1. Play starts in mid-Sept and mid-January and usually lasts around 3-4 months depending on the number of teams and players.
2. You have to be able to play every Wednesday (you can re-schedule and make up a few matches if you’ll be away). It is a Wed night league and people schedule time and expect matches to be played that day.
3. You must be a Regina Squash Centre member, or you can use a punch pass for the first time in the league.
4. Every player must be a member of Sask Squash BEFORE signing up for the RSL – which costs only $5 each year. If you paid last league or played in a recent tournament – you’re good to go. To become a member go to http://www.sasksquash.com/. Anyone who signs up for the league and is NOT a member will be removed from the draft list and will not be allowed to play in the league.
5. League fee is $50 and is paid online when you sign up.
6. Consider sharing a spot with someone at the same level as you if you’re travelling, or can’t make some matches. With sharing a spot, you play half and the other players plays half – simple as that. Only thing is players sharing have to be almost equal in play level or have similar league results. If you’re sharing, when you signup have the second person’s email and you’re set to go.
7. This is a non-profit league run for the benefit of the members!
8. This league gratefully thanks Sask Lotteries for the generous grant support, derived from the proceeds of the sale of lottery tickets in Saskatchewan.
Sign up or join as a sub on the registration page.
The following is a brief explanation of the league rules and regulations. The RSL is a recreational league and we are all playing to get some exercise, hang out with others and have fun. Players should display good sportsmanship at all times and if there is a dispute about a point and a satisfactory agreement cannot be reached then simply replay the point. A match is never really lost because of one disputed call - there were at least 33 other points that your opponent won from you.
Scoring
Each game is played point-a-rally to 11 points.
You must win by 2 points (eg. 11-9 13-11). The first person to win 3 games wins the match.
You get a point for each game you win, a point if you win the match, and a point for playing (or being available) on or before the scheduled date. So the maximum points awarded each night per player is 5 (3 for games, 1 for the match and 1 for playing on Wed.)
Once you're done, make sure you go online and enter your scores on the League Engine website.
Court Time
Each match has a scheduled time on the website. You must be at the gym and ready to play at the designated time.
There will be a white board where you and your opponent will write down your name when you both arrive at squash courts.
The first available court will go to the first set of names on the white board. When a court becomes available please cross off your name on the white board and play your match.
Rescheduling
Every attempt should be made to play your weekly match on the night it is scheduled and at the scheduled time. This is Wednesday night league and a team event - it's important to come out and play on the scheduled night.
Please remember to be flexible when it comes to rescheduling a match. Everyone is busy and we all have many other commitments outside of squash - but things do come up at the last minute. If a match must be rescheduled, please ensure that it is played before the next league date. All matches must be completed by the final night of the regular season as this is when playoff positions will be decided. Players are responsible for entering scores of any matches not played on league nights by entering them online.
All playoff matches must be completed by the Wed they are scheduled for.
If you cannot play on Wednesday please contact your opponent to reschedule the game to another time or day. The preference is you play your game before the designated date and enter your scores online.
Substitutes
There is a sub list and subs are allowed during the regular season. But a sub must be at or below your level of play. So if you can beat the person or are about even - they can sub for you. This is to ensure fairness in the teams and levels.
Subs are not allowed during the playoffs - another player on your team will have to play up if a playoff match cannot be played by the Wed it is scheduled for.
Any replacements or sub arrangements must be made prior to the start of the playoffs - and must be with the knowledge and permission of the organizers. The goal is to make sure a ringer isn't inserted into the team to win a trophy and that playoffs are fair.
Sharing a Spot
Players may choose to share a single spot. Both players must be at the same skill level and should be competitive with one another - so results should be fairly even when both play one another.
Each player should attempt to play about half the matches through the season.
Players who share a spot will carry the total score and resulting finishing spot through to the next league. So if two players earned 25 points in total and finished 6th in their level, both will carry this result to the next league for the draft.
Saskatchewan Squash Membership
All league players are required to be members to Saskatchewan Squash. The cost is only $10 per year. The league receives substantial funding from Sask Squash and only receives funding for players who are members. Players who do not have a membership will be removed from the league.
Provincial Rankings
League results are entered in the provincial ranking system and form part of the players provincial score. League matches are weighted lower than tournaments in provincial rankings. Players who share a spot only receive ranking points for the matches they actually played.
No Shows
There is a 15 minute No Show rule in effect for all league matches including the playoffs. If your opponent is ready to play and you are more than 15 minutes late for the scheduled time and did not make confirmed plans to change your match then one of two things will occur: (1) a lower ranked player, if available, on your team will have to play the match for you. Players cannot play down a level; or (2) you will be charged a No Show. A No Show means the absent player will receive -2 (minus two) points for the match and their opponent will receive a 3 - 0 win and 4 points. This equals a net 6 point difference for you and your team. Needless to say - avoid No Shows!
A player that has 2 no shows in a single league will be removed, replaced immediately, and not allowed to join the following league. After sitting out one league, the person may again join. The organizers and league players will not tolerate people not showing up for scheduled matches, being late, or not contacting their opponent beforehand.
Conceding
All matches must be played for any points to be awarded. There is no provision for conceding a match to another player. If the match is not played, and effort was made on both sides to re-schedule, then both players will receive 0 game points for that week. The player that was prepared to play at the scheduled date and time will receive the "Wednesday Night" point.
Playoffs
Every team makes the playoffs and each team plays every night of the playoffs.
