LEAGUE RULES

1. Match schedule

Matches will be played on Thursday evenings and must commence promptly at 18:00. If there are insufficient courts once entries have been received, some teams may be required to play some matches on Tuesday evenings.

2. Scoring

Three games are played using point-per-rally scoring. Each game is played to 15 points, and the first player to reach 15 wins the game. The winner of the match is the player who accumulates the most points across the three games. The two-point lead rule does not apply to the Summer League.

3. Team rankings

Teams will be ranked on total points accumulated and on relative position to the pool winners.

4. Official balls

Only officially approved balls may be used. Players ranked No. 1 to No. 4 must play with a Green Dot ball, and players ranked No. 5 to No. 8 must play with a Double Yellow Dot ball.

5. Marker and referee

No match should commence without a marker and referee, one from each team. This MUST be strictly enforced.

6. Player positions

A player’s position is determined by the player list, which is compiled by the committee according to the players’ relative strength. Only results from the past two years are considered, namely Summer League 2024/25, Summer League 2025/26, Winter League 2025, and Winter League 2026 up to 31 August 2026.

7. Unlisted players: five-point rule

Players who are not on the player list may win by no more than 5 points. If such a player wins by more than 5 points, the opponent will receive the same number of points as the winner.

Example: Player A, who is not on the list, beats Player B 45-22. It is recorded as 45-45: Player B also gets 45.

8. Playing below your listed position

A player may not play at a lower position (a higher number) than their position on the player list without prior consent from the Free State Squash Committee. If such a player wins on total points, the winner scores 0 and the opponent scores 45 (full marks). If the player who played down loses or draws, the score stands as played.

Example: Player A is listed at #6 and plays at #7 without consent. A beats Player B 45-15. It is recorded as 0-45, so Player B gets the 45.

Provisional positions: where the committee has given consent for a player to play at a lower position (for example after an injury), that position is provisional and will be reviewed at the end of the first round. Teams will be told of any change before the second round starts. From then on, a player who plays below their reviewed position is playing down without consent, and this rule applies: if they win, the score is recorded as 0-45.

9. Match timing

No matches may be played after the scheduled time unless the venue was unavailable, for example because of loadshedding. In such cases, the scores for the postponed match must be submitted within one week of the originally scheduled match time. With mutual consent, matches may be played before the scheduled time.

10. Substitutes from your own team

A player from a lower position who has already played may substitute for a player who could not play.

11. Reserve players

The following players form the reserve pool for a round and may play for another team: (a) a player whose team has a bye; and (b) a player who shares a position on their team’s list with another player and is not playing for their own team in that round. A player may play only one match per round, and a reserve may not play below their listed position (rule 8 applies). The points scored by both players count toward the match result as normal.

Example: Kloppers have two players at #2 and only one plays for Kloppers in that round. The other may play as a reserve for OVK at #2 (or higher).

12. Team size

Teams consist of eight (8) players.

13. Entry fee

Entry fees are set at R2,300.00 per team. Payment is required on entry.

14. Payment

Entry fees are payable before 7 October 2026 into the following account:

An invoice is emailed to the team's managers when the league approves its entry; use the invoice number as the payment reference. Only teams that have paid in full by 7 October 2026 will be eligible for entry into the Summer League. Should the sponsor pay after that date, the team captain will be refunded.

15. Alcoholic beverages

No alcoholic beverages may be consumed on school premises, including the University of the Free State. Where the club has bar facilities, players may not bring their own alcoholic beverages. These clubs include Bobbiespark, Old Greys, Oud Studente and Ramblers.

16. Functions

Functions will only be held at clubs/venues that conform to the requirements of Free State Squash. The logistics will be handled by the club.