Waterside
Badminton
League
Millennium
Constitution
Issued June 2000
Revised June 2002
Revised September 2003
Revised September 2005
Page 1
Waterside Badminton
League Millennium Constitution
Contents
Page No.
A
League Name
3
1
League Name
B
Registration – Club / Team
3 -
4
1
Club / Team Entry Conditions
2
Players Registration
3
Transfers
C
League Structure
4 - 5
1
Divisions
2
Promotion & Relegation
3
Trophies
4
Club Exit Procedures
D
Clubs with more than one Team in the League
5
1
Players
2
Fixture Arranging
3
Registration
4
Players Playing for a Stronger Team
E
Matches – Fixtures arranging (after Fixtures Meeting)
6
1
Match Confirmation
2
Uncompleted Matches
F
Matches – Playing on night rules
6
– 7
1
Sporting & Fair Play
2
Match Format
3
Match Result Card (MRC)
G
Management of the League
7 –
8
1
Purpose of the Committee
2
Committee Structure
3
Terms of Office
4
Committee Meetings
H
General Meetings
8 -
9
1
General Rules
2
Rule Changing Procedures
3
AGM
4
EGM
5
Fixtures Meeting
I
Additional rules for Fours League
10
1
General Rules / Aims of the League
2
Registration
3
Matches – Fixture Arranging
4
Match – Playing Rules
Page 2
Waterside Badminton
League
Millennium
Constitution
A League
Name
1
League Name
1.0 The
League shall be known as “The Waterside Badminton League”
(WBL).
B
Registration – Club / Team
1
Club / Team Entry Conditions
2
Players Registration
3
Transfers
1
Club / Team Entry Conditions
1.0 Any clubs
applying for membership should play in the Waterside League Region (WLR). The WLR shall be defined by an area
from Calshot Castle (grid reference 489025), along the west shoreline of
Southampton Water to the Redbridge Causeway, then following the Test River to
its intersection with the M27, follow the M27 Westbound to the end of the
motorway (grid reference 287134), then due South to the coast at Milford on
Sea, then Eastwards back along the coastline to Calshot Castle. Exceptions can be made at the
discretion of the Committee.
1.1 Any
existing league teams who move their playing venue outside the WLR must seek prior Committee
approval if they wish to continue playing in the WBL.
1.2 The
Committee reserves the right to expel a team, if the said team continually
breaks
constitutional rules or the Committee feel that the club is having a
detrimental effect upon the
league.
2
Players Registration
2.0 After the
fixtures meeting the Match Secretary must receive from clubs the following:-
Registration Forms
Registration Fees
They should arrive before that club’s first match or 7th
October whichever is
the earliest.
Page 3
2.1 Any club
wishing to register a player after the registration meeting must contact the
Match Secretary
and:-
Give the players name by e-mail or telephone before their first match
AND
THEN send any additional registration form and fees (District, County
& BA
of E) within 7 days of that player’s first match.
2.2 Any
“rubbers” played by a new player who has not been registered and/or has not
paid their league fees
within 7 days after their first match will be null and void, and
the said “rubbers” awarded to the opposition.
2.3 If any
team that has not paid their registration fee within 7 days of their first
match, then those games may be conceded
and the match points awarded to the opposition.
3
Transfers
3.0 Players
may not be transferred from one club to another during the season, once they
have played a match for that club, except in exceptional circumstances. Any transfers must first be approved
by the Committee.
C League
Structure
1
Divisions
2
Promotion & Relegation
3
Re-Organisation
4
Trophies
5
Club Exit Procedure
1
Divisions
1.0 Divisions
will consist of at least 6 but no more than 8 teams, whenever mathematically
possible.
1.1 All new
teams shall be placed in the lowest division.
2
Promotion & Relegation
2.0 In normal
circumstances the top 2 teams will be promoted in each
division.
2.1 In normal
circumstances the bottom 2 teams will be relegated in each
division.
2.2 In the
event of teams being level on points at the end of the season, their positions
shall be decided on the
number of “rubbers” won, then if still level by the number of
games won in matches played during the season.
