These League Rules written herein are the rules that the Cedar Rapids Metro Pool League has created to clarify previously used, but unwritten, rules.  It is important that all players play by the same rules.  These League Rules are intended to do just that…offer uniform guidelines for the players within our League.  These League Rules are to be used in the CRMPL during league play and do not affect any other League you may also participate in.  Likewise, no other League’s Rules will affect our players during league play.  Please read these League Rules and abide by them while playing in the CRMPL.

1.   Forfeit Times:  Matches begin at 7:00 PM.  If the first game in the first round hasn’t started (first break) by 7:15, the first round is lost by forfeit.  If the first round was forfeited and the first game of the second round hasn’t started by 7:30, the second round is lost by forfeit.  If the first and second round were forfeited and the first game of the third round hasn’t started by 7:45, the entire match is forfeited. The winning team will receive all match points and each player will receive 10 individual points for each game scheduled. The forfeiting team will receive no points. Both teams are required to pay the weekly fees. Any round may be started by any player before the forfeit time but the round is over if, at the end of that game, there is no other player from that team present and the forfeit time for that round has past.

2.   No substitutions will be allowed during a match for any reason.  Once a player has started a game, that player must complete the match or forfeit.

 3.   Make-up matches shall be the responsibility of the scheduled home team. The two teams involved shall choose a make-up date (no later than the Sunday following the scheduled match) at the scheduled location. The home team shall notify this CRMPL board of that change no later than the night of the scheduled match.

4.   ERO is defined as follows; When, on a players first turn to the table, there are 15 object balls on the table and this person legally pockets all of his objects balls and the eight-ball in that one turn at the table, it is considered an Eight-ball Run Out.

5.   There will be no Professional or Professional Caliber Pool Players, as designated by the National Office of the BCA, allowed to participate as a player in the Cedar Rapids Metro Pool League.

6.   The Cedar Rapids Metro Pool League does not accept personal checks for weekly fees or sanction fees. Cash or Money Orders for the exact amount will be accepted only.

7.   Handicaps have been established for all CRMPL players who have participated since the 2002 season.  These handicaps are listed on the master printout included in your folders for your first weeks’ play only.  After that, you must consult the weekly standings sheet just as you have in the past.  New players to this league will have their handicaps established after that player has completed two weeks of play in that session. When that sanctioned player has less than the required two weeks, that player will carry a zero handicap and cancel out the highest handicap of the opposing team.

8.   After the second week of play, any new player added to a roster that has not paid the $3 sanction fee will carry a 10 handicap until that player has paid the sanction fee.

9.   The order of the players listed on the scoring envelope has no true meaning therefore the order in which players are listed doesn’t matter. Players can be listed in any order, however, the Home team will fill out their shooting order first then the Visiting team will fill in their shooting order. This order of shooters cannot be changed once the match starts.

10.  Bye weeks will be scored with the team’s average scores (once established re: rule 7). Each team will receive the total of the team members’ handicap listed and that team will receive all match points. Each team member listed will receive their own handicap for their score. The team is required to pay its weekly fees.

11.  Team Forfeits will be scored with the zero points for the forfeiting team and maximum points (10 points per player per game and all match points) for the winning team.  Both teams are required to pay their weekly fees.  When a Team is short  individual players for a match, no person may be entered on the score sheet that is not present therefore that position shall be left blank with a zero handicap and shall cancel the highest opposing players handicap.

12.  Teams electing to drop out of the league or removed by the Board at any time shall forfeit all weekly fees paid to the league to that point. Each individual may still be sanctioned by the ISPA but each individual may or may not be qualified to play at the ISPA State Tournament.

13.  The Home Team Captain shall have the primary responsibility to insure that the score envelope is correct and the proper fees are included in the score envelope. The Visiting Captain also has the same responsibilities but to a lesser degree. It will be assumed that both Team Captains have reviewed and accepted the opposing teams players and handicaps as recorded on the score sheet by virtue of the Team Captains’ signature and only mathematical errors shall be corrected by the Board.  Both Captains have the responsibility to keep their players informed on all league business.

