League Play

[billy2gun]

How does one know when it's time to engage in league play? Also, what are the costs and time committments involved?

Billy
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Mrs. Peel...we're needed!

[baccala8872]

Billy,

It is a common misconception that there is a "time" to become involved in league play.  If you love the sport, there is a place for you.  If you love the sport and are an "entry level" kind of bowler, there is a spot for you.  Whether your average is 83 or 283, there is a spot for you.

If there is a lower average entry bowler who loves the sport, there are mixed leagues you can join.  Mixed leagues can either be serious or "not too serious".  The bowling center which you would go to should be knowledgeable about the different leagues and the degree of how serious the competition is.

Your commitment would vary anywhere from 28-36 weeks for a fall league (September-ish to May-ish), or from 13-15 weeks for a summer league (May-June-ish to Labor Day-ish).  Costs should range anywhere from 13-18 dollars per week for your standard mixed league, and usually 20+ dollars for a higher-profile competitive league.

--Chris
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"Enjoy every sandwich."
--a cancer-ridden Warren Zevon's reply to David Letterman's question of, "What have you learned from life?"

[billy2gun]

Do you typically pay a lump sum for the season, or go week by week?
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Mrs. Peel...we're needed!

[azguy]

If you were in my area, I'd say if you have a ball or even know which direction to throw it, come on in ! We have a mixed league that is almost half "first time" bowlers and we are there for the fun and the advancement of bowling in area town.

On my team, I have the lowest average, the highest is over 200 and he enjoys the time as much as I do. We, as a team, are competitive, but we also have fun. We can win...great, we can loose, so be it but we have fun. In that league we have several 200+ bowlers and as far as I know, they have just as much fun as the 90+ bowlers do. Sure, there are frustrating nights, we all have them. There are some nights, as a couple nights ago, we had a guy shoot 299...what a sight to see, but bottom line, we have fun and all TRY to improve.

IMO, when is the right time ? If you want to go bowling, then it's the right time. Ask at the center if there is a league, I'd suggest a mixed league first, that needs/wants another bowler. Come to some mixed league night and offer to sub for some team that may need one, that's how some of our guys/ladies got started in this league. Just find a league that is NOT PBA "members", those that only think a person has to shoot 200+ to enjoy the night. Some of those guys will ruin the time for you and themselves, so I'd say start in a Mixed league and go from there.

Good Luck and Happy Bowling !
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az guy aka: R & L Bowlers Pro
rlbowlerspro@cox.net
www.rlbowlerspro.com


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[KDawg77]

People pay all sorts of ways. In my association we allow no more than two weeks "in arears", but I pay monthly lumps and one of my partners paid the whole season upfront. It's up to you and the rules of hte league.

[billy2gun]

Thanks for the encouragement and feedback thus far. I have ordered my first reactive ball, 14lb. Scout/R. When I get my ball, I'll bowl with it a few times to  get a feel for what it can do, and what I can do with it, and then look to join a league.

Any more feedback is appreciated!

Billy
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Mrs. Peel...we're needed!

[astrodanco]

I'm on multiple leagues.  The centers I bowl in have all sorts of leagues with all sorts of bowlers.  Some league bowlers barely break 100 a game and others never ever drop below a 600 series for the night.  Leagues can be sanctioned (follow USBC rules) or unsanctioned.  Most leagues have their own rules in addition to USBC rules.  Some league bowlers use house balls and house shoes while others bring in top of the line six ball arsenels.  We have handicap leagues and scratch leagues.  We have leagues with two person teams (doubles), three person teams, leagues with four person teams and leagues with five person teams.  Some leagues allow you to have more people on your team roster than are actually permitted to bowl (not everyone on the team bowls each week) and they rotate the players around each week.  We have womens leagues, mens leagues, mixed leagues, youth adult leagues (one kid and one adult on each team) and "any" leagues.  I've bowled in leagues that charge as little as $13 and as much as $25.  The usual rules are to pay weekly, pay the last two weeks in advance, pay a small secretary fee for the season ($5 to $15) and pay a penalty equal to two weeks of bowling if you quit the season prematurely.  League seasons can be either long or short.  One of my leagues has three complately separate seasons and goes Fall 15 week season, Spring 15 week season, Summer 15 week season.  Another league I'm on goes for 36 straight weeks with no byes and is broken down into three 12 week parts with a position round for each part and a playoff at the end.  I've seen some leagues that go for 38 straight weeks with no let up.  If you can't make it for a night your team can get a subsitute bowler, can use your absentee score (usually your average minus 10 pins) or can pre or post bowl (as a team, not individually).  Pop on over to http://www.bowl.com and download a copy of the league rulebook.  Most people don't even know the rules and generally don't need to, but it is certainly helpful to know them.  League bowling is a lot of fun.


Edited on 12/12/2006 1:41 PM

Edited on 12/12/2006 1:43 PM