Local tennis clubs often use ladder structures to run leagues.
The ladder system is a method of organizing a league of players or teams and can be successfully implemented for a variety of sports and games, from physical sports like golf to board games such as Go. Under a ladder system there is no defined schedule at the start of the season. Instead, players are free to challenge other competitors under your league guidelines and move up and down the ladder accordingly, offering freedom to the players to find times and opponents that fit their schedules.
Instructions
1. Set the rules which determine how matches can be played. In an open structure, players can challenge any opponent. In a tighter league, players must challenge opponents within a set number of rungs on the ladder.
2. Decide if you will use a slow-falling or fast-falling ladder system. Fast-falling ladder systems are more volatile, and the results of a match do not effect position of other teams. In a slow-falling ladder inactive players will move down the ladder as teams below them beat teams higher on the ladder.
3. Rank the participating teams or players from strongest to weakest.
4. Record the results of all challenge matches played.
5. Leave the teams where they are if the higher-ranked team wins the match.
6. Move the lower-ranked team one place above the higher-ranked team if the lower-ranked team wins for a slow-falling ladder system.
7. Swap the position of the two teams when the lower-ranked team wins for a fast-falling ladder system.
8. Repeat the process for all matches during the set league period.
9. Declare a winner at the end of the period by awarding first place to the top team, or set up a playoff system for a predetermined number of teams, such as the top four, to determine a champion.
Tags: ladder system, lower-ranked team, team wins, down ladder, fast-falling ladder system, higher-ranked team
