*****   CHECK BACK HERE CONSTANTLY FOR WEATHER UPDATES  *******

*****   CHECK BACK HERE CONSTANTLY FOR WEATHER UPDATES  *******

*******   IF THERE ARE WEATHER RELATED CHANGES, THEY WILL BE LISTED HERE  ***********

COMMUNICATIONS - If you need tournament information : 

• OUTDOOR TOURNAMENT *** OUTOOR TOURNAMENT

• TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR - ARNIE JONES

• EMAIL: elysiumtourny@gmail.com.  (Our preferred communicaiton method until tournament starts)

• TOURNAMENT CELL: 614-296-7695 (For emergencies, final day notices)

*** WEAR MASKS *** DISTANCE *** PARENTS ONLY *** WEAR MASKS *** DISTANCE ***

***** LIMITED SIBLINGS ***** LIMITED RELATIVES ***** LIMITED FRIENDS ****** 

~~~~~ EVERYONE NOT ON COURT PLAYING - KEEP YOUR MASKS ON ~~~~~

~~~~~ PLEASE MAINTAIN 6 FEET OF SWOCIAL SDISTANCING ~~~~~

*** PLEASE READ  *** COVID-19 *** INDOOR TOURNAMENT *** EMAIL *** EMAIL ***

IMPORTANT INFO BELOW... 

Please ...... only parents. Limited siblings or family members in attendance.

We want to stay on the good side of the Health Departments of the State of Ohio and the local counties.
Each player is responsible for, and must check, their match times listed above in the "Draws".

We have run almost 300 Compass Draw Tournaments in the past 14 years, as such we have chronicled just about every possible question that has been asked, with answers covered below. EMAIL is our preferred method of communication due to the ability to communicate at any time of the day or night, and more importantly, email leaves a definitive electronic trail. Email, due to the clarity of the written word, also tends to mitigate questions of what was stated, at what time, and by whom. If you have any questions, please email the tournament directors at the email address listed above. We monitor messages constantly. 

