New players joining the Ladder:

1. A player wishing to join the ladder can challenge as high as position 30 on the ladder.
   
   
2. If the challenger wins, he/she takes that position and the loser moves down 1 spot, as would any other affected player(s) below them.
   
   
3. If the challenger loses, he/she goes to the bottom of the ladder.
   
   
4. In order to promote and facilitate more participation on the ladder, the first two weeks of every trimester period will allow for newcomers to challenge any player at any ranking on the ladder.   Rules 2 and 3 above apply to this as well.

Players already on the Ladder:

1. In years past you could only challenge up 6 spots from your current position, but in 2008 you will be able to challenge up 12 spots from your position. Our point system will be the same for any challenges up to the 10th spot on the ladder, with additional rewards if you challenge up 11 or 12 spots and win. (See rewards below)
   
   
2. If the challenger wins, he/she takes that position and the loser moves down 1 spot, as would any other affected player(s) below them.
   
   
3. If the challenger loses, he/she stays in his/her spot.

Position 1, 2, 3 the Ladder:

1. If you finish in position 1, 2 or 3 on the ladder at the end of each quarter you will win extra points (See rewards below). Also, if you are in position 1, 2 or 3 at the end of the year you will win a cash reward. (See rewards below)
   
   

Issuing Challenges:

1. A challenger can issue a challenge by contacting the challengee via phone, email, or in person. All ladder participants should ensure that his/her contact information is current on the SDTF Membership Contact List.
   
   
2. A player can only issue one challenge match at a time.
   
   
3. A player cannot issue or accept a challenge match against the same person in succession, without 7 days having passed.
   
   
4. The challenger must give the challengee 48 hours to respond to the challenge. After 48 hours, the challenger may report a default.  Both parties should be responsible for facilitating efficient communication; each ladder participant should ensure that his/her contact information on the SDTF Membership Contact List is current.  The ladder chair and rules chair may confer on any controversial situations, and THEIR COLLECTIVE DECISION IS FINAL.
   
   
5. A player cannot issue or accept more than one challenge at the same time. An issued or accepted challenge must be played before other challenges can be issued or accepted.
   
   
6. Both the challenger and the challengee will, in good faith and sportsmanship, work to schedule challenge matches.
   
   
7. The challenger will provide a new can of tennis balls for the match.

Accepting Challenges:

1. A challengee must respond to a challenger within 48 hours; otherwise the challenger may report a default. Both parties should be responsible for facilitating efficient communication; each ladder participant should ensure that his/her contact information on the SDTF Membership Contact List is current.  The ladder chair and rules chair may confer on any controversial situations, and THEIR COLLECTIVE DECISION IS FINAL.
   
   
2. It is the challengee's responsibility to notify the challenger if the two are no longer within 6 spots of each other when a challenge is issued. The Ladder Chair will not accept challenge scores for matches if the two players were not within 6 spots of each other at the time of the match. The first two weeks of every period are the exception to this rule.

Exceptions to Issuing and Accepting Challenges:

1. The players in positions 1 - 6 on the ladder may challenge 6 spots below their spot to give them an equal opportunity to gain Grand Prix points.
   
   
2. If the challenger wins, there is no change in the line up.
   
   
3. If the challenger loses, he/she takes the position right below the winner.
   
   
4. The first two weeks of every trimester period will allow for newcomers to challenge any player at any ranking on the ladder.

Rewards:

Challenging up 11 or 12 spots above your position will win you 20 bonus points if you win your match. Challenges below the 11th position will be rewarded the same 10 points you have always received. Challenging anyone above you within the 10 spots you will be rewarded the standard 10 points. Defaults will not be rewarded extra bonus points for position 11 or 12.

Positions 1, 2 & 3 will be rewarded 30 extra bonus points at the end of each quarter. If you are in positions 1, 2 or 3 at the end of the year you will receive a cash award. These positions do have the option to challenge down 12 spots but no additional bonus points will be rewarded for wins, only standard points will be rewarded. If you are in position 1, 2, or 3 and challenge down to the 11th or 12th spot and loose your match, the winner will receive 20 extra bonus points and take your position on the ladder.

Standard rewards will apply for all challenges made from the first position above your spot up to the 10th position above your spot on the ladder. Defaults, losses and wins will all have standard points awarded. Bonus points are only awarded to those that challenge up 11 or 12 spots and win. Bonus points are also given to those in positions 1, 2 or 3 at the end of each quarter. We will have no quarterley awards so that we can have larger prizes at the end of the year. The more points you have at the end of the year the more likely you will win one of the cash prizes.

All cash awards will be passed out during the Christmas Party at the end of the year. Good luck!