AYTTO Massachusetts Scholastic Table Tennis League 2022/23 Team Registration

Calling all Massachusetts Middle and High school ping pong teams!!!

New Season starting November 2022 - April 2023

Still not too late for your school team to register!! Can participate at 2nd+ round of school matches!!! Just need to play some catch up matches ;)

Payment can be made online via Paypal to bennisbet@aytto.org (w/heading 'AYTTO MA League' and your school name/division)

Alternatively, check payment (payable to AYTTO) can be mailed to:

AYTTO
c/o Jasper Wong
11 Bryant Rd, Lexington, MA 02420

Also, please download the student/athlete waiver form here (needs this for registration above):

For full registration form and information download the PDF from here. Also can use this registration form here for snail mail registration:

Introduction about Massachusetts Scholastic Table Tennis League

Massachusetts Scholastic Table Tennis League (MASTTL) is the Massachusetts chapter of middle school and high school table tennis league under American Youth Table Tennis Organization (AYTTO). Its mission shares the one from Greater New York Table Tennis League (GNYTTL, also under AYTTO): “to facilitate the competitive desire for Public, Private and Charter schools to play table tennis in an organized league format”.

The league is open to public, private and charter middle/high schools located in Massachusetts and offers team play for Massachusetts middle/high school students. The league offers two levels of team play. The middle school division targets grade 6th to grade 8th students. The high school division targets grade 9th to grade 12th students. Division championships will be held at the end of season. Top performing teams from Massachusetts may get invited to AYTTO’s national championship usually held at the end of school year.

Success in table tennis, like all sports, requires goal setting, skill development, practice, discipline, determination, overcoming obstacles and setbacks. League participants will receive skill-based instruction that emphasizes fitness, health, teamwork, etiquette and fair play. School coaches will establish a climate that will recognize effort and skill development among all student-athletes, while providing them with opportunities to continue playing beyond school.

Summary

MASTTL, seeks to collaborate to create an exciting high-quality table tennis league for school year 2022-2023 and sets the foundation for years to come. The league will:
● Operate at minimal cost by:
■ 1.Drawing upon existing programs already being run.
■ 2.Partnering with AYTTO.
■ 3.Being self-officiated. (except for final matches)

● Utilize local table tennis clubs for matches. Post covid we will resume utilizing school space in a cafeteria, conference room, unused hallways, or gym.
● Provide opportunities and incentives for teams to practice and learn.
● Inspire and cultivate healthy habits.
● Promote social interaction among participants – connecting city/town neighborhoods.
● Have mechanisms in place for school teams to fund raise for team equipment and travel costs.
● Draw logistical support from AYTTO.
● Have culminating championship events run and organized by AYTTO at state and national levels.

AYTTO is a 501c3 not for profit organization that has run successful table tennis programs at many New York City Schools over the past 10 years. It has the resources and know-how to foster, in partnership with interested schools, a highly successful and engaging league. For more information on AYTTO visit www.aytto.org. or email jasper.wong@aytto.org

Organizational Resources

• School Teachers, Parents or Designated Organization Employees as Coaches.
• AYTTO as Equipment Manager, Referee and Sport Knowledge Provider
  - Access to ITTF authorized Equipment Usage (balls, racquets, nets)
  - Free training and league meeting
  - Organizational know how
• AYTTO designated commissioner to manage the season.

Costs and Fees: (*2022-2023 season registration deadline: contact jasper.wong@aytto.org)

Each school will assign a teacher-coach to manage the team and pay for a small portion of the league culminating event, organizational, and equipment costs of $200/team for school year 2022-2023. Please make checks payable to AYTTO. AYTTO, as a not for profit, will fundraise and commit additional resources to support the league. MASTTL 2022-2023 Registration form can be downloaded online from AYTTO MA website (https://massachusetts.aytto.org) or register online.

League Rules
Special COVID-19 Arrangement for 2022-2023 school year
Some rules will be adjusted due to matches being held at AYTTO venues

General

1. Officials: ALL matches are self-officiated, meaning that students will be taught and provide materials needed to score matches.

2. Meet Referee: The home coach will be the school meet referee to settle any disputes that may arise.

3. Meet Format: The format is team. Student-Athletes represent a school and play for their team.

4. Venues: (* Due to COVID-19, matches will be played at selected AYTTO) Matches will be played at host schools where there are more than two or more tables. Schools that don’t have table tennis tables must either purchase table tennis tables or find a nearby school that has tables.

5. Practice Sessions: Schools are required to spend time practicing table tennis and training. A minimum of two practices each week is recommended.

