EHC Tournament Committee Meeting on 2/8/03

 Committee Members Attending:  Joe Marschak, Rod Chilcott, Bob DeCecco, Harvey Hayes, Ruby Church, Robert F. White, Robert D. White, Sally Siegel

 Committee Members Absent:  Chuck Burkett, Steve Kuchcinski, Sam Stafford

 The meeting was called to order at 9:15 AM and it adjourned at about 1:30 PM.  During that time, the committee outlined operating procedures for small indoor tournaments and also outlined the general format and operating procedures for the Eastern National Tournament.  The committee also determined its own role in managing tournaments and the funds generated by such events.  The committee is to meet a minimum of 1 week prior to each tournament at an agreeable time when the majority of committee members are available.

 Small Indoor Tournaments:

 The $40.00 flat rate fee for use of the facilities is to be eliminated.  In place of that, a fee of $1.00 per player is to be removed from entry fees to cover the general expenses of the indoor facility and that money is to be added directly into the building fund.

 Mandate:  We will use a standard prize fund for each tournament which will be determined by the committee and changed as needed and will be based on the concept of the prize fund is determined by subtracting all the tournament expenses from the entry fees collected.  For the purpose of defining payout amounts, tournament expenses are as follows:

 $1.00 fee per player for use of EHC facilities
$2.00 fee per player for WPHPA sanction tax
Placques and any other non-cash awards
Scoresheets
Any other misc. expense agreed upon by the committee 

The committee examined averages of all these expenses from approximately  the last two years of indoor tournaments and determined, by majority vote, that the following standard prize fund per class would keep the tournaments slightly over the break even point:

 1^st place: $35,   2^nd place: $25,  3^rd place or high % game award: $15

Additional places will be awarded in classes larger than 6 person at a rate of $15 per place
Prize fund will also be proportionally reduced for classes scheduled for less than 6 players

This award structure shall be used for all indoor tournaments and can be changed only by majority vote of the committee.

Beginning with the March, 2003 tournament (Cliff Walter Mem.), third place award will be eliminated and replaced with a cash award of $15 to the highest single game ringer percentage pitched of players placing under 2^nd place.  Also, the club will take out the $1.00 per player fee and disperse the funds as directed above.

Tournament Fund:

The exact amount of money currently in the tournament fund is $1,437.00 (as of 2/8/03).

The tournament standing committee is to have domain over the tournament fund.  Majority vote of committee is required for use of funds outside of normal tournament expenses.

All tournament profits are to be split 50/50 between the building fund and the tournament fund.  Profits are defined as:  excess money from entry fee after awards are paid and expenses taken out; profits from small games of chance such as 50/50’s, etc.; cash donations to the club received during the tournament from spectators or participants; profits from concession/beverage sales during the tournament

Eastern National Tournament Structure and Guidelines:

Adult classes to be divided into 8 player classes where at all possible

Junior classes will be divided into sensible classes, based on current entries

Any class of less than 6 players will play a double round robin

 All classes will be scheduled to play 40-point cancellation style games.  Delays in the start of play may result in games being shortened to fewer points.

 All classes with the majority of players under 30% will have a sixty shoe limit on each game played.  If points are reduced due to delays, shoe limits will be reduced proportionally as well.  In the event of a tie at the sixty shoe mark, the players will pitch until one of them scores, with the scoring player being declared the winner of the game.

 Tie Breaker for First Place (all classes):

 All ties for first place in any class are to be settled by way of a play-off game, using the same game length and format that was used in regulation play, except there will be no shoe limit on play-ff games.  A player must reach the prescribed number of points to be declared the winner.  If a play-off game is permanently suspended by tournament officials prior to it’s completion (usually for weather related reasons), the prize money for first and second place will be combined and split evenly between the two players.  First place will be awarded to the player who was ahead on points in the play-off game.  In the event of a tie score in a suspended play-off game, first place shall be awarded to whichever player won the match that they had played against each other in the original round robin.  In the event that they did not play each other in the original round robin, first place will be awarded to the player with the higher overall ringer percentage (rounded up to two decimal places).  In the event of a tie on ringer percentage, the player with the most shoes pitched during regulation play will be awarded first place.  In the event of a tie on shoes pitched, first place will be awarded to the winner of a shoe flip.

 Tie Breaker for Awards less than First Place (all classes):

 As described above in the tie breaker for first place, but in the following order:

      1)       overall ringer %

2)       winner of match played in round robin (skip and go to #3 if more than 2 players are tied)

3)       highest shoe count

4)       If a tie still exists, combine prize money and split evenly amongst tied players and then award places based on the results of a shoe flip, drawing straws to see who flips first if more than two are still tied

Procedure for delay of the start of play for a class:

      1)       After a delay of 1 hour, reduce games to 30 points and play all scheduled games

2)       If the delay is over 1 ½ hours, then eliminate the last game of the round robin

3)       At the 2 hour point in the delay, eliminate the last two games

4)       At the 2 ½ hour point, eliminate the last 3 games

5)       If start is still delayed after waiting 2 ½ hours and play is not likely to start within the next ½ hour, then the class will be canceled at that point and players will be refunded their entry fees

6)       Players must fix their court and begin play within 15 minutes of announcing the start of play

 Procedure for delay in play after the start of a class:

      1)       If play is delayed 1 hour or less, resume play as normal (no changes)

2)       If delays total 1 to 1 ½ hours, then eliminate the last game of the round robin

3)       If delays total 1 ½ to 2 hours, then eliminate the last 2 games

4)       If delays total 2 to 2 ½ hours, then eliminate the last 3 games of the round robin

5)       If delays total more than 2 ½ hours, then all remaining play is canceled.  If more than 50% of the scheduled rounds have been completed at that point, then the current standings will be used to determine the official order of finish and awards will be given based on that and the tournament will count as an official NHPA sanctioned tournament toward Nat Stats and World/PA State Tournament entry requirements.  I f less than 50% of the scheduled games have been played at that point, then the class is considered canceled and will not count as an official tournament and all affected players’ entry fees will be refunded.

6)       When resuming play after a temporary suspension of play, players will be allowed only a 4 shoe warm up after fixing courts.

 Adult Championship Classes Structure and prize payout:

The Championship Class will be made up of the top eight percentages of the top 24 players in each division.  They will be divided into 8 player groups, making up classes A, B and C, which will play on Saturday.  The top 8 players, based on ringer percentage thrown during play on Saturday, will advance to the championship class and play another 8 person round robin on Sunday, competing for the top prizes of the tournament.  In the event that Saturday’s round of play is canceled, the adult championship classes will be played on Sunday with the original Class A’s becoming the Championship Classes in each adult division.  Classes B & C will remain canceled and the B & C players’ original entry fees will be refunded unless they happen to qualify for play in the Championship Class by the default of a qualified player.  Any qualifying players that are unable to compete in the Championship Class will be replaced with the next highest ranking, available player.

Classes A, B & C will pay winnings equal to that of all other adult classes in the tournament.

The Championship Class prize fund will be the same for both Adult Divisions, as follows:

1^st Place:          $500.00
2^nd Place:         $300.00
3^rd Place:         $200.00