I often hear the story how a team isn't coming back because they simply cannot find that 5th person to fill the team, or maybe they are missing 2 bowlers.  I am trying to start a sport league here in the Flint, MI area, and it's not looking too good.

So my idea for the sport league is to advertise a "sport bowling club" that will meet every monday between 7pm and 9:30pm.  Anybody can drop it whenever they want.  Perhaps we will just practice and help each other learn on the tough patterns.  Perhaps we will offer pot games.  Perhaps we will have different people come in and do seminars for us every once in a while.  Perhaps we will do all of these things!

I think something like this for beginning bowlers would work well too.  Rather than tossing them into a league right away, perhaps getting them going with some instruction and education in a format where they can drop in whenever they want is the way to go.  I know bowling center proprietors love their 32 week commitments, but isn't some better than none?

I think the bowling world is asking people to fit their lives around the rules that we have in place.  Maybe the bowling world should fit their offerings more around the people so that bowling can be convenient for more people.
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Brian
MichiganBowling.com
http://www.MichiganBowling.com

Famous Last Words of a Pot Bowler--"Ok, but this is my last game!"

Sounds like you have thought of a great idea!
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-Andy

MTFD .. had to look at that for a while before it HIT HOME! Apparently it's a 12 week league .. $25 per week cost and last two week have to be paid before the 10th week. Difference is there is WEEKLY PAYOFFS instead of END OF SEASON!

I wonder how this works when there are FEWER members? Although there maybe 64 total suppose only 30 show up one week .. do they still pay 16 positions?

It is VERY INTERESTING and I like the weekly payoffs! I see some people might get discouraged after 4 weeks if the SAME PEOPLE reach the top! What have you witnessed .. do the same people collect the majority of weeks?

ON EDIT: I also notice it's SCRATCH .. almost sure that SAME PEOPLE will wind up on CASH LIST!
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Hit them light and watch them fight
      J O E - F A L C O

Edited on 9/6/2004 2:06 PM

MTFD .. still interested .. clarification .. it's the same bowlers for the 12 week period .. if someone collects one week they DOUBLE that weeks costs .. agree! My question was: do the same people collect the majority of weeks? .. You said the top prize was won only twice by the same bowler .. again it would be discouraging for the remaining 50 bowlers if the 16 prizes were being split by the 90% of the same bowlers each week. I think this .. because in most LEAGUES you find that leaders in SERIES are usually the same group of people each week.

Sounds to me that this is a good spot for someone to make their RENT money!

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Hit them light and watch them fight
      J O E - F A L C O

Well to answer Joe's question on winners, the best to my "old timer's" recollection, there were 10 different 1st place winners, with Liz Johnson ending with high average, 220 plus. Jack Jurek took most money (approximately $1,400.00), and of course Bakes and Angelo were high up on the prize lists too.

But if you look at the monies won over the 12 weeks, there were somewhere around 50 different names. Between the 60 some "weekly regulars" and the  additional "substitutes", that means probably 2 out of 3 bowlers at least made something over the 12 weeks.

Now if you made the top 16 on a given week, you received $50.00, or double that weeks entry fee. Plus any additional brackets, pots, etc.

With the shot changing ever few weeks, and it is a PBA shot on wood lanes, that lends itself to favoring different styles, equipment, etc. So it helps "spread the wealth" so to speak too.

Although there are so many talented, and competitive bowlers, they are all very helpful to one another. The experience that I've gained over the past 4-5 years is priceless. Especially the one summer crossing pairs between Brad Angelo and his wife on my left, and Bakes on my right. Both are amazing individuals, helpful, knowledgable, and friendly.


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The Older We Get, The Better We Were
www.MTFD.com - a NY State Vol. Fire Department
www.BowlWNY.com - local & national stories by Joe Ciccone
http://www.FDracing.com The worlds fastest firemen in the origional Xtreme Games
24 is not my age, IQ, or bowling average, but my firematic number, at least I think that what it is

Of course you would expect the likes of an Angelo or Bakes to be on the high end of the payouts, there were MANY times these bowlers did not make the top 16 even. So, it keeps it interesting. And not all the "big guns" are there every week due to commitments elsewhere.

Lots of bowlers just want to see IF they can "keep up with the Big Boys", and enjoy the friendly but competitive bowling on a TOUGH shot.

This is on Tuesdays, and on Wednesdays there is another one almsot identical at another house 10-15 minutes away! They draw over 60 bowlers a week as well, and some are the same as on Tuesdays, and some different. So it does seem that there is a "niche" for this type of "league".

We need a BR Gathering here in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area next summer, and have the members join as a "sub".  

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The Older We Get, The Better We Were
www.MTFD.com - a NY State Vol. Fire Department
www.BowlWNY.com - local & national stories by Joe Ciccone
http://www.FDracing.com The worlds fastest firemen in the origional Xtreme Games
24 is not my age, IQ, or bowling average, but my firematic number, at least I think that what it is