NJSA Provincial Participation and Selection Criteria – 2023
NJSA published the provincial team selection criteria on Friday, 13 January 2023. Here is the document and a detailed explaination.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE DOCUMENT.
The highlight for many squash players is to be selected to be part of the Northerns teams to play in the inter-provincial tournaments (IPT) in June/July. The players receive provincial colours (half or full), and must play in the official Northerns clothing.
If you are new to tournaments in squash, we recommend that you read the Tournament Information first, which explains the different types of tournaments and when a player should enter into which tournament.
Let’s first start by listing the four official tournaments where a player may be selected to represent Northerns:
- Margery Taylor SA Country Schools Squash Festival (SACF)
- u11 Angela Difford Festival
- SA Schools Inter-Provincial Tournaments (IPT)
- SA Schools u14B Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT)
To be eligible for selection for any of these teams that may play in any of these tournaments, NJSA has a set of selection criteria. Let’s have a look at the criteria, in the following sections:
- Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) Selection Criteria for u13, u14, u16, and u19
- Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) Selection Criteria for u11
- Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) Selection Criteria for u14B and the Margery Taylor SA Country Schools Squash Festival (SACF)
The Key Points
Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) Selection Criteria for u13, u14, u16, and u19
- Paid up membership with NJSA
- Paid up membership with Squash SA
- Listed on the NJSA ladder
- Play and complete NJSA Closed (May)
- Play in another NJSA tournament
- Play in 1 outside-sanctioned tournament
- Play in another NJSA or outside-sanctioned tournament.
Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) Selection Criteria for u11
- Paid up membership with NJSA
- Listed on the NJSA ladder
- Play and complete NJSA Closed (May)
- Play in another NJSA tournament
- Play in 1 outside-sanctioned tournament
- Play in another NJSA or outside-sanctioned tournament.
Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) Selection Criteria for u14b and SACF
- Paid up membership with NJSA
- Paid up membership with Squash SA (u11 players are exempt)
- Listed on the NJSA ladder
- Play in any 3 listed tournaments, one of which must be an NJSA tournament.
Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) Selection Criteria for u13, u14, u16 and u19
Squash memberships are paid
The following squash memberships must be paid:
- Squash SA (this is paid via SportyHQ when a new player profile is created or when the invoice is due by 1 April for renewal. U11 players are exempt from paying this fee. Click here to read the guide on how to create a new profile on SportyHQ for new players).
- NJSA membership fee (this is paid via Sporty HQ as well, payable by 28 February, and a requirement for all players)
Be on the NJSA ladder
Players must be on the NJSA ladder. In order to be on the NJSA ladder, players must play in ANY one or more of the NJSA tournaments. Please note that a player can only play in an NJSA tournament if they have a SportyHQ profile (click here on how to create a profile) and have their squash memberships fully paid.
The NJSA tournaments are:
- NJSA Start of Season (September)
- NJSA Closed Ranking (Jan)
- NJSA Closed Round Robin (Feb)
- NJSA Open Graded (Mar)
- NJSA Closed (May
As soon as new and young CJS players have played in a few Social Saturdays and are confident in serving, returning a serve, and can play a game, we encourage players to enter a tournament so that they can get on the NJSA ladder.
Must play in the NJSA Closed Tournament in May
The NJSA Closed tournament that is usually held in May each year is compulsory in order to be eligible for the IPT (inter-provincial tournament) team selection.
Must have played in 3 more tournaments
In addition to playing in the NJSA Closed Tournament in May, players must have played in at least three other tournaments as well before the NSJA Closed Tournament in May.
Here is where it is important to understand WHICH additional tournaments they must have played:
- Must have played in any ONE of the other NJSA tournaments (NJSA Start of Season, NJSA Ranking, NJSA Closed Round Robin, or the NJSA Open Graded)
- Must have played in ONE OUTSIDE tournament. These are tournaments that are hosted by the other provinces, but only in any of the following outside tournaments:
- Pre-Season Easterns Junior Open
- North West Open
- Kwa-Zulu Natal Junior Open
- Joburg Junior Open
- Wilson Easterns Junior Open
- Dunlop Easterns Junior Open
- Joburg Junior Open Graded
- Boland Junior Open
- Tecnifibre Bloemfontein Junior Open
- SA Schools Closed (by invitation only)
- Pointline Western Province Youth Open
- One more tournament which may EITHER be another NJSA tournament OR another outside tournament (from the tournaments listed above).
Important
Unfortunately, not all players on the NJSA ladder will be selected to represent Northerns at any of the inter-provincial tournaments. It is usually the top players in each age group that are considered for the IPT teams.
Even if a player complies with the criteria above, it does not guarantee team selection. Other factors are also taken into account when NJSA considers players, such as behaviour and conduct.
