Unlike most other Nationally Sanctioned Pool Leagues, there is no annual membership fee. The weekly dues in the New England USAPL is $7. . You will simply pay your team captain one low weekly fee to get started. No annual membership fees, no team sponsorship fees, no administrative fees, no hidden costs; just one low weekly fee right from the beginning of your first week.

The USA Pool League (USAPL) is owned and operated by CueSports International (CSI). In addition to the USAPL, CSI manages and produces the BCA Pool League, the US Open 10-Ball Championships, the US Open One Pocket Championships, the US Bar Table Championships, the Jay Swanson Memorial, along with numerous state and regional tournaments held all over the country every month. The CSI staff of 11 employees may be small, but features over 220 years of pool league and tournament management experience.

The stats for the New England USA Pool League can be found at www.leaguesys.net/usapl1291 - LeagueSys is a league management software package that enables all players to see the league stats 24 hours a day including your league's team standings, individual MVP standings, score sheets from all matches ever played, schedules, player histories,…and much more.

There are singles and team competitions held at the USAPL National Championships each year in July.

Players playing in the singles must have 8 weeks of league play in a single division, within a single session. It will be the same format as in regular league play with each player "Racing" to their rating number. After the number of entries is determined, the entries will be broken down into separate divisions according to rating so that each player will be playing someone of a similar skill level or rating.

. All team players must play 8 weeks in a single session in a single division. Two of the team members must be "Original" team members that have all played 8 weeks on the same team, in the same division, in the same session. The other three players can come from any division within the same league number, provided that they all have also played 8 weeks in a single session in a single division.

Any eligible player (8 weeks of league play in a single season) may go to www.ctsondemand.com, set up an account, and then be able to register for the singles or team event, or any future CueSports International (CSI) event. Anyone can go to this site to see all the results from every CSI tournament ever played, see the scores from all tournament matches, and see tournament results and prize money payouts for all CSI tournaments, local or national.

As the rule currently stands a player can be on two different team rosters at the nationals in Las Vegas. However, if the two teams should happen to play each other, the common player(s) would have two choices. They could sit out the match and remain on both team rosters, or they could choose a team and they would be on only that team's roster for the rest of the tournament.

You can find the basic information concerning rules of play, racking, breaking, shooting the 8-ball, scoring a match, missed shots, ratings, rosters,…and much more in the USAPL player handbook that you will receive from your local USAPL Manager. You may also go to www.playusapool.com and click on the "Rules" tab to download a set of rules.

The rules for the game of 8-ball that are used by the USAPL are actually found in the "Official Rules of The BCA Pool League" rulebook on pages 35-38. To download the official rulebook, go to www.playbca.com and then click on "Leagues, rules, complete rule book". To purchase an official rulebook, just call the CueSports International (CSI) office from M-F 9am - 5 pm (PST) at 702-719-7665

Basic 8-Ball Rules are:

Open on the Break

No matter what happens on the break, the table is always. The first player to legally pocket a ball after the break will establish the groups (Stripes or Solids) that each player will have for that game.

Gentleman's Call Shot

You only need to call the pocket (No need to call "kisses or rails") for shots that are not "Obvious". Because it is "GENTLEMAN'S" call shot game, if a shot is straight in or obvious, you don't need to call the pocket, even onthe 8-ball. The game will be won the way it should be, with skill, not on a "Not marking your pocket" technicality.

Fouls

Some basic fouls include:

Scratching

Cue ball goes into a pocket.

Object Ball Foul

You must hit one of your group (stripes or solids) first with the cue ball and then either the cue ball or an object ball must contact a rail, or you must pocket a ball.

Cue Ball Foul

If you touch the cue ball with anything (cue tip, piece of chalk, another ball,…) prior to your shot, it is a foul.

Ball flies off the table

If any ball flies off the table it is a foul. If the 8-ball flies off the table it is loss of game.

Disturbed Balls

If you move 1 object ball prior to your shot it is not a foul, but your opponent has the option to leave the ball in it's new position or put it back where it was. Ifyou move a ball prior to your shot and pick it up and put it back without your opponents consent, then it is a foul. If you move two or more balls prior to your shot, it is a foul.

Ball in Motion

If you touch a ball that is rolling (ball in motion) with anything (cue tip, shaft of cue, chalk, hand,…) it is a foul.

Double Hit

It is a foul if your cue tip strikes the cue ball more than once on a single stroke.

Push Shot

It is a foul if you shoot a push shot.

Foul Penalties

Any foul will give your opponent "Ball in Hand" anywhere on the table. This includes any scratch or fouls on the break.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct fouls could range from loss of game, set, match, up to disqualification or expulsion from league for individuals and up to entire teams.

Coaching Time Outs

• A maximum of 15 time outs per match.
• A maximum of 3 time outs per individual set.
• No more than 1 time out per game.
• Time outs will last a maximum of 90 seconds.
• Once a time out is called, it must be taken.
• Coach is allowed to point and touch the table, but not mark the table.

See your local league bylaws for more details.

The basic game scoring is as follows: The winner of the game will always receive 14 points (whether all 7 of his object balls and the 8-ball is pocketed, or even if his opponent knocks the 8-ball in out of turn or illegally) and the loser of the game will receive one point for each ball pocketed in their group (even if your opponent makes them on the break or during the game).

Filling out the score sheet for individual sets:

Division Name, Night of Play, Team Name

At the top of the score sheet fill in appropriate information.

