athletes successfully compete at National level or higher competitions. Those athletes that can qualify for the nationals and compete successfully (quarter finals or better) are considered high-performance players.

What is the right balance of practice, lessons, and tournaments?

A detailed breakdown of recommended hours of practice and competitive matches is outlined in the Long-Term Athlete Development plan click here

Tennis seems expensive, how can I minimize the costs?

As court time is at a premium in BC with limited indoor facilities, it is important to maximize the opportunity to play on public courts in the spring and summer. Call a friend and organize a practice match or practice sessions. It is not essential to always have a coach on the court when practicing. We encourage our junior players to practice with their friends and with strong adult players to develop their games inexpensively.

What are provincial training camps and how do I get invited?

Training camps are offered for U10 and U12 players. Provincial training camp tryouts take place in September of each year. Tryouts for U10 players are open to all participants, while, tryouts for U12 players are by invitation only based on Orange-Green Ball (U9/U10) and U12 national ranking. A maximum of 16 U10 and 16 U12 players are selected to be part of the provincial program.

What is the BC TC Regional training program and how do I get invited?

The BC Regional National program is a weekly training program offered to top performing U10/U12/U15 athletes. These weekly programs are designed to support and assist selected athletes to ensure they can implement quality training and competitive benchmarks outlined in the first four stages of development in the LTAD plan. In some cases, involvement with this program may be limited as the LTAD training and competitive guidelines may be met within the current club-training environment.

Selection for the program can occur in two phases: Phase-one selections will be made in June and communicated to coaches and parents by the end of July. Phase-two selections (if needed) will be made late August (following the conclusion of the Junior Outdoor Nationals) and communicated to all parents by mid September.

Having this two-step process provides an appropriate window of identifying the best prospects. Given how quickly children of this age progress, selections to the program can occur at any time of the year based on the evaluation of high-performance staff and in close conjunction with the personal coaches. The selection committee is comprised of: Louis Borfiga (Tennis Canada High Performance VP), Oded Jacob (Vancouver TC Regional Training Centre, Head Coach), and Debbie Kirkwood (Tennis Canada Director, High Performance)

How does my child qualify for Nationals?

For a player to qualify for nationals they first must compete in designated selection-series events. Based off the results from the selection-series events, players will be invited to participate in the Junior Provincial Championships. The winner of provincials is granted an automatic spot on Team BC to participate at nationals. Results from the best two-out-of-three selection-series events, plus the provincial championships, are calculated. Players who finish within the top four or five on the Points Race (depending on the number of spots BC is allocated) will receive an invitation to represent Team BC at nationals.

Exceptions: Tennis BC may grant a player who finished top eight in the previous nationals, ranked in the top 500 ITF (Girls), top 700 ITF (Boys), and did not participate in the selection-series events or provincials, a merit spot to nationals. Players must submit a list of alternative competitive opportunities they participated in during the same time as the selection-series events to be considered for a merit spot. This will be part of the total Team BC allocated spots. If a Wild Card is issued, the remaining spots will be filled by following the Points Race.

Detailed information for National selections click here