Per Regulation 1.04E Player Eligibility – Southern does not allow the States/Districts to implement a residency requirement for teams that play a local league. The States/Districts are allowed to implement residency requirements for Local League at State, Straight to State (Singleton Teams in State only programs), and single weekend leagues. South Carolina has set residency requirements for the 3 areas where it is allowed.
South Carolina has teams that play across the border in both North Carolina and Georgia that are made up of SC players. These teams have won State Championships in those States and represented that state at Sectionals.
See below for the National Regulation, the added Southern Regulation, and the added South Carolina Regulations regarding residency for teams playing league.
1.04E Player Eligibility.
1.04E(1) Domicile and Residency Requirements. Any individual who competes in the USTA League must be domiciled within the boundaries of a USTA Sectional Association or participate through a USTA Direct Member Club. Residents of foreign countries who meet membership and age requirements may be invited by a USTA Section to participate in the USTA League Program provided that all such matches are played within the Section. Sections may create residency requirement rules to encourage and foster local league play.
Southern Regulation: Southern will have no residency requirements for local league play. Exception: A state/district may impose residency requirements for teams that play a local league at a state championship, advance directly to a state championship and/or play in a single-weekend local league tournament.
South Carolina Regulation: Teams participating in a Local League at State (LLAS) level, play in a single weekend local league and/or participate on a straight to state team, must have 60% of their roster from South Carolina. In addition to the 60% of the roster being from South Carolina, teams participating on a straight to state team must have 51% of their roster from the area the team represents. A player’s residency will be determined by their address in TennisLink. The 51% regulation regarding area does not apply to the 65 & Over 9.0 men/women or the 65 & Over Combo 7.5 Men.
