What Kind of Team Are You On ?

[Rdmonster]

My team (I am team captain !!) is a bunch of fun loving party animals. We are a bit of a wild card because our handicaps vary so much. It makes us difficult to play.

Bro has a handicap of about 95...his game has improved so while he often bowls close to 100 when he's on he can top 170...he scores nicely for our team.

I go next and have a handicap of about 50.....I can usually take 2 of 3 games and have the second highest points won total on the team. Not bad for a relative noob.

Big Papa has a handicap around 40 and is a good consistant roller. He has really come on lately and has been putting good series together for the team. He usually drives me to the lanes because he lives next door. He's also my golf league partner..to say we get along is an understatement.

Banger is our anchor man...best bowler on the team (obviously) with a handicap of about 20 and loads of fun. He's also a damn good golfer and I imagine if its a sport that involves a ball he would be good at it.

The icing on the cake is our team has been in first place for about 6 weeks and we keep extending our lead. It was 13 points last week and though it was a squeeker we still won and took 11 points.

I cant wait to see the standings this wek!!

So...what is your squad like....fun....serious...great...terrible...inquir ing minds want to know.

[barcar]

We have a middle of the road team, that can get to the upper end of the stands, but also get out butts handed to us.
1st bowler carries a 170 average
2nd carries a 150 average
3rd has a 185
4th(me) has a 197
5th guy has a 195
Like I said when we are on we can do really well, but at times we give enough handicap, that if the other team, bowls their average or higher we lose even making our averages.

[chrono00]

probably one of my favorite teams was a 4 person summer league team. we had a fifth and rotated out
2 girls right around 100
me an another guy had low averages around 140, and last guy averaged around 200

we got enough handicap and blew up people like crazy. we were in first for the majority of the first half. then in about 3 weeks everything went to ****. one guy's work schedule changed, he had to quit. the one girl i didn't want on the team cause I told everyone she would just stop showing up a few weeks in, of course thats what she did. and then our 200 guy who had been limping around with a "groin" problem the last 7-8 months (and bowling anyway) finally went to see the dr and found out it was a shattered hip.

so the last 4 weeks or so it was just me and the one girl bowling.

[ecub]

Monday Mixed League - I'm the secretary/treasurer. I'm average around 200 here. This is a mixed league, with majority averaging about 170. There are only about 5 of us averaging over 200+. I get frustrated with my team here, because 1 girl complains about her leaving a 10 or 7, instead of a strike, because **** hit the 1-3 pocket. She thinks all her 1-3 pocket shots are all good. Another guy also complains he leaves allot of 10 pins or worse, 8-10 split. I keep telling him his shots are light. I usually use this league to sort of practice.

Wednesday Men's League - This is where I usually make the money. I average 200 here. This is one of the most competitive leagues in the house and also one of the leagues you can make money. The really good money makers are the 240+ bowlers or the 195 or so bowlers, since they both have more of a potential to shoot big scores. I have fun in this league, because we play cards. If someone gets stuck (everyone strikes except for that person), then they put in a extra $1 in the card game. Our team also has a potential to get a free beer frame (5th). Most of the guys here are nice guys, so I have fun.

Thursday Men's League - I'm a sub here, so I'm not making anything. I usually struggle in this house, because I can't figure out the pattern. I try to get some pots, but usually don't win.

Sunday Mixed - Just recently started in this league, since one of their bowlers left. This is a sort of fun league, because most of the bowlers are of the same nationality, Filipinos.

[billf]

Sunday moring trio I only sub here so it varies

Monday Men's Handicap league Derrick leads off, averaging 227 at the moment. Rod bowls second, averaging 170. Chris bowls third, averaging 170. Chuck averages 190. I currently bowl anchor and have been struggling with a 234 average. It's 80% of 220 so I feel we still have an advantage in the 1 & 5 spots. We won the first half and need to push hard to avoid a season ending roll-off. We do better when we just have fun and don't take a look at the points. You get a point for each game a member wins, team game win and totals per member. Team total is 3 points. Or something like that lol

Tuesday Men's Scratch league. I bowl second. Our leadoff man just changed due to an injury. We talk about everything and everything. It's a very serious league and my first year in this one. Many of the other teams are upset that I'm bowling in the two spot with a 238 average. I didn't pick the order and don't really care.

