Combined Grading List

January 2014 will see the introduction of a Combined Grading List - enabling all men and women to play each other.

This information has already been communicated, but we think it is important to continue communicating it to ensure as many people as possible are aware of the forthcoming changes.  The only new feature of the information below (since it was last communicated) is the decision to transfer ALL women to the combined grading list based on their women's grading points.  This decision has been made based on strong feedback that many women have men's codes that they do not use, and are therefore inaccurate.  It is therefore more likely that women's points will be a more accurate reflection of playing standard. 

Combined Grading List

• Currently there are separate grading lists for men and women.  Women wanting to play in men’s competitions must gain permission to have a men’s grading code from their District, and each District has differing criteria and rules.
• Based on feedback Squash New Zealand has received, many women would like a men’s grading code but are unable to get one.  This means that many women are unable to enter competitions (tournaments, interclub etc) that they want to.  We have heard that frustration with this situation has caused some women to leave the sport. 
• A combined grading list will resolve this issue.  By creating a combined grading list, every graded player will have grading points that are compatible with any other squash player in the country (rather than only those of their gender).  Points will be able to be adjusted after any match.
• Men and women will still have their own separate grades, as it is important to recognise the best players of both sexes. For example, a man with 2250 points might be C2, whilst a woman with 2250 points might be B2.  However, the two players could play each other and have points adjusted in a simple manner (based on their points, not their grades).  We are still calculating the precise transition to the combined grading list, so finer details are yet to be finalised.  
• In the transition to the combined grading list, some players’ grades will unavoidably change.  As an example players currently at the bottom of D2 may find themselves at the top of E1 (or vice versa).  Every effort will be made to minimise these sorts of changes; however some changes will be unavoidable in transitioning to a combined grading list that is sustainable in the long term.  In time ‘new’ grades will become the norm and comparisons with the ‘old’ grades will stop.
• Men’s grading bands will be different to women’s ones.  For women, some of the traditional 300 point grading bands may change to (for example) 200 points.
• Men and women will not necessarily have to play each other in mixed competition.  While Districts and clubs may offer mixed divisions in interclub and tournaments, it is recommended by Squash NZ that separate men’s and women’s competitions are still maintained.  The goal of the combined grading list is to create flexibility for everyone.
• We aim to start the combined grading list in January 2014.

EXAMPLE:

Take the example of these six players:

For this example, 2401–2700 is a men’s C1 and a women’s B1.  Karina has 2450 points: this makes her a B1 woman, and she has the same number of points as a C1 man. Mark has 2500 points, and is therefore a C1 man.  If Karina beat Mark, she would win the same amount of points as she would for beating Philippa, who has 2500 points, and is therefore a B1 woman.

Bill has 1400 points, and is therefore an E1 man.  Under the combined grading list, he could be beaten by Rachael (1450 points, D1 woman), and lose the same number of points as he would lose to Shea (1450 points, E1 man). 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT COMBINED GRADING LIST:

Q: How will the Combined Grading List be set up?

A: Women and men will be on the same grading list and necessary adjustments will be made to women’s points and grading bands.

Q: I am a woman but do not want to play competitive matches against men, will I still be able to play squash?

A: Yes.  The aim of the combined grading list is to provide flexibility to all players to access the competition they want to.  Squash NZ recommends that Districts and Clubs continue to offer men’s and women’s competitions, along with the introduction of mixed competitions.

Q: Will my grading points change?

A: The grading points of women will change.  We are currently working on formulae to calculate the average translation of female players to the men’s grading list at each level of the grading list.  This will be used to transfer women to the combined grading list.  The initial transfers will based on average correlations, so may not be 100% accurate for every player, but the grading list will soon become more accurate as matches are played.

Q: Will my grade change?

A: Most players will be the same grade on the combined grading list as they are now.  However, there will be some exceptions: the slightly different grading bands may mean that some players are transferred to a higher or lower grade on the combined grading list.  Every effort will be made to minimise these sorts of changes; however some changes will be unavoidable in transitioning to a combined grading list that is sustainable in the long term.  As usual, any inaccuracies will soon ‘come out in the wash’ as matches are played and points are adjusted.

