Serious question from a new USBC board member

[mumzie]

I bowl league with a woman who has been elected to the new USBC board of directors. Last night she asked me a really important question:

What do you think USBC should do differently (than WIBC/ABC) to support the bowlers? What do the bowlers want?

I told her that I would pose it to the board, then email her the results.

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All things are difficult
before they are easy.
---- Thomas Fuller

[9andaWiggle]

J Mac - I was thinking along the lines of making the mandate, and when the centers have to replace their old pins, then the newer pins would be the only ones available.  It'd take 2 or 3 years to phase in the new pins to a majority of centers, but if were looking for a long term solution, this might be an option worth looking into.
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9~

Yawn! Did you say something?

[da Shiv]

There are many good ideas mentioned here.  I'd just like to point out that the two suggestions I offered wouldn't cost anybody any money.  The first could help introduce more integrity and genuine competitiveness into handicapped leagues; and the second could stir up some interest among bowlers getting tired of the same old same old.  Neither of my ideas would be likely to raise the population of the bowling community quickly, but they might help stem the population decline; and over time cause an increase as older bowlers stay while younger bowlers come along and join up.

Shiv
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Listening to the monotonous staccato of rain on my desk top

[MichiganBowling]

I'll try not to turn this into a novel and only concentrate on one idea per post...(A book could easily be written on what needs to be done)

INVEST IN THE SPORT!!!  I want to see the USBC actually invest real time and real money into the sport of bowling.  Looking at Sport Bowling as an example--this was a half-arsed program from the get go.  It's a great idea, but it wasn't released in the proper manner.  Invest in education through coaching and seminars.  Too many people didn't and still don't understand why sport bowling is a step up from THS bowling.  Sport bowling isn't the perfect answer, but it is a step in the right direction.  So how do those 90% of all bowlers get informed of the importance of Sport Bowling?

I just don't think they thought this through, and now they have a 2nd chance to do it right.  The easiest solution isn't always the best.

A friend of mine who is on his local ABC board recently told me that he brought up some ideas at their meeting.  He wanted to run some bowl-a-thons and fund raisers.  He wanted to try to get some sponsors for the association so that they could perhaps sponsor more events and give more back to the bowling community.  He was overwhelmingly shot down!  From the local standpoint, these lazy associations need to get off their lazy arses and spend time developing good plans that will help promote bowling in their local areas.  They only stand to benefit, so why not do it?
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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!"

[mumzie]

Ok, folks. Need some more ideas here...
I'll see her again on Tuesday night - let's get those creative juices and ideas flowing...
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All things are difficult
before they are easy.
---- Thomas Fuller

[SrKegler]

Just shooting in the dark here.

We can go on bowl.com and check out league averages.  Can't find anyplace that shows tournament averages.  Almost every tournament I hit "claims" to be ABC sanctioned, give us the info.

Personally, I don't believe the tournament managers are forwarding results to the ABC and, if they are, the ABC isn't taking the time to input the info.

We have the technology to upload scores using Perfect Secretary, etc, why not take advantage of it.
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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel

1st law of combat, "Bullets always have the right of way"

[ThongPrincess]

Just a note about the men hating the women and women hating the men in CA.  I don't know what part of CA you were refering to, but in LA, that is not the case as I see it.  I have talked with board members from both the men's and women's associations and, as far as I can see, both are looking forward to merging.  The only issue is how to divide up the local LA county associations.  LABA has many women on their board.

My hope for the USBC is that they will take into account all level of bowlers in their decisions.  They need to insure that their decisions will not favor the social league bowler over the more serious scratch or sport league bowler.  I also don't want to see the social league bowler forgotten.

I hope they come up with ways to attract new bowlers while retaining current bowlers.  To do that takes working with the proprietors as well as the bowlers.

I have not offered any solutions, but am confident the USBC will find a way to revive bowling.
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Age is only a state of mind.  Since I lost mine years ago, I must be really young