The EPC League

To assist you in determining whether to join the League and what to expect when doing so, the following summarizes how it will operate.

General Description 

The League is a select doubles competition, “select” meaning each team is comprised of the same two players who choose each other and agree to be partners throughout the season and in the post-season tournament. Any gender mix is permitted.

To participate in the League you must be a member or an associate member of the Club. The League is being administered by David Rockwell (League Commissioner in 2015 – 2023). David may be reached at dandninwa@comcast.net or (206) 963-4047. In his absence, please contact Jack McHenry at jackmch@comcast.net or (206) 832-9179.

Registration for the League requires the completion and submission of a combined registration form and liability waiver, together with the payment of a $20 registration fee per person. The form is accessible by opening this link Registration Form and on the EPC website. You may also register by printing out the PDF Registration Form.  The registration deadline is March 31st, 2023. The form directs how the fee is to be paid.

PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL BE COMMITTED TO COMPLETING ALL OF YOUR MATCHES AND PLAYING ALL OF YOUR GAMES IN THE POST-SEASON TOURNAMENT IF YOU ELECT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LEAGUE.

Location of Play

At this time it appears unlikely that our new courts at the 6th & Bell playfield will be completed by the time we begin play. We will be providing updates about that as those are received, and it is possible that during the season we will move the remaining matches to the playfield when it becomes available. Unless and until that occurs, matches are to be played at Hubbard Park near Northgate. However, regardless of whether the games are usually played at Northgate or at the playfield, you and your opponents may change the venue as you mutually agree.

The Club will endeavor to secure some times that Sierra Park can be accessed as an alternative playfield and will announce that to the players as that information becomes available. When playing there, please ensure you have an adequate amount of time to complete your match within the allotted time frames. Otherwise, you are to surrender the field to other users present and finish in a different location or on a later date.

Schedule of Play 

The League season will run from April 24th to June 2nd. A post-season tournament will be held on Saturday, June 10th . The schedule of play may be impacted by the number of players, but otherwise the structure of both the League and the post-season tournament will be similar to those of the past few years, with additional details announced during the season.

The schedule will be distributed before the season begins. Tuesdays through Thursdays will be preferred; other days may be added if the number of participants requires. If possible, you will be required to play one match against all of the others, but again, that will depend on the number involved.

Matches are to begin at 10:00 a.m. on the date stated in the schedule. As with the venue, both that time and the date may be changed with the agreement of the four players involved so long as the match is completed at least three days before the post-season tournament. Such changes in the dates of play should be reported to David as they occur, but they do not require any prior approval.

Penalties for Tardiness 

Players who arrive 15 minutes late for any scheduled or rescheduled match cede one game point to the other team, plus one point for each additional 5 minutes they remain tardy. The second game is to commence within 15 minutes after the conclusion of the first. If a team arrives for a match more than an hour later than its scheduled starting time (either as stated on the League schedule or agreed to by the participants) and has not informed the other that it cannot play that day it will be deemed to have forfeited unless the other agrees to play it. The same is true for not being available to proceed with the second game of a match within 15 minutes following the end of the first one.

Rescheduling

When a match cannot be played when scheduled, each team has an obligation to try to reschedule it. While technically that becomes optional for teams ready, willing and able to play but whose opponents have forfeited, the completion of all assigned matches is still both expected and strongly encouraged. Matches may also be played before April 24th when they are agreed by both teams to count as their League games and are played in accordance with the Club’s rules.

Use of Substitutes 

If a match cannot be played as scheduled and rescheduling is not reasonably possible, substitutes may be used by one team member when his or her partner is not present or able to play. To preserve a true round robin as much as possible, the use of substitutes is generally discouraged vs. rescheduling matches, and using substitutes for both players on the same team in the same game is not allowed. Substitutes must be members or associate members of the Club, but may not be a member of any other team in the League. David will provide each player with the names, telephone numbers and dates available of our members who have informed him of their willingness and availability to play as substitutes. You will be expected to make reasonable efforts to invite those members before turning to others.

Method of Play

Unless and until we have access to the courts at the playfield, all play this year will be “sauvage”—i.e., without courts defined by borders or string lines. You will be expected to share the Northgate and Sierra playfields with others. Since we currently have no formal Club times, this may include both those engaged in casual play as well as others in the League.

You and your teammate should select one of you to resolve issues with your opponents, including determining where the out-of-bounds begin. Under Article 9 of the FPUSA rules, that is 20 meters from the circle, and on the courts at Northgate, that may also be the adjoining grassy areas, fences, tree base wells, exceptionally muddy pits, the tops of drainage grates, the adjoining concrete or asphalt, and the like. Generally speaking, the conventions that have been adopted in our casual play at both Northgate and Sierra should be adhered to.