Q: Will the same formula be used to transfer a D2 woman as a B2 woman to the combined grading list?

A: No.  The average translation of a woman to the men’s grading list is noticeably different at different levels of the grading list.  This task will be approached with as much flexibility as possible to ensure an accurate and smooth transition.

Q: Will I lose more grading points if I lose to someone of the opposite gender?

A: No.  Because all players will be on a combined grading list, adjustments will be able to work based on points, and not be affected by the gender of your opponent.  If you are a D1 with 1850 points, and your opponent has 1870 points, the winner will still gain 30 points and the loser will still lose 20 points regardless of gender.

Q: Where will ‘20/20’ points adjustments begin?

A: At present ‘20/20’ points adjustments (where the winner gains 20 points for beating a player within 100 points of him/herself) begin at C1 (2401 points).  In grades C2-J5, the winner gains 30 points for beating a player within 100 points of him/herself, while the loser only loses 20 points.  This means that, all things being equal, a player from C2-J5 is able to slowly rise through the grades with an equal proportion of wins to losses.  From C1-A1, ‘20/20’ points adjustments mean a player with an equal proportion of wins to losses will hold steady on the grading list (rather than rise).

It is proposed that ‘20/20’ points adjustments will be based on an amount of points, rather than grade, so as to be simple and common to both genders.  Examples are provided below to help explain this.  Rather than the ‘20/20’ threshold being a grade like C2 (which will be a different amount of points for men and women, and unnecessarily confusing and complicated), it will be an amount of points – for example 2400.  This will allow women to rise to higher grades (B2 and above) more swiftly than men.  This is viewed as a positive, as women are currently under-represented (relative to men) in grades B2-A1.

1. Current Grading List: Sally (3150 points, B1) plays Danielle (3100 points, B2) and wins 3/2.  Sally gains 20 points and Danielle loses 20 points, because the two players are within 100 points of each other and above the ‘20/20’ points adjustment threshold.
2. Combined Grading List: Sally (2350 points, B1) plays Danielle (2300 points, B2) and wins 3/2.  Sally gains 30 points and Danielle loses 20 points, because the two players are within 100 points of each other and below the ‘20/20’ points adjustment threshold.

Q: If a woman has the same number of grading points as a man, but has a higher grade than the man, does that mean she will lose a lot of points if she loses the match?

A: No, grading points adjustments will be calculated based on the points the opponent has rather than their grade.  Two examples below illustrate how this will work (remember grades and points are just examples at this stage as the final calculations are still to be finalised). 

• Rob (2250 points, C2) plays Jane (2250 points, B2) and wins 3/1.  Rob gains 30 points and Jane loses 20 points, because the two players are within 100 points of each other.
• John (1670 points, D2) plays Dean (1750 points, D2) and wins 3/2.  John gains 30 points and Dean loses 20 points, because the two players are within 100 points of each other.

These examples show that points adjustments are calculated based on grading points, not grades.  So even though Jane is two half-grades higher than Rob (because she is a woman), she loses 20 points because the two players are within 100 points of each other.

Q: If I enter a tournament will I automatically be placed in a mixed division?

A: This depends on the tournament, and the conditions specified by the tournament organisers.  Some tournaments may advertise mixed, men’s and women’s divisions and ask players to specify where they would like to be placed, whilst others may advertise mixed divisions only or men’s and women’s divisions only.  The aim of the combined grading list is to provide flexibility to all players – not to force them to play mixed competitions.

Q: At what point will players use a double-dot ball?

A: Squash NZ will recommend the use of the double-dot ball from an amount of points (eg. 2400) rather than a grade (eg. C1).  This will avoid confusion and complication where men play women. 

Q: Will there still be separate national titles (eg. Superchamps teams, Champion of Champions, Men’s champion, Women’s champion etc)?

A: Yes.  National titles will still be contested separately by men and women.