CHELTENHAM CIVIL SERVICE SKITTLES CLUB
The Club Rules
7 May 2014
1. The Club shall be called “THE CHELTENHAM CIVIL SERVICE SKITTLES CLUB”.
2. The purpose of the Club shall be:
a. To encourage, and conduct skittles activities amongst Civil Servants in the Cheltenham area in a spirit of good fellowship and sportsmanship.
b. To promote competition between, and determine the organisation of, teams.
MEMBERSHIP
Rule 3 was altered at the AGM held on 24 May 2011
3. All regular players must be Members of the CIVIL SERVICE SPORTS COUNCIL (CSSC) OR Associate or Honorary Members of the CHELTENHAM AREA CIVIL SERVICE SPORTS ASSOCIATION (CACSSA). Non-members may only play on no more than 3 occasions per season. However, to ensure games are completed with full teams, up to 3 available individuals may be included.. All such must be clearly identified on the scorecard.
OFFICERS
4. The Officers of the Club shall be:
a. The Chairman.
b. The Secretary.
c. The Treasurer.
d. The Fixtures Secretary.
e. The Scorekeeper.
f. The Equipment Secretary.
g. The Stickers Organiser.
These Officers shall constitute the Committee and be appointed by election at the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting following their election unless an Extraordinary General Meeting decides otherwise. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt such other members of the Club as necessary to assist them in the business of the Club.
GENERAL MEETINGS
5. The Annual General Meeting shall be held on a suitable date to be decided by the Committee.
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Committee or one third of the teams, giving at least 14 days notice in writing to the Secretary. All Registered Members of the Club are entitled to vote so long as they are present in person at any General Meeting. Any decisions taken at such meetings will be made by the persons attending, regardless of number.
WINTER LEAGUE
6. Application for Winter League membership must be made to the Fixtures Secretary by a date decided by the committee. Applications must be renewed each year.
7. Teams will compete in a league system of divisions, the number of which shall be decided by the Committee. Teams in each division will play each other at least once on alleys arranged by the Committee. The first named team in any fixture will be considered as the ‘Home’ team.
8. No player will play for more than one League Team (including President’s Shield matches) in any one season, unless the transfer has been agreed by the committee. Approval for such transfers will only be given in exceptional circumstances.
9. If a team withdraws or is expelled from the League after starting the season the committee shall decide how their results will be treated in the league table and offer an explanation of how that decision was reached. Individual players with prospects of a trophy for High Score or High Average will still be considered for trophies. The team and individual scores of their opponents will count towards the Team High Score and Individual High Score and High Average awards.
10. On completion of all matches in any Division, the team with the highest number of points will be Champions of that Division and the team with the second highest number of points will be runners-up. In the event of a tie on points by 2 or more teams, the average pins floored will determine the relative positions of these teams in their division.
11. The first team in the lower divisions will be promoted to the next higher division for the following season, unless for special reasons the AGM or Committee decide otherwise. The lowest team in higher divisions will be relegated to the next lower division for the following season, unless for special reasons the AGM or Committee decide otherwise.
SUMMER LEAGUE
12. Application for Summer League membership must be made to the Fixtures Secretary by a date decided by the committee, and must be renewed each season.
13. Teams will compete in a league system, the format of which shall be decided by the Committee; the final stages of this completion may be conducted on a knock-out basis.
PRESIDENT’S SHIELD
14. Entry to the President’s Shield, a knock-out competition, shall be restricted to teams and players currently competing in the Winter League, or, if the Winter League season has ended, to teams which completed the Winter League programme of the preceding season.
15. In the event of a tie in the President’s Shield matches, the last leg players of each team shall play one additional hand until a result ensues.
JOHN CHRISTIE CUP
16. The First Division Champions will play the President’s Shield Winners for the John Christie Challenge Cup; this match will be played on Summer Finals Night, unless the Committee decide otherwise. This match will be played according to ‘Front Pin’ rules. In the event that the same team wins both the First Division and the President’s Shield, they shall play the First Division Runners-up for the John Christie Cup.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
17. Entry to the Player of the Year, a knock-out competition for individuals, shall be open to members of CSSC/CACSSA.
18. Two players play 6 hands alternately and the player flooring the higher total number of pins wins their game. In the event of a tie in the Player of the Year matches, the players shall play one additional hand until a result ensues.
MIXED PAIRS
19. This competition is for pairs of 1 gentleman and 1 lady and shall be open to all members of CSSC/CACSSA. The format of the competition will be decided year-on-year depending upon the number of entries and alley availability.
