1. Constitution
  2. AGM & Team Meetings
  3. Presentation Evening & Awards 
  4. Table Conditions & Rules
  5. Fees
  6. Captain’s Duties
  7. Team Management
  8. League Fixtures & Rearranged Matches
  9. Cups, Plates & Competitions
  10. Recording Scores & RackEmApp
  11. League No-Shows
  12. 8 Ball Clearances
  13. Finals & Semi Finals Days
  14. Complaints, Appeals & Hearings
  15. Interleague
  16. Other Information

 

  1. Constitution

The Barnstaple & District Pool League is affiliated to the E.P.A (Via D.P.A Membership) and plays according to WPA Blackball Rules. Copies of these rules are available from the committee on request at £2.00 per copy.

 

Each division will be run on a championship basis. League points are awarded for each frame won, resulting in one point for that team, with a maximum of 15 points available per match. All league matches must be played.

 

League and Team Competitions must start by 7pm prompt on the date stated. Any team not at the venue to start a game at 7pm will have 15 minutes to start it or begin to lose frames. For every 15 minutes passed with a team failing to turn up, that team will be deducted 1 frame.

 

In league matches, the committee should be informed of a no-show, and the game will need to be rearranged by the relevant parties. The team in question risks losing their bond should such a circumstance arise.

 

In a non-league match, if a team has failed to show up at the stated venue ready for the match by 8pm, a walkover may be given.

 

Before the match commences. A lag will take place between one player from each team. The winner of the lag then decides whether they want to break first or second. Breaks will then alternate between players for the rest of the match.

 

A recommendation for venue proximity is that it be within 5 miles straight in any direction from the Barnstaple Clock Tower. Any venues further than this distance may be asked by the committee to find an alternative venue with the recommended distance.

 

Any team or individual bringing any aspect of the league into disrepute may be expelled from the league without warning or redress, and said party’s bond and all fees will be forfeit.

 

 

 

  1. AGM & Team Meetings

The AGM shall be held on the closest Sunday with reasonable opportunity after the end of the season, the date of which should be made public at the time that league fixtures for the season are published. 

 

The committee from the season just gone will stand down, except for the secretary. The secretary will then take a vote for who wants to stand for chairman. Once the Chairman is voted in, the secretary will step down. The Chairman will then take votes from the league for secretary, treasurer, fixtures secretary, premier division representative, first/other division representative, ladies representative, and any other positions the committee believe will be beneficial to the league respectively. The committee will endeavor to keep the number of representatives to an odd number in order to keep in-committee votes manageable. The committee will then handle all disputes that arise until the next AGM. Their decision is final.

 

If at any point within a season any member of the committee decides to stand down with immediate effect. The committee reserves the right to replace with a suitable and interested candidate without need for calling an EGM.

 

Any scheduled team meetings will start at 7.30pm prompt on the date, and at the venue stated by the committee. Reasonable notice will be given to all members of the league. The Committee will endeavour to keep these meetings brief where possible, but all attendees are required to remain until the Chairman closes the meeting.

 

At the AGM or any prescribed team meetings, each team must be represented by at least one registered player, and all outstanding match fees and fines must be paid before the close of the meeting. Should any of these requirements not be complied with, the team in question shall be fined an additional £10 for ‘non attendance’ or ‘failure to pay outstanding fees’.

 

Committee members shall be reimbursed with all costs during the season.

 

  1. Presentation Evening & Awards

As of the AGM of 2024/25, it has been agreed that future AGM’s and Presentation Evenings will be held on different nights.

 

Any player within a team that has won a cup, plate or competition must have played a minimum of 25% of league matches will be eligible for an award. If a player has played less than 25% of league matches, they will not be eligible for an award, regardless of how much they contributed to the cup, plate or competition.

 

Only players that have played during the league season will be eligible for a trophy/award in any competition.

 

Perpetual trophies will be held by teams/individuals for one full season. It is their responsibility to keep this trophy to good quality. Any restoration costs will be charged for.

