Midland Racquetball League
***Remember to wear eye protection and play safely***
Our Values
Our racquetball league values are: (1) have fun, (2) build community and (3) get exercise while doing so. If all are accomplished, everybody wins.
Background
Our league was established in the 1980s by Mike Lutz and Al Himstedt for enjoyable competitive play while meeting new members of the community. Al gave the volunteer coordinator reins over to Steven Holty in 2000 who transitioned the league into an Excel format. Jim Knarr catapulted us onto the Internet in 2003 and Chuck McCourt took the helm in 2007. After eight years of dedicated service he passed the lead to Andrew Millward who enlisted Jeff Karbowski to build us our own website from scratch. There are no trophies or plaques, only the personal satisfaction of improving your play and conditioning while helping others do the same. We encourage matches outside of the league if you have the time and interest.
Guidelines for Play
- We typically play 12 ladders per season from late September through March. Each ladder spans 2 weeks, except over Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Years (3 weeks each). The webpage tends to calculate the new ladder and send out emails Sunday night. It is important for you to record your results in time.
- You are responsible for contacting your opponent and setting up a mutually agreeable time for your match. After the new ladder comes out, you should schedule matches within 1-2 days to avoid scheduling conflicts. Matches are most often played at the Midland Community Center.
- Ball lob or coin toss to serve the first game. First server will receive serve the second game. Either player may skip this step by deferring (they will serve the second game). The player with the highest total score (game 1 + game 2) will serve the third game. If tied, ball lob or coin toss. Play best of three games to 15, win by one.
- Commit to playing and reporting both matches. To keep the league running smoothly and deliver on the league values, players who have not been playing/reporting >50% of their matches may be deactivated. This league has a reputation for having people who are committed to the league, so if you know you will not be able to play in an upcoming ladder, go to Player Updates to deactivate yourself.
- After results are reported, generating the new ladder is largely mathematical and automated, but the coordinator has ultimate discretion. Wins tend to leave you where you are, while Losses and No-Plays move you down the ladder different degrees (for the sake of shuffling so that folks don’t end up playing — or no-playing — the same people over and over). Do not leave matches unreported: that is worse than a No-Play.
- The league coordinator will not settle disputes. However, do feel free to contact the coordinator to share plus/minus/deltas on how the league is running.
Communications
- Login and go to Current Ladder to record BOTH match results by the due date, including No-Plays. A “No-Play” is when a match is not completed due to injury, sickness, unexpected travel, scheduling conflict, no show, etc. To deactivate yourself from upcoming ladders, login and go to Player Updates to un-check the ladder boxes accordingly.
- Report your Wins, Losses, and No-Plays as soon as you finish both matches. Reminder notes for getting match results in on time are NOT sent out. It is important that no match go unreported because it adversely affects where you and your opponent are placed on the next ladder, and also incorrectly represents your and your opponent’s Win/Loss statistics.
- If you need to excuse yourself from playing the current ladder (sickness, unexpected travel, injury, etc.), as a courtesy simply email the people on your rung, and then report your No-Plays into the current ladder results.
- If you’ve deactivated and wish to continue at a later date (or next season), please patiently delete the next few ladder emails. This is easier than re-adding your contact info each year.
- If you wish to no longer participate (ever), email support@midlandrball.com to have your info removed from the website.
Frequently Asked Rules
- Q: How do you play a ball that carries from the front wall to the back wall, hits the floor once, and then the front wall? Can you play it off of the front wall?
A: The ball is in play until it hits the floor twice, therefore, you may play the ball after it hits the front wall the second time. - Q: How do you play the back wall?
A: There is no back wall line, therefore, all surfaces on the court are “in play”. - Q: Can the receiving player call a replay for a “court hinder” (when the ball deflects unexpectedly from a court surface such as the door, vent, or lights)?
A: The default is no. The court plays relatively equally to all players, and allowing replays for unexpected deflections leaves room for poor judgment calls, doubt, and ill will. However, if both players agree before-hand, court hinders can be called and replayed. - Q: When a hinder is called after a second serve, does serving start at the first serve or the second serve?
A: Resume play at the first serve. - Q: What happens when the ball leaves the court through a gallery or wall opening?
A: There is no penalty or point. The server resumes at the first serve. - Q: Can players get together and report a “Problem Player”? (A problem player goes against the Values of our league by not having fun or abuses the rules.)
A: Yes, a player who frequently abuses the rules and makes playing “no fun” will be asked to respect the Values (a.k.a. loosen up). If the player persists in their problematic ways, he or she will be removed from the league. - Q: Is there any charge for being a part of this league?
A: There is no charge beyond the Community Center’s. Just have fun. Players may, however, pool together to buy the web guru or coordinator a gift certificate or some other show of appreciation.
USRA Guidelines and Additional Information (we play liberal racquetball)
- Play initiated after the successful return of serve is called the rally.
- As of 2013, unintentional “carries” during the rally are no longer called.
- If a player swings at the ball and misses it, the player may continue to attempt to return the ball until it touches the floor the second time.