Info for Americas Masters Games Squash Players

Squash BC and Squash Republic are pleased to present a players information brochure for those attending the Americas Masters Games in Vancouver in 2016. All players must be over 30 but every skill level is welcome and you will be scheduled three (3) matches. There are also opportunities to play team events.

DOWNLOAD the Americas Masters Games 2016 Squash Info or scroll down to read the information you’re looking for.

(For those that don’t know, the fellow on the cover of the brochure is BC’s own Gerry Poulton who is one of BC’s most successful Masters and a hell of a nice guy! Thank you to Jay Prince of Squash Magazine for the awesome photo!)

Americas Masters Games: Squash Information & Technical Policies

Squash will be one of 27 sports played during the Americas Masters Games, Vancouver 2016. Information on other sports and social activities during the games click the following, Americas Masters Games. The following information and policies is for the use of Squash Athletes wishing to know more information about how the sport of Squash will be organized as of January 2016. Changes to the information and policies may happen as circumstances dictate, it is the responsibility of participants to check the AMG website for updates.

Squash Age Categories for Men’s & Women’s Singles Open & Mixed Open Hardball Doubles:
•   Men’s and Women’s Open Singles 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+ 75+
•   Mixed Open Hardball Doubles 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+ 75+
•   Men’s and Women’s Open Singles players must enter their age category or may enter a lower age category.
•   Mixed Open Hardball Doubles teams must enter the age category of the youngest member of the team or may enter a lower age category

Squash Singles Open Team Event Age Categories & Team Composition

The Singles Team event will be organized as follows:
• Teams shall have three (3) players. One (1) player must be of the opposite gender. Teams must play in order of playing strength.
• There shall be two (2) divisions of teams, a 30 and over and a 50 and over.
• If there are insufficient teams in a division (minimum 4,) the divisions will be combined.
• Teams must be submitted to Kevin Kydd at kkydd@squashbc.com no later than August 15th, 2016.
• Teams should “try” to be made of players from the same region. Canada and the USA will be divided up by Province/States. All other participants may use their country from which to choose players.
• If there are no other players from your region you may play with the next closest region that needs a team mate.
• If Participants do not know of any other participants from their region in the AMG and wish to play in the team event, please let Kevin Kydd know and we will endeavour to make a team from your region or place you on a team.
• Participants on the team must be entered with the America Masters Games in Singles or Mixed Doubles.

Schedule of Events

July 29, 2016
• Registration closes

August 10, 2016
• Singles and Mixed Doubles draws published on the AMG web page, participants are responsible to check their times.
• Appeals may be sent to Kevin Kydd. Appeals must be accompanied by proof of ranking or match wins that can be verified by the seeding committee.

August 15, 2016
• Appeal deadline, August 15, 2016, 23:00 hrs Pacific Standard Time

August 24, 2016
• Accreditation for the AMG opens at Canada Place, (time TBA)

August 26, 2016
• Opening ceremonies at Olympic Plaza
• Practice 09:00 hrs. (9am) to 16:00 hrs. (4pm). Courts must be booked minimum four (4) days in advance by contacting Kevin Kydd

August 27, 2016
• Singles individual squash event starts

August 30, 2016
•   Singles individual squash event ends
•   Medals awarded to Gold, Silver and Bronze
•   Squash social, details TBA

August 31, 2016
• Mixed Hardball Doubles squash event starts
• The Singles Team event Starts

September 3, 2016
•   Mixed Hardball Doubles event ends
•   Singles Team event ends
•   Medals awarded to Gold, Silver and Bronze

September 4, 2016
• AMG Closing Ceremonies

Note: Events may start later or end earlier depending on the number of participants. All regulation conditions concerning categories, venues, the running of the competition and technical aspects are applied on a provisional basis and are subject to change when and how the organizing committee sees appropriate, up until the beginning of the competition.

Squash Registration & Rules

•   All participants must play in their age category or a younger category in each event A player is eligible to play in the AMG if he/she has reached the specified age by the notified formal start date of the event.
•   Each participant may register in one age category per event but may register in multiple events or even two different sports. (For example, may play singles squash and mixed doubles or even baseball.) However if multiple events/sports are played at the same time the squash committee cannot be responsible for conflicting schedules for the multi event/sport participants.
•   Draws of 8 participants and over will be standard draw format with consolation and plate. Draws of under 8 in Singles and Mixed Doubles will be Round Robins.
•   Draws of equal playing strength may be combined if insufficient numbers register in an age group. Minimum number per age group is 4.
•   If draws are combined, medals will be awarded to each age group based on their results in the draw they played in.
•   Participants will be “scheduled” for a minimum 3 matches.
•   The official ball will be the Dunlop Double Yellow Dot for Singles play and the Dunlop Hard Ball for Mixed Doubles
•   Safety eye guards are MANDATORY for Hardball Mixed Doubles and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for the Singles Events. For a list of certified eye guards visit: www.squash.ca/en/policies-and-procedures
•   Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club and the Jericho Tennis Club are “All White Playing Clothing” clubs. Please bring white shirts, shorts, skirts and socks. Shoes may be coloured.
•   Each player must bring their own equipment, racquets, clothing, shoes, eye goggles, etc.

