Subchapter C: ATHLETICS (1300)

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Section 1300: TENNIS PLAN

(a) ATHLETIC PURPOSES, CODES, PLAN APPLICABLE.

Rules in Sections 1200-1209 also apply to the Tennis Plan.

(b) DIVISIONS.

(1) Boys’, Girls’ Divisions. There shall be the following divisions in the respective conferences:

(A) high school boys, singles and doubles;
(B) high school girls, singles and doubles; and
(C) mixed doubles.

(2) Entries. At the district meet, each school may enter two boys’ singles and two girls’ singles, two boys’ doubles and two girls’ doubles, and two mixed doubles teams.

(3) Girls’, Boys’ Team Restrictions. No girls’ team shall compete against boys’ teams and vice versa.

(c) PARTICIPATION LIMITATIONS.

In contests which count on UIL standing, an individual shall not be allowed to compete in both singles and doubles or mixed doubles, or in both doubles and mixed doubles.

(d) CHAMPIONSHIP STRUCTURE.

(1) Closing District Entries. No entries shall be allowed for district meets which are not submitted to the director on or before the fifth day before the first day of the meet unless other arrangements have been previously authorized by the District Executive Committee. Districts may authorize a meeting after the entry deadline to allow for substitutions.

(2) Regional Contests. The winners of first and second places in district contests, singles and doubles, boys and girls, and mixed doubles are eligible to enter the regional contests. The UIL staff will provide tournament seeding recommendations.

(3) State Contests. The first and second place contestants in the regional tournaments in all conferences qualify to enter the state tournament.

(4) Number of Matches and Sets.

(A) Determining the Winners. In all matches, the best two-out-of-three sets shall determine the winners.

(B) Limit on Matches. No contestant or team shall play more than three matches per day. Note: Under the team tennis plan, different restrictions exist. There shall be a minimum of one hour’s rest for a team or player between the close of one match and the beginning of another. This rule shall apply only to district, regional and state competition.

(5) Substitutions.

(A) District. In district meets, the District Executive Committee shall set entry deadlines. The District Executive Committee may set guidelines on substitutions prior to the start of the tournament.

(B) Regional and State. In regional and state meets, no substitutions in singles will be allowed. A substitution for tennis doubles and mixed doubles will be permitted prior to the start of the tournament if a player is injured, ill or academically ineligible.

(C) Limit on Substitution. After a tournament has begun, no substitution will be allowed.

(e) INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENTS.

(1) Number of Tournaments. No student representing a member school shall participate in more than eight tournaments (total for tennis and team tennis combined) during the school year, excluding one district tennis tournament, the regional tournaments and the state tournament. (Note: The team tennis district tournament counts as one of the eight allowable tournaments if school time is lost.) Each tournament a school team enters counts as one tournament for each participating individual. Students are considered to be representing their school if they are wearing and/or using school equipment or being directed or transported by a school employee.

(2) Exceptions:

(A) Triangular matches, which are limited to three or fewer schools, do not count as a tournament for participants, provided there is no loss of school time.

(B) If no more than four teams meet to play predetermined opponent(s), it shall not be counted as one of the eight tournaments allowed the individual if no school time is lost and if no tournament draw is set to determine a champion.

(3) School Week Limitation. No student representing a member school shall participate in more than one contest (tournament, dual or triangular match) per school week (the first instructional day of the week through the last school day). Schools shall not enter invitational tennis tournaments scheduled on more than one school day per any one tournament.

Exceptions: The regional and state tournaments, and district varsity tournaments postponed by weather or public disaster, may also be scheduled during the school week.

(4) End of Season. Students and teams shall not represent a member school in any tennis tournament after the date of the state tennis tournament.

(f) WEATHER CANCELLATION OR CONTINUATION.

A tournament postponed or canceled by weather is considered a tournament when all semi-final matches have been completed. The remaining matches may be played at a later date (preferably Monday or Tuesday of the next week) without its counting as another tournament, provided there is no loss of school time. When all semi-final matches have not been completed, the tournament director has three options:

(1) The tournament may be canceled and not count as a tournament for the individuals or the school.

(2) The tournament may be continued, provided there is no additional loss of school time.

(3) The tournament may be continued with loss of school time and shall count as two tournaments.

(g) PRACTICE REGULATIONS OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL YEAR.

Any tennis practice conducted by a school outside the school year shall be in accordance with the following regulations:

(1) Student-athletes shall not engage in more than three hours of practice activities on those days during which one practice is conducted. 

(2) Student-athletes shall not engage in more than five hours of practice activities on those days during which more than one practice is conducted.

(3) The maximum length of any single practice session shall be three hours.

(4) On days when more than one practice is conducted, there shall be, at a minimum, two hours of rest/recovery time between the end of one practice and the beginning of the next practice.

(5) Schools shall not schedule more than one practice on consecutive days, and student-athletes shall not participate in multiple practices on consecutive days.