STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SQUASH

Program Rulebook

Updated Oct 21, 2026

This rulebook sets one clear, written standard for how Staples boys squash players are selected, ranked, practiced and supported, so every family knows the rules before the season starts.

Purpose and Philosophy

Staples squash exists to grow strong players and good teammates. Selection and lineup decisions are based on results on court, effort and commitment, applied the same way to every player.

• Applies to: every player on the Boys Varsity and JV rosters, their parents or guardians, the parent managers and the coaching staff.
• Final authority: the Head Coach interprets these rules and decides anything they do not cover.
• Sign-off: players and a parent or guardian sign an acknowledgment of this rulebook before the first practice.

Program Structure

The boys program fields two teams, Varsity and JV, each playing seven-player dual matches. Squash is not a CIAC-sanctioned sport, so Staples plays in the FairWest public school league and the US Squash High School Team Championships.

• One ladder. All players are ranked on a single ladder. The top 7–10 form Varsity; the rest form JV.
• Double roster. The coach reserves the right to double roster Varsity positions 8–12 in JV matches.
• Nationals roster limit. US Squash allows 7 players plus one alternate per team at the High School Championships, with 7 playing plus 1 alternating each match.
• Interscholastics roster limit. The Interscholastics roster is made up of Varsity players #9–12 and JV players #1–4.
• Season: tryouts in the first week of November; league matches through February; Nationals and Interscholastics in late January or February.

Eligibility

A player may practice only after every item below is complete, and may play a match only while all of them stay current.

• Enrolled and attending classes at Staples High School (US Squash requires this for Nationals).
• Meets the Staples academic eligibility standard used for other athletics.
• All forms completed through Final Forms, including a current physical exam on file.
• Signed Connecticut student and parent concussion informed consent form (Final Forms).
• Current US Squash membership through the end of the season, with a Club Locker account so match results count toward ratings (US Squash SSP).
• Passed the US Squash online referee exam before the first match. US Squash requires this of every player in scholastic play.
• Program fee paid, or a fee reduction/waiver arranged confidentially with the Head Coach.
• Signed acknowledgment of this rulebook by the player and a parent or guardian.

No family should skip the program because of cost. Fee waivers are handled privately by the Head Coach and never shared with players or parent managers.

Team Selection

The Head Coach sets each ladder from a tryout period of supervised matches, then posts Varsity and JV rosters within 48 hours of tryouts ending.

The goal is to give every player a fair opportunity to move up the courts and demonstrate their ability.

Tryouts: Up-and-Down the River

1. 30 players | 4 courts | 5 rounds | 15 minutes per round
   • Court 4: Top Varsity court
   • Court 3: Varsity court
   • Court 2: JV court
   • Court 1: Bottom JV court
2. Rotation rules
   • Each round lasts 15 minutes.
   • Winners move up one court; losers move down one court.
   • Winners on Court 4 stay; losers on Court 1 stay.
   • Waiting players are rotated into matches so everyone gets equal opportunities.
   • Results are recorded after every round.
3. Total playing time: 75 minutes, plus warm-up and final evaluations.
   • Individual matches if required by the coach.

Cuts. The program aims to keep every committed player. If court time forces a roster cap, the coach cuts by ladder position and tells each affected player in person first, with feedback on what to work on. The Westport Club Team will be an option for players who do not make the Varsity or JV teams.

Moving between Varsity and JV. Movement happens only through the ladder: a JV player who wins a challenge above the Varsity cutoff moves to Varsity for the next match.

The Ladder and Challenge Matches

Match lineups follow the ladder in order of merit, and the ladder changes only through challenge match results. This matches the league standard that lineups be logical, consistent and backed by results.

How a Challenge Works

1. A player may challenge anyone one position above them.
2. The challenge is booked through the coach and played within 7 days, during practice unless the coach approves another time.
3. Matches are best of five games, scored to 11, refereed by a teammate, with the coach or an assistant present.
4. Challenger wins: the challenger takes the higher spot and everyone in between moves down one. Challenger loses: no change. Once a player loses a challenge, they cannot re-challenge.
5. Each player may play one challenge per week. A player who has just been challenged has 3 days before facing another challenge.
6. The coach records every result on the posted ladder and in Club Locker within 48 hours.

Rules That Protect the Ladder

• Declining. A challenge declined without a valid reason counts as a loss for the player who declined.
• Lineup freeze. The ladder for a match is fixed before it starts. Later results count toward the next match.
• Absence. A player out 7 days or more may drop below others who moved up meanwhile. They regain their spot only by challenge.
• Coach discretion. The coach may swap two players of verifiably equal results once. The swap stays until a challenge result changes it.

Practice and Attendance

Players are expected at every team practice and match; attendance affects lineup eligibility, not just standing with the coach.

• Schedule. Practices are at INTENSITY Racquet Club in Norwalk unless announced otherwise.
• Arrive ready. Be dressed, with racquet and eyewear, 10 minutes before start. Courts are booked and cost money; late starts lose court time for everyone.
• Notice of absence. Tell the coach in writing at least 24 hours ahead, or by noon on the day for illness.
• 100% practice attendance is mandatory (exception for illness or doctor’s appointment only). Since 100% practice attendance is required, a player may need to decide between playing squash and other activities.

• Week-of-match rule. A player with an unexcused absence in the 7 days before a match may be held out of that match’s lineup.
• Outside lessons and club play. Private coaching and junior tournaments are encouraged but do not replace team practice. Schedule them around team sessions; conflicts must be cleared with the coach in advance.
• Other school sports. Players with a second winter commitment agree a minimum practice schedule with the coach before the season.

