Author Topic: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards.... (Read 19063 times)

titletowncards · « **on:** July 10, 2009, 03:54:54 AM »

I got this in an email from the USBC Rules Extra:

Rule Changes

The USBC Board of Directors and delegates approved several changes to the Playing Rules, Awards, and Bylaws. Changes that could affect regular league play deal with legal lineup (Rule 109a), vacancy scores (Rule 105) and playoffs (Rules 113a and 113b). The Youth awards program has been expanded; the adult average requirements for averaged based awards are changed; and Special Achievements Awards (Dutch 200, All Spare Game, Triplicate, 7-10 and Big Four Conversions) are eliminated; see Chapter 3 of the 2009-2010 Playing Rules available August 1.

Personally, I think this stinks. I'm very proud of my two career 7-10 conversions and last year I got a patch for a Dutch 200. My Grandma (who got me started in bowling) has an All Spare Game patch from 1988, she still talks about how proud she is of it.
This is one of my problems with the USBC, how come they don't ask members first before doing this stuff?
What are some other thoughts on this?
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titletowncards

azguy · « **Reply #16 on:** July 11, 2009, 06:01:14 AM »

I have an All Spares patch and you bet your tail I'm proud of mine. My wife hasn't gotten one and she's been bowling for over 30 years. My Father In Law doesn't have one and he's bowled for over 40 years.

Triplicates I have had one a year for the past 3 years, I'm proud of them as well. I just with they's done something special the the last two as they were 187 games, both times. OK, so it's not your 240 games but I'm as proud of them as anyone, especially since all 6 were the same score.

We have one mixed league that the patches are special to them, looks like we may decide to not sanction, have to see. Agree, we pay a good chunk of change and it seems every year we get less and less for what we pay.
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az guy aka: R & L Bowlers Pro
rlbowlerspro@cox.net

rexb300 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 11, 2009, 06:56:27 AM »

hi
I am a assoc secy
yes there will be no award patch for those special awards but
I heard they would maybe go on the websight like the 300's ect
or maybe would get a paper with award and date not for sure yet.

the new awards are magnets that can stick to frig or ? YA

But the got the new high score awardform new type 300 or 800 rings
11 in row trophy and the gold silamen or whatever for $50 for rings
also can put name on side on rings and a number of awards for $20
be on bowl.com after august.
RB

EagleHunter · « **Reply #18 on:** July 11, 2009, 12:51:14 PM »

With all due respect, the Big Four and 7-10 are not any more special than any other split in bowling. Way back when, ABC/WIBC decided that those splits would be eligible for awards, most likely because of the difficulty involved in trying to convert them. But what about the 5-7-10, 2-8-10, or 3-7-9? Are these splits not as difficult, if not more difficult, to convert than either the Big Four or the 7-10? Perhaps USBC should create a new award for those as well?

The point is someone, somewhere, some time ago decided these splits deserved special recognition. Now, someone, somewhere has decided these splits no longer deserve an award. Yet this does not diminish the recognition of the accomplishment of converting the split.

As for the accomplishment of the 6-7-10...not a big deal to me, at least no bigger than any other split conversion...looks the same on the scoreboard. That said, as a league secretary/treasurer, I've had plenty of bowlers come up and ask if they get an award for that exact conversion. They often cannot believe they don't get something for it. Again, they assume that since it has a greater difficulty they should get something.

That is the problem that ABC/WIBC created, and USBC now has to fix. Bowlers now believe they should received something just because THEY think it is hard enough. Any split conversion (or other "special" achievement) carries a level of accomplishment with it, but I'm afraid such accomplishment does not make it award-worthy.

jthales · « **Reply #19 on:** July 11, 2009, 01:59:27 PM »

Seems thos who alredy have the awards think they r no big deel but what abot the newr bowlrs? Is teh patchs impotent to them? EZ enuf 4 teh bowlrs who alredy have teh awards to say u dont need to get them cuz I alredy have them and they arnt no big deal.

nextbowler · « **Reply #20 on:** July 11, 2009, 02:41:08 PM »

I really don't think that the USBC does enough for the average league bowler.
I knew that men were in trouble when the 3 entities combined, as we are always
weakened when women get involved. I greatly resent the money spent on paying
a few women to make money in tournament bowling. The sponsorship should not
come out of our dues. Am I a chauvinist? You bet, I have seen what has happened to mens' programs with the Title 9 implementation. For example, look
what has happened to mens' collegiate wrestling and the loss of programs.

rexb300 · « **Reply #21 on:** July 11, 2009, 03:46:39 PM »

sorry 4pinhatesme

I just cut short the basic for next season you will see what I mean then
cause I am not for sure yet what USBC will do on some stuff.
sorry if I confused anyone.

