Author Topic: Need Your Opinion (Read 1318 times)

ThongPrincess · « **on:** December 01, 2003, 12:24:38 PM »

I joined a "scratch" league this season. I love the house and the shot. I have a problem with some of the politics in the league.

1st issue - there are 2 teams who are way below the rest of the teams in entering averages. It was decided, at the league meeting, that these 2 teams would each get handicap to bring them up to 745. One team gets 36 pins and the other gets 70 pins.

2nd issue - a team lost it's female bowler. It was discussed that there was a woman who was willing to bowl. The problem is she is 1 pin too high for the team. Teams were asked if it was ok to let her join. Our team was never given a vote and one of the teams flat out said no. The following week the lady is a part of the team.

3rd issue - at the league meeting it was decided the team would be broken into 3 rounds with a wild card team. There would be a roll off for the league championship and bonus money. Procedures for the roll off were never decided at the meeting. 2 weeks before the 1st position round a meeting is called to determine the roll-off procedures and nothing is decided. The following week a ballot is put together and the procedures determined by a majority vote.

My concern is with the health of the league. This was a strong league in the past and has dwindled down to 10 teams. My teammates and I have already been talking about next season. I am not sure I want to continue next season in a league that is advertised as scratch while some teams get handicap. I also have concerns with the ignoring of ABC/WIBC procedures.

I have already voiced my concerns with the league coordinator, a friend. She shares my concerns about these things resulting in death to the league, but was uncertain as to what to do. I have personally witnessed just such politics killing a once strong women's scratch travel league and several house leagues.

What would you do? Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.
--------------------
To err is human to be thonged is divine

SrKegler · « **Reply #1 on:** December 02, 2003, 04:21:16 AM »

Tough call here.

Item 1: It was decided during the league meeting to allow those 2 teams to bowl and receive handicap. Question is, would those teams have bowled if they werenâ€™t given the handicap. If they did bowl without handicap it would be the same as bowling a blind each week. Since you are bowling in thirds, some teams would benefit by bowling each of the weak teams, other teams may not even bowl them during that time frame.

In this case, apparently the league needed the teams more than they needed a pure scratch league.

Item 2: Illegal. The maximum team average was set during the league meeting. Any changes take 100% approval.

IMHO though, I wouldnâ€™t sweat a 1 pin over average bowler. Again, I would rather have the team there bowling than have them drop out.

Item 3: You state team, but I believe you are talking about the league being broken into 3rds. You should end up with 4 teams in the end of the year rolloffs with the wildcard team. Still plenty of time to decide how to determine the wild card.

Most of this should have been taken care of before the league started. Iâ€™ve ran leagues setup this way before and there is a lot of variables. Ordinarily you would have one winner of each third with the wildcard being the team with the most wins that did not win one of the thirds. Our seeding for the stepladder was:

4th: Wildcard
3rd: Winner of a third with least amount of wins for the year.
2nd: Winner of third with 2nd amount of wins for the year.
1st: Winner of third with most amount of wins for the year.

All ties were broken by total pinfall for the team for the year.

All in all, it sounds to me like you elected some bad officers. Perhaps this was their first year and they just overlooked some of the finer details.

Hopefully, you can resolve the problems and update the league rules for the next season.

--------------------
~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel

rackattack · « **Reply #2 on:** December 02, 2003, 08:05:01 AM »

In my opinion this league is a mess.When a scratch league opens the door for two handicapped teams just to bolster the team count it's time to bail.If you start looking now I'm sure you could find a solid league for your team come next year.
The only thing lacking in the train wreck you describe is the treasurer running off with the prize money.
If you do decide to stick it out call for a league meeting at the end of the season.Dump ALL current officers and put down some league rules with some teeth in them.In every league I bowl in a non qualified bowler would not be admitted without 100% of the vote by team reps.
--------------------
If you can't join 'em beat 'em.

brimar · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2003, 08:08:04 AM »

thats why you pay your abc fees. id contact your local abc association and at least discuss the situation with the appropriate parties....or do like rackattack said which at this point seems to be a good idea.
--------------------
The fools grow by the day on this site

LuvThatWhiteDot · « **Reply #4 on:** December 02, 2003, 08:47:07 AM »

quote:
2nd issue - a team lost it's female bowler. It was discussed that there was a woman who was willing to bowl. The problem is she is 1 pin too high for the team. Teams were asked if it was ok to let her join. Our team was never given a vote and one of the teams flat out said no. The following week the lady is a part of the team.

Any changes to league rules/bylaws during the season must be unanimous written consent of the team captains to adopt a new or change an existing league rule. (See Rule 122 in the 2003-04 book for the full description).

It looks like the league got away with this one.
--------------------
White Dot

Queen of the Stone 8 Pin

ThongPrincess · « **Reply #5 on:** December 02, 2003, 02:17:30 PM »

Yes it is the league that is broken into 4 rounds. Round 1 winner plays the wild card and Round 2 winner palys the 3rd round winner 2 weeks before sweeps. On the final position round the winners of the 2 matches play eachother for teh league championship.

As for the 1 pin over, the woman is currently shooting an average of 17 pins over that. In addition, the team has only lost 1 game since she joined. But that is the breaks. Unfortunately it may result in this team being a lock for the $1000 bonus prize for winning the league.

This league is in the Los Angeles area, so it is not a small town by any means. The league has been around for a long time and dwindling over tha last 3-4 years from what I have been told.

Personally, I would like the league to find a format where it is a total scratch league with no teams getting handicap. I think the reason for the hdcp is these teams would not have come into the league without it. As for the team leaving if the new lady was not allowed, I don't think they would have left.

One other thing that was allowed is a team could not get a female and they were allowed to field a 4 man team. Maybe next year the 1 woman rule should be dropped and make it a 4 person team within the max. I really don't want to see the league fold, but as a new person to this league I am not sure if I want to fight the fight or just walk away, not rejoin next season.

The problem with most of the good scratch leagues is no one leaves and it is tough to get in to them. It may be time to start looking around though.

By the way, thanks for the replies.
--------------------
To err is human to be thonged is divine

Author Topic: Need Your Opinion (Read 1318 times)

ThongPrincess

Need Your Opinion

SrKegler

Re: Need Your Opinion

rackattack

Re: Need Your Opinion

brimar

Re: Need Your Opinion

LuvThatWhiteDot

Re: Need Your Opinion

ThongPrincess

Re: Need Your Opinion