I know, this is coming from Hamster's point of view, but the way I see it, you really can't argue with numbers. That being said, I'll offer the opinions delved from my many many months of experience with the subject.
When I was in youth, all I ever heard was that the adults were all big bad youth eating giants that never shot a game under 230 and couldn't be beat. I had a buddy go up when I'd just started my third year in youth (I was 21, btw) he said it was totally different, and he didn't really like it. He said he had 260's shot at him every week, and couldn't hold a candle to them. He was about a 195 average though, so he didn't shoot huge numbers very often.
However, another guy I knew went up the year before that, and notching 3 300's and a single 800 between the ages of 5 and 19, proceeded to shoot 300-818 his first night in adult leagues, and that was a set after he shot 755 in the early league to start his "career" off. I think he shot another couple 300's, another 800, and a 299 that year also.
Had a couple friends that went up with me last year. One had a 298 as his only honor score (age 19), and the other's closest was a 280-something (age 16). The older one shot 297-803 as well as 3 300's last year, and also is currently in the top 25 for singles at nats in Reno. I believe he'll also be one of the top 10 male adults in the city in composite average. The younger one shot a pair of 300's, one being in an area-wide tournament. I, bowling sub-par, at least managed a 299 and a career high series of 774, while cashing in every event in the city (handicapped with the exception of scratch all-events) tournament.
The best adult in the city had a tally of 5 300's and 4 800's (set a house record at 837 in a 6 year old house with notoriously difficult carry), while another had 3 800's and 4 300's, followed by another with 5 300's.
Now my longwinded question is why are all youths looked on as house shot hacks that just spray and pray? More often than not, the youths have to bowl on leftovers from the night before, while the lanes are freshly oiled before a good percentage of adult leagues.
But, on the other side, there are 2 things I see the adults having as a decided advantage. Experience and consistency. When the (scratch) rookies have bad games, they're in the 160's or 170's. When the (scratch) adults have bad games, they're in the 190's or 200's. Horrible rookie games are 150's, horrible adult games are 170's.
In closing, I think both sides need to come to the middle of the road. Youths are more talented than ever, and adults aren't just speed bumps, most of them are walls.
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No, really, I like you. Now, by all means, feel free to go fornicate yourself with a sharp object.
