CROYDON & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE AND
CROYDON SUMMER POOL LEAGUE
LEAGUE CONSTITUTION (2025/26 EDITION)
1) NAME
The League shall be known as the CROYDON & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE but from hereinafter referred to as
“The League”. The Croydon Summer Pool League also adopts this League Constitution with the exception of any references to the League Cup.
2) MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the League shall be open to teams in the area, so long as they play from Licensed Public house or Social Club. They must abide by this constitution and the General Playing Procedures and Rules of the League, and be approved by the Executive Committee. All members are to always encourage Sportsmanship and Fair Play throughout the League. Each team accepted as a member will receive their League scheduled Fixture Lists and all other relevant information prior to the commencement of a season via the RackEmApp App (the “App”)
3) DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT
We believe that all our members should be treated fairly and should feel valued, appreciated, and free to be who they are. We reject any form of discrimination against our members regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique.
4) COMPETITIONS
a) Divisions will normally consist of 12 teams will play 22 (or other) designated league games throughout the season to which 2 Teams are promoted and relegated at the end of the season.
b) Ideally no division can be formed with more than 1 initial "Bye" within its structure.
c) League Cup matches normally consist of 7 designated Group matches to which when completed :-
d) Group Winners and Runners-Up compete thereafter in the Main competition
e) 3rd & 4th place teams compete thereafter in the Plate competition
f) 5th & 6th place teams compete thereafter in the Plaque competition
g) The Team Knockout Cup is formed from the Top 50% of teams (e.g. Division 1 & 2 in a 4 division league format, or Division 1 and Top half of Division 2 in a 3 division league format). The Team Knockout Plate is for the lower 50% of teams (e.g. Division 3 & 4 in a 4 division league format, or Division 3 and lower half of Division 2 in a 3 division league format) and re drawn at random after each round has been completed.
h) The Singles/Plate & Doubles/Plate K/O’s are self-explanatory and will be randomly drawn and re-drawn at random after each round has been completed. The Intermediate Singles is open to all players except those in Division 1.
i) The Divisional Singles is based on the number of First 2 wins accumulated by Individual Players over the course of the designated League Matches only.
j) The Secretary Trophy is again based on the number of wins accumulated by Team Secretaries in the designated League matches after each League match has been completed.
k) The Ranking Competition is designed to determine the Number 1 Player combining both the Winter & Summer Leagues in any such year and the points will be awarded as follows :-
LEAGUE MATCHES
Division 1 - 5.25 points per win recorded.
Division 2 - 4.75 points per win recorded.
Division 3 - 4.50 points per win recorded.
Division 4 - 4.25 points per win recorded.
Division 5 (etc.) - 4.00 points per win recorded.
LEAGUE CUP MATCHES (1st Stage Matches only)
5 points per win recorded
SINGLES KNOCKOUT (Plate comps exempt)
5 points per win recorded per round (maximum of 50 points)
5) TROPHIES
Trophies/medals (M) are awarded to Teams (T) and their Players (P) as follows :-
Competition Wnrs Rnr/Up S/Fin
League T&P P
League Cup T&P P P
League Cup Plate T
League Cup Plaque T
Knockout Cup T&P P P
Knockout Cup Plate T
Divisional Singles P P
Secretary Cup P P
Singles K/O P P P
Singles K/O Plate P
Ladies Singles K/O P P
Doubles K/O P P P
Doubles K/O Plate P
Intermediate Singles P P
No.1 Player P
a) All Trophies must be collected at the Annual End of Season Presentation Dance. Any trophies that are not collected will be donated to worthy causes.
b) A maximum of 10 trophies will be presented to teams within the team competitions, although teams with more than 10 registered players will be given the option to pay for any additional trophies required.
c) All Trophies in the League Competition will be of the same size throughout all Divisions.
d) A Trophy Order Form will be furbished to all successful Teams/Players before the Presentation Dance and any Trophies not collected will result in a Fine for that/those Team/s or Player/s
6) LEAGUE STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
a) The affairs of the League shall be administered by an Executive Committee and the following roles are required:
i) Chairman.
ii) Secretary.
iii) Treasurer.
iv) CDPL Team Manager.
v) League Representatives.
vi) Minutes Secretary.
b) Anyone wishing to put themselves forward for a position should submit a proposal in the normal way to the League Secretary of the position that they wish to be considered for 21 days prior to the AGM or Half Season meeting so that they can be included on that meeting’s agenda which will be circulated 7 days before that meeting, which can then be voted on at the meeting.
c) In all matters regarding the administration of the League, and the interpretation of the rules, the Executive Committee reserve the right to act as the final judge (in the best interests of the League) of such matters and their decision shall be binding upon all League Members.
7) DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
CHAIRMAN
a) To sit and chair all Executive Committee and League meetings.
b) To see to the enforcement of the Constitution and General Playing Procedures and Rules.
c) Will have access to make online banking payments in addition to the Treasurer.
d) Will make a full, and Half-Season, check on the League Treasurers accounts to verify the balances is received as a statement by all Team Secretaries.
e) Shall be responsible for the organisation of buying, collecting, storage, and correct engraving on all League Trophies.
f) Shall be responsible for the organisation and arrangement of the Leagues end of season Presentation Evening.
g) Shall be responsible to arrange the venue and date for the AGM and Half-Season General meetings and any other meetings required.
LEAGUE SECRETARY
h) In the absence of the Chairman, will chair any meeting.
i) Will attend any other meeting which in the opinion of the Executive Committee could be beneficial to the League.
j) Will establish and administer the Leagues Fixtures, Knockout Cup, League Cup, Singles & Doubles Knockout, Secretaries Trophy, Divisional Singles and Number 1 Ranked Player Competitions.
k) Will conduct all the correspondence for the League.
l) Will submit an up-to-date weekly copy of all Results/League Tables to each Team Secretary.
m) Will handle and authorise league representatives entry to the EPA Champion of Champions competition
n) Will handle sending the EPA affiliation forms to ensure the league remains an EPA affiliated league.
TREASURER
o) Will receive, receipt, record, and report on all subscriptions, fees, dues, or monies paid into, or by the League and enter the payments received into the App.
p) Will have prepared a Half and Full Season statement of accounts of all receipts or expenditure incurred by the League, and the balances remaining, copies of which must be received by all Team Secretaries.
q) Will maintain a balance of the current financial condition of the League as and when required at any Executive Committee meeting.
r) Will make regular deposits of all monies received by the League into the Croydon & District Pool League bank account (Currently Metro Bank)
s) Will prepare a members update covering letter with the financial statement.
MINUTES SECRETARY
t) Will keep a record of all minutes of any League or Executive Committee meeting and these records will remain the property of the League.
8) INTERLEAGUE DIRECTOR (FORMALLY: CDPL TEAM SECRETARY)
a) Will arrange trials for the Croydon Interleague Teams to be held normally around November and arrange the venue booking for this.
b) Will decide how many places are required at trials and the format of the trials for that year based on the criteria set out and if any players have withdrawn. This is normally a round robin group stage
c) Will submit entries to the EPA for the number of teams wishing to participate in the Interleague National Finals and the Interleague KO Cup. The cost of the team’s entry to be paid by each team and not the league.
d) Organise the vote for team captains after trials
9) MEETINGS
a) An Annual General Meeting will be convened by no later than 1 month before the start date of the next season to do the following business :-
i) Minutes of the preceding Half-Season General meeting shall be presented and confirmed and any business arising there from shall be dealt with.
ii) Presentation of Annual Reports and Statement of Accounts.
iii) Adoption of any duly proposed and seconded proposals and or amendments to the General Playing Procedures & Rules.
iv) Adoption of any duly proposed and seconded proposals and or amendments to the Constitution.
v) Appeals that have been lodged under Section 10.
vi) Any other business.
b) A Half-Season General meeting will be convened at the mid-point of the League competition to transact business as stated in (a).
c) Any proposals to be considered at these meetings must be received in writing by the League Secretary at least 21 days prior to the meeting so that they can be included on that meeting’s agenda which will be circulated 7 days before that meeting.
d) Any proposals must be duly proposed and seconded by current Team Secretaries who must be present and be able to verbally put their proposal to the meeting together with the endorsement from the seconder. Failure to attend by either will lead to that proposal being withdrawn from the agenda unless someone present at the AGM will act as a seconder.
e) All General meetings will be conducted in accordance with a pre-published agenda.
f) At all General meetings only those people present and entitled to vote in accordance with the rules listed below shall exercise a vote :-
i) Each member team shall be empowered to send their secretary and 1 further observer and be entitled to 1 vote.
ii) Any Team Secretary who is unable to attend any General Meeting may appoint an alternate person from within that same team who upon presentation of written authorisation, may attend, participate and vote.
iii) Notwithstanding the above, each team who sends an observer with their Secretary/Voting representative shall have no right of address.
iv) All elected officers of the League (who are not current Team Secretaries) shall be entitled to 1 vote.
v) All issues will be decided on a simple majority vote of the entitled voters present. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman will exercise the right of a casting vote.
vi) Voting by proxy on any proposal is strictly prohibited.
g) Any team failing to be represented at General Meetings without a pre-informed apology shall be fined £20.
