By Candace Cole, Thursday Women’s LEAGUE Vice President
Captains will soon be submitting rosters for the fall season. When reinstating a team, captains have the option to request a different level and/or submit a formal Request for Review.
What qualifies as a Request for Review?
Requests for Review come in many forms, including:
- A team that has lost key players, significantly impacting overall strength.
- A team affected by injuries (if you would like the request to be considered seriously, injured players should not remain on the roster).
- A team adding a player with a higher rating who may not truly compete at that higher level or has never actually played at the higher level.
- A team that has split into two teams, with stronger players on one roster and lower lines on another.
These are all valid considerations. The overall coordinators and league vice presidents carefully review each request to determine whether the roster changes will have a meaningful impact. If appropriate — and if space allows at another level — the team’s placement may be adjusted.
Over the years, we’ve also received some more unusual requests, such as:
- “Although we were City Runner-Up, the other team was much stronger, so we don’t want to move up the automatic number of levels.”
- “We’re a senior team and feel we should move down.”
- “Several players are pregnant and won’t be available all season” — although they remain on the roster.
- “We’re a team of 3.5 players and don’t feel we belong at the A level” — despite having a winning record.
Submitting a different level without a request for review
When a captain submits a roster at a level different from the system’s assigned placement without submitting a formal Request for Review, the report is automatically flagged.
While we can often determine the intent and evaluate whether the request may be justified, this process is labor-intensive and slows overall placement for all teams. Simply selecting a different level does not replace a Request for Review.
If you have a legitimate reason for not wanting to compete at the assigned level, please submit the formal Request for Review so the appropriate context and supporting information can be properly evaluated.
How does the system assign levels?
The League Placement Calculator — available on our website — explains the process in detail. Players carry a rating based on how their team performed the previous season (if competing in the same league). When necessary, additional league play history may also be considered.
As a team, movement up or down depends on several factors, including:
- Whether the team was a City Finalist, City Winner, Division Winner, or Division Runner-Up.
- The level and league in which the team competed.
- The team’s overall win percentage (Teams with less than a 40-percent win record automatically move down, unless forfeits significantly impacted results.).
Keep in mind that not all leagues offer every level. As a result, what may appear to be a dramatic jump may simply reflect the levels available within that league. For example, Thursday C Level includes C8, C5, C3, and C1. Before requesting a specific level, it is always wise to confirm that the level exists within your league.
Let the system work
Our goal is for the placement system to function as designed — creating competitive, balanced leagues across the board. If you are considering a Request for Review or selecting a different level, take a moment to confirm that the request is truly warranted.
No matter where your team lands this season, we hope you embrace the opportunity. Make new friends, enjoy the competition, and experience all that ALTA has to offer.
