Session 2 is moving along just fine. We are doing a fantastic job keeping up with the schedule . You are probably sick of me pointing out these numbers but here it is again. After 2 rounds we managed to complete 72 out of 80 matches which puts us at 90% match completion rate. We had some people dropping out early on but openings were filled pretty fast so right now our only open spot is in Division 8.
The competition is getting tight, especially in the top 4 divisions. In the first two rounds we had eleven 3 setters in those top 4 levels. I hope everyone is having great time out on the courts. Thank you all for doing a great job finishing your matches on time. It's not always easy , this week was especially difficult due to the holiday and a brutal heat wave . Looking at the forecast it seems like next 10 days will bring a lot better temps and more comfortable tennis weather.
Session III format
As most of you know, session 3 usually has a tournament format. For the first 6 years, session III had a single match elimination format (only winners advanced to play next round while losers were eliminated) . Last year we added consolation rounds so if you lose a match you still play consolation rounds once a week throughout the session. At the end, everyone was ranked from 1st to 48th place. A positive thing about this format was that we didn't have half of the league eliminated in the first round while there was still 4 weeks of great tennis weather left.
The consolation rounds guaranteed everyone one match a week.
However, session III last year had a lot of missed matches. We had a good number of people dropping out due to injuries, and it seems like many players were tired of tennis at the end of a long season. We only completed 70% of the matches which was well below our average of 85-90%. . As we are getting closer to session 3 I have been debating what kind of format would be best this year. We are trying to find a right balance between easing the schedule a bit and still giving players an opportunity to play through the fall. So here are some options.
Option 1
Keep us divided in 8 divisions and run one more 7 week long session (round robin) that mirrors the previous 2.
Personally I think tournament format is a nice way to end the season .It gives us an opportunity to play against people outside of our division and a shot at someone ranked higher. Otherwise, if we keep playing by divisions matches get competitive but people might get tired of playing against same opponents all year.
Option 2
One way to avoid overwhelming players at the end of the season would be to go back to single match elimination format (you lose one your are out). It would mean that half of the league would be eliminated by August 20th . Considering that there is 5 weeks of good tennis weather left in the fall, that format would cut the season way too short for a lot of players. It's especially bad for bottom levels since they would get to play one match against overwhelming opponents.
Option 3
Repeat last year's tournament format with consolation rounds. Winners advance to play towards round of 32 , round of 16, quarterfinals etc. and losers play consolation rounds. Everyone plays 6 rounds providing we end up with 64 players.
Option 4
Split the league in upper bracket (top 32) and lower (bottom 32) and run two tournaments simultaneously with consolation rounds included. This would be a nice compromise between options 2 and 3 . It reduces the length of the session to 5 rounds , matches get more competitive, and consolation rounds provide enough tennis for everyone. This format would also be easier to organize and run in my absence. I will be out of town for 3 weeks during the session 3 so assistant organizers will take over. So far I am leaning towards option 4 . I think it would be a good way to go if we end up with 64 players or close to it.
I posted a poll on the side of the blog so you can vote on this issue.
Session II outcome
Most likely we will end up with some sort of a tournament for session 3, so final session 2 standings will be used to set up brackets and seeds for the tournament. Also your session 3 results and final session 2 standings will be taken into consideration when we set up divisions for the next year (session I 2013).
So long for now, have a great week and good luck in your coming matches.
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