Saturday Niters Mixed doubles, 90% of 200. I know the handicap is suppose to be based off the higher averages but it isn't. It's team score. Derrick & I bowl 3rd & 4th respectively. This is our practice league. Also was our first league. It's social and fun only so much so that I don't know the standings or our averages. This league can be a challenge due to the excessive alcohol consumption and being league president.

[noeymc]

saturdays well its my sister who replaced our bowler who never showed up and destroyed are 1st place run in the 1st half then me andrea and then vince i believe is our new order we try to have fun but we all want to win and do good drinking is part of the fun

Sundays is a fun league a few people from work got my buddy to get a bowl and shoe and bag and now i get to coach him =D

[ssclary]

Thursday mixed league, 4-person

First I start off (174) average and feel like I am improving, 191 average last week. I am laid back, but I really have to focus on my form to stay on target and get marks.
Second and third are father and son. Both can get on fire and throw 250 games but both can get on fire and become hotheads due to the pins not going their way. Father(165) & Son(180).
Fourth, "the kid", he was tops in the region when he was in high school. Holding a 213, has been struggling as of late, but he is a finisher and thrives under pressure. Last week, finished the first game and second games with all strikes in the 10th frames. We won the first game by 3 and the second by 5. The other team was finished, he knew what he needed and and made it happen.

[SmilingBowler]

Monday Night Mens
This is the most serious of the leagues I'm in. We're USBC Sanctioned and about 20% of the league has at some point in the past or currently still competes at the PA State Competition. I'll be going for the first time in May. I sub in this league. I've got two weeks under my belt. The first week I subbed for a friend that I used to bowl with in this league in 2004-05 and 05-06. But as league sub, I can be claimed by any team and will be bowling on a different team for this guy Dave who has knee issues, so I'll be subbing for him for the next 4-5 weeks, or more. Our stat sheets are here: http://www.leaguesecretary.com/thunderbird_lanes__willow_grove/monday_mens_classic/bowling/league/64646/0/0/0/leaguefilesstandings.aspx

Wednesday Night Mixed
This is a family fun non-sanctioned league. League averages range from 90-205, but the teams are well balanced at this time, the top 5 (of 6 total teams) are within 1 or 2 games of each other and there could be leap-frogging going on this week. My team consists of a guy in his mid-40s who throws a backhanded straight ball and averages 160, followed by two grandmom sisters, who throw a straight ball and average about 120-125 between them. Then there's me, the righty stroker with a 175+ average. Most other teams (all but one) feature an anchor stroker/cranker averaging 170+ and a mix of other levels. I think our team is perhaps the most balanced, which is probably why we manage to be in the top 2-3 of the league. We were solely in 1st place, til last week... when we got swept and now we're tied for first.

Thursday Night Mixed
I just joined this USBC sanctioned league about two weeks ago. Amazingly clicked really well with my teammates; a couple of guys were from the same high school as me and we're about the same age. One of which, the team captain, has so much personality. The guy is hilarious and makes it so much fun to bowl. He leads off, carries a 130ish average and doesn't take himself or his game too seriously at all. Second is our gal, who is pretty awesome; she's the youngest on the team, but not far behind. She's been bowling with them for about six years and continues to improve. She's a righty straight ball thrower and carries about a 140 average. Then there's the older guy, maybe 40-something. He throws a straight ball but puts a little hook on it and averages just under 150. Then the other guy from high school, who throws a straight ball right-handed stroker-style and can throw 180s or 110s depending how he's feeling when he steps up to the approach. Totally inconsistent, but hilarious, just the same. Then me, who is still getting comfortable mixing the fun and antics while trying to maintain an honest USBC average. We're about the middle of the pack, but the upper-middle, and with 7 weeks left, hope to finish in the upper echelon of the 18 team league.

No matter who I bowl with, I have fun and feel I can improve my game because each night offers different conditions and lines. Monday Night is the biggest challenge because a large majority throws the same or similar lines. Wednesday and Thursday are more for fun and to challenge myself to beat my series the week before, at least crack that 560 mark. Hoping to string 600s again like I was in January. (: .)

