Roster Rating Standard Appeal

Jean played in a mixed division with 4.0 50+ and 4.0 18+ players. Our division was the only one where the 18+ were counted against us. All other divisions they were thrown out and not counted. Many of the 18+ players by the time she played against her had reached rating of 4.58, 4.6.

If you take the 18+ match off it raises her back up to a 3.89 she would have qualified for a fast track appeal.

She did not play in 2024 so there is no recent information outside this year to consider. Did not win a single game in the three matches. The other two matches were against the state champion 4.0 50+ women. We had a tough league.

I recommend she be allowed to play 4.0

When I received an email from Elise saying I was not eligible for fast track appeal because I was below 3.85 I was puzzled. I wrote her the two paragraphs below and she asked that I wait and submit my reasoning through this standard appeal.

"Elise,
I agreed to play with our newer players this year to provide experience, even against the 18+. As fate would have it, I played OMG twice and 18+ once. My choice, even knowing these were the strongest 4.0 teams in our league and it would be difficult with a newer player. Although I played well, those teams were better.

It would help me if APPL disregarded the 0.06 reduction from my games against 18+. This would give me an APPL rating of 3.89 and make me eligible for fast track appeal."

To state again, other than having player the 18+ team, I would have been eligible for the fast track appeal. I agreed to play with 3.5 level players who were improving and needed experience. One player had the first time APPL rating of 4.2 even though she is a new player. This hurt me because our combined index was higher than it should have been

I am injury prone and have missed most of the last few seasons with broken bones (wrist, elbow) and achilles tendinosis, none directly due to pickleball. 🙂 Most of last year and this year I am healthy and am actively seeking out instruction to improve.

I brought Brian Martin to Quail Creek last season to work with my team and our club other teams. I organized to have him back two more times last season for our club members. In the past 12 months I have had multiple lessons with Brian Martin (in AZ and OR), when in AZ I drill with an instructor once a week, when in OR in the summer I drill will instructors once a week, I took lessons from Brian Capitini and Dave Kolwasiki in Bend OR, and I seek out instructions and drills whenever I can. Before my lengthy injury period, I probably watched or participated in 80+ hours with Helle Sparre. I use this archive of instruction to help others with technique, shot selection and positioning.

At this time I feel I am playing as well as I have in 5-6 years. Knock on wood the injury bug stays away!

In closing, I am asking to have my rating returned to 4.0 due to 1) agreeing to mentor our newer players and 2) in support of team decisions to play the strongest team in our division twice and the 18+ team with new players as my partner. Putting in weaker players against the strongest teams allowed these players to get experience and did not hurt our team record as we would have lost those games no matter who on our team played.

I hope this information and reasoning is sufficient to persuade you to approve this appeal.

Thank you,

Jean Bustard