6. Pre-Program Training: Coaches will have the ability to sign up for a free pre-program training on how to effectively teach table tennis in a group environment.

7. Equipment: All equipment must be ITTF or USATT approved. Table Tennis Racquets, specifically, table tennis racquet coverings be International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) or USA Table Tennis Approved. The league will modify these rules somewhat to allow flexibility, but it is recommended that all coaches inform their students to play with “approved” racquets. You may find the ITTF or USATT seal of approval on each rubber sheet, with either an ITTF stamp # with the ITTF logo or with a USATT approved logo.

8. Tee Shirts, Shorts, Track Pants and Playing Shoes. School tee shirts are the responsibility of the school. Tournament balls are white, so tee shirts need to be any color but white for competitive play. No sweatshirts or long sleeve shirts or jackets permitted. Student athletes must wear shorts or track pants and athletic shoes (gummed soles) at all competitions. Each school is required to wear the same uniform during matches.

9 Scheduling: (for school year 2022-2023)
Nov 12th, 2022
Dec 10th, 2022 (Western Mass)
Feb 12th, 2023
Apr 30th, 2023

10. Match Days: Each coach must bring roster sheets, match sheets, balls, and racquets to each competition.

11. Commissioner: AYTTO will designate a commissioner, the commissioner will be responsible for communications and ensuring league rules are enforced; and to settle any disputes. The commissioner will also post all match results to each team coach or captain on a weekly basis.

12. Assistant Commissioner/League Referee: AYTTO will appoint an assistant commissioner/Head Referee to the league. This person will be highly knowledgeable of the sport and will advise the commissioner on policy and rules. Assistant commissioner will also assist in collecting results and data and in coordinating final culminating event.

13. Divisions – The league will feature middle and high school divisions and teams will broken up by groups consisting of 3-5 teams based on geographic locations for the convenience of travel. Larger group size may also be considered

14. League Championship - Culminating Event: Top two teams from each division will be invited to the League Championship at the end of the season. Depending on the number of divisions, at least two wild card teams based on total points. Regular season results will determine the seeding during the championship. Stay tuned for further announcements.

15. Clothing: Students are expected to play in solid color shirt, shorts and sneakers. The official color of the league ball is white (therefore no white attire permitted).

16. Gender: All matches are Co-Ed. All genders are strongly encouraged to play.

Logistics

Varsity Teams: Each school will field at least one varsity team Co-Ed team. Only Varsity Team results will be counted as the official results for the school. Junior varsity teams will play against each other as well as scrimmage matches (* Junior varsity team not available in school year 2022-2023)

Team Size: Minimum 3 players and up to 6 players per team (roster).

Divisions: The league will consist of – 1 Varsity Team.  All teams are CO-ED.

Meets: Each team meet will play according to the international team championship format. 4 singles and 1 doubles matches. Team that wins 3 out of the 5 matches wins the meet. (All matches must be played!). For regular season division meets, all 6 players will play one match each. 2 singles, 1 double, follow by 2 more single. Massachusetts has three Championship events:

- Massachusetts League Championship (middle/high schools, inter-division)
- Massachusetts Middle School Division Championship
- Massachusetts High School Division Championship

Only division records will be counted toward the standings. Total scores will be used for the at large invitation of the national championship tournament

Matches: All matches during the regular season will be two out of 3 games to 11 points.

Game: All games best of 11 (deuce scoring when game is tied).

Scoring: Each school team meet won will count as 3 point. Losing team will count for 1 point. Top two teams from each division will earn automatic invites to the national championship tournament. The league may also invite at least two more teams to the national championship based first on the total points and then by the strength of play.

Rounds: At each meet, school will play each varsity team against one another. Each school will play one home meet and one away meet for each other school in regional group. If larger group is formed then each school only plays against other once.

Roster and Match Score Sheets: Prior to each match each school is required to fill out a roster sheet. It is important the coaches fill out the roster sheet without knowledge of the other team.

Table Tennis Rules: The league is abiding to the USA Table Tennis Rules and Regulations

Team Match Duration: Each team match is expected to take 1.5 hours when there are two tables, less time when there are more.

Forfeitures: A team that fails to provide sufficient students to field a team will lose that match. A team that cancels within 48-hour window, will lose the match 5-0 with that match counted in the results. The only exception will be inclement weather. A team who loses without sufficient players still earns a point where as the team fails to show up will not have a single point.

Disputes: Table tennis is a self-officiated sport. In the event that the host school and the traveling school coach cannot resolve the dispute, one or both teams can file a grievance with the Commissioner who will arbitrate and make a final decision.