 

Teams/individuals will be required to return these trophies to the committee, or make them easily available to be collected by the committee, on a prearranged date. Failure to do so will result in a fine.

 

If a team fails to return a trophy by the specified date, they will lose their bond and will have to reregister.

 

  1. Table Conditions & Rules

The Barnstaple & District Pool League is affiliated to the E.P.A (Via D.P.A Membership) and plays according to WPA Blackball Rules. Copies of these rules are available from the committee on request at £2.00 per copy.

 

Prior to the start of the league season proper, the committee will endeavour to inspect table conditions. Landlords and captains will be informed of any changes or repairs required. It is up to the captain to ensure table conditions are acceptable.

 

We understand that venue tables may be open to all members of the public, and that not all patrons are considerate to these conditions. We ask landlords to ensure reasonable attempt to keep these tables to a high standard. The home team captains(s) will be responsible for leveling and brushing of the table prior to all games. 

 

If at any point a written complaint is received by the committee about a venue’s table quality, the committee may inspect the table again, and discuss reasonable action to be taken with that table’s venue landlord and captain(s).

 

If no reasonable action can be made to amend the issue, the table may be excluded from use, and a new table will have to be sought from the team. This may result in a change in venue where only one table is available. A request to change this table to another will have to be made to the committee.

 

 

  1. Fees

Please see below for following fees:

 

New or Existing Team Entry: £75

New Team Bond: £20

 

Competitions:

All Singles: £3 per entry

Doubles: £5 per entry

Mixed Doubles: £5 per entry

‘Barny’ Doubles: £5 per entry

Triples: £9 per entry

 

Signings after fourth game of the season: £3 per player

Transfer Fees: £5 from the team the player is moving to

 

League and competition registration fees are non refundable except at the committee’s discretion.

 

In the event that a player wishes to transfer from one team to another, the team they are leaving to pays the fee.

 

All fees must be paid at the next AGM or pre-scheduled team meeting. Failure to do so will result in an additional fine of £10 for ‘failure to pay outstanding fees’.

 

Failure to pay any fees or costs will result in points deduction.

 

 

  1. Captain’s Duties

It is the duty of the captain to ensure that at least one representative from their team is present at the AGM and all team meetings. It is the duty of the captain to ensure that all fines and fees are paid to the committee at the next appropriate team meeting. This being the case, any outstanding monies owed to the league at the end of the season are the responsibility of the captain.

 

Captain’s must ensure their team and landlords know of all league matters and home fixtures, and are required to inform the committee of any changes such as addresses and contact details of committee members, captains/vine captains, and players.

 

It is the captain’s responsibility to ensure the details of the match, such as First Break, 8 Ball Clearances, and player order are correctly recorded on the RackEmApp site/app.

 

 

 

  1. Team Management

All teams must register a minimum of five players, and a maximum of ten before the start of the season. In addition, one landlord signing may be made per team, providing that the signing in question is not signed on for more than one team at a time, and that they are the landlord for the team’s home venue.

 

In the event that a signing be made during the course of a season, this may be done at the fee of £3 per player. Up to five signings may be made on any given matchday.

 

If signing on a player would exceed the limitations on the number of players, another player must be signed off first. New players may be signed on and play the day of any match. The captain is responsible for ensuring the signing is done correctly, in this case on the RackEmApp site/app, prior to playing their frames.

 

 

If a team decides to leave the league, or is expelled from the league during the course of a season, resulting in disbandment of the team, they may join another. They will be subject to a signing-on fee, as if they are a new player.

 

Teams may not sign on new players during the last four games of the season. However, in exceptional circumstances, the committee reserves the right to override this rule. 

 

 

  1. League Fixtures & Rearranged Matches

League fixtures will be posted prior to the start of the season. Any team that cannot make a match must give reasonable notice to the opposing team, and make an effort to reschedule that match. 

 

Points will be distributed on frames won throughout the league. The winning team of each division will be the team with the most points. The winning team of the Premier Division will receive the League Championship. The winning team of any and all other divisions will enable promotion to the next league. If there is a tie for any position in any division, then frame difference will be looked at next. If there remains a tie, a playoff will be made at a time, date and venue as selected by the committee. The committee will endeavour to keep this venue neutral. Playoff matches will only occur where win, loss, promotion or relegation matches are required.

