FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS THE ISTLA JUNIOR BRANCH?

The Illawarra Suburbs Lawn Tennis Association (ISLTA) - Junior Branch is a not-for-profit entity run entirely by volunteers, who are mostly players' parents. Our main focus is to organise tennis competitions to support junior players up yo and including the age of 19.

✅ A and B Grades are offered

✅ Premier Grade (expressions of interest can be emailed to isltapremier@gmail.com)

✅ Premier, A and B Grades are UTR events

✅ Representative tennis

✅ Need a coach or a team? Click here
✅ The competitions are played across both the St George and Sutherland Shire areas

✅ Follow our ISLTA JB Facebook page and islta.jb on Instagram for updates

WHAT HAS RECENTLY CHANGED ABOUT THE ISTLA JUNIOR BRANCH?

The Committee is excited to advise several changes and improvements to the competition, including using Match Centre as our results recording platform for all grades.

Premier, A and B grades have been run as UTR events since our Winter 2021 Competition.

Keep an eye on the ISLTA JB Facebook page and our new Instagram account, islta.jb for updates.

WHAT IS A UTR?

UTR - Universal Tennis Rating - is a global rating system, which is supported by Tennis Australia, that provides an objective, consistent and accurate index of tennis players' skill. UTR rates all players on a single 16-point scale, regardless of age, gender, nationality or locale of a given match

Premier, A and B Grade competitions are UTR events. All players in these grades must therefore be UTR-registered.

Don't have a UTR? Register now and create your profile at UTR Sports. Once registered, please send an email with your name, surname and suburb and with "UTR Registration" as the subject line to: isltajbcomp@gmail.com.

HOW CAN I ENTER THE SATURDAY MORNING JUNIOR UNISEX COMPETITION?

We recommend completing your details on our Keep Updated page to be kept informed of our competition details. You can also like our ISLTA JB Facebook page where we publish all our updates.

All players, including reserves, in all grades must have a Tennis Australia 66333 number to play. Registering on Match Centre for your Tennis Australia 66333 number is simple and fast to do. Register now and then complete your Competitive Player Profile and activate your UTR from your profile. This is a Tennis Australia mandatory requirement and will allow players to record their results directly to Match Centre.

Premier, A and B Grade competitions are UTR events and all players in these grades must therefore be UTR-registered.

Don't have a UTR yet? Register now at UTR Sports.

HOW DO I CHECK WHICH SUBURBS ARE INCLUDED IN THE COMPETITION AND HOW CAN I FIND A COACH?

All suburbs across both the St George and Sutherland Shire areas form part of the Illawarra Suburbs Lawn Tennis Association - Junior Branch (ISLTA - JB).

Here is a list of the suburbs included in the Competition.

If you need a coach, here's a list of coaches who currently enter teams in the Saturday Morning Competition.

WHAT IS THE FORMAT FOR PREMIER GRADE AND HOW CAN I BE CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION?

Premier Grade is different to our other grades. Premier Grade teams and the individual seedings are selected by the Committee. The format is currently under review and will be advised in time for the start of the Winter 2026 Competition. Previous format: there are six teams with five seeds in each team. Every week four players play against their equivalent seeds, with specific seeds having specific weeks rostered off.

Expressions of interest can be emailed to isltapremier@gmail.com. Prospective players are invited by the Committee to trial. After the Premier Grade trials (existing highly-seeded players are not required to trial) the Committee decides seeds based on players' trial results as well as previous results data. Regrettably not all players who trial can be selected but reserves are always welcome.

Premier Grade - Learn More

A TO C GRADES - SUBSTITUTION PLAYERS

In the event a player is needed to fill in for your team please send an email to the Results Recorder to obtain permission.

See Rule 14 on page 13 and Rule 24 on page 19 of the Competition Rule Book and Draw (A & B Grades).

See the substitution player section on the second page of the Result Sheet.

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY TEAM'S RESULTS?

BOTH TEAMS MUST email the scanned or photographed Result Sheet to the Results Recorder. Results must be received by no later than 7pm on the day of play. Please ensure that the following details are clearly filled out on all

A - C Grades Result Sheets:

Date
Team names
Each player's name and surname
Correctly completed score and winning team name
Both captain's signatures
Good sportsmanship nomination - optional

Please be aware that only one warning will be issued for late results, after which, for every incidence of late submission, penalties may apply, including – but not limited to – a draw being recorded and the points shared between the two teams.

Premier Grade Result Sheet
A - C Grades Result Sheet

WHAT DO WE DO IN THE EVENT OF WET WEATHER?

In the event of wet weather please call the court telephone number listed in the Rule Book to ascertain if court is playable (on safety grounds). If the court is likely to be playable or if it is uncertain, players must proceed to the court where a decision will be made up to 30 minutes after the scheduled start time. The home team must advise the Results Recorder if play does not go ahead.

Optional: teams to advise the Results Recorder of the players who were due to have played.

Competition Rule Book and Draw (A & B Grades)

I HAVE OBSERVED GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP - WHO DO I TELL?

ISLTA Junior Branch rewards good sportsmanship with our Good Sportsmanship awards. And your nominations count! Rewards are in the form of prizes given out at the end of each comp (summer and winter) at the Finals presentations

The ISLTA – JB Committee is keen to promote good sportsmanship as a way of recognising players who demonstrate a positive attitude and good sportsmanship. Anyone witnessing good sportsmanship can nominate a player/s. Email your nomination/s to: goodsportsislta@gmail.com, including the player details and reasons for the nomination.

Possible reasons for nomination:

Being polite to players both on and off court
Calling the score in a loud and clear voice
Helping the opposing team in all things related to tennis e.g. attentive as a ball person.

I HAVE SOME PHOTOS I'D LIKE TO SHARE

Send your best action shot photos to: isltajb.photos@gmail.com. These will be shared to Instagram account: islta.jb. Some may also be used on our website.

Don’t forget to include your name and surname when emailing your photos.

WHAT IS THE COMMITTEE AND HOW CAN I JOIN?

The ISLTA Junior Branch Committee is a volunteer group of players' parents and other interested members. The Committee manages the registrations, organises the draws and collates the results. Committee members work together, making key decisions regarding the competition and ensuring things run smoothly. This includes, but is not limited to, holding Premier Grade trials and selecting and player seedings as well as grading the teams in A and B grades.

New members are always welcome. In fact we are very keen for new committee members as a number have recently left due to their children having reached the maximum age of 19. To join the Committee please contact:
📧 presidentisltajb@gmail.com; isltajbcomp@gmail.com

☎️ 0423 487 584