Xcessive_Evil · « **Reply #22 on:** July 11, 2009, 04:41:45 PM »

quote:
USBC is heading for self destruction. I see they will be gone soon

all those POS awards who give a F anyway. Better offer put the $18 in price fund. or Buy award rings and do you own. who care about 7 -10 split , 100 pin over average or even 300's. ALl Meaning less.

Always a good laught when someone wear their 300 rings and 800 rings lol
is made in china for less the 10 cent ea. Only low self estem and loosers wear those lol

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I like bowling because it give me 3 holes of fun.

About as incoherent as it gets.
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You may be the better bowler, but my car would blow the doors off of yours.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v690/Phoenix_RsX/Arsenal/

EagleHunter · « **Reply #23 on:** July 11, 2009, 08:50:58 PM »

nextbowler,
What do you mean that USBC doesn't do enough for the average bowler? With the exception of the high score awards (300 & 800), darn near EVERY other award is some type of average based award...do you think those are for the high average bowler? Most of the USBC awards are for the average bowler almost exclusively.

The complaint about USBC using member dues to support only Women's bowling...I'm not sure that is so true. While the Women's events are more numerous the prize money probably is similar to, or less than, that put up for the USBC Masters. If it is not, then perhaps you have a valid argument.

jthales,
Are there that many NEW bowlers that convert the Big Four or the 7-10? Do that many NEW bowlers join to get these "priceless" special awards? As a secretary/treasurer I have seen the look from some of the new bowlers when you hand them the priceless chevron. I can tell you, it often is not a "thank you for making my day" look. It is more of the "what is this crap you are giving me" or "this is what I paid for" look.

rge · « **Reply #24 on:** July 11, 2009, 09:57:30 PM »

For most bowlers it's not so much what they are taking away, but rather that once again things are being taken away. Most bowlers get nothing tangible for their USBC dues money. Some bowlers receive a bubble gum ring or two each year and they come out ahead. The majority of bowlers actually see very little returned to them for their money. Realized savings for doing away with the 7-10 patch have got to be laughable. In our association the number of 300 games bowled last season was over 200. Many bowlers had multiples, but still over 100 awards would have been issued. We awarded TWO patches for 7-10 conversions during the season. Don't see too much cash being saved there.

Personally, I would very much like USBC to change some of their practices. It makes sense to give a single 800, 300, 299 or 298 award in a lifetime, but allow bowlers to purchase (as is done now for 299's and 298's) additional rings, watches, etc. when they shoot a second, third, etc. I also think it would make sense for some kind of tiered memberships. It makes no sense for the every other week couples league bowler to pay the same dues as I do for bowling three nights a week. He should pay less. I should pay more. As for how exactly our money is being spent, good luck in figuring that one out. A lot is definitely spent on the Masters, Queens, the women's events on ESPN and for advertising during the PBA telecasts. How much? Who knows. The one thing we can be sure of is that no one is going to tell us.

The one area that I really like what they are beginning to propose, is the idea of tiered lane conditions similar to the blue, white and red tees on a golf course. Choose to bowl on the "blues" (the sport shots) if you want a challenge or the "reds" (house China) if you want to stand left and toss right. Theoretically, average conversion charts could be used to make handicap tournaments and events more equitable and awards could be based on the difficulty of the shot. A 300 on the blues could warrant a ring or something similar while one from the reds could get you a patch.

The one thing that USBC doesn't seem to do very well at all is to actually get out and listen to what the average member has to say. It's difficult to be part of an organization that gives you the impression that those at the top seem to think they know what's good for you without ever asking.
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Rats get fat. Good men die.

nextbowler · « **Reply #25 on:** July 11, 2009, 11:38:16 PM »

Cool- My observations are valid, whether you have the ability to understand or
not. Because you are not smart enough to understand, there will be no charge
for the lesson. I have seen this type of thing much longer and closer up than
you have. For others, who only have the singular vision to understand what
"average" could mean, consult your thesaurus.

Atochabsh · « **Reply #26 on:** July 12, 2009, 05:38:26 PM »

Most women and senior leagues have virtually no prize fund, so they do not require the league bonding USBC provides. Most in that same catagory are still using rubber and plastic balls, so don't really need Throwbot and Research and Developement. They certainly do not need a Traning Center in TX. A majority of bowlers do not bowl tournaments so they don't need a sanctioned average either. I say this because 38% of our assoc. bowlers are seniors, and then you add women and then add the men that are in one posters words "sucking" that's a majority of bowlers. It is really rude, IMO, to classify people as "sucking" because they cannot average over 140. No one I've ever seen started bowling at any higher level, so we were all at one point 140 average bowlers.

I package up thousands of special achievement awards every year (over 2000 200 game emblems this year alone) and help get them distributed to our 13 centers. If we are tardy in that mission we get the phone calls from the secretaries wanting to know where their awards are for their bowlers. Now if you don't want the award there is an option on the sheet to not get it, tell your secretary. If you don't want more then one ring per year then donate to some of the various options on the award form. But you can only donate your first honor award each season. Its meaningless to mark "donate" once you already have your ring for that particular year, no donation will be given.