14.  Acceptance of Equipment: Once a match has started, it is understood that all players have accepted the equipment provided and it will not be changed unless some equipment has been broken or is otherwise unusable. In the event of equipment changes during the match due to breakage, all players involved will be notified of such changes before the change is made.

15.  Team Roster: Before any team can be scheduled to play in any session, the Board requires a copy of the team roster.  The minimum requirements for the original team roster include full names of all players as well as the address and phone number of the captain of the team.  The addresses and phone numbers of the remaining members can be supplied by week 2 of the regular session.  No person will be added to the original roster without approval of a minimum of two Board Members.  Unapproved players’ scores will be subject to disqualification by the Board.  A maximum of 8 players will be allowed on a Roster.

16.  Scoring Tied Rounds: In all sessions, including Summer Sessions, any completed round with a tied score shall be score as ½ round for each team.  (In the past, we have given tied rounds to the team with the most wins in that round.  We believe that if a team has used the handicap to achieve a tied score, the handicap system must be working thus both teams deserve something…1/2 point each)

17.  Minimum Handicap: With the new handicap system implemented in September 2004, there shall be no minimum handicap for any player for any  session.

18.  Player/Division Classification (Ringer Clause): It shall be the Board’s responsibility and discretion to notify any player of their ineligibility to qualify for the bonus prizes (ERO and MVP) if the Board deems them “overqualified within the division” that person elected to play in.  The Board will notify such a player of their ineligibility. This is also known as the Ringer Clause.

19.  Cedar Rapids Metro Pool League players may play on only one team per session, including substitutes.

20. Position Round Roster Additions: Any player(s) added to the original roster on Position Rounds shall play with a 10 handicap.

21.  Eligibility Rule: The Board reserves the right to reject a Roster addition if they deem that the Roster addition is not in the best interest of the competitive spirit of the League.

22.  All Protests shall be submitted in writing and delivered to any of the Board Members not later than 6 PM on the Monday following the protested incident.  The Board will then review the written protest, determine what actions will be necessary and notify all of the teams involved before the next regular match.

23.  The bonus money paid to the top positions for each session are base on the top 20% (or 3 places, which ever is greater) of the field in than division.

24.  The MVP and ERO Champion in the B and C Divisions will no longer be eligible for Individual Accomplishment prizes in the same Division in future sessions.  The top team in the B and C Divisions will be advanced to the next Division for all future sessions provided the team stays substantially the same.  The lowest two finishers in the A and B Divisions may request to be placed in the next lower Division.

25.  Drop Boxes will be located at convenient locations within the Cedar Rapids Metro area.  It will be the Home Team Captain’s responsibility to deliver the completed score sheet and the appropriate funds in the envelope provided to one of these drop boxes no later than 7 PM the Friday night following the scheduled match.

26.  Slow Play.  Everyone likes to play pool in this league.  No one enjoys staying “out” too late.  There are two possibilities for slow play to be called.  Any player will be allowed one minute to approach the table after the opponents turn has ended.  Or if, in your opinion, your opponent is constantly taking too much time for routine shots and you have timed your opponent taking more that two minutes on such a routine shot, you may warn that opponent and the two team captains of such.  The two team captains will then time your opponent and yourself for the remainder of that game.  A time limit of sixty seconds per shot shall be allowed with a verbal warning when 50 seconds has elapsed with the warning “TEN” being announced and the declaration “TIME” upon reaching sixty seconds.  Should either player exceed the sixty second limit, the opposing player will be awarded cue ball in hand.  If the offending player does not relinquish the table after the “TIME” call and proceeds to intentionally shoot in obvious defiance of the call, the match will be forfeited (unsportsmanlike conduct) to the opposing player (care and good judgment must be taken to ensure that the shot was obvious and flagrant, after the “TIME” call was made as this could be a close call).  The table will remain ‘as-is’ if it is determined that a late shot was not intentional.