What is it?

Following the success of the Junior Team Trophy, for Winter 2019/20 Surrey has partnered with the

LTA to create the National League Team Trophy. The adapted event combines the Junior Team

Trophy’s box league to knockout format with the already popular LTA Summer Team Tennis. The

National League Trophy will now encompass mini age groups 8u, 9u and 10u which we feel brings a

whole new dimension to the competition.

Competition Structure:

Teams will be put into box leagues of 3. Box league matches will be scheduled on fixed dates up to

December. Winners from box leagues then move into a knockout draw. Knockout matches will be

played on fixed dates before the finals which will be held on the 14th, 21st and 28th March 2020.

Player Age Eligibility:

Mixed 8U – for players born 1 April 2011 or later Mixed 9U – for players born 1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011 Mixed 10U – for players born 1 April 2009 – 31 March 2010 Boys/Girls 12U – for players born 1 April 2007 – 31 March 2009 Boys/Girls 14U – for players born 1 April 2005 – 31 March 2009 Boys/Girls 16U – for players born 1 April 2003 – 31 March 2009 Boys/Girls 18U – for players born 1 April 2001 – 31 March 2009 Team Composition:

Teams must field their players in order of rating. The highest rated player must play in position 1 and

the lowest rated player in the lowest position. Where players have the same rating it will be down to

the discretion of the captain to decide which of them should play in the higher position. For red

matches the captain must put the players in order of standard.

8u – Team of 4 9u – Team of 4 10u – Team of 4 12u – 18u – Team of 2 (both Division 1 and Division 2). An additional 3rd player may be brought in for the doubles.

Playing Up: 9u:

Players who are in their last or one from last season in Red Ball and have earned an orange ball rating are eligible to compete in the 9&U event. Passport players will be allowed to play up in line with the Player Passport system.

10u:

Mini Tennis orange players will be allowed to play up when in their final season of orange ball if they have reached an orange 1 or orange 1* Mini Tennis rating. Passport players will be allowed to play up in line with the Player Passport system.

12u:

Mini Tennis green players will be allowed to play up (in 12&U yellow ball only) when in their final season of green ball if they have reached a green 1 or green 1* Mini Tennis rating. Mini Tennis Passport players will be allowed to play up in line with the Player Passport system.

14u-18u:

Where the venue has two or more teams in an event, a player may ‘play up’ on a maximum of one occasion without loss of eligibility in their lower team. Once a player has represented a higher team on more than one occasion, they are no longer eligible to represent the lower team.

Scoring:

8u - Match Tie Break (to 10 points) 9u - Sets 1&2 (and 3 if necessary) Tie Break (to 7 points, with 2 clear) 10u – Sets 1&2 first to 4 games (with 2 clear) – Tie Break at 4-4. Set 3 (if necessary) is match tiebreak to 10 points with 2 clear 12u – 18u – Sets 1&2 Tie Break at 6-6. Set 3 (if necessary) match tiebreak

Singles/Doubles:

8u – Singles 9u – Singles/Doubles 10u – Singles/Doubles 12u – 18u – Singles/Doubles

Divisions

Division 1 will be aimed at the strongest teams, to enable them compete against teams of equal standard in the group stages.

Division 2 will be aimed at teams not wanting to compete against the stronger teams in Division 1.

Group Stage to Knockout The winner of each group will progress through to the knockout stages. At the counties discretion, we may choose to include 2nd or 3rd placed teams where appropriate.

Entry:

Entry shuts 5th August 2019.