Page 4
3
Re-Organisation
3.0 In the
event of re-organisation being required, the divisions shall be listed in
merit order e.g. the bottom
team in division 1 being placed immediately above the top
team in division 2, and so on throughout the league. Relegation and promotion shall
occur before any re-organisation.
4
Trophies
4.0 Clubs who
possess League trophies must return them to the Committee by 31st
March.
5
Club Exit Procedures
5.0 Clubs
must notify the Match Secretary when withdrawing a team.
5.1 All
results involving that team shall be deleted from the league
table.
5.2 Any team
that withdraws from the league, then later wishes to rejoin for the following season must write to the Match
Secretary and await Committee approval.
D Clubs
with more than one Team in the League
1
Fixture Arranging
2
Registration
3
Players Playing for Stronger Team
1
Fixture Arranging
1.0 If clubs
have more than one team in a division then they must play both home and away fixtures before 1st
January.
2
Registration
2.0 Clubs
with more than 1 team in the league must nominate players for their higher
teams.
2.1
Registered players cannot play for a lower team.
3
Playing for a Stronger Team
3.0 Players
may only play 2 matches for any of their higher team(s).
3.1 If a
player plays up on a 3rd occasion, then that player will be
automatically registered to play for the higher team.
Page 5
E Matches –
Fixtures Arranging (after Fixtures Meeting)
NOTE:
teams arrange their seasons matches at the fixtures meeting – see
H5
1
Match Confirmation
2
Uncompleted Matches
1
Match Confirmation
1.0 The home
team is to confirm the match with their opponents at least 4, but no more
than 10 days before the agreed date of
the match.
2
Uncompleted Matches
2.0 Matches
once arranged shall stand unless a team can show good cause for cancellation, but it must
be with mutual consent.
2.1 In the
event that a match cannot be played before 30th April (even at a
neutral venue)
or the match has not been completed then both sides must write to the
Match Secretary giving their
reasons why the match cannot be played.
These letters will then be
referred to a Committee meeting where a settlement will be
reached.
F Matches –
Playing on the Night Rules
1
Sporting & Fair Play
Page 6
2
Match Format
3
Match Result Card (MRC)
1
Sporting & Fair Play
1.0 All
players must observe the Laws of Badminton.
1.1 All
players should encourage a friendly attitude to League
Badminton.
1.2 It is the
responsibility of any Captain to inform the opposing Captain that a player
will be late at least a day
before a match starts. Generally
speaking with 1 late
Team member the latest time to be ready to play the first “rubber”
is:
Mixed League – 2 hours before a Match is due to
end.
Men’s & Ladies League – 2 hours before a Match is due to
end.
2
Match Format
2.0 Shuttles
used for matches shall be cork based with nylon or feathered skirt and their
speed should be selected on the basis of the test defined in the BA of
E Handbook.
2.1 Teams
shall be made up of 6 players (3 ladies & 3 men), playing a total of 9
“rubbers” (3 mixed, 3 ladies & 3 men’s
doubles).
2.2 Each
“rubber” shall be the best of 3 games, each to the score of 15 unless the
“setting” law is invoked..
2.3 For
scoring 1 point is given per “rubber”.
3
Match Result Card (MRC)
3.0 It is the
responsibility of both Captains to
fully complete the MRC and send them to
the Match Secretary within 7 days of the match.
3.1 All pairs
must be played in strength order i.e. the strongest pair 1st, the 2nd strongest pair 2nd and so
on.
3.2 If you
know that you team will start the match with less than 9 players OR any
unregistered player(s) then you must concede the lowest
pairings.
3.3 If a
player does not arrive within the prescribed last start time (Rule 1.2) then
their “rubbers” shall be
forfeited to the opposition (15-0, 15-0) and a note must be made on the MRC to this
effect.
