Match Play Rules
Comprehensive guidelines for competitive squash matches in accordance with CSA, NCAA, and league requirements
Player Eligibility & Competition Period
All players must be in compliance with the requirements of the CSA, the NCAA, and their league (Ivy League, NESCAC, Liberty, etc.). Questions or complaints about eligibility should be directed by an institution's compliance officer to the College Squash Association, opposing institution's compliance officer, and copied to the opposing coach.
Competition Period: Formal CSA sanctioned regular season matches may only occur from October 1 through the Sunday prior to the National Team Championship (late February).
Match Procedures
Both men's and women's teams play by the World Squash Federation rules and guidelines. The same basic match procedures apply whether teams are competing in dual matches, round robin competitions, or tournaments.
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Team Warm-ups
Coaches must mutually agree upon arrangements for team warm-ups in advance. Ideally in dual-match play, the visiting team should have access to the match courts beginning 45 minutes before match time for their 30-minute warm up. The home team may warm up prior to the visiting team on the match courts or on additional non-match courts.
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Exchange of Line-ups
Match lineups must be posted in Club Locker at least 24 hours before each match. Club Locker uses a double-blind lineup submission process, meaning neither coach can view the opposing team’s lineup until both have been submitted.
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Introductions
Before the match begins, both teams should gather on one court for introductions. The teams should line up opposite each other along the side walls of the court. Each team should line up in ladder order, starting at the front wall with the number one player, followed by the number two player, and so on, in descending order of play.
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Order of Play
The order of play changes weekly and is randomly assigned using a random number generator. Each Thursday morning, the College Squash Association will announce and publish the order of play for both 3-court and 5-court systems.
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Pre-match Warm-up
The purpose of the warm-up is to bring the ball to playing temperature; the players should be ready to play before stepping on court. The warm-up should last no longer than 4 minutes. The referee should keep track of the time; call "half-time" at 2 minutes, indicating that the players should switch sides; and call "time" at 4 minutes. Players have an additional 90-seconds from the end of the warm up to when the match must begin.
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Time Between Matches
If five courts are being used for the match, there will be up to a 15-minute break after the completion of the first match. If three courts are being used for the match, the players should be ready to begin their warm-up on court within three minutes of the completion of the previous match on that court.
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The 2-Minute Game Break
A player may have at most 2 minutes of break time between games. The 2-minute break is when players are coached. During this time either player may hit the ball. Other than these 2-minute periods play is continuous.
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Marking and Refereeing
The marker and referee for each match will be players from the respective teams. Players from the home team will referee for the even-numbered matches and mark for the odd-numbered matches. Players from the visiting team will mark for the even-numbered matches and referee for the odd-numbered matches.
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Coaching
Only official college or university coaches and teammates may coach a player in intercollegiate match play. Coaching may take place before a match begins and during the 2-minute intervals between games. A coach may not speak to, or reprimand, an opposing player during the course of play or during the 2-minute breaks.
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Reporting Results
The home team must submit match results online on the same day as the match was played. When two teams are playing at a neutral site, the winning team is responsible for submitting the results.
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Delays
In the case of an unavoidable delay of a match, the head coaches must meet prior to the original match start time and agree on a new start time. If yet another adjustment is required, the coaches will meet again and readjust the start time.
Team Line-ups
Team line-ups must be based on order of merit, with the best player at number one, the second-best player at number two, and so on. The most accepted and traditional method of establishing an order of merit is the challenge ladder system.
Illness and Injury
A player should not lose their place on a team ladder simply because they have been ill or injured for any length of time. A player returning to the line-up after an extended absence (2 weeks or more) should either be re-inserted at their old position or offered a challenge against the player who was in the position immediately below them when the absence began.
Changes to Line-ups
A line-up cannot change in terms of order of merit on consecutive days of competition. A line-up can, however, be adjusted when a player or players are added or removed from it. When a player is added to or removed from a line-up, all other players are moved accordingly in the established order of merit.
Challenges to Line-ups
Each coach is obligated to provide opposing coaches with match line-ups in a timely fashion for review and inquiries. An opposing coach can challenge a player's ladder position based on their match and challenge record that season.
Match Location & Venue Control
Location of Matches
Unless agreed upon by both teams, a match must be played in the United States.
Control of Home Venue
It is the responsibility of the home coach to control the venue (crowd control and proper playing conditions of the facility, i.e., clean courts, lighting, etc.) to provide for a fair and competitive match. This includes preventing the verbal or physical abuse of players, markers, referees, visiting team members, spectators, and coaches.
Questions or Need Additional Information?
Review our complete guidelines and resources for comprehensive match administration.
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