DBH Teams

This is what you call focused.

Dorothy Bruno Hills Indoor Tennis League (DBH) teams operate from the fall through the spring during the indoor season. DBH matches are played on weekday mornings and they are leveled numerically strongest to weakest: 1, 2, 3 and 4.

DBH matches can offer an extremely rewarding team experience when the teams are managed properly. At the MLTC, we employ a very transparent system to determine who qualifies to be on a team and how the slots are maintained.

DBH Guidelines

Players automatically remain part of their team from year-to-year unless they have requested to be moved to a different team.  In such an event, specific protocols are used.

When there is one opening on a team, the remaining partner may bring in another player of her own choosing.  It is preferred that the prospective player not be a current player from an MLTC team (this prevents players from being “poached” from one team to another).  If the partner would like to ask another player from an MLTC team, they will need to go through the steps outlined below.  These steps are also needed if there is more than one slot available on a team:

  1. If a player on a team has lost her partner and she cannot find a candidate on her own, prospective players of a suitable level who are not currently on an MLTC DBH team will be given first priority.
  2. If there are no candidates from outside of the program, then other MLTC DBH players may be considered.  If this is the case, then players will be offered the opportunity to move up based on order of strength (e.g. a first position player on a DBH 3 team will have the right of first refusal to move up to a DBH 2 team).  If two players at the same level and position would like to move up but there is only one slot available, then the decision will be based on a coin toss (e.g. A position is open on a DBH 2 team and there are two players at the DBH 3 level who play the same position and would like the slot).
  3. If more than one position is open on a team and two lower double pairs are both interested in those positions, but the strength of one doubles pair compared to another doubles pair is unclear, then the right of first refusal will be decided by a coin toss (e.g. Two positions are open on a DBH 2 team, but two doubles pairs from the DBH 3 team want the position and one pair played half of their matches in 1st position and the other half in 2nd).
  4. In the event that the MLTC acquires a new team, the MLTC will decide whether to:
    1. Move up an entire team to that level (e.g. A DBH 2 team is acquired and all DBH 3 players are moved up).  If there is more than one team that could be moved up, the team with the stronger record will be given priority.
    2. Open up the team to any interested parties (including MLTC players).
    3. Hold a try-out (this is a worst case scenario and is used only when there are far too many players for too few slots).

  5. Ending every match with a smile and a handshake is the way we like it at the MLTC. 🙂

    Players must agree to find their own substitutes and take care of payment between each other in such an event that finding a substitute is necessary.

  6. Although subs are often not asked to pay, it is completely acceptable to do so. The club can help facilitate this by holding payments that are dropped off by subs. Players must specifically ask for a sub to pay and let the sub know who to make the check out to. Regular team players are ultimately responsible for their slots.
  7. If a player cannot find a sub and requests that the captain find one for him/her, no remuneration can be expected.
  8. If a player cannot return to play on their team for the coming season due to an injury or illness, then the player must forfeit the slot to a replacement.  If a player must leave the team after the season begins due to an injury or an illness, then the injured/ill player may have the right of first refusal on that position for the following year if they are healthy and able to participate.
  9. If after the end of a season, a fourth position doubles team or player has played in ten or more matches and lost 87% or more of those matches, then their position will become available for other members to fill for the following season. If a team or player has lost 87% or more of their matches but has not played in at least five matches, then it will be at the coach’s discretion whether the player(s) are moved down.
  10. The MLTC reserves the right to move individual players to a higher or lower division arbitrarily if those players are clearly too strong or too weak for their current divisions. This option is avoided since it is a much more subjective approach.

These guidelines have been instituted to create a fair and transparent means of managing the highly coveted DBH positions.. As most veteran DBH players can attest, it can be a long and challenging season, particularly if the teams are not operated using a consistent set of universal guidelines.

If you have an interest in joining a DBH team, then please contact Marcus at marcus@marcuslewisenterprises.com.