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE THE PLAYERS NAME, CELL PHONE NUMBER AND USTA #. Thank you.

~~~~~ COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS AND PROCEDURES ~~~~~

ELYSIUM IS FOLLOWING ALL COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS REQUIRED BY THE SATATE OF OHIO.
Our Elysium Tournaments will be using the latest, and most up to date, precautions prescribed by the USTA and the Ohio Dept. of Health and the OHSAA. Elysium is very prudent in following all precautions to help ensure the maximum possible level of safety for all our participants, fans and attendees. Our dominant concern is for the safety of all individuals of every strata that may be in attendance at the tournament.

The latest publications form the USTA, OHSAA and State of Ohio will be posted on the wall for review and education.

Players - In Summary:
BRING YOUR OWN WATER, DRINKS, FLUIDS. LOTS. GONNA BE HOT. DO NOT SHARE.
BRING YOUR OWN TOWELS. LOTS - GONNA BE HOT. DO NOT SHARE.
EACH PLAYER / TEAM WILL GET 2 BALLS TO PLAY WITH. USE ONLY YOUR BALLS.
ONLY TOUCH / HANDLE YOUR BALLS.
HIT YOUR OPPONENTS BALLS BACK TO THEM WITHOUT TOUCHING.
PICK UP YOUR OPPONENTS BALLS WITH YOUR FOOT AND RACKET, TO HIT THEM BACK.
PARENTS, FANS - BRING YOUR OWN CHAIRS OR SEATING. WE CAN PROVIDE NONE.
PARENTS AND FANS PLEASE MAINTAIN YOUR SOCIAL DISTANCE FROM OTHERS.

*** TOURNAMENT GENERAL SCHEDULE *** PLAYERS MUST CHECK THEIR MATCH TIMES ***

***** SPECIAL TOURNAMENT ****** COMPASS DRAW ***** PLAYERS USUALLY HAVE 4 MATCHES ******

As in all Elysium Compass Draws, all players in a 16 player division, should have 4 matches in 24 hours.
Players in general will have a lot more matches than other tournaments this weekend.

We will start first matches at 4 PM on Saturday, and 8:30 AM on Sunday morning.
PLAYERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHECKING THEIR MATCH TIMES LISTED UNDER "DRAWS", DIRECTLY ABOVE.

Saturday - General Schedule:
9 PM -  first round matches begin.

Sunday - General Schedule:
9 AM -   third round matches begin.

With a full draw of 16 players all participants will have 2 full matches Saturday morning to evening, and 2 full matches Sunday morning / afternoon. Even if you lose your first 2 matches, you are still in the tourny, so please don't leave. If you from out of town, it is only one night in a hotel and you are on your way home Sunday afternoon. Be sure to check your individual official match times - they will be posted in the "DRAWS" above.

***** LEVEL 6 TOURNAMENT ****** MIDWEST POINTS *****

In response to many questions, this is now a Level 6 USTA Midwest Tournament. The champion receives 100 Midwest points, runner-up, third and ofurth place get smaller points for their placing .
Level 6 Tournament:
Champion ....................100 Points
Runner-Up ....................90 Points
Third Place....................80 Points
Fourth Place..................70 Points

The "one day" tournaments that are now available in the Midwest Section are now called Level 7.

******** REGISTER EARLY ***** NO CREDIT CARD CHARGES UNTIL THE DAY TOURNY BEGINS ********

Please register early - no players will be charged until the day before the tournament actually begins play.
Every tournament we have up to a dozen players (parents) calling or emailing after the deadline.
"We forgot" or "We were waiting", are the is the most common refrains.
Please register now. Then you won't forget. And it costs nothing, no charges until the selections are made.
It is easier to withdraw at the last minute than it is to register at the last moment. The big problem is that the USTA site is frequently doing updates and is down, offline. Then the player is S.O.L. REGISTER EARLY !!!!!

Many thanks for registering early.

***** FOOD, TROPHIES, TEE SHIRTS, MUFFINS *****

Our tradition for all tournament participants is providing some refreshment for the participants. We have been using individually wrapped subs from Jersey Mikes, with pop, on the evening of play. Please use a little discretion, we want to make sure the players get enough to eat first. Trophies are awarded for first, second and third place in each division. Each player will also receive an Elysium Compass Draw tee shirt for participating. Muffins on Sunday morning for the parents as a big thank you for having the kids participate.

***** PLAYER SELECTION - PLEASE READ *****

***** WE DO NOT USE UTR ***** USELESS ***** WE DO NOT USE UTR *****
Player selection process is as follows: we use a 16 player compass draw format. There might be 20 to 40 players registered in a particular age group. Only the TOP RANKED 16 girls in each division will be chosen by ranking, selected to play. If fewer than 16 participants sign up for a particular age division, we will use modified compass draws for 8 or 12 participants. With an 8 or 12 player compass draw all players will get at least three matches. If there are more than 16 entrants in a division, per USTA Midwest guidelines, the highest ranked 16, using the most recent USTA Sectional rankings, will be selected for the draw. USTA Sectional rankings from any Section are considered of equal merit. The remaining registrants will be placed on the alternate list and be called in order of ranking should any players selected withdraw due to illness or injury. 

If a player registered online, and was not selected as one of the 16 to play - THAT PLAYER WILL NOT BE CHARGED.

ALTERNATES

We almost always have more applicants registered online than the 16 spots available for play in any given division. The lower ranked applicants, not selected to play, will then be automatically placed on the Alternate List by the TDM tournament software. If there is a withdrawal due to illness, injury or family emergency, the next highest ranked alternate will be called to take the available spot left by the withdrawing player. Please email us to confirm you want to be on the Alternate List. If you want off, or have other plans, please email us so we will not bother you with communications.

WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURE & REFUNDS

NO MONETARY REFUNDS ONCE THE DRAW HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND PUBLISHED ONLINE. You may withdraw without penalty up until the time that registration closes. Since this is a director selection process, you wil not have been charged since you cannot have yet been selected to play.

Click here for the USTA Withdrawal Instructions: 

https://customercare.usta.com/hc/en-us/articles/360052789192-How-to-Withdraw-From-a-Tournament

Once registration closes online and the draw has been done, you may only withdraw due to illness, injury or family emergency. NO MONETARY REFUNDS ONCE THE DRAW HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND PUBLISHED ONLINE.

RULES & USTA ROVING REFEREE

We always employ a USTA referee for all compass draw tournaments. We are trying to prepare all the players for making it to the high level Midwest tournaments, where the rules are adhered to without exception. Not that we will be as tough as they are, but it is best to be used to following the unbending USTA rules. The referee makes all decisions upon the court. Just as at the higher level tournaments, the referee's rulings are final, there are no appeals. You are responsible for knowing the rules of play, as set forth in, "Friend at Court", which governs all USTA tournament play.

USTA FRIEND AT COURT

FRIEND AT CORT is the rule book that governs all tennis in the U.S. under the umbrella of the USTA. Click on the link to see the 365 page manual and retain a copy for yourself if you wish. 

*** CHECK IN *** 15 MIN EARLY *** BE READY TO PLAY ***

Please check in 15 minutes before your scheduled match time. Be ready to go on the court, ready to play. Stay close to the desk, do not wander away, please stay within hearing range. If you miss your match being called you may be hit with game penalties. Check in time is not when you decide to go to the bathroom or change shoes or a racket grip. Matches go on court in the order of arrival of both players. If both participants are early and a court becomes available, those checked in first, go on first. Standard 10 minute warm up - enforced by the referees - we need to keep things moving. On Sunday there are USTA Adult leagues scheduled and we need to finish on time. Many Thanks.

TEAMMATE & PROGRAM COLLEAGUE AVOIDANCE

The TDM software that runs the tournament separates players by zip code in an attempt to prevent 2 players from the same area playing each other in the first round. The USTA wants to have as much Inter-Sectional and Cross-District play as is possible. There is the possibility that 2 players may live in adjoining suburbs, with unique zip codes, and still belong to the same club or junior program. If there are a large number of kids from one program, group or school PLEASE EMAIL US, and list their teammates or clinic compatriates. We can enter them into an avoidance software program where they will hopefully not play each other in the first round. Reminder - this is not always possible, but we will try to accomodate and prevent first round teammate matches. EMAIL US WITH TEAM MATES OR CLINIC FRIENDS.