The problem is that for most bowlers, they see their bowling fees going up. That's including lineage at their center as well. And where the USBC is concerned they don't see any return and even less return for the increase. Right now we have several leagues in most of our centers that will not sanction. They don't see the point. And all of these are senior leagues. USBC should be looking into how they can gain those sanctions, the bowlers are already bowling. No need to even seek out new bowlers (i.e. youth) there are already non sanctioned bowlers in organized non sanctioned leagues.

Erin

nextbowler · « **Reply #27 on:** July 12, 2009, 06:32:34 PM »

By average bowler, I mean nothing to do with score. As for upper level bowlers, most of us on here are. I know of 4 leagues at Sams Town that had
their prize money absconded with and USBC will do nothing to secure their bond.

Atochabsh · « **Reply #28 on:** July 12, 2009, 07:00:52 PM »

quote:
I know of 4 leagues at Sams Town that had
their prize money absconded with and USBC will do nothing to secure their bond.

Nearly every year we have a league that has "missing" prize fund. The steps that USBC has set forth to regain that prize fund are final and specific. If the league does not follow them to the letter (and none have so far) then USBC will not bond the money.

Erin

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #29 on:** July 12, 2009, 09:04:37 PM »

The USBC will waste money on a lot of things that CRD has mentioned. They will not waste it on things for bowlers like awards. Because those 7-10 patches are going out buy the truck load. They will probably continue to produce all these awards you just have to pay for them. Wait and see. Just like 298 and 299 awards.

Didn't Brunswick and Bayer have a throwbot and a super CATS system long before USBC. Didn't USBC try to come up with retarded rules like no weight holes for bowling balls and other stupid rules because they had no clue what they were doing. Ball cleaner list means nothing as well. You pay to submit your product for approval. That takes a lot of work.

Ths USBC is about money.(collecting) Thats why certain balls are banned as well. They were never paid and submitted to their testing to be approved.

USBC is what it is. To say they are growing bowling and making it better is sad and delusional.
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" hand, don't step on the lanes without some "

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #30 on:** July 12, 2009, 09:54:26 PM »

CRD I must have added it from somewhere. Not much is getting better in a lot of things that are more important then bowling.

If it were my chance to make changes. I would:

Eliminate duplicate job titles. That was the original intentions of the joining of the different governing bodies. Trim the fat at the top first.

Not adding the new Texas office.

After seeing some of the complaints about equipment and bowing start making proper adjustments to correct it over time.

Starting with ball specs and covers moving into oil patterns. You can't make extreme changes over night but you can slowly make it back to a more challenging game with out the inflated scores.

Bring back some of the awards you got rid of. Make the 298 299 ring something. Maybe not as nice/expensive as it was but still something very respectable.

Promote growth. Try and promote some shorter leagues for new bowlers. 12 week ten team leagues with the last two weeks as a playoff system. Gear it towards getting local businesses and other people back into bowling. Maybe have a competitive companies league. Also great for less experience bowlers to join a second league to gain experience and not break the bank. It can be on a night that your other leagues don't fill the house.

League bowling for 32-36 weeks can be over whelming for newer bowlers learning the game. It can also be expensive and difficult for people that want to bowl more then one league and can't.

Leagues use to be full of teams sponsored by local business because they all bowled. Try and get some of that back with these shorter beginner leagues.

Try for a national bowling night out. (if it doesn't already exist)

Try coming up with some new tournament ideas where you can qualify in every state(you qualify in your actual state, every state has a winner) and move on to bowl in a national tournament. Or just move to a larger regional event where you can win your region. (Probably just singles and or doubles style tournament.)

Bowling on tv is expensive but you can promote some of the regional USBC tournaments and other amateur tournaments on youtube for free.
Promote these ideas on popular networking sites like myspace,facebook, and tweeter. Also free.

Get youth involved through these sites as well. Have shorter youth leagues. Heard they may be dividing the youth season into two parts/seasons. Which is good except they are going to charge them twice on their sanction fees which is not smart.

Youth bowling is getting more popular in high school sports. Build off that and promoting college bowling as well. Get word out about the scholarships available at colleges through bowling. It worked for all sports including golf.(yes Tiger helped as well for the youth players that started playing golf)

That is a start. I will think of more.....

Get other successful like minded people to help develop your sport similar to
other popular sports. lol That one doesn't count.
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" hand, don't step on the lanes without some "

Author Topic: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards.... (Read 19063 times)

titletowncards

USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

azguy

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

rexb300

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

EagleHunter

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

jthales

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

nextbowler

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

rexb300

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

Xcessive_Evil

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

EagleHunter

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

rge

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

nextbowler

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

Atochabsh

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

nextbowler

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

Atochabsh

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

kidlost2000

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....

kidlost2000

Re: USBC to eliminate Special Achievements Awards....