NJSA may also request challenge matches in cases where players could not meet the criteria due to circumstances. But this is the exception, not the norm.
Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) Selection Criteria for u11
Squash memberships are paid
The following squash memberships must be paid:
- NJSA membership fee (this is paid via Sporty HQ as well, payable by 28 February, and a requirement for all players)
Please note that when a new profile is created on SportyHQ for an u11 player (please click here to see the guide on creating a profile), the system will automatically require you to pay the Squash SA membership fees. However, u11 players are EXEMPT from the Squash SA membership fee. Please contact Gerda Dreyer at NJSA to assist here on 081 400 5208.
Be on the NJSA ladder
Players must be on the NJSA ladder. In order to be on the NJSA ladder, players must play in ANY one or more of the NJSA tournaments. Please note that a player can only play in an NJSA tournament if they have a SportyHQ profile (click here on how to create a profile) and have their NJSA membership fully paid.
The NJSA tournaments are:
- NJSA Start of Season (September)
- NJSA Closed Ranking (Jan)
- NJSA Closed Round Robin (Feb)
- NJSA Open Graded (Mar)
- NJSA Closed (May
As soon as new and young CJS players have played in a few Social Saturdays and are confident in serving, returning a serve, and can play a game, we encourage players to enter a tournament so that they can get on the NJSA ladder.
Must have played in 3 sanctioned tournaments
To be eligible for selection to an Angela Difford Festival team, players must play in at least 3 sanctioned tournaments. These can be any three tournaments within NJSA or outside tournaments:
The NJSA tournaments are listed above, and the sanctioned outside tournaments are:
-
- Pre-Season Easterns Junior Open
- North West Open
- Kwa-Zulu Natal Junior Open
- Joburg Junior Open
- Wilson Easterns Junior Open
- Dunlop Easterns Junior Open
- Joburg Junior Open Graded
- Boland Junior Open
- Tecnifibre Bloemfontein Junior Open
- SA Schools Closed (by invitation only)
- Pointline Western Province Youth Open.
Important
Unfortunately, not all players on the NJSA ladder will be selected to represent Northerns at any of the inter-provincial tournaments. It is usually the top players in each age group that are considered for the IPT teams.
Even if a player complies with the criteria above, it does not guarantee team selection. Other factors are also taken into account when NJSA considers players, such as behaviour and conduct.
NJSA may also request challenge matches in cases where players could not meet the criteria due to circumstances. But this is the exception, not the norm.
Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) Selection Criteria for u14B and SACF
Squash memberships are paid
The following squash memberships must be paid:
- Squash SA (this is paid via SportyHQ when a new player profile is created or when the invoice is due by 1 April for renewal. U11 players are exempt from paying this fee. Click here to read the guide on how to create a new profile on SportyHQ for new players).
- NJSA membership fee (this is paid via Sporty HQ as well, payable by 28 February, and a requirement for all players)
Be on the NJSA ladder
Players must be on the NJSA ladder. In order to be on the NJSA ladder, players must play in ANY one or more of the NJSA tournaments. Please note that a player can only play in an NJSA tournament if they have a SportyHQ profile (click here on how to create a profile) and have their squash memberships fully paid.
The NJSA tournaments are:
- NJSA Start of Season (September)
- NJSA Closed Ranking (Jan)
- NJSA Closed Round Robin (Feb)
- NJSA Open Graded (Mar)
- NJSA Closed (May
As soon as new and young CJS players have played in a few Social Saturdays and are confident in serving, returning a serve, and can play a game, we encourage players to enter a tournament so that they can get on the NJSA ladder.
Must have played in 3 sanctioned tournaments (one must be an NJSA tournament)
To be eligible for selection to an SACF team, players must play in at least 3 sanctioned tournaments, of which one MUST be an NJSA tournament. The other two tournaments can be either both NJSA, both external, or one NJSA and one external tournament.
The NJSA tournaments are listed above, and the sanctioned outside tournaments are:
-
- Pre-Season Easterns Junior Open
- North West Open
- Kwa-Zulu Natal Junior Open
- Joburg Junior Open
- Wilson Easterns Junior Open
- Dunlop Easterns Junior Open
- Joburg Junior Open Graded
- Boland Junior Open
- Tecnifibre Bloemfontein Junior Open
- SA Schools Closed (by invitation only)
- Pointline Western Province Youth Open.
Important
Unfortunately, not all players on the NJSA ladder will be selected to represent Northerns at any of the inter-provincial tournaments. It is usually the top players in each age group that are considered for the IPT teams.
Even if a player complies with the criteria above, it does not guarantee team selection. Other factors are also taken into account when NJSA considers players, such as behaviour and conduct.
NJSA may also request challenge matches in cases where players could not meet the criteria due to circumstances. But this is the exception, not the norm.