There are no subs (ie. new players or those from the sub list) allowed during playoffs. Another player on the same team can play up if someone is away or injured.
The top teams compete for the club trophy, while the bottom teams will play to avoid getting the Toilet Bowl Trophy.
Relegation
In order to balance the levels and accommodate the fact that players do improve we have a relegation system. The general rule is the top 2 players in each level move up a level in the next league. To allow for these additions the bottom 2 players in each level may have to play down a level in the next league. This rule applies to all players including the level 1 players. If you do not want to be asked to play down then do not finish at the bottom in your level. If you are playing in a level that you feel is too low for your abilities then all you have to do is finish in the top 2 and you will be asked if you want to move up.
However, based on who signs up and the results from last league, no one may move up or down or at times more than 2 players may move up or down a level.
Relegation is based on a number of factors in order of importance are: total score for the previous regular season; match results (ie. win/loss record), total score including the playoffs, and finally provincial rankings. The goal of the league and relegation is to have people play in a level where they win about half their matches.
The other major factor in relegation is accommodating new or returning players.
Organizers will do their best to place new players at their anticipated level of play. Current league players get priority over new or returning players. Most often a new or returning player will start one level below where they or the organizers think they should be. Previous league results or a combination of provincial and previous league results may be used to place a new or returning players.
Obviously, some players will not be too pleased to move down and others may not wish to move up as they are happy where they are. The organizers will do their best to accommodate each player's wishes, but there is no guarantee you will not be relegated to a lower division. You are welcome to refuse to move up. If you are asked to move down and refuse to do so you are welcome not to play in the league or be placed on the sub list. The other option is to share a spot.
In extraordinary circumstances there may be exceptions made to this rule, such as an injury resulting in an unusually low finish, or a new player who plays at a very high level. The organizers will have the final say in assigning what level you play in.
The transition between levels is not as great as many believe. The bottom players in each division are fairly equal in ability to the top players in the level below it. Yes, this includes levels 1 & 2. Over time the level of play has greatly improved in all levels as well. It is not an insult to be asked to move down. The idea of the league is to provide everyone with competitive matches. No one wants to lose all their matches by a wide margin and neither does anyone want a cake-walk each night. Relegation helps us balance each level so that every player can have an enjoyable league experience.
Eye Guards
Squash Canada approved eye guards are mandatory for all players in the junior program or training for the Canada Games Team regardless of age. All players under the age of 18 must wear eye guards whether they are in a junior program or not. Failure to do so will result in that player defaulting their match.
If your eye guards come off during play the rally must stop immediately and the player who lost their eye guards loses the point.
All other players are strongly encouraged to wear eye guards while on the court. This is especially important for our novice players. Most head and eye injuries in squash occur by being struck with your opponent's racquet - not from the ball. Loss of vision is a real risk in these types of injuries. Squash related eye injuries are 100% preventable by simply wearing Squash Canada approved eye guards. Sporting good stores sell many different models and the league often buys and provides glasses for players to try and buy at or below cost.
Get some, wear them & and save your sight!
A: The RSL is a recreational and social squash league that runs every Wed night at Regina Squash Centre in Regina. Regina Squash Centre has three regulation squash courts. The league allows players who barely know which end of the racquet to hold a chance to be on a team, see some good quality squash, get some free coaching and advice from teammates, and meet a bunch of other players at the same level. Two leagues are run each year from September to December and from January to April. Anywhere from 60-90 players are "drafted" to teams consisting of up to 8 levels of varying levels of play from juniors and novices to some of the top players in the province. Teams play a weekly round robin, followed by 3 weeks of playoffs, so everyone plays all other players at the same level each league. Players move from one level to another based on results from the previous league. New players are placed in a level based on rankings or an assessment. It is possible to share one spot between two players who are at the same level of play with each player playing half the league matches.
A: Each player is scheduled to play one match each Wednesday evening for the duration of the league. A scheduled time is given for each week's match and start times are between 5:30-8:30pm. After more than 10 years of adjustments, the scheduled match time is usually with a half hour of the scheduled time so there's not too much waiting around, although a few nights each league there are wait times of up to an hour for a court.
A: Cost per player per league is $20. There is also an annual cost of $5 to join Saskatchewan Squash Inc. Fees pay for food and drinks each Wednesday and prizes.
A: The league has run since the 1980's on Wed nights and players schedule time to be at the gym on Wed evenings, so the preference is to play on Wed whenever possible. We also encourage people to hang around and grab some food and a beverage and meet other players. If it's necessary to re-schedule a match or two, that's all right ? but only a few per league. We also have a list of active subs who can play if you can't make it. If you don't show up for a match and don't let your opponent know, you'll be charged with a no show and your team gets a penalty. Two no shows and you get the boot for the current league and can't sign up for the next league. So, 2 No shows = The RSL Boot!
A: Regina Squash Centre sets aside all courts for every Wed for the league and there is no charge for this and it is a benefit of being a Regina Squash Centre. The agreement we have with Regina Squash Centre is all league players will be members. You can, however, try it out with a drop-in punch card for one league, but then have to join if you stay on.
A: The RSL receives some Membership Assistance funding from Sask Sport, which is used primarily for prizes. Sask Squash Inc. supplies balls, which are sold at a slight profit. Finally we have generous corporate sponsors who pay to get a rotating ad on the league website homepage. Money from sponsors goes to food, drinks, and prizes.