By David Rowe, Mixed Doubles League Vice President
If you played on a college tennis roster, this article is for YOU (and your captain)! ALTA implemented a new rule this year, so I want to take this opportunity to make sure everyone is on the same page.
The rule regarding former college players previously stated those players needed to play one full year at defined levels but then were able to move to other levels. One of the biggest concerns our members have expressed since I have been vice president of the Mixed Doubles league is how unfair this is to players outside of A levels. We also have received survey responses where others expressed this concern. After many conversations, the ALTA Executive Committee decided players who were on a college roster will need to play at defined levels until the age of 30. (ALTA Rules page 1, I. Teams and Players, F. NCAA Division I must play AA; NCAA Division II must play A3; NCAA Division III, NAIA and all other college players must play A. All high school team players must play at the B level or higher. Any player that holds or has held ATP/WTA point(s) must play at the AA level until the later of the age of 30 or the expiration of his or her points.)
Since putting this rule into place, we have experienced a few challenges. We need ALTA members who are affected by this rule change to update their profiles and play at the correct levels. We also expect captains registering teams to identify and/or exclude from lineups any player on their roster who is a past college player under the age of 30. This is important because if a person plays illegally, the team will lose all lines won below the infraction. There are no exceptions to these penalties. We are hopeful that this will be a short-term learning curve.
How have these changes been published? All ALTA members were notified in their player portals, in this publication, and via emails before the correction period. The 2025 ALTA Adult Rules also reflect the change. If you have a player on your roster that is an ineligible player due to this rule, please know that they cannot be removed from the roster after the roster correction period.
In closing, we are confident that this rule will increase the quality of competition and equitable play. We truly believe this is a great rule and will help fairness at all levels.
