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Author Topic: Question about Adult Leagues  (Read 966 times)

fins4ever88

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Question about Adult Leagues
« on: May 27, 2008, 02:30:15 PM »
Hey guys!

Little background, I'm 19 years old, turning 20 in November. Been bowling since I can remember, took a break for 2 years, came back and started bowling competetively (went to nationals for Teen Masters '06 and Junior Gold '07), and took another break this past season during my first year in college (no car). I plan on bowling again this fall. The alley around campus has a very small youth league (30 in all, mostly around the low teens), with (not trying to sound rude) no one in my level.

Basically, I've decided that I want to go adult, and want to know what are the pros and cons with this decision. Also, how do adult leagues typically work? I know they are typically much more expensive than I'm used to, but I should have a steady job during the school year and if it's around the 15-20(MAX) range, I should be able to do it. I keep hearing about side pots and brackets and such, how do these work?

Thanks for any insight!
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---Ryan
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Hogsharley

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Re: Question about Adult Leagues
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2008, 10:48:06 PM »
There are adult leagues in the $15-$20 range but not alot of prize money to be had. Most don't have brackets or eliminators in that range but some leagues may. My men's league is $35 a week but I'm in New York and the leagues and lineage here are higher than most area's.

Brackets work just like the NCAA basketball bracket but with only 8 spots. $5 a bracket will get you in. The payout will depend on who's running it. Mine are $25 for 1st and $10 for second. The guy running the bracket gets a free ride.

Eliminator is just that. Don't beat out more than half of the other entries and you get eliminated. That goes for all 3 games until one is left.

Pots are high game for each of the 3 games. No elimination.

All the above can be run either scratch or handicap. You pick you division.

Good luck!
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3 holes of fun!!
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Atochabsh

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Re: Question about Adult Leagues
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2008, 12:36:19 AM »
One thing you need to realize (which you probably do) is that once you go adult you can never go back.  

One option for you is to just really dig for all the tournaments within a driving range and hit them all this last year.  Gain as much scholarship money as possible.  If you don't have any built up  by now then you might be too late for this type of move.  But if you have a stock of scholarship funds, make the most of this last year or so.  

Adult leagues.  Oh gosh.  They run the gaunlet of rewards.  You can be in an average handicap league and bowl 36 weeks to gain league champions and $15/person.  Yep.....$15.  Or if you can fit into a scratch league you might be able to make maybe $300 over the summer.  There is such a wide variety of adult leagues that you need to be careful where you go if you are not just bowling for fun.  At your current average level, you might fit into some lower capped scratch leagues.  

But if you have any significant scholarship built up, I would stick it out as long as you can.  The amount of money to be made in an adult league is minimal unless you can get picked up by a very high level scratch league.  In our area, at 195, there would be NO high level adult scratch leagues to fit you.  If you were in our area, I'd recommend that you stay youth as long as you can.  But if you are in college, used up your scholarhips already then you have nothing to lose.  

Erin
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Madiballz23

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Re: Question about Adult Leagues
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2008, 10:49:01 AM »
On a side note, if you DO have any scholarship money, you will NOT forfeit it when you turn adult. You can still use what monies you have already earned as a legal youth towards college and the like. I'm 25, went adult 3 years ago, and I still have money that doesn't expire till July of 2009. so don't let that affect you.

The decision has to be yours. The leagues work pretty much the same way, albeit a higher cost, and the pots have already been explained. Depending on the league its going to be a little more serious in the adult ranks, but thats something you should chalk up to a growing experience anyways. If you dont have the access to the tournaments, and don't want to bowl with younger kids and not have any competition, I don't see anything wrong with moving up.

I personally stayed till I maxed out, but then there were a lot of youth tournaments and leagues with higher caliber bowlers, and most of my friends were there.

Just make sure its what you wanna do, cause like they said, once you do go up, you cant go back.
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First one to leave 15 ten pins wins!
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