Should games be cancelled due to rain, it will be posted on the TUC website main page by 4:00 PM on game day - we will post a banner every game day on the website saying that games are either on or off . A full explanation of our Bad Weather Policy is also listed in the policies section. Please do not email the convenors.
Games cancelled by the TUC Staff or the Summer League convenor are not to be played. This is NOT optional. Teams choosing to play when games are cancelled may be sanctioned.
Note that most games will likely still be held on TURF fields when other games are canceled. Turf fields drain well and are not damaged by water so we can still play on these fields. The exception is very inclement weather and/or thunderstorms/lightning. Turf field games are not rescheduled for teams unless they are themselves canceled.
For days when the weather is unpredictable but games have not been officially cancelled, the opposing captains may want to contact each other and work out a contingency plan. For example, the captains may agree to wait until 5pm, or perhaps show up at the field and decide then (ideal), or perhaps reschedule for another day. The reasoning for officially canceling games, aside from the obvious permit and liability issues, is so that a team not wanting to play because of lightning, field damage, or because at 6pm in their part of the city it is storming, will not be unfairly assessed a default because the opposing team shows up at the field and claims a win. The League insists that captains who do decide to try to play the game, use common sense at the field if rain or lightning does take place. Please don't selfishly lose or destroy a field for the rest of the league so that you can play that one game.
Note: Defaulted games will be scored 6-0 against the defaulting team. This score will be reflected in the standings. Defaulting teams receive an automatic Spirit score of 0, while the winner receives an automatic Spirit score of 18.
Due to limited field space, it is very difficult to reschedule postponed games. Even so, games should be postponed if:
- either captain deems that dangerous conditions exist or are imminent (lightning, large holes in the field, etc),
- either captain deems that the fields are so wet that play might damage them, or
- both captains agree for some other reason.
Defaults
IMPORTANT: If a team is unable to field enough players to play a scheduled game, that team will be in default. The opposing captain is under NO obligation to accommodate the defaulting team and re-schedule.
If BOTH captains decide to re-schedule, there is no default. Rescheduled games should be played within 1-2 weeks so that they can still count in the ratings ladder, and at least a week before playoffs if at the end of the season. The convener should be informed and TUC staff contacted to arrange for a 'make-up' field. Games not played before the applicable deadline will not count in the standings.
There will be no exceptions made for games scheduled on holidays.
League conveners must be informed as soon as possible if a game is postponed.
If a game is interrupted (e.g. by bad weather or a serious injury) and cannot continue that day, then the partially completed game will be handled as follows:
- The game is considered complete and the game score will stand as final if either of the following conditions is met at the time at which play is halted:
- one team has reached at least ten points; or
- one team has reached at least eight points, and is leading by at least two points.
- If neither of these conditions is met, captains can agree to continue the game from the current score at a later time, or to accept whatever score was reached as final. If agreement between the captains cannot be reached, and neither game completion condition above was met, no result should be entered for this game, and the game is cancelled.
If a team uses a non-TUC member in a TUC game or event, that team will be in default and may be sanctioned.
If one team is not ready to play by 7pm (for summer league games scheduled to start at 6:30pm), or fifteen minutes after the scheduled start time (all other leagues and summer league games), then the other team, providing they are ready to play, is allowed to count one point every five minutes thereafter. (e.g. if Team X is ready to play, Team Y is 25 minutes late, score is X=2, Y=0). If a team is not ready to play 45 minutes after the scheduled start time, the game may be considered a win by default for the other team. If circumstances warrant, captains can agree to waive the default and play or postpone the game. If the default stands, the winning team receives a default score in Zuluru, which is the equivalent of a 6-point win or loss for each team. The default game scored is factored into the ratings ladder.
Winners AND losers of defaulted games (BOTH CAPTAINS) are to immediately report the default to the league convener as well as IMMEDIATELY ENTER THE SCORE AS A DEFAULT IN THE ZULURU SCORING SECTION. As mentioned above an automatic game score and Spirit score will be assigned, and it is very important to record the default.
Teams that default twice in a season without reasonable notice, or three defaults overall, may be suspended from the league without refund subject to consideration by the league convenor and ED.
Updated: July 24, 2018