Rating

Put the player's rating here. You will find the player ratings on the bottom of the Team Total Score Sheet.

Visiting Player / Home Player

Enter player names.

Time Out #'s

Write the number of the games that the time outs were taken.

Game Score

Put the number of points scored for that particular game in the box underneath the game #.

Total Score

This is an accumulative total for all the points scored in the match.

Missed Shots

Mark a small upright hash mark for each missed shot. After making 4 upright hashmarks, put the 5^th diagonally across the other 4. If needed, repeat the process. (Refer to the USAPL rule book or the USAPL scorekeeper's guide for a detailed definition of a missed shot).

Total Boxes

Record the total points scored and the total missed shots in the appropriate "Total" box on the far right side of the score sheet.

To find out the final score of a league match, you can fill out the "Team Totals Score Sheet." However, this is completely optional because when your USAPL Manager enters the individual game scores into LeagueSys, it will automatically compute the entire Team Totals score sheet for you.

If you would like to determine the exact score of the match on the night of league play, follow the steps below.

Date / Division

At the top of the score sheet fill in the date of play and division name.

Pool Table Size

Put a check mark next to the appropriate size of the pool table played on (7', 8', or 9').

Rating

Enter the player's rating in this box. You will find the current team roster and player ratings on the bottom of the Team Totals Score Sheet.

Player Name

Enter the player's name here.

Score

This is the total number of points scored in the match by the player.

Margin

The "Margin of Victory" (MOV) is determined by the number of points that you keep your opponent under his/her rating.

Add on

These "Add on" points are computed by taking the MOV and multiplying times 3.

Win Bonus

Put "100" in the box of the winner of each set. (Only the winner gets 100 Win Bonus points).

Total

This column on the right side of each team's score sheet is where you put the total points scored for each set. To compute the winning player's total points scored, add the three boxes that have a perforated border (Score, Add on, and Win Bonus). The losing player will only receive the points that they scored in the match, no "Add on" or "Win Bonus" points will be received.

Ratings Total

Add the column of player's ratings down to get the team's "Total" rating.

Ratings Bonus or Penalty Points

If a team's total rating is under the team rating limit, put the number of points that the team is under the limit in the "Add (+)" box and multiply times one (1x) to calculate their "Bonus points".

If a team's total rating is over the team rating limit, put the number of points that the team is over the limit in the "Subtract (-)" box and multiply times five (5x) to calculate the team's "Penalty Points".

Then put either the team's bonus points or penalty points in the right hand column so that they will be a part of the "Total Score".

Bonus Points for Paperwork and Team Fees Paid

These points will be determined by each individual USAPL Manager. Refer to your league's Local League Bylaws for details.

Total Score

This determines which team is the winner of the match. Add the right hand "Total" column down and put the total number of points scored in all sets in the "Set Points" box. Next add or subtract your bonus or penalty points for the team being under or over the team rating limit. Then add the bonus points for paperwork and team fees paid to calculate your team's total score.

Yes, the USAPL has a "Duplicate Player" policy that allows a player to play twice in one match for his team. Only one player per team may play twice.

This policy is designed for emergency situations only and not to be used on a regular basis. The USAPL Manager may establish guidelines to limit the use of this policy so be sure to check your local league bylaws for details.

If a team is short a player and needs one of their players to play twice, they must notify the opposing team at the designated start time of the match. The opposing team will then choose which player on the "Short" team will play twice.

This player will only receive credit for one week of league play as far as eligibility for local playoffs, or state, regional, or national USAPL tournaments. In addition, this duplicate player will only receive MVP points for the first match played.

However, the team will get credit for all the points scored in both sets played by the duplicate player.

If a team is forced to forfeit a set, the score keeper will place the number of points awarded in the score box for game # 1. This predetermined number will be established by the USAPL Manger. Please check your local league bylaws for details.

The team standings are first determined by "Average Points Per Set." To calculate this average, simply take your team's total number of points scored in a match and divide it by the number of sets played. For example, if a 5 player team scores 800 points in a match, their average points per set would be 160 (800 / 5 = 160). This number is rounded off to the nearest decibel.

In case of a tie with average points per set, the first tie breaker will be the teams win / loss record. If a tie still remains at this point, then the second tie breaker will be the total points scored by the team.

Because the team standings are based on "Average Points Per Set" and not total points, a bye week will have no effect on that team's average points per set. The team's Average Points Per Set are determined by taking the total number of points scored in a match and dividing that number by the number of sets played.

By not using "Total Points" to determine team standings, it is not necessary for all teams to play the exact number of matches during the course of a season. This makes it easier for a league manager to add teams once a season has started, or to deal with teams that may have dropped out during the season without having to worry about "Make Up" matches to even out the schedule.

The MVP formula used is fairly simple. If you play and lose your individual match, you will receive 100 MVP points. If you win your weekly match, you will receive 200 points plus 3 times the margin of victory (MOV). The MOV is the amount that you hold your opponent under their rating number. For example, say Tom and Joe and both 50 rated players and play each other. Joe wins 52-40. Joe's "Margin of Victory" is 10 because he held Tom to 40 points, which is 10 points under his rating. The reason the MOV points are based on how much you keep your opponent under their rating is because the most you can ever go over your rating is 13 points, but if you play exceptional on any given night, you may hold your opponent 20, 30, 40, or more points under their rating, you should be rewarded accordingly with a large number of MOV points.