Setting Absence & Substitute Policies

Learn how to configure policies for absent players and substitutes in your Quke pickleball league

League coordinators need to carefully consider how to handle player absences and substitutes. These policies can significantly impact league participation and fairness.

Absent Player Policies

Default Behavior

Players who miss a week are awarded points based on their average score from previous weeks. By default, they receive 100% of their average.

Adjusting Absence Points

League coordinators can modify the percentage of average points awarded to absent players:

  • 100%: Prioritizes fair league standings
  • 75-85%: Creates a small penalty for missing weeks
  • Below 75%: Generally not recommended (too punitive)

Note: Some points should always be awarded to avoid overly penalizing players for unavoidable absences.

Recommendations

  • For competitive accuracy: Use 100% of average
  • To encourage attendance: Use 75-85% of average
  • Finding balance: Consider your league’s priorities between standings accuracy and consistent participation

Substitute Player Policies

How It Works

Leagues can optionally allow substitutes to play in place of absent players:

  • Substitutes participate and earn points
  • A percentage of those points are awarded to the absent player
  • Default setting is 100% of substitute’s points

Configuring Substitute Points

Coordinators can adjust the percentage of substitute points awarded:

  • 100%: Full credit for finding a substitute
  • 80-90%: Discourages bringing in stronger players to inflate scores
  • Below 80%: May discourage finding substitutes

Policy Alignment

It’s crucial to align substitute and absence policies:

  • Substitute percentage should typically be higher than absence percentage
  • This encourages finding substitutes over simply missing a week
  • Prevents creating unintended incentives

Key Considerations for Coordinators

When setting these policies, consider:

  1. League Goals

    • Balance between competitive fairness and participation
    • Importance of accurate standings
    • Social aspects of the league

  2. Policy Relationships

    • Substitute % should be higher than absence %
    • Both policies should work together to encourage desired behavior

  3. Communication

    • Clearly communicate policies at league start
    • Explain the reasoning behind percentage choices
    • Set expectations for both regular players and substitutes

Note: The best policy combination depends on your league’s specific needs. Focus on creating a system that encourages participation while maintaining fair competition.