BYLAWS OF THE APA POOL
LEAGUE OF INDIANAPOLIS
EFFECTIVE JUNE 1, 2005
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These Local Bylaws have been read and approved by the American Poolplayers Association.
These Local Bylaws are a secondary source of information created in accordance with and in addition to the Official Team Manual. Your Official Team Manual is your primary source of information and all rules in the Official Team Manual will be followed unless otherwise altered in this document.
League management office is located at:
Steepleton Billiards
5347 ½ N Keystone Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46220
(317) 259-7665
Hours are: Monday - Friday, 10AM to 6PM
Saturday, 10AM - 1:00PM
LEAGUE FEES
League fees are $30.00 per week per team. NOT six dollars per match played. Team Captains are encouraged to pay all fees by check or money order to avoid accounting discrepancies and possible loss or theft during transmittal. All fees paid in cash are subject to count upon receipt in the League Office. League Management is not responsible for lost or stolen cash. A $25.00 service charge will be made for each returned check. All checks should be made payable to APA Pool League of Indianapolis.
SCORESHEETS
A bonus point will be awarded to each team each week as long as the team is current on league fees and score sheets are correctly and completely filled out. The sealed team envelope must be turned in via the designated procedure. Being current in league fees includes the fact that each new player on the team must have submitted the American Poolplayers Association membership fee and application on or before the first night of their participation in the league.
If your designated procedure requires that you return your team envelope via the US Mail, your envelope must be postmarked no later than the day following your match. Failure to do so will result in a forfeiture of the bonus point.
If a check that was used to pay any monies owed by a team is returned unpaid for any reason to the league office by a financial institution, the team responsible will lose one bonus point.
In the event a match envelope does not arrive by the scheduled match time or that it can not be located, you should play your match as scheduled using your handicaps from the previous week.
The weekly league fee of $30 must be paid each week, even in the event that all five matches were not played for any reason. EXCEPTION: A team is not required to turn in weekly team fees if they had a bye for the week or if the match was canceled or postponed due to inclement weather.
DIVISION REPRESENTATIVES
May be a player. Are appointed by the League Operator. Have the authority to enforce Local Bylaws and League Rules. Decisions are final.
RULES OF CONDUCT
No loud, abusive or profane language will be tolerated during league play. We know that most of you are in the league to have a good time and enjoy some friendly competition. If there is a problem, simply bring it to your Division Representative’s attention and they will handle it. Be reminded that in each situation, the ruling must go for one side and against the other side. It is required that each player be able to accept being ruled against without causing a scene.
Unsportsmanlike conduct toward any opposing players or Division Representatives will not be tolerated.
Any player involved in an incident that includes either physical abuse or the throwing of an item at any other league participant, will be barred from the league and have their APA membership revoked.
Excessive slow play will not be tolerated. The time limit between shots is one minute unless notified otherwise. You will be warned before any penalty occurs. NOTE: If this occurs, have your Division Representative (or any other third party) time the player. A third uninvolved person must witness the offense.
Out of respect for the equipment, smoking is not allowed at the table. Repeated violations could result in a sportsmanship penalty listed below.
The guidelines for coaching are found in the Official Team Manual. To avoid disputes, read these guidelines and mark time-outs on your scoresheet.
PENALTIES
The penalties for violating any of the items detailed under Rules of Conduct are as follows:
1. A warning may or may not be given, depending upon the severity of the situation.
2. Penalty Level 1. Your opponent will be given ball-in-hand. If the player is still shooting or already has ball-in-hand, then that player will be allowed to shoot until missing, and then be given ball-in-hand again.
3. Penalty Level 2. Your opponent will be granted the game.
4. Penalty Level 3. Your opponent will be granted the match.
5. The League Operator or Division Representative has the right to go from on penalty level to the next penalty level almost immediately if the violation or disturbance that caused the initial level to be levied does not cease.
BYES
Teams do not pay for byes.
Each team will receive three match points plus the weekly bonus point for the week in which they have a bye for 8ball. For 9ball, each team will receive 50 points plus the 20 weekly bonus points.
If a new team fills a bye spot, then all bye matches will have to be made up.
AWARDS
Cash prize money will be paid back to the top one-half of the teams in each division at the end of each session. Money for teams that are tied will be added and then split evenly. Tiebreaking procedures will be used only for determining who gets trophies and who would get the last playoff spot. In the event of a first place tie, only one set of trophies will be awarded.
Trophies will be awarded to the regular season champions as well as the playoff champions.
Other team or individual awards may be presented at League Management discretion.
MISCELLANEOUS
Roster exceptions. The League Operator has the option of granting roster exceptions at any time, regardless of the week of play. The Board recognizes that there are times when it is in the best interest of the league to allow roster changes outside of the time frame posted in the rule book. All roster change requests outside of the stated time frame given in the rule book will be heavily scrutinized. Granting of such requests are not automatic.
Barred Players. Any player barred from a host location will be allowed to play at that location only with the permission of the owner or manager. League Management has no authority to require admittance for any player.
