CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

1.GENERAL CHAMPIONSHIP CONDITIONS

1.1 The Championships of the association shall take place annually at venues and dates approved by the Executive Committee.

1.2 Each of the Technical Committee's / Co-ordinators shall be responsible for administering their own Championships and competitions.

1.3 Any alterations to the conditions of any Championship or any Age Group Competition shall be made by the appropriate Technical Committee and shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

1.4. All competitors must be bona-fide members of affiliated clubs and shall not have competed in any other County's championships in the same year. They must be nationally registered with their club in accordance with ASA regulations.

1.5. Entries must be on the official forms/discs of the Association, and accompanied by the entrance fee. Entry forms can be obtained from the appropriate discipline Hon Secretary, or the Cheshire County Web Site, www.cheshirecountywpsa.co.uk

1.6 The appropriate Technical Committee shall be responsible for reviewing the entry fees for each of its Championships and Competitions, and any recommendations for change shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

1.7 Association medals or other mementoes shall be awarded as follows:
a) Individual Championships to the first three competitors.
b) Swimming Team Championships to the first three teams.
c) Water Polo Championships to the first two teams.
d) Masters Championships first place

All officials shall be selected from the ASA registered officials list.

Any official unable to fulfil an appointment shall immediately inform the Hon Secretary/Designated Co-ordinator of the appropriate discipline or designated co-ordinator, who shall make an alternative appointment.

WATER POLO

4.1 Administration

4.1.1. The Water polo Committee shall administer the Water Polo Championships. Any alterations to the conditions of the Championships shall be subject to approval by the Executive Committee.

4.1.2. All Championships and Competitions shall be played as tournaments.

4.1.3. The Water Polo Committee shall fix the dates, start times and venues of the preliminary tournaments and the date, start time and venue of the final tournament.

4.1.4 The Water Polo Committee shall draw the clubs by ballot to form the groups in the preliminary tournaments, according to the number of entries.

4.1.5 The final tournament shall consist of not more than six teams.

4.1.6 The competing clubs shall meet the expense of staging the preliminary tournaments. Each club shall pay its own travelling expenses to all tournaments, up to and including the final tournament. The Association shall pay the cost of appointed officials for all tournaments in accordance with ASA Law.

4.1.7 The Water Polo Committee may decide that a Championship or Competition should not take place if an insufficient number of entries are received.

4.1.8. All games shall be conducted in accordance with the FINA rules of Water Polo except where varied by Championship conditions.

4.2 The possession of Cheshire County WP & SA Perpetual Trophies

4.2.1. The team who is awarded a trophy, must sign the guarantee form, before being allowed to retain the trophy.

4.2.2 The trophy shall be suitably engraved and returned to the Trophy controller one month prior to the date of the championship.

4.2.3 If a trophy is lost or damaged, the Hon Trophy Controller must be informed immediately. No trophy shall be taken outside the United Kingdom without prior permission from the Executive or Council of the Association.

4.3. Entries.

4.3.1 All entries must be returned to the Hon Water Polo Secretary, together with the completed registration form and entry fee, 21 days prior to the first round of the championships. The entry fee to be approved by the Executive committee each year.

4.3.2 Entries must be on the official entry forms of the Association. Entry forms can be obtained from the Hon Water Polo Secretary, or from the Cheshire County Web Site on www.cheshirecountywpsa.co.uk .

4.3.3 A club duly affiliated to the Association may only enter one team in each championship, all players in the competition shall be eligible competitors as defined by ASA competition rules.

4.3.4. A player may play for only one team in each Championship and Competitions.

4.3.5 A player may play for different teams in different Championships and Competitions.

4.3.6. Any club playing an ineligible player shall, at the discretion of the Technical Water Polo Committee, be liable to
a. A fine not exceeding £10.
b. The cost of any special meeting of the Technical Water Polo Committee held to consider the rule infringement
c. Removal from the Championship or Competition
d. The points to be awarded to the non offending team(s) for any matches played.

4.3.7 Any team qualifying for the final and failing to compete, or not having seven players to start a match, without a valid reason, shall, at the discretion of the Water Polo Committee, be liable for a fine not exceeding £25 to be paid to the Association and shall have the points awarded to the non offending team.

4.4. Championship Events.

4.4.1 Senior Mens Championship.

4.4.1.i The Trotter Cup shall be awarded to the winning team.

4.4.2 Youth Championships.

4.4.2.i The championship shall be for players who reach the maximum age of 16 years, in the year of the championship.

4.4.2.ii. The Dr David Cooke Memorial Trophy shall be awarded annually to the winning team.

4.4.3 The 14 Years and Under Championship

4.4.3.i. The Championship shall be for players who reach the maximum age of 14 years in the year of the championship.

4.4.4 Championship Conditions

4.4.4.i. These conditions apply to the Senior Mens, Youth and Under 14 years Championships.

4.4.4.ii. The Championships shall be conducted annually between 1st February and 31st October. An Extension to the playing season may be granted at the discretion of the Water Polo Committee, but shall only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.

4.4.4.iii.. The championships shall be conducted on a tournament basis.

a. Each team shall play each other team once.
b. Two points shall be awarded for a win, one point for a draw.
c. If two teams have equal points, precedence shall be given to the team winning the game in which they have played against each other. In the event of further equality, the position shall be decided on goal difference, then the team having scored the highest number of goals shall be given precedence.
d. If more than two teams have equal points, the positions shall be decided on goal difference.

4.4.5 Officials

4.4.5.i. All officials to be selected from the ASA registered officials list.

4.4.5.ii. Any official who is unable to fulfil an appointment shall immediately inform the Hon Water Polo Secretary, who shall make an alternative appointment.