Why be a certified League Director?
Wallyball is an explosive game with important rules that can affect match outcomes. The presence of qualified referees, league / tournament directors, and instructors will enhance safety and produce fairer outcomes. Certification is the process used to specify the level of technical competence.
Click here to learn more about wallyball certifications.
How to start a wallyball league by George Schneider, MN, WIN! Certified League Director
There are several things to consider when making plans to start up a wallyball league. Besides having enough players to make the league work, you will need to insure you have a facility capable of accommodating your league. There should be enough courts which are not committed to other events (such as racquetball) and not conflicting with leagues or tournaments for other events.
The playing facility must also be capable of supporting wallyball nets. If the facility does not have holes drilled for anchor bolts to support the nets, you can consider using suction cup net holders.
Steps in starting a wallyball league
- Estimate the number of players who are interested in playing in a league. You will need to field the following information:
a. Skill levels for the players
b. Nights of the week players are available
c. Full-time or part-time participation
d. Method for choosing the teams for fair play
e. Players are willing to play with each other (for setting up teams)
- Locate a facility which can accommodate your league
a. Make sure there are enough courts
i. Considering the other events at the facility, can they accommodate your league?
b. Is membership to the facility required for all players?
i. If so, will they allow "drop in" non-members on a "play by pay" basis?
c. Check out the facility's wallyball equipment
i. If they do not have any, are they willing to purchase equipment for play?
ii. If the facility does not want to purchase equipment, can your league provide it?
d. Does the playing courts have holes drilled for nets?
i. If they do not, is the facility willing to do so to accommodate wallyball?
e. How much will court rental cost?
i. Find out if there is a per court hour or per player charge
f. Get a commitment from the facility manager/owner to move forward with the league
- Confirm the player interest by having them sign up to play
a. The signup can be done several different ways
i. Electronic survey (http://www.Zoomerang.com/ offers a basic product for no charge)
ii. Paper survey (remember there are mailing and postage costs if players are not easily accessible)
b. Allow players to sign up as full-time (play 80% of the time) or part-time (<80%).
c. Determine method for choosing the teams:
i. Captains to pick players on their teams in a draft order
ii. Randomly choose teams by lottery number (or random generator if available)
d. Set up league schedule after teams are selected
i. WIN! provides round robin schedules for league play; visit their website for more information.
e. League Coordinator must maintain contact list for players and facility
- Contact the facility to finalize plans to begin the league
a. This should be the final step to get the league started
- Maintain standings and schedules in a convenient location for the players
a. Players may enjoy seeing their results posted each week, either locally at the facility or on a website
b. Offer some type of reward for the top team(s) in the league
