The
Basics
U.S.
TEAM Qualifying
In order to earn an appointment to the
U.S. National Team, benchmark
performances must be reached at selected
qualifiers. Presently the team is
comprised of:
- A
top pro from each tour (IRT &
LPRA)
- The
top-three (3) finishers from the
U.S. National Singles
- Finalists
from the U.S. National Doubles
- Intercollegiate
National champions
By
reaching these benchmarks, individuals
are appointed to the U.S. Team for a
term of one year, and are then added to
a pool of athletes, from which
international competitive squads are
selected, by event.
PAN
AM Team Qualifying
In the current season, players who
qualify for the U.S. National Team and
reach specified levels in designated
competitions will also earn appointments
to the U.S. squad slated to compete at
the 2003 Pan American Games. Three
qualifiers have been set: the IRT/LPRA
rankings, as of May 1, the 2002 U.S.
National Doubles Championships in
October, and the 2003 U.S. National
Singles Championships in May.
In
singles the IRT and LPRA designated
athletes will earn the No.1 roster
spots, followed by the 2003 Men's and
Women's Open champions from National
Singles in the No.2 positions.
In
doubles the Men's and Women's Open
Doubles Champions will be appointed to
the squad. In the event of
"double-qualifying" (the same
person qualifies in two or more events),
additional spots will be filled by the
U.S. Team coaching staff, from among the
remaining, qualified U.S. Team members.
|
|
Questions
or comments?
Contact USRA Executive Director Jim
Hiser; U.S. Team Head Coach Jim
Winterton, or a designated athlete
representative on the USRA
Board. |
|
Expanded
Procedures [Pan
American Games]
1. The top-ranked male and female pros from the
IRT and LPRA as of May 1st, 2003, will be
invited to play on the U.S. Team for the August
2003 Pan Am Games (must be U.S. citizens); if
they do not accept the invitation, the Head
Coach will go down the ranking list asking the
next highest-ranked player if they want to play
until said invitation is accepted. This will
take up one spot in the Singles pool for each
gender.
2. The top
THREE finishers in Men's/Women's Open divisions
at the National Singles Championships in Houston
at the end of May will be named to the Team
along with the Intercollegiate Champions in
Men's/Women's #1 Singles, provided they are U.S.
citizens.
3. Thus, the
Singles pool will be comprised of a maximum of
FIVE athletes. The IRT/LPRA qualifier and the
Houston winner will be the number one and number
two Singles players for the Pan Am Games. If one
of them is unable to play, the alternate
selection order will be Houston #2, #3, and
intercollegiate champion.
4. Once the IRT/LPRA
athletes have accepted and Houston [National
Singles] takes place, if the IRT or LPRA athlete
is unable to compete in the Pan Ams, a
replacement will be sought from the respective
pro tour. The Head Coach will go back to the
highest-ranked player and request their
participation in Pan Ams. Since this is a
"sub", the Head Coach then has the
prerogative to place which athlete will play #1
and which will play #2. The Head Coach may
decide to take Houston #2, #3 or the
Intercollegiate Champion over the IRT/LPRA sub
if it is determined by the coaching staff that
the Team will be stronger that way.
5. If a person
triple qualifies (taking up three of nine roster
spots), a second IRT/LPRA slot will be added to
the Singles pool; if a person quadruple
qualifies (taking up four of nine roster spots),
a second IRT/LPRA athlete (next highest ranked)
and Houston #4 will be added to the Singles
pool. All Singles pool athletes would also be
eligible as Doubles replacements if the Head
Coach deemed they would help comprise the most
competitive team available (for Operation Gold
events) from the roster.
If there are
TWO double qualifiers (same gender), a second
IRT/LPRA slot and Houston #4 will be added to
the Singles pool and be eligible as Doubles
alternates. If there are THREE double
qualifiers, second and third IRT/LPRA slots and
Houston #4 will be added to the Singles pool.
All will be eligible as Doubles replacements.
6. In the event
none of the Houston #2, #3 or Intercollegiate
Champion is able to be a replacement, the Head
Coach may go to the #2 Doubles team and choose
one to play Singles. A Doubles alternate CANNOT
be named to a Singles slot unless the entire
Singles pool is unable to play. In the event
that one of the top Doubles players cannot
compete in Doubles, the Head Coach has the
option to choose one of the #2 Doubles players
OR go to the Singles pool in order to form the
most competitive team.
7. During a
calendar year, an athlete may receive no more
than one singles and one doubles
"bonus" payment for earning a roster
spot on the U.S. National Team. The term of any
players who qualify runs until that same event
the following year. The term is automatically
extended if a player re-qualifies via another
event. A player who qualifies for more than one
singles "bonus" payment will receive
whichever payment amount is higher.
8. For a
non-Operation Gold event, the coaching staff
will discuss with the players before making a
decision on Singles roster slots. Preference
will be given to the Houston winner and IRT/LPRA
invitee first and if either decline, the Head
Coach may then name other players from the
Singles pool to the traveling roster. Since it
is a non-Operation Gold event, the intent here
is to give the Head Coach an opportunity/choice
to name one of the alternates to a roster spot
to give them some experience by participating in
an international event.
9. Following
the end of the 2002-03 IRT/LPRA seasons and
after the end of the 2003 Pan Am Games, if an
IRT/LPRA athlete needs to be replaced, the
ranking order used for invitation to the Team
will be based upon rankings as of the FIRST day
of the month the athlete tells the Head Coach
he/she is unable to compete. For example, if the
IRT athlete tells the Head Coach he injured his
arm January 14th and will be out for six months
after surgery, the Head Coach will go by the IRT
rankings AS OF January 1st. If the athlete is
injured January 15th, but waits to tell the Head
Coach until February 2nd, then February 1st is
the date rankings are used. |