Squash Rules, Officiating, Fair Play & Discipline

•   All of the competitions matches will follow the rules as outlined by the World Squash Federation: www.worldsquash.org/ws/rules/rules-of-squash-2
•   Certified officials will be provided for the semifinals and finals of the main draws. All other matches will be refereed by BOTH PLAYERS of the previous match.
•   The organizing committee will make decisions concerning any complaints, appeals or breaches of discipline during the competition. Decisions by the committee are final.
•   Highly disruptive behaviour may be reported to the offending participants Provincial/State/National Organization.

Squash Award Ceremonies

• The official awards ceremonies for each category and each event will take place on the evening at the end of the event. These may be at the Squash Social Event or at Jack Poole Plaza, TBA.
• Gold, Silver & Bronze medals will be awarded for each age category where there are participants entered in the category. Where categories are combined, medals will be awarded separately based on results within the draw.

Squash Competition Formats & Regulations

The Squash portion of the Americas Masters Games, Vancouver 2016 will be organized using the following formats, regulations and policies. These have been adapted from the WSF World Championships Regulations by keeping the spirit of the Americas Masters Games in mind.

RANKING PLAYERS
• The committee will communicate with players before the draw making in order to assess player’s abilities. Players will be asked to provide the committee with;
> An online ranking list which has the player’s current and active ranking.
> If a participant is not on a ranking list then results from National or International events may be used. These results must be verifiable.
• If no ranking or results are received then players will be randomly placed.

SEEDING OF DRAWS
•   The random draw method shall be used to compile draws with the format and the placement of seeds being decided by the AMG Squash Committee.
•   In draws of 8 to 16 players there shall be no less than 4 players seeded.
•   In draws of more than 16, a minimum of 25% of the players shall be seeded.
•   Where it is necessary to have byes in the draw, seeded players will be allocated them in descending ranking order, with byes being allocated down the draw in the case of seeding groups.
•   The Organizing Committee reserves the right to add more seeds if players are close in playing ability.
•   Optimum separation of players of the same nationality/region to be used, e.g. drawn in different halves of the draw and, if more than two competitors from the same nation, different quarters. Where players are drawn into the same section of a draw they shall be kept apart as far as possible.

Squash Competition Formats & Regulations

DRAWS
8 or more entrants:
• If there are 8 or more entrants in any category, a regular draw will be established. There will be a feed-in consolation event for first and second round losers, and a plate event for first round consolation losers.
• Gold and Silver medals will be awarded to the finalists in the main draw. Bronze medal will be awarded to the winner of the 3-4 playoff.

Less than 8 entrants:
•    In all round robin play, one point will be awarded for each match in singles/mixed doubles or tie won in team play. Final placement in the pools is by total points from matches/ties won.
•   If there are 4 or 5 entrants in any category, the draw will be a round robin, with all players in one pool. Placement for Gold, Silver and Bronze will be determined from play within the round robin.
•   If there are 6 or 7 entrants in any category, there will be two pools of 3 or 4 players. After round robin play is concluded, there will be a cross-over playoff, with A1 v B2 and A2 v B1 (the two winners from those matches playing off for Gold, Silver and the losers for Bronze). If there were 6 in the draw and time allows, A3 v B3 will decide 5th and 6th places. With 7 in the draw and if time allows, another round robin will be used to decide final placements (5 – 7); however the two individuals/teams who have previously played each other will not play again but use the previous result.
•   If there are less than 4 in a category that category will be combined with another of same playing ability.

Tie Break Method for Singles & Mixed Doubles

Adapted from the WSF World Championships Regulations.When individuals in the singles or mixed doubles teams play one another in a Pool, the final order of merit in that Pool is decided based on all results in that Pool, as follows:
•   first by greater number of points won, one point will be awarded for each match won
•   if two individuals/teams still equal, then by the result between the individuals/teams
•   if three or more individuals/teams have won the same number of matches, then by the greater number of games won
•   if two individuals/teams still equal, then by the result between the two individuals/teams
•   if three or more individuals/teams still equal, then by greater positive difference between games won and lost
•   if two individuals/teams still equal, then by the result between the two individuals/teams
•   if three or more individuals/teams still equal, then by greater positive difference between points won and lost
•   if two individuals/teams still equal, then by the result between the two individuals/teams
•   finally, if more than two individuals still equal, then by lottery.

When teams play one another in a Pool, the final order of merit in that Pool is decided based on all results in that Pool, as follows:
•   first by greater number of Ties won, one point will be awarded for each Tie won
•   if two teams still equal, then by the result between the teams
•   if three or more teams have won the same number of Ties, then by the greater number of matches won
•   if two teams still equal, then by the result between the two teams
•   if three or more teams still equal, then by greater positive difference between games won and lost
•   if two teams still equal, then by the result between the two teams
•   if three or more teams still equal, then by greater positive difference between points won and lost
•   if two teams still equal, then by the result between the two teams
•   finally, if more than two teams still equal, then by lottery.