Scoring and Seeding 

All matches will consist of two games played to thirteen points each. One match point will be awarded the team winning each game, plus a third point will be earned by the team scoring the most points collectively over the two games. Where the cumulative number of game points is equal, each team will be awarded one point for each game and one-half of that match’s third point.

Seedings for the post-season tournament are based upon the League season’s final standings. Tiebreakers in those rankings involve the total number of points a team scores and has scored against it in its games over the season, so the players should be aware that every point won in each game can influence their initial rankings in the tournament.

No match points will be awarded for games not played. However, to avoid an unfair disadvantage, teams that complete at least a prescribed number of matches and that are prepared to play in a match or game that is forfeited by their opponents will have their final ranking determined by a method that considers the average match points earned in its other games. For 2023, the minimum number of matches to be completed for a team to remain in the rankings is ten unless the jury determines that a lesser number not less than eight will be adequate under particular facts and circumstances.

Reporting Scores and Standings 

Your team is responsible for accurately reporting the results of each of your matches to David within 48 hours after its conclusion. Please use email to facilitate the retention of a record of those reports, even when also made orally. That includes the points scored by each team in each match, when any match has been forfeited, and if and to when a match is rescheduled. If only one team reports, that submittal will be assumed accurate. Conflicting reports are to be resolved by the respective teams or, absent that, by the Commissioner or ultimately, the League’s jury.

David will periodically inform you of each team’s standing. At the conclusion of the season, medals will be awarded to the first, second and third place finishers, and those winning first place will also have their names inscribed on the Chris Guitton Cup.

Rules of Play 

The current FPUSA rules of play and the rules that have been adopted by the Club for multi-day tournaments will apply to the League, except we will not be strictly enforcing those that require the ensuing throw to occur within 60 seconds after the coin flip or the last boule thrown or measurement or that prohibit insignificant foot overlaps with the circle. The locations of thrown jacks and prefabricated circles are to be marked, but there will be no penalties imposed if they are not. Our rules supersede those of the FPUSA with respect to tardy players, absences during play, and the suspensions of matches. Coin flips are to be used to determine which team first throws the jack in each game.

League play will not be attended by umpires. If any measurements are disputed or cannot be definitively ascertained, you are to enlist the help of a disinterested person. That includes players on other teams, so everyone is asked to accommodate this when needed.

As the Commissioner, David will endeavor to resolve any questions and disagreements that arise during the season or post-season tournament. His decisions or matters he does not resolve may be appealed or referred to the League’s jury for final settlement. The jury is comprised of David, Jack McHenry, and Bill Laprade. Jack’s email address and phone number are stated above; Bill’s are wtl@shanwil.com and (206) 999-4811. At least one member of the jury is to be advised of any disputes it is to adjudicate within 48 hours of the conclusion of the match or event or the receipt of a decision to which it pertains. Any jury member who may be unduly advantaged or disadvantaged by the outcome of a dispute will of course be recused from the consideration of that matter. If that requires the removal of any two of the three jurors, the third will appoint a substitute for one or both of them.

Etiquette of Play 

You will be expected to be courteous to the other participants and to abide by the etiquette guidelines that have been adopted by the Club. This includes ensuring boules are not left where they are likely to be stepped on; when an opponent is in the circle, avoiding distractions, and either standing opposite or behind the jack or behind and at least two meters to the side of the throwing player; and helping to keep the games moving at a reasonable pace.

Assumption of Risks of Play 

As stated in the Club’s bylaws and the announcement of this year’s League, the waiver of liability that relates to the Club’s activities will apply to League play and all of the members who participate in or observe it and their respective family members, friends and guests. Members assume all risks of personal injury and property damage, including any risk of contracting any illness.

Additional Requests and Information 

The League has gone well throughout its history for a number of reasons, and among those was that every team played all of their matches and the players were very good about promptly reporting scores to David, which enabled him to issue weekly updates of the standings. We ask that you continue to make every effort possible to avoid any games being forfeited during the season or in the tournament and to email the regular season scores to him within a day or two of their conclusions.

Following the completion of the registration, this year’s schedule of play and the contact information for those wishing to be substitutes will be ascertained and sent to each participant. You will also be provided with a copy of or instructions about how to access the rules of play adopted by the FPUSA and the local rules and etiquette guidelines created for these types of competitions by our Club. Please read them. And feel free to call or email David if you have any questions about the registration process, the rules or this year’s schedule.

Good luck, and have fun! February, 2023