Pool League Guidelines for League Play

Play starts at 7:00pm

Home team practice from 6:00 to 6:30
Visitor practice from 6:30 to 7:00

Start of the match
- Flip to see what team calls first
- Lag for the break unless both players agree to flip for it
- Winner breaks
Time Outs
- One time out per game no matter what skill level (please keep it around 2 minutes)
  - Skill level 2's can be coached from the sidelines the entire match (coach cannot be at the table). 2's still get the one timeout per game.
PAL Ratings are from 2 to 8

Known players are obligated to (must) disclose their handicap from other leagues
- Common sense dictates. Ask the league op if you have questions.
- Scratch league players will start as their win loss % (ex .586 = 6)
- BCA players will also start with their win loss % (ex .420 = 4)
- APA players will start with their APA handicap
- TAP players will start with their TAP handicap
Players who have never played in any league before are as follows
- Common sense dictates here also. Ask the league op if you have questions or if you think this new player should be higher or lower.
- Male players start as 4’s
- Female players start as 3’s
A player shall never rise or fall 3 handicap levels from their starting or previous handicap. The maximum difference from the starting HC is 2. For example a player starts the session as a 6 then they have some bad weeks and the least that they can be is a 4 or a 2 has some great weeks the most that they can rise to is a 4. This rarely happens but when it does it will be at the beginning of a session.

Point Cap

Currently there is a 26 point handicap point cap

Teams must be able to field a team that night that would equal 26 or less

No more than 2 A players per night per team (7/8 = A)

Point cap is determined on the most average player on the most average team (click here for a completed session example)

Right now the average team handicap is .497 and the formula for the skill level cap is 5 X 5 = 25 + 1 for improvement = a cap of 26
This number / cap will change if the league would get stronger or weaker

Rules of play are BCA / WPA
Score Sheets

Score sheets to be filled out completely
Mark wins with an X in that inning (or R if a run out)
Score sheets to be sent in the evening that the match is complete or the next morning if you have to wait until you get home for internet
- The best program to use on your phone is the free cam scanner app
  - directions found here on where to sent it

Statistics
- 48 hours or sooner after the finish of a match stats will be complete. Captains will get them two ways.
  - As soon as they are completed captains will receive an email with the stats
  - The webmaster also receives the same copy of this and will post the results on the website shortly there after.
League Dues
- Check or Money Order made out to PAL League mailed to:
  - PAL League - 202 South State St. - Ephrata PA. 17522
  - Cash is never recommended to be mailed, but could be handed off to a league officer.
- $35 weekly dues are mailed in every two weeks ($70 every two weeks)
  - a team is never allowed to run a balance of more than two weeks. Payment is due every two weeks. A team that has a balance following a scheduled payment week is not elligible to play and will forfeit their next match unless paid.
Rosters

Must be emailed in the first night of play along with that nights scoresheet team registration can be found here
A maximum of 9 players are able to be on a roster
Roster are open all session long for adding players simply email the new players information along with the scoresheet the night that they play

Tournament Qualifications

Players must have at least 7 weeks of regular season play to be eligible for the playoff and MVP tournaments.
Any player who sandbagged and shows significant or dramatic increase could come under review.

Sandbagging
- Players in this league will not show dramatic improvement of play during the tournament. Laying down in the regular season to lower a handicap will result in disqualification in the tournament.
- A player will not be able to shoot more than 1 skill level above his or her average from the regular season in the playoffs
  - Any player who shoots at least 1 skill level above their average in the tournament will come under review from previous sessions and previous playoff performances with the possibility of game disqualification
- If you suspect an established player is sandbagging, call or write a note on your weekly score sheet. All records from that persons performances in this league both regular season and playoff matches will be reviewed.
- For review of new players information might include but not be limited to area leagues, tournament stats, and handicapped tournament ratings.
Definitions for Break N Run and a Run Out
- Break N Run: When the player breaking the balls pockets all of his or her balls in a legal manner in the same turn as the break
- Run Out: When the incoming player pockets all of his or her balls in a legal manner in the same turn
- ** A Break N Run consists of just that..a player breaks and runs out. A Run Out starts as soon as a player establishes his or her choice of balls.
  EXAMPLE...player A breaks and makes no balls...Player B plays safe...Player A pockets a low ball and continues to clear the table in the same turn. This would be a Run Out**
Forfeits
- Unless the opposing team agrees to something different a forfeit occurs when no one is present 15 minutes after scheduled play (7:15pm) or 15 min from the end of a completed match

Forfeits are scored 5 wins and 0 to the offender
A team that does not play at least 3 players on a league night will result in a forfeit and a loss of 0-5.
Good Karma Rule
- A team that knows it will only have 4 players and will have to forfeit one can ask the other team at the beginning of the night if they would be allowed to shoot a player twice.
  - The opposing team can say no and they forfeit that point.
  - If they say yes then the opposing team will pick the player that will shoot the 5th match at the start of the 5th match.
No team shall forfeit 2 times in a row and no team shall forfeit 3 times in one session or they will be dropped. A team that is dropped from the league relinquishes any prizes they were entitled to.

Make Ups and Bad Weather

If a team cannot attend a match and the other team agrees to a makeup match, then it must be played before the next weeks match
In the case of bad weather if one team feels they cannot make it to a match then that match will be made up at the end of the session. If some teams decide to play they will simply be one week ahead of the teams that have to play at the end of session

Payouts

PAL pays out all monies collected minus the secretary fees.
PAL will not carry a balance from session to session. New sessions will start at a zero balance. Previous session monies will be paid out completely at the tournament.

Food Requirment
- It has been a long standing tradition in the Lancaster area for the establishments / host locations to provide some sort of food for the players that are there that evening.
Equipment Requirements
- A red circle cue ball or equivalent as listed
  - Aramith red circle 57mm 5.8 oz
  - Aramith red triangle 57mm 5.8 oz
  - Centennial blue circle 57mm 5.8 oz
  - Pro cup Aramith measles ball, 6 red dots 57mm 6.0 oz
- A bridge
- Chalk
- A level pool table that is reasonably maintained.
- A 7 foot coin op bar box pool table (exceptions could be made with the league and players approval)
- A room / playing area free of non moveable objects that a 58.5 inch cue can be able to be used without hitting walls or obstuctions. Bar stools / chairs that have to be moved are accepted and understood in a bar league.

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Pool League Guidelines for League Play

Pool Players Association of Lancaster - 8 Ball League