Elysium Boys 14, 16, 18 September Compass Showdown

Sunday morning - may be a bit chilly. Courts should be dry. All matches should go on as scheduled.

IMPORTANT INFO BELOW. We have now run over one hundred and fifty Compass Draw Tournaments in the past 8 years so 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, 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, AND USTA #. Thank you.

We always employ a USTA referee for all compass draw tournaments. We are trying to prepare all the players for making it to high level 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. more info

Our tradition for all tournament participants is an all you can eat pizza chow down, produced by Papa John's, with pop provided, on Saturday afternoon. Pizza is delivered around 2:00 PM. Siblings are welcome, within reason, to jump in, after the players have eaten. Please use a little discretion, we want to make sure the players get enough to eat first. Trophies awarded for first, second and third places 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.

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.

Player selection process is as follows: we use a 16 player compass draw format. Only 16 boys and 16 girls will be selected to play. If fewer than 16 participants sign up for a particular division, we will use modified compass draws for 8 or 12 participants. With an 8 or12 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 you registered online and were not selected - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED.

We almost always have more applicants than the 16 spots available for play in any given division. The 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. 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.

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. 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. We can enter them into an avoidance software program where they would 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.

This is an outdoor tournament using summer hours. We will begin at 9 AM on Saturday and play most of the day. We will begin at 9 AM on Sunday and play until completion. On Sunday we will play a few matches indoors, so we can complete play by 6 PM. We have indoor courts available should there be inclement weather. If rain forces us inside we may be delayed for a short time while we organize and assign available courts. If the weather improves we may go back outside. Players - If you want to play, COMMIT TO PLAYING THE TOURNAMENT, and be prepared for all eventualities. Please don't plan something for mid day and expect to have forty other matches work around your schedule, it will not work.

This is going to be a hot weekend. BRING LOTS OF FLUIDS WITH YOU !! Rule of thumb is A GALLON OF FLUIDS PER MATCH !! BRING ICE !! This should be USTA policy, but the big dogs in New York in charge at USTA HQ don't play any tournaments, and don't know how tough it is playing in hot weather. Players are responsible for their own equipment, clothing, rackets, grips, strings, socks, shoes, wrist bands, extra shirts, etc. We mention this due to some novice tournament parents think clubs provide these items because their child is participating. Clubs provide the courts for competition, that is it. Bring ice and extra towels. With everyone clamoring for ice, with the machines we do have, supplies deplete quickly. Same thing with towels for use on court. All clubs have towels, they are for the locker room and showers, not for use on court.

NO MONETARY REFUNDS ONCE THE DRAW HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND PUBLISHED ONLINE. You may withdraw without penalty up until the time that registration closes. You just need your confirmation number from your registration and your USTA number. Go to the tournament home page and follow the directions for withdrawal. Since this is a director selection process you wil not have been charged since you cannot have yet been selected to play. 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.

With a full draw of 16 players, all participants will have 2 full matches Saturday morning / afternoon 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 are from out of town, it is only one night in a hotel and you are on your way home by Sunday afternoon. With less than 16 players, we will use modified compass draws. Our goal is to get all players at least 3 matches. more info

This is a general explanation of compass draws and the process by which matches are run. All of our indoor tournaments use the same format, except for the ones over the winter holidays. Summer tournaments are played outside and have a few special considerations. more info

Here is a list of most of the hotels within a 5 mile radius. We always suggest calling the hotels directly, ask to make a reservation through them, and avoid their corporate reservation call center at all costs. The local managers have a lot of latitude to give away deals and special promotions - which you ill not get from the call center overseas. Quote tham a low rate you have received from from Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline or Hotels.com and many times the attendants have the power to match it. more info

We frequently, though not always, have racket stringing available at the tournament. Alann Leinwohl will frequently, though not always, be in attendance to take care of all your racket stringing needs. His phone number is 513-512-8515. Please contact him to coordinate your own needs.