 

When a dispute in regards to rules is raised during a match, it is recommended to contact the head referee to handle these disputes. Where the head ref is non-contactable, another member of the committee should be available to solve these disputes.

 

Teams may rearrange a league match only at the committee’s discretion. A minimum of 24 hours notice must be given to the fixtures secretary (or committee when the fixtures secretary is not available) and the opposing team’s captain/vice captain (or another reliable player where neither captain nor vice are available) prior to the scheduled time and date of play.

 

Teams playing a rearranged match without proper notification to either may be deducted league points at the committee’s discretion, and the match will have to be rearranged as instructed by the committee.

 

If a team turns up with four players to play a match, then the final three frames will be forfeit. If both teams turn up with four players to play a match, then the final match will be forfeited 

 

If a team repeatedly fails to turn up with a team of five, then they may face exclusion from the league at the committee’s discretion.

 

If a team withdraws or is expelled from the league, the team name and all points won and lost will be deleted from the league table. All of their remaining matches will be cancelled. Also, all league and competition fees will be forfeit and all players will be withdrawn from all competitions entered.

 

  1. Cups, Plates & Competitions

Cup, Plate, and Competition matches must be played at the venue stated, unless both teams/players mutually agree on an alternative. Any requested venue changes must be put forward to the fixtures secretary where available, or committee when not, prior to commencement of the match.

 

Only players registered for each respective competition will be allowed to play.

 

When drawings are made, the first drawn team/pairing/individual will play on their home table and will act as the home team, and the next drawing will be their opponents as the away team. The match will be played on the home table where possible. Where not possible, a suitable replacement may be found, with a request made to the fixtures secretary where possible, or committee where not, to confirm. The home team has the responsibility to reach out to the away team to find a suitable time and date of play. If the home team makes no attempt to organise a match with reasonable time prior, this will result in disqualification from the competition for that team. If the home team makes reasonable attempt to contact the away team, but the away team fails to respond in kind, this will result in disqualification for the away team from the competition.

 

Preliminary matches for cups, plates and competitions will proceed prior to the start of the league season proper.

 

All players playing in team or individual competitions must be registered to a league team, and must have played in at least one official league match during the season so far prior to playing in any respective cup, plate or competition match.

 

Full exceptions to the above rule will be made for the Ladies Singles.

 

Partial exceptions to the above rule will be made for the Mixed Doubles. A minimum of one player must be registered to a league team.

 

If a non-eligible player plays in a team or individual cup, plate or competition without having played a league game by the required time, that team/individual will be eliminated from the competition and the opposing team/individual defeated in the preliminary rounds will replace them in the tournament, when applicable.

 

  1. Recording Scores & RackEmApp

From the 2022/23 season, the Barnstaple & District Pool League has agreed to use the RackEmApp site/app to allow digital scoring for all league, cup and competition matches. The league website can be found at: www.rackemapp.com/league/Barnstaple.

 

For team matches, all captains are responsible for ensuring the frame results are updated on the site/app after every frame, including 'First to Break’, and ‘Break & Reverse Dishes’, for all league, cup, or competition matches when applicable.

 

For individual competitions, responsibility falls to the players in question to accurately update their own scores after each frame, including ‘First to Break’.

 

Live scores will be available on the RackEmApp site/app.

 

Captains must ensure that all players who play on any given matchday are registered on the RackEmApp system prior to their match being played.

 

The Away team is to select their player first, then the Home player may select their player second. This is classified as ‘Home Advantage’.

 

  1. League No-Shows

Walkovers are never awarded for league games, and all league games must be played.

 

If a team fails to turn up to a prearranged game without contacting or attempting to contact their opponents and the committee, or if a team fails to show up with a team of at least four players by the time and date of play, they have 1 hour to ensure there are at least four players prior to commencement of the match. Failure to do so will result in the team in question being deducted points from the table, and rescheduling of the match. Either of these situations occurring will be classified as a ‘no-show’.