20. In each match the pairs play 6 hands alternately, the players in each pair playing hands alternately. The pair flooring the higher total number of pins wins the game. In the event of a tie in any match, the pairs shall play two additional hands (i.e. each player plays in turn as before) until a result ensues.
TONY CLAY MEMORIAL SHIELD
21. Entry to this competition shall be open to all members of CSSC/CACSSA. It will be played according to Front Pin rules. The format of the competition will be decided year-on-year depending upon the number of entries and alley availability.
22. Two players play 6 hands alternately and the player flooring the higher total number of pins wins their game. In the event of a tie in any match, the players shall play one additional hand until a result ensues.
CONDUCT OF MATCH
Rule 23 was changed at the AGM held on 7 May 2014
23. Each Winter League game shall comprise 3 legs each of 8 hands (24 hands per game). Each team will comprise a maximum of 9 players, with a maximum of 3 players per leg. For the Summer League this composition may be varied by the Committee. Players shall each bowl three consecutive balls per hand with players from each team alternating. The team scoring the higher number of pins at the end of each leg shall be awarded 2 points; in the event of a tie each team will be awarded 1 point. The team scoring the higher number of pins at the end of the match shall be the winners and awarded 4 further points; in the event of a tie each team will be awarded 2 points. In each completed game 10 points will be awarded.
24. There are 2 lines on an alley; in delivering the ball the player’s feet must be behind the first line and the ball must touch the alley before reaching the second line. If a ball first touches the alley beyond the second line and knocks down pins, the ball is forfeit and the pins that fall as a result of that ball are reset. If a ball touches either side of the alley before striking the pins, any pins knocked down with that ball shall not count and shall be reset. If a ball rebounds off the back of the alley, any pins knocked down after the rebound shall not count and shall be reset.
PINS MUST BE DOWN FLAT TO COUNT.
25. Matches are due to start at 8.00 pm and every effort must be made to get a prompt start. Any team whose first 3 players are not ready to play by 8.10 pm will concede the match, unless the opposing captain has given prior agreement to a late start, and the sticker has been informed of the arrangement. Each leg shall start play immediately the previous leg is completed. In the event of a team being incomplete, any match once started shall count as a League fixture, and the total scores included in the records. If no sticker arrives, teams are to make their own arrangements.
26. The ‘Home’ team will be responsible for supplying the score card. The result and opponents’ scores are to be certified by both team captains or their nominees and the result and totals will stand.
27. The match fee will be decided at the Annual General Meeting. Each team shall arrange the collection of this amount and the sticker’s fee from their players. The ‘Home’ team captain or nominee shall see the sticker is paid and deliver the match fee together with the score card to the Bar Staff immediately following the game. ‘Home’ team captains will be responsible for all monies if the above procedure is not adhered to.
28. If the responsible captain has not submitted the score card and monies within one week, that team may forfeit one match point, and a further point for each week after receiving a warning from an Officer of the Club.
29. Matches are to be played on the dates allocated on the fixture list. Only in exceptional circumstances will rearrangements be considered. Any team captain who finds that a game cannot be played on the due date should inform the Fixtures Secretary (or in his absence any other committee member) and the Stickers Organiser (or in his absence the Bar Steward) and the opposing captain as soon as possible. If insufficient notice is given the fee for the sticker will be found by the cancelling team. If, in the opinion of the Committee a fixture is cancelled for other than exceptional circumstances the cancelling team shall forfeit two match points. If a fixture is cancelled by the Committee for any reason no match points will be deducted and the Skittles Club will pay the stickers fee.
30. Barracking is accepted as a normal part of the game of skittles, but should not be so abusive or loud as to cause offence.
TROPHIES
31. Cups and trophies will be awarded at Winter and Summer League Finals Nights, including formal presentation of ‘Special Competition’ awards. Lost returnable trophies are to be paid for by the team or individual to whom they were last awarded. Team captains should forward to the Scorekeeper names of members of their teams who may qualify for individual awards; this must be done within one week of the end of the season.
(See the list of trophies)
WINDING-UP
Rule 32 was added at the AGM held on 24 May 2011
32. Any decision to wind-up the Club can only be made at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose as in paragraph 5, at which the procedure for disbandment and the disposition of the Club’s assets will be decided, noting the requirement included in CACSSA Rules (of 16 May 2005) that such assets “be vested in the Area Association”.
GENERAL
33. No amendment shall be made to these rules except by the consent of a General Meeting. Any matters not covered by these rules, and any matters requiring arbitration or penalties arising from the breaking of these rules, shall be dealt with by the Committee and their decision shall be final.