G
Management of the League
1
Purpose of the Committee
Page 7
2
Committee Structure
3
Terms of Office
4
Committee Meetings
1
Purpose of the Committee
1.0 It is the
Committee’s aim in the WLR to
Administer the League
Promote Badminton
Settle any disputes or problems that may arise
1.1 Disputes,
interpretation of the rules or other problems connected to the playing of
matches within the
league shall be dealt with directly by the Match Secretary. If the involved
parties are unhappy with a decision and wish to take the matter further, or if
the Match Secretary
wishes to take council, then the matter shall be referred to the
Committee for consideration and their decision shall be
final.
2
Committee Structure
The league shall be managed by a Committee (elected at the AGM) which
will
comprise of:
Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Match Secretary
Vice Match Secretary
Tournament Secretary
Web Page Designer
2.1 No Club
may have more than 3 representatives on the Committee.
2.2 The
Committee is empowered to co-opt persons as non voting members of the
Committee.
3
Terms of Office
3.0 All posts
will be elected every 3 years. A
3 year cycle list will be held and
maintained by the League Secretary.
3.1 Once
elected that position is closed to anyone, unless the said Officer stands down
or
the post is up for re – election.
4
Committee Meetings
4.0 Committee
meeting dates will be set after the AGM for the following
season.
4.1 The
quorum for the full Committee meetings shall be Chairperson, or Vice Chairperson, plus 3 other
Committee members.
H General
Meetings
1
General Rules
Page 8
2
Rule Changing Procedures
3
AGM
4
EGM
5
Fixtures Meeting
1
General Rules
1.0 If the
quorum for any meeting (excluding fixtures meeting) is less than 33% of the
number of teams in the league
then no meeting shall take place.
1.1 A notice
shall be sent to all clubs 14 days before any meeting
commences.
2
Rule Changing Procedures
2.0 The
Committee must receive any proposed changes to the constitution before 31st
June.
2.1 Proposed
changes to the constitution will be set out in the notice convening any AGM or
EGM.
2.2 Any
proposed amendment to the constitution can be altered by the members present
at the AGM unless the new proposed amendment significantly alters the
meaning of
the original proposed amendment.
2.3 Each club
shall have voting strength at AGM or EGM as follows:-
Up to 15 registered players 1
vote
16 – 23 registered players 2
votes
24 – 31 registered players 3
votes
32 – 39 registered players 4
votes
40 or more registered players 5 votes
Registered players will be deemed to be the number of players
registered with the
Match Secretary for that club as at 31st October in the
relevant season.
2.4 Current
WBL Committee members cannot vote on behalf of their registered club (but
see 2.5 for exception).
2.5 Proposed
changes must be approved by the majority of those present at any
meeting.
2.6 In the
event of a tied vote, the Chairperson has the casting
vote.
3
AGM
3.0 The AGM
shall be held in the first two weeks of September.
3.1 WBL
registration fees shall be determined by the Committee and announced at the
AGM.
4
EGM
4.0 An EGM
shall be convened at the discretion of the Committee or on the written
application of at least four clubs.
4.1 The only
discussion topic will be the one that was set out in the notice convening the
meeting.
5
Fixture Meeting
5.0 The
fixtures meeting shall be held at the end of the AGM.
5.1 All teams
in each division shall play each other twice (once home and once
away).
5.2 All
matches shall be completed by 30th April.
5.3 Any teams
that wish to play matches out of season must seek prior approval from the
Committee.
Page 9
I
Additional Rules for Four Leagues
1
General Rules / Aims of the League
2
Registration
3
Matches – Fixture Arranging
4
Matches – Playing Rules
1
General Rules / Aims of the League
1.0 The
League shall be known as “Men’s Fours” or “Ladies’
Fours”.
2
Registration
2.0 Clubs
entering must submit a list of names in order of strength before their first
fixture.
3
Matches – Fixture Arranging
3.0 The
Fixtures are to be arranged at the fixtures meeting.
3.1 You may
commence your season as soon as your players have been
registered.
4
Matches – Playing Rules
4.0 Each team
shall consist of four Men OR four Ladies.
4.1
Matches shall comprise of 6
“rubbers”, each “rubber” shall be the best of three games.
4.2
Each team are to play their
players in order of strength ( i.e. strongest players at number
1).
The general rules concerning fixtures, playing up …
also apply here with reference to the relevant sections above.
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