League Teams

About Player Eligibility

The defining characteristic of this league is that matches are played between two teams each consisting of 2 women and 2 men. A match consists of a women's doubles game, a men's doubles game, and two mixed doubles games. Tie-breaker games involve a rotation of men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles teams. That said, the League recognizes that gender identity is personal. The policy of this league is to let players participate in the gender category with which they identify. The team makeup is based on a person's self-identified gender, with no formal verification required.

The primary distinction between divisions within the league is skill-level as determined by DUPR ratings. Before any player can be added to a team roster, the player must have created a DUPR account and obtained a rating. There are several ways to obtain a DUPR rating and these methods are clearly explained on the DUPR.com website.

A player’s DUPR rating cannot exceed the maximum rating for the Division in which the team participates.

• For DUPR 12 and 12 50+ Divisions, an individual player’s DUPR rating may not exceed 3.60.
• For DUPR 14 and 14 50+ Divisions, an individual player’s DUPR rating may not exceed 4.10.
• For DUPR 16 and 16 50+ Divisions, an individual player’s DUPR rating may not exceed 4.60.
• For DUPR 18 and 18 50+ Divisions, an individual player’s DUPR rating may not exceed 5.10.

A second distinction of some divisions is age level. In the inaugural season of this league, the only age level distinction is between Open (any age) and Senior (50+) divisions. The determination of age for this and for any other future age level distinctions is the player's age on December 31 of the season year.

There are no residency restrictions. The "local" nature of this league is based on venues, not player residence. In other words, what makes the league local is that courts on which matches are played are within easy traveling distances of each other, and players understand that matches will be played at these specific locations. A player does not have to reside in any of the cities or unincorporated areas in which the courts are located.

About Team Formation

A team must have a minimum of four players (two men and two women) and may include as many as 8 players on its roster. There is no requirement that the rostered players must be split evenly between men and women, but every match must be played by two men and two women from the team roster. Teams determine for themselves which and when rostered players will participate in matches.

One team member must be designated Captain (or two members designated as Co-Captains). Responsibilities of the Captain (or Co-Captains) include:

• Being the authorized point of contact for all communications with the League.
• Managing the team roster and submitting the names of the four players (2 women and 2 men) who will play in each match.
• A team Captain (or Co-Captain) must be present for all matches. If a team Captain or Co-Captain is unable to fulfill their duties at a match, the team must designate a substitute captain before the match begins.
• At each match, the team Captain will meet with the other team’s Captain for the coin toss (or similar method) to determine which team will serve first and the side on which each team will begin. (The winner of the coin toss chooses either the order of serve of the side; then the loser of the coin toss chooses the other.)

The four players put forward by the team Captain to play a match must not exceed the maximum aggregate rating for their Division:

• For DUPR 12 and 12 50+ Divisions, the team’s maximum aggregate DUPR rating my not exceed 12.300
• For DUPR 14 and 14 50+ Divisions, the team’s maximum aggregate DUPR rating may not exceed 14.300
• For DUPR 16 and 16 50+ Divisions, the team’s maximum aggregate DUPR rating may not exceed 16.300
• For DUPR 18 and 18 50+ Divisions, the team’s maximum aggregate DUPR rating may not exceed 18.300

Once a team signs up to participate in a division of the League, their current ratings are “locked” for the season and increases or decreases in their ratings will not impact the team’s aggregate rating or division placement for the season. Changes up or down must be re-evaluated prior to the next season and may impact the player’s eligibility for the same team and/or division for the following season.

Team uniforms are highly encouraged but not required. Tops of the same color inscribed with the team name are recommended as a minimum uniform.