How is seeding determined at junior squash tournaments?
All accredited junior tournaments determine the seeding based on the "seeding points" calculation. A few points to highlight:
- Seeding will be based on the seeding points calculation from the Wednesday 1.5 weeks before the start of the tournament.
- In the event of a tie in seeding points, player rating will be used as a tiebreaker.
- US Squash may use its discretion, and will consult with the local tournament director, when seeding foreign players or U.S. players with little or no tournament exposure, to seed players accurately with the goal of balanced and fair draws.
Seeding Points Calculation
Generally, seeding points equate to a player’s ranking points average, but differ in circumstances where a players with fewer than four active exposures in their division of competition.
The seeding points calculation is based on the following criteria:
- If a junior is playing in her current age group and has a “full” ranking in that division, as defined by four or more tournaments in the last 11 months, seeding points are based on her ranking points average in that division.
- NOTE: Late withdrawal penalties are not factored into the seeding points calculation.
- If a player chooses to “play up” in an older age group, that player’s seeding points will be based on the ranking point average as if she had aged-up into that division per the standard rankings age-up policy.
- If a player has fewer than four active tournaments in the division in which she intends to play, but also has active tournaments in an older age division, tournament points will be converted down to the younger age group at 120%.
- NOTE: Points in the division of participation take priority over any possible point conversions from younger or older age divisions.
- All seeding point calculation occur after tournament points have been converted into the division in which seeding is occurring.
If a player has fewer than four active tournaments in their age division, as well as no active tournaments in an older or younger age division, the following calculations will be used to calculate seeding points based on the number of active tournaments:
- One active tournament: the seeding point average is calculated by taking 50% of that one tournament.
- Two active tournaments: the seeding point average is calculated by taking 70% of the average.
- Three active tournaments: the seeding point average is calculated by taking 90% of the average.
Seeding Draw Placement:
Straight bracket seeding will be used for National Championships (1 v. 32, 2 v. 31, etc.). National Championships seeding is based on the “seeding point” calculations listed above. For all other events, randomized seeding groups are used: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17-20, 21-24, 25-28, and 29-32. Players in each seeding group are drawn at random to fill the positions on the draw for those groups.
For Gold and JCT events, the only seeding changes that are permissible are when siblings are scheduled to play on the same half of a draw. If this occurs, the lower seeded of the two siblings may be moved within their seeding group to the other half of the draw to avoid playing their sibling until later in the tournament (e.g.: switching a 17 seed with an 18 seed).
NOTE: Siblings will not be moved to opposite halves of the draw if there are extenuating circumstances with the draw, for National Championships, or if both players are seeded in the top four positions.