Matches, Travel and Tournaments

The coach submits each lineup straight from the frozen ladder, and players represent Staples from arrival to departure.

• Lineups. Positions 1–7 play in ladder order. The coach exchanges lineups with the opposing coach before the match and records results in Club Locker within 48 hours, as US Squash requires.
• Refereeing. Players not on court referee or mark when asked. Every player has passed the referee exam, so every player referees.
• Stay for the team. Players stay until the whole team match ends, unless the coach releases them.
• Transportation. Families arrange rides to local matches; the parent manager coordinates carpools. No adult drives a single player alone unless that player’s parent has given written consent, in line with US Squash SafeSport rules.
• Nationals. Up to 8 players per team travel, chosen from the top of the ladder on the freeze date. US Squash may bar a player who did not take an active part in the team’s season.
• Overnight trips. Players room with teammates, follow a curfew set by the coach, and stay with the team unless signed out by their own parent. Any rule break on a trip can mean being sent home at the family’s cost.

Captains

The Varsity team has one or two captains, chosen by a team vote with final approval by the Head Coach; ladder position alone does not make a captain.

• Eligibility. Rising juniors or seniors with at least one prior season, a clean conduct record and strong attendance.
• Selection. Players vote at the end of the season for the next season; the coach confirms and may add a captain.
• Duties.
  • Lead warm-ups and run practice when the coach asks.
  • Model sportsmanship and refereeing standards.
  • Welcome new and JV players and help them learn the ladder.
  • Raise team concerns with the coach.
• Limits. Captains do not decide lineups, discipline or selection, and cannot excuse absences.
• Removal. The coach may remove a captain for a conduct or attendance breach.

Parent Manager

The volunteer parent manager runs team logistics and is the parents’ single point of contact; they have no role in coaching, selection or the ladder.

Appointment. The Head Coach appoints one or two parent managers for a one or two season term. They complete the US Squash SafeSport volunteer course before the season.

• Handling questions. When a parent raises a coaching or selection concern, the parent manager points them to the communication steps below and does not take sides.
• Confidentiality. Contact lists, payment records and anything shared in confidence stay private.

Code of Conduct

Players and parents follow the Staples athletic code and the standards below; breaches lead to the steps in the discipline table.

Players

• Accept referee decisions without argument; ask “may I ask why?” calmly, between rallies only.
• No racquet abuse, swearing or hitting the ball in anger.
• Shake hands with the opponent and referee after every match, win or lose.
• Referee teammates and opponents fairly and attentively.
• Treat host clubs, courts and locker rooms with respect.

Parents and Spectators

• Cheer for good squash on both sides; no coaching from the gallery during a match.
• Never address referees, opposing players or coaches about calls.
• Do not criticize any player, including your own, in front of the team.
• Raise concerns only through the communication steps, never at a match.

The Head Coach informs the Athletic Director of every suspension or removal. A player always has the chance to explain their side before a decision.

Safety and Equipment

Protective eyewear is mandatory on court at all times, and any suspected concussion means the player stops immediately.

• Eyewear. Eyewear meeting ASTM F3164 (or the older F803) is worn at every practice, challenge and match. Prescription glasses and lens-less goggles do not qualify. No eyewear, no court.
• Equipment. Non-marking court shoes, a squash racquet in good repair, and water. Loaner racquets and eyewear are available through the coach.
• Concussions. Under Connecticut law:
  • A player with concussion signs or symptoms is removed from play at once and does not return that day.
  • Parents are notified within 24 hours.
  • Loss of consciousness, vomiting or seizures means emergency care right away.
  • Return requires written clearance from a licensed health professional, then a step-by-step return-to-play plan, then final written clearance.
• Other injuries. Report every injury to the coach the same day. A player cleared by a doctor after an injury brings the note before returning.
• Court safety. Knock before opening a court door, enter only between rallies, and call a let rather than play through a player in the way.
• Adult conduct with minors. Coaches and volunteers follow US Squash SafeSport rules: one-on-one contact stays observable and interruptible, and messages to a player copy a parent.

Communication and Concerns

Concerns move up one step at a time, starting with the player, and never on match day.

1. Player and coach. The player raises the concern with the coach first, in person, at a time the coach sets.
2. 24-hour rule. No one raises a selection or lineup concern within 24 hours of a match.
3. Parent and coach. If it is not resolved, the parent emails the coach to book a private meeting. The player attends.
4. Athletic Director. If still unresolved, the parent or coach brings it to the Athletic Director, whose decision is final.

What is open for discussion: a player’s development, how to improve their ladder position, attendance and scheduling, and anything about their well-being.

What is not: another player’s position, ability or conduct; match strategy; and lineup choices made under the ladder rules.

Team communication. Schedules and announcements go to players and parents together through one team channel managed by the parent manager.

End-of-season survey. A survey will be sent through the coach and parent managers to gather feedback on the season and look for ways to continuously improve the program.

Open door policy. The Head Coach is very approachable and encourages you to reach out with any issues.

Sources

• Squash Grows At Staples — 06880
• U.S. High School Team Squash Championships — US Squash
• Scholastic Squash Program — US Squash
• US Squash participation policies (eyewear)
• Squash MAAPP 2025 — US Center for SafeSport
• Lineup Guidelines Winter 2024 — College Squash Association
• Student and parent concussion informed consent — CT State Department of Education
• Dealing with parents — Breakthrough Basketball