(Modified from the SQUASH BC site).

The ranking system can be confusing, but only if you do not have the basic picture of how it works. We have posted this explanation on our site to help those interested in better understanding just how it works and how to interpret the results.

ACTIVE MEMBERS OF SQUASH YUKON:

The ranking system is designed to rank active members of SQUASH YUKON over the course of the squash season (September to May).

You become an active member of SQUASH YUKON if during the squash season you participate in any of:

1. Pre-league ladder games run through September to mid-October;
2. Tuesday or Thursday night leagues run from mid-October to mid-April (either as a bone fide team member or as a sub);
3. SQUASH YUKON sanctioned tournaments (this excludes the Reservoir Dogs Tournament for example);
4. Monthly Box Ladders; or
5. Challenge Ladders.

RANKINGS CARRY-OVER FROM SEASON TO SEASON:

You do retain your ranking points from season to season. However, you will not be listed in the periodic updates to the rankings until you have "activated" your SQUASH YUKON membership by participating in 1 of the events identified above.

NEVER BEEN RANKED IN THE SQUASH YUKON SYSTEM:

If you are new to SQUASH YUKON, we do our best to assign you ranking points based on the low-end of your level of competition.

INTERPRETING YOUR RANKING:

1. Evaluate where you stand (i.e. your ordinal position, #1, #2, #3 etc) in relation to the other current individual members in SQUASH YUKON who, at that time, have met the criteria to be on the active ranking list. This is usually more important to people ranked in the top 10, 15 or 20 positions in any given category (MEN, WOMEN, JUNIOR and COMBINED). For most players, your ordinal position is likely to change dramatically from one posting to another. The primary reason for this is players "activate" their memberships at different times throughout the season. More players will meet the criteria later in the season and there are always a number of new members at various levels coming on or dropping off the system.
2. Evaluate the number of ranking points you have. FOR MOST PLAYERS THE NUMBER OF RANKING POINTS IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURE. Ranking points, in general, can be effectively used to identify players of your own ability; players marginally better than yourself, and players considerably better than yourself. Depending on your squash goals, ranking points can used as an important gauge of who and who not to play in order to maximize your enjoyment.

Note: As described above, your ordinal rank can be subject to dramatic fluctuations due to increased membership as the season progresses. Your ranking points should be more or less consistent, however, there will be exceptions:

1. The ranking points of rapidly improving players will increase dramatically; and,
2. The ranking points of incorrectly ranked players (player with too few or too many ranking points) will fluctuate until they have played a reasonable number of matches to establish a more realistic ranking.

GAINING AND LOSING RANKING POINTS:

There are several factors that influence the number of points gained or lost when a qualifying match is played.

1. The Event Rating: If you have referred to the SQUASH BC explanations of their rankings, you will have noticed that each tournament is rated with a "A", "AA", "AAA" or "AAAA" rating. The more "A's" attached to the tournament the more important the tournament and the more ranking points that can be gained or lost. League matches are given a "A" rating. SQUASH YUKON does not rate its events this way. However, for the purposes of calculating rankings, we do rate events, from highest to lowest, as follows:
1. Monthly box ladders or Challenge ladder.
2. League play.
3. Tournaments with noted exceptions. (Note that tournaments in which a Territorial champion is declared, will carry a greater weight).

Essentially, more rankings points are gained or lost during tournament play versus ladder play.

2. Upset Win or Loss: When an individual defeats another who has more points it is called an upset. It is obviously an upset win for the winner and an upset loss for the loser. These kind of victories or defeats will effect your points to a much greater degree than by defeating an individual with fewer points or losing to an individual with a greater number of points.
3. Big Upset or Little Upset: The number of points separating you and your opponent will have an effect on the number of points gained or lost as well. A person defeating another who has 150 points more will gain a much larger number of points then a person defeating another who only has 3 points more (in the same event of course).
4. Expected Win or Loss: A person defeating another who has fewer points may gain some points or may not gain any. If there is very few points separating them, the winner will gain some points but if there is a number of points separating them, the winner is not likely to gain any. (The computer is saying that you were supposed to win anyhow).
5. Other Considerations:
   • In most cases, when points are gained by one individual, the other is likely to lose points. The amounts may not necessarily be exactly the same.
   • If you compare your points to another, remember that the other person may have results against additional players that may effect their points prior to your match. Matches are entered into the system in the order they happen (wherever possible)