Ball In Hand. The “Ball in Hand” fouls, other than those listed above under Rules of Conduct, are listed in the Official Team Manual. Any other violations of the rules are considered sportsmanship violations. League Management will be notified and warnings or penalties will be assessed as necessary.
Stalemated Game. A game will be considered stalemated if in three consecutive turns at the table by each player (three innings), they purposely foul or scratch and both players agree that attempting to pocket or move an object ball will result in immediate loss of game. The balls will be re-racked and the breaker of the stalemated game will break again. The innings of the stalemated game will not be counted for handicap purposes. NOTE: Three consecutive fouls by one player is not a loss of game.
Playoffs. Summer Session. The team that finishes first in the division point standings will receive a bid to the City Cup Tournament. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place teams and one wildcard team will compete in the playoffs for the second City Cup bid. Once a team becomes eligible for the City Cup Tournament, they must remain active throughout the remaining sessions in order to maintain eligibility. Additionally, once a team gains eligibility, they must finish in the top 75 percent of their division each subsequent session to maintain that eligibility. (Depending on the number of teams in a division, rounding may be taken into account to determine exact finishing requirements. For example, in a 10 team division, your team must finish 8th or better to stay eligible.). Should a team finish outside the minimum requirement, they will again be considered for the wildcard draw assuming they meet the other criteria.
Playoffs. Fall & Spring Session. At the end of the session, the top three teams (that are not already qualified for the City Cup Tournament) in the point standings as well as one wildcard team will compete in the session ending playoffs. The winner of the playoffs will advance to the City-Cup Tournament. Once a team becomes eligible for the City Cup Tournament, they must remain active throughout the remaining sessions in order to maintain eligibility. Additionally, once a team gains eligibility, they must finish in the top 75 percent of their division each subsequent session to maintain that eligibility. (Depending on the number of teams in a division, rounding may be taken into account to determine exact finishing requirements. For example, in a 10 team division, your team must finish 8th or better to stay eligible.). Should a team finish outside the minimum requirement, they will again be considered for the wildcard draw assuming they meet the other criteria.
Wildcard & Tiebreakers. See the Official Team Manual for wildcard eligibility and tiebreaking procedures. In the event that two or more teams are tied and they did not play during the regular season, the finishing position will be determined by a coin toss.
National Qualifiers. Any Indianapolis APA member that is qualified for any national tournament must remain active on a roster to keep eligibility for that event. For example, if you qualify in the fall session for an 8Ball Scotch Doubles event to be held in August, you must remain active on a roster each session to maintain that eligibility. It is recognized that team rosters may change from session to session. Therefore, a team that advances to the national team championship, does not have to remain active as an intact team, but all team members that plan on participating in the team championships must be active on a roster. This primarily involves the summer session as we generally qualify teams at the beginning of the summer and the team championships are at the end of the summer.
Travel Assistance Fund. The travel assistance fund will be paid out only to teams advancing to and attending the National Team Championships. Money will not be paid to the teams until they arrive at the national tournament site. A portion of the money may be advanced to purchase airline tickets. The fund may or may not be split evenly among the teams advancing.
Equipment Regulations. Jump sticks are NOT allowed in league competition. The cue you bring to the table is the cue you must use for the entire match, although you will be allowed to break with a different cue. Players will be allowed to change cues only in the event that their original cue becomes damaged. Players are only allowed to attempt a jump shot with the cue they are using to play their match. Players are not allowed to break their cue sticks down and use just the shaft or a shorter cue to attempt jump shots.
Inclement weather policy. Severe weather warnings or travelers advisory warnings are reason enough for rescheduling team matches. Players who can’t make it to league play must notify their team captain. If a team can’t make it then they must notify the Division Representative or League Management and the opposing team captain in order to schedule a makeup match. Please notify league office for assistance with rescheduling the match. The Division Representative may also cancel league play if they feel the weather is too bad. Team Captains are responsible for contacting their members regarding the status of league play.
Games must win. All matches must be played using the “games must win” chart at the top of the scoresheet.
Makeup matches. The League Management does not allow forfeits during the first week of each session. Also, no make up matches will be allowed during the final two weeks of each session, unless due to inclimate weather or if approved by the league operator in advance. During all other weeks, make up matches are allowed and are at the sole discretion of the team captains involved. League Management realizes that make up matches are a necessity from time to time, but they should be the exception rather than the rule. Each team is limited to one make up match request each session. This request is still subject to agreement by the opposing team captain. Allowing make up matches other than the first week is NOT required. Please mark on your scoresheet which team requested a make up match.
Bonus Points. From time to time the league operator may award extra bonus points to teams on a division by division basis as long as the extra bonus points are offered to all teams in a particular division. For example, near the end of a session extra bonus points may be offered as an incentive to turn in next session registration forms in a timely manner. In this case, all teams in a division would have the chance to earn points. If teams do not return the registration, they would not receive the points. Above is just an example and not the only instance where bonus points could be awarded.
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John Schoonveld
League Operator
