Event Information
Booking
- This is a Borough Championships level event.
- On the initial booking date, schools may enter either a Borough Championship or a Development Competition within each sport category.
- If an event reaches capacity, schools will be placed on a waiting list and advised accordingly. MSSP will contact schools if places become available in the lead up to the event.
Event Eligibility
- Schools are encouraged to select their strongest squad.
- School squads should be well prepared and have time to practise with the competition rules before attending this event.
Team Eligibility
- Age: Year 3/4
- Mixed gender event.
- Squad Size: Minimum: 4 players (2 boys 2 girls). Maximum: 6 (3 boys 3 girls)
Kit & Equipment
- All schools MUST bring their own First Aid kits and first aid qualified member of staff.
- No jewellery, wrist bands/watches or hair adornments may be worn, earrings must be taped or removed.
- Fingernails must be cut short and shoe laces securely tied.
- Please bring appropriate Tennis rackets and Red tennis practise balls.
- Tennis Match balls will be provided.
Rules
- Players should be seeded 1 and 2, with the higher ability player seeded 1.
- Once the team has commenced playing a rubber there may be no substitution even in the case of injury.
- However, a reserve can be fielded for subsequent matches in the place of an injured or ill player.
- Reserves must be a like-for-like gender swap and the higher ability player must take the player number 1 role.
- The serve is decided by a ‘toss’ at the start of the rubber. The nominated person serves for the first point; it then alternates every 2 points.
- When serving, players should stand behind the baseline – the ball must not be bounced before being hit.
- Players are allowed a second serve if the first is not successful.
- Serves must be done diagonally and can be hit over or under-arm.
- Matches can be the first to 10 points or played on a timed basis where all matches start and finish on the sound of a whistle.
- Played on badminton sized courts, however, Mini Tennis courts can also be marked out on standard tennis courts.
- Mini Tennis nets (height of 80cm in the middle).Simple numbered scoring is used i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4 etc (instead of traditional tennis scoring (15, 30, 40 etc)
- Games that finish level at the end of the game time will be determined by a deciding point.
- Matches will finish either: 4-0, 3-1 or 2-2.
Competition Format
- Match format: 4 rubbers: Boy 1 v Boy 1 Singles, Boy 2 v Boy 2 Singles, Girl 1 v Girl 1 Singles, Girl 2 v Girl 2 Singles.
- Games: timed – 5 minutes.
Draw Format
- Round Robin Box Leagues. Box League winners will be calculated by total rubbers won.
- In the event of a tie in Box league positions the following will decide the positions: Total points won (all matches), Points difference (i.e. subtracting total points against from total points scored), finally result of the match between the two teams tied.
- All teams will progress to a second stage of knockout competition according to their placement in the first round.
Sport Format
- Width of court.
- Tennis matches.
- Red Ball competition rules.
Seeding
- All teams will proceed to a quarter-final, a semi-final and a final to determine the Final Standings. Final pool standings will be determined from results. Winners of the pools will take top seed of their pool, 2nd take 2nd seed of their pool, etc.
Awards
- Winners: GOLD medal, certificates and Trophy.
- Runners Up: SILVER medal and certificates
- 3rd Place: BRONZE medal and certificates
- REFSPECT winners – Certificate
- Participation certificates will be presented to all participants.
Results
- Results and event report will be available on the news webpage within 24 hours of the event ending.
Progression Pathway
- TBC
Staffing and Spectators
Spectators will not be permitted entry to private sports facilities. Primary schools must inform parents in advance when inviting students to take part. All staff attending the event must have enhanced DBS clearance and have been fully vetted by their primary school. DBS numbers, full name and school will be required in advance by the host school.
NGB Info
- For more information on supporting this sport in your school, please visit: https://www.lta.org.uk/compete/junior/
MSSP Duty of Care
At Merton School Sport Partnership, the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of every participant is our highest priority. Our Duty of Care framework outlines the measures we take to ensure all events are safe, enjoyable and accessible, covering key areas including safeguarding, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, risk assessments, medical provision, codes of conduct, photography and data protection.
We ask all schools, staff, volunteers and participants to familiarise themselves with these expectations before attending MSSP events.
For full details, please download the MSSP Duty of Care document or visit the relevant section of our website HERE for further guidance, policies and event information.