Bishop's Stortford Squash Club

Rules for the Use of Squash Courts

The following rules are in place to ensure that all members have an equal and fair opportunity to play squash or racketball at their chosen time to do so. If you would like to know the Official Rules Of The Game, click here.

Bishops Stortford Squash Club operates a “first come first serve” basis for the use of Squash Courts. 

• Upon arrival write your name on the ‘signing in’ board situated in the lounge upstairs on the wall beside Court 2.
 
• Members are only able to take the next available court once both players are in the club and have written their names on the ‘signing in’ board (preferably changed and ready to play). Players must take the next available court and not wait for a court of their preference!
 
• Use all coins except 5p and bronze in the meters to provide light for your court. (The meters are situated downstairs opposite the water fountain in the entrance hall).

£1=7minutes approx.                   20p = 1.3 minutes approx. 

• Acceptable length of court use is 45-55 minutes.
 
• If you are playing a ‘friendly’ match and there are members waiting to use the court, please vacate the court once your time is up.
 
• If you are playing an internal league match or tournament match, members are entitled to put more money in the meter to finish their match, up to a maximum of £2.
 
• Members are entitled to put additional money in the light meter provided no one else is waiting to use the court.
 
• Individual (solo) training is permitted on court. This should however be done on non glass back courts, during off peak times where possible and should not take place when there are other members waiting to play matches (whether they are friendly matches, league matches etc). Common sense should prevail!
 

Internal Club Leagues 

Bishop's Stortford Squash Club operates Internal Squash and Racketball Leagues (or ladders) in which all members are entitled to play. 

• The leagues are played in monthly cycles during the Winter season (1^st October – 31^st March) and 6 weekly cycles during the Summer season.
 
• The Leagues are posted above the ‘signing-in’ board in the upstairs lounge and on the Club Website; www.stortfordsquash.co.uk
 
• To enter the leagues, add your name on the sheet provided above the ‘signing in’ board, writing your preferred position to give the Club Manager an indication of where you should be placed. Your name will then be added into the following league cycle or whenever a space becomes available.
 
• Play as many games as possible during each league cycle.
 
• If for whatever reason you are unable to play (e.g. due to injury or other reasons), please indicate this on the league sheets or inform the Club Manager to say whether you wish to be included the following month.
 
• Anyone who fails to play any of their league games without giving a reason may be excluded from the leagues the following month.
 
• During the Winter season the League Cup will run. This competition is for members playing in the squash leagues. The winner will be the player who accrues the most points from all their league matches. (In the event of a tie, the player who has conceded the least amount of games will be the winner).
 
• All squash and racketball matches are to be played Point-A-Rally (PAR) scoring to 15 points, best of 5 games. If a game gets to 14-14, then the winner must win by 2 clear points.
 
• All matches will be played under The Rules of the Game implemented by England Squash & Racketball.
 
• Point allocations for league games are as follows:
 

Win 3-0          5-1                  Walkover      3-0 

Win 3-1          5-2

Win 3-2          5-3 

(Walkovers can be awarded for no-shows or non-acceptance of reasonable choice of dates within the current league time period but if possible should be claimed by agreement between both players. Common sense should prevail but in any dispute, the Manager’s decision is final) 

• Games scores should be written on the paper leagues displayed at the club and also added to the ‘online’ leagues accessible from the Clubs own website.
 

General 

• Suitable squash attire should be worn on court at all times.
 
• Non-marking shoes MUST be worn at all times on court. (Non-compliant players will be asked to leave the court immediately and charged with the cost of any damage caused.)
 
• It is strongly recommended that all players (especially Junior members under the age of 19) wear England Squash approved safety glasses when they are on court.

(Squash shoes and Safety glasses are available from the club shop). 

• Doubles Squash and Racketball is permitted, however it is a rule of the game that suitable eye protection MUST be worn at all times.
 

Bishop’s Stortford Squash Club will accept NO LIABILITY should any member and/or their guests ignore the rules and suffer injury through not wearing suitable eye protection.

 Junior Morning 

• Between 10:00am and 12:15pm every Saturday, during school term time, 5 courts are reserved for Junior Morning coaching,
. 
• Between 12:15pm and 2:15pm 2 courts are reserved for Elite Junior Coaching.

Team Matches 

• Bishop’s Stortford Squash Club has a number of teams representing the club in both the Hertfordshire and Essex divisions. Matches usually start at 7.30pm weekdays and generally, Courts 1 and 2 are RESERVED for such matches. (This is subject to change at short notice.) Please contact the Club Captain or the Club Manager if you would like to be considered for team selection.

Club Night 

• Club Night begins at 6.45pm every Wednesday and Sunday and finishes at 9pm. 5 courts are reserved for Club Night during this time. Members however may play league or friendly matches on court 5.
 
• Any arranged matches already in progress MUST terminate by 7pm on Club Nights. Players must vacate the courts immediately if requested by the Club Manager or Committee members, to allow Club Night play.
 
• Club Night is for all members of all standards who wish to play socially.
 
• To play, add your name onto the ‘signing on’ board and pair off accordingly once a court becomes available.
 
• Playing time is limited to £1.20 per person per match.
 
• On completion of their match players may sign up again on the board, winner first, spacing names by one space if necessary to avoid drawing the same opponent.
 
• Normal club play will resume after 9pm or once Club Night demand has abated and courts become free, whichever is the sooner.
 
• Club Night players will always have precedence in cases of contended court use.
 
• Experiments with the general format of the evenings (including occasional tournaments) may be introduced at the discretion of the Club Manager as a means of improving the evening.
 
• Please address any suggestions/problems on the operation of Club Night to the Club Manager.

Visitors/Guests 

• Visitors/guests are welcome to play up to 3 times (at the Manager’s discretion) at the Club in any subscription year on payment of the appropriate fee.
 
• After 3 visits the visitor/guest will be requested to join the Club and pay the appropriate subscription.
 
• A visitor/guest fee is £3, to be paid at the bar or in the black box situated on the wall next to the bar door.

Coaching 

• Generally, court 3 will be used for coaching/training. Full coaching guidelines are set out in the coaching policy document on display at the Club.
 
• Only Stortford Squash ‘authorized’ coaches may use a light meter key for coaching.
 
• Coaches must have a minimum of an England Squash & Racketball Level 2 qualification in order to coach unsupervised.

Events and Tournaments 

• The Club has a growing reputation for organising and running excellent squash and racketball events for players of all ages and abilities. When these events occur members will be notified well in advance.

Feedback 

• The Club is always looking to improve; any suggestions or concerns should be brought to the attention of the Club Manager.
 
• In the event of a dispute or issue, the Manager’s decision is final.

Andrew Mulvey

(Club Manager)

June 2011