10) SUBSCRIPTIONS & FEES
a) New or existing teams within the League will be required to pay the Subscription as specified by the Executive Committee prior to the commencement of the season or those teams will not be included in any of the League fixture lists. This subscription will include for the initial registration of up to 12 players, divisional match fees, entry into the League Cup, Knockout Cup, players entries into the Singles and Doubles Knockout competitions and a entry to the Presentation Dance of that season.
b) Any players/s registered after the season commences can be registered free of charge.
c) Subscriptions and fees, or any part thereof, will be non-returnable to teams or players who are suspended or who withdraw from the League.
d) Any team suspended/withdrawn from previous season will be categorised as a New Team for the following season, thereby losing their current League divisional status. This could result in effect, that offending teams may not be guaranteed to be in the League for the following season.
11) CROYDON & DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE TEAM
a) The CDPL Team Manager will arrange trials to be held normally around November and arrange the venue booking for this. This will be advertised as far in advance as possible, they will be assisted by the Executive Committee. The format is normally a single frame round robin with groups of 8 all playing each other once with the top 2 gaining a place and as required the highest 3rd place player out of all groups. If a player is on the receiving end of a Break and dish, they are given the chance to break and if they also achieve a break and dish a 3rd frame is played. The format may vary year on year depending on number of places available.
b) The League Secretary will ensure affiliation forms are submitted to the EPA (around November) and the CDPL Team Manager will ensure entries for the squads that wish to enter the Interleague Finals and the Interleague KO Cup are submitted and paid for. Booking of accommodation in order to fully secure places in the Interleague Finals and KO Cup is done by each Team Captain and is their responsibility to ensure this is done in good time as to secure their place in the competition.
c) Trials will be held prior to the commencement of the new season to determine the ‘A’,‘B’ and ‘C’ squad/s of 11 to 15 players for that year (the exact size of the squad is decided by each individual captain)
d) The trials are open to all League members.
e) Players who qualify for the team must win an average of 51% of their designated matches during the year, to justify retaining their place within the team for the following year without having to change squads or re-trial.
f) Any ‘A’ team member who fails to attain a 51% win average will play for the ‘B’ team the following season and the highest win average ‘B’ team member/s will fill the vacant position/s. The same process will apply between the ‘B’ and the ‘C’ teams with ‘C’ team members who fail to attain the win average being required to re-trial (although it will be discretional by the squad captains to decide whether any outstanding trialist can be selected to replace any player/s going from the ‘C’ squad to the ‘B’ squad and from the ‘B’ squad to the ‘A’ squad after the trials are completed).f
i) An attendance of matches percentage of 50%+ must be achieved before win percentages are taken into consideration in finalising the squads for the next season and if this is not achieved by any individual then item 10d will come into effect
ii) Regardless of the retained win averages, the 2 players with the lowest win averages will move from the A squad to the B squad and vice versa from B to C with the 4 lowest in the C squad having to re-trial. This will result in a minimum of 2 players going from the B to A and from the C to the B squads with the highest win averages with a minimum of 4 new places available for trialists
iii) In the circumstance of any replacement players being brought into the squad to replace existing players that withdraw from the squad before or during a season will be considered as a bona fide team member for the remainder of that season but if they have not been through a trial system beforehand then they will have to trial for the following season to retain their position in the squad.
g) All qualified Team members will receive a Commemorative Medal at the Presentation Night during that year and Silver Salvers will also be awarded to players when they have played 50, 100, 200+ frames for the team.
h) The captains’ positions will be elected by the team member of that team on an annual basis after trails have been completed. (e.g. members of the Croydon A team will vote for the captain of the A team and so on)
i) The team manager and captains reserve the right to make all decisions appertaining to the general running of the team and any decisions made by them will be binding upon all team members.
j) Any player found showing forms of dissent or ungentlemanly/unladylike conduct before/during or after a match will be automatically suspended from the team.
k) The cost of each team’s entry to the Interleague competitions is paid for by the team members. Any prize money award from any National or Interleague Cup is awarded to the team and not the league.
12) COMPLAINTS
a) Any complaints made against any player/team within the league, must be made in writing and sent to the league secretary within 14 days of the incident.
b) The league chairman will be responsible for trying to resolve the complaint either by phoned conversation or placing the matter before a meeting of the executive committee.
c) As a result of a complaint, should the executive committee require a member of the league to attend a committee meeting and that member without reasonable excuse fail to attend, then that member shall be suspended from the league until such time as they make representations to the AGM or Half-Yearly meeting.
13) PRESENTATION DANCE
a) This is free to all league members
14) NEW TEAM LOCATIONS(To be Voted on at AGM)
a) Teams from existing and past venues must be located within a 7.25 mile radius of the Whitgift Centre. Any new teams wishing to apply for membership from a new venue must be located within a 5.5 mile radius.