Frequently Asked Questions
Who can play League?
Anyone who is a Tennis BC member. Some people are Tennis BC members through their local tennis
club membership, and some people have individual memberships. You don’t need to belong to a tennis
club. You need to pay the team dues and ensure your team is registered in the appropriate division
based on your skill levels.
Which courts do we have reserved at Henderson, Lambrick and Oaklands?
Henderson - Courts # 2 and 3 and Courts # 4 and 5
Oaklands (Kings Road) - all four courts are reserved
Lambrick - all four courts are reserved
These courts are first come, first served for league teams.
Can I add a player to the team at the last minute?
Yes, you can add a new player to your team at the last minute. Put their name on the scoresheet and on the scoring website and let us know by email (
sitlinfo@yahoo.ca) that you have a new player.
Are there spares available if we are short of players?
There are no spares, only players who are looking to join a team. We keep lists of interested players, so contact us at
sitlinfo@yahoo.ca if you need more players. Keep in mind that this new player becomes part of your team; so hopefully, they will get to play more than once.
What's the best way to tell the public to leave the courts?
Tell them nicely. If necessary, point to the 'reserved poster' and tell them the league is sanctioned by the municipality. Recommend the closest single court to them and encourage them to play league next year!! They do not have to leave before 6:00 pm.
What should we do if we arrive at the courts and they are unplayable due to construction, broken nets, etc?
There isn't much we can do as most other courts will be used for other league matches. If you cannot play your meet, it will be treated as a rainout and will not be rescheduled. Please let us know about the courts as soon as possible.
How and when do we decide to call a rainout?
No earlier than 4:00pm on game day. If the captains cannot agree, then both teams must show up.
Why can't we go indoors or reschedule our meets if it's raining?
There are not enough indoor courts for the whole league (remember you'd need two adjacent courts for 3 hours). Some teams may not be able to field enough players on another day. Also a basic principle of this league is to minimize the effort required by captains.
A couple of my opponents arrived late. Should I declare a default?
Use your judgement, but remember that everyone wants to play and maybe the delay was due to
circumstances beyond their control like a traffic accident. Be reasonable, and if you do declare a default,
see the rules on the entry form to determine scoring.
How do you play 'no-ad' scoring?
At deuce, the receiving team decides who will receive the next serve. That point ends the game.
Some people like to hit overheads at the person at the net. Is that good sportsmanship?
It's all part of the game. You might want to back up.
Can we bring in new players at half time?
New players can be substituted in at the switch-over, but at no other time. Give the new player(s) a 5 minute on-court warmup. This is convenient if some people aren't able to play all four sets due to busy schedules or conditioning.
What happens if my opponents want to quit due to darkness, but the set is almost finished and we are ahead?
Some people can't see very well as the daylight fades. Stop playing and if you think there is some gamesmanship involved, take note of the conditions and send details to league@sitennisleague.org within 24 hours and we will investigate. Gamesmanship is discouraged of course.
Is coaching from the sidelines permitted?
From Rule #30 in "Rules of the Court" by Tennis Canada:
"...where there is a team captain sitting on-court, the team captain may coach the player(s) during a set break and when the players change ends at the end of a game, but not when the players change ends after the first game in each set and not during a tie break game." No other person may coach the team.
How do I access the scoring web site?
TBD
How do I record a rained out, or partially rained out, meet?
Enter any completed sets as usual. Enter incomplete sets, even if all eight are incomplete. Use 'Rain Out' for players names and 0 - 0 for scores. This tells us that the scoring is up to date.
Why doesn't the league start later in the spring and continue into July?
The municipalities provide, at no cost, public courts for league play in April, May and June. In July and August, the municipalities use the courts for lessons and children's camps.
When the schedules were made up, did you schedule full rotations within the division, or did you try to maximize the number of matches during the season?
We scheduled as many games as possible, so you might play some teams one more time than other teams (not full rotations). This shouldn't affect the division standings too much since they are based on percentages, and not total games.
What if the home team doesn't enter the scores on the website?
Please send us an email (league@sitennisleague.org) and we'll get them entered.
What is the Miele Provincial Team Championships?
It is an annual event that Tennis BC organizes for winning league teams from around the province. Not all divisions are invited each year and the venue changes from year to year. It is usually held in August. Watch our website for more details.
Is the League associated with SITA?
The South Island Tennis League (SITL) is no longer associated with the South Island Tennis Association (SITA). The League is a separate organization under the Societies Act. As Captains and players, you should not notice any differences.