 

Any no-shows should be communicated to the fixtures secretary where possible, or the committee when not, immediately whilst still at the venue.

 

Two league no-shows in any one season will constitute automatic disqualification from the league, with all points scored being deducted, all remaining matches being cancelled, and forfeit of entry fees. The committee reserves the right to overrule this decision owing to exceptional circumstances.

 

A no-show is a serious incident and therefore can only be claimed if an opponent fails to attempt to make any contact prior to the match if their team cannot play, and/or if the team fails to show up with the minimum number of players ready for match commencement.

 

  1. 8 Ball Clearances

An 8 Ball Clearance is the potting of all 7 of one’s coloured balls plus the 8 ball in one frame.

 

In the Premier Division, an 8 ball clearance can only be claimed if a player pots all 8 of their object balls either off the break (considered a Break Dish), or on their first visit to the table (considered a Reverse Dish).

 

In all other divisions, an 8 ball clearance can be claimed when a player has potted all 8 of their object balls in any one visit to the table. Should this event occur on a visit that is not off the break, it should always be recorded as a Reverse Dish.

 

8 Ball Awards will be given to any and all players making a legal 8 ball clearance in any League match only.

 

At the end of the season, the player with the most recorded 8 ball clearances across all league matches will win the 8 Ball Trophy. In the event of a tie, there will be a best-of-five playoff match among all tying participants to determine the recipient of the award.

 

It is the captain/vice captain’s responsibility to ensure that all 8 ball clearances across league games are recorded. Failure to record an 8 ball clearances may result in the player in question not receiving a deserved award.

 

  1. Finals & Semi-Finals Days

All teams who compete in the league must volunteer a minimum of one referee/stop clock holder for finals’ and semifinals’ days. All teams may volunteer any amount of players to commentate on matches on stream.

 

Semifinals will take place at a neutral venue decided by the committee. 

 

The committee will endeavour to assign a neutral referee for all semifinals and finals day matches.

 

All semifinals and finals matches will be played according to a 60 second shot clock.

  1. Complaints, Appeals & Hearings

Any minor disputes or disagreements that occur within a match that will impede on the match immediately must be made to the committee before the next shot of a match is made. 

 

Any minor disputes or disagreements that occur within a match that will not impede on the match may be made at the end of a match when confirming match results. 

 

All serious complaints and appeals must be made using the appropriate Barnstaple & District Pool League form. These forms are available on request from the RackEmApp and/or the Pool League Facebook page. These forms must then be returned to a member of the committee.

 

The committee will treat all serious complaints confidentially, and with due attention and vigilance, and will endeavour to find a quick and suitable response.

 

Hearings may be made by the committee at any point when situations become convoluted. 

 

Teams, players and referees who do not fulfill league duties may be requested to attend a hearing by the committee. Failure to attend without reasonable excuse may result in immediate disqualification from the league.

 

 

  1. Interleague

All Interleague matches are to be kept independent of the league wherever possible, and should be financially self-supporting, whether that be through means of sponsorship, entry fees, or otherwise. At the committee’s discretion, the league may assist with fees.

 

Captains or respective vice captains are encouraged to give match reports following each match.

 

Any member of the league may apply to join the Interleague setup, but it is the responsibility of and at the discretion of any relevant captains/vice captains to organise matches, select teams, maintain player details according to GDPR, and collect appropriate fees.

 

  1. Other Information

Although the committee is required to conform in full to this constitution, they reserve the right to use their discretion in unusual or unforeseen circumstances. In particular, the committee reserves the right to ban teams or individuals from the league indefinitely for inappropriate behavior.

 

Disclaimer

 

The Barnstaple & District Pool League Committee are in no way responsible for the conduct of teams or individuals during the course of any given season. It is the responsibility of pertinent landlords/staff and captains/vice captains to maintain order within the venue in regards to the pool league, and to undertake measures to ensure the safety of others, and to ensure league games are played in a safe, comfortable and orderly manner.