[backlasher]

I'm on a senior league team that bowls on Friday at 1 P.M. We have 4 person teams and, for a town of 100,000, we have 23 teams ,which I think is good. My wife has a 125 average, I have a 150 (though I'm out for the rest of the league with a hip replacement) The other two have averages of 175. We all just have fun and socialize, it isn't serious, though we like to win. I'm going to try bowling in June because the state seniors tournament is in July.I haven't been bowling long and improve each time I go. We have free senior bowling on Monday, no taps for seniors on Wednesday and league on Friday. I usually bowl one or two of the other days also. Great sport!

[chrono00]

I'm on a senior league team that bowls on Friday at 1 P.M. We have 4 person teams and, for a town of 100,000, we have 23 teams ,which I think is good. My wife has a 125 average, I have a 150 (though I'm out for the rest of the league with a hip replacement) The other two have averages of 175. We all just have fun and socialize, it isn't serious, though we like to win. I'm going to try bowling in June because the state seniors tournament is in July.I haven't been bowling long and improve each time I go. We have free senior bowling on Monday, no taps for seniors on Wednesday and league on Friday. I usually bowl one or two of the other days also. Great sport!


How long are you supposed to stay out with the hip replacement? My friend got a new hip in late march last year and he bowled here and there about a month later and then in the summer league that started in late may.

That may seem fairly quick, but he was also 27, so maybe the recovery time was a bit quicker?

[Tokes]

Miller Funtime time

1st Bowler is our 4th Bowlers mom she's averaging 108. 2nd Bowler is me averaging 144. 3rd is a guy averaging 170 but hits the 200s every once in awhile to save us some games. 4th is averaging 136. This is my first sanctioned league and I've learned so much. My Average started out high at 160 due to luck than dropped all the way to 136, now I'm fighting my way back up hit the 200s two weeks in a row so I feel like i'm getting alot more consistent.

My team is really laid back atmosphere both drinkers so we have a round of beers every once in a while but not raging drunkards. Basically all of us except bowler number 3 is our first sanctioned league. So its cool seeing everyone improving, trying, and learning, Even seeing bowler 4 go from a house ball first couple of weeks to a free used slingshot, than a stolen from his cousin 1 ball bag. To now new shoes, new 2-ball bag, and a new meanstreak. They are really in the team spirit got everyone matching gray T-shirts.

[explorer05]

Mixed for me:

My wife averages: 130
My other teammate average: 180
My average: 207
My buddy averages: 220

[zman1974]

Social League on Tuesday Night. Team consists of four guys from work. I am the only one who has any previous league experience. It's a 220/90 handicap non-sanctioned men's league. I average around 160. One guy is around 120. The other two are less than 100 and use house balls. It's fun, but I would love to get into a more competitive league in the future. Got to turn my practice scores into league scores lol.

[RoccoRock]

I am only in one league right now. Basically it's like this: if I bowl well, we win, if not we are screwed. None of my friends take it seriously. One drinks and tried to give advice even though I have bowled 8,000 games to his 100 games. Another just chucks the ball, and is busy either playing Fruit Ninja, or playing Draw Something, and trying to draw a p***s in every drawing. The 3rd bowler it an ok bowler, but his delivery is very stiff and robotic, and currently he is using the wrong ball. He is a very low rev player, who is using a mid-low level ball. i have an opportunity to join a better team, with bowlers who are more serious, and I practice with two out of the three guys on that team every week. The problem is I've been on the same team for 3 years, and I've known most of those guys for 10 years or so. I would feel bad leaving them, especially cause without me they would either totally suck, of stop bowling.

[RoccoRock]

I am only in one league right now. Basically it's like this: if I bowl well, we win, if not we are screwed. None of my friends take it seriously. One drinks and tried to give advice even though I have bowled 8,000 games to his 100 games. Another just chucks the ball, and is busy either playing Fruit Ninja, or playing Draw Something, and trying to draw a p***s in every drawing. The 3rd bowler it an ok bowler, but his delivery is very stiff and robotic, and currently he is using the wrong ball. He is a very low rev player, who is using a mid-low level ball. i have an opportunity to join a better team, with bowlers who are more serious, and I practice with two out of the three guys on that team every week. The problem is I've been on the same team for 3 years, and I've known most of those guys for 10 years or so. I would feel bad leaving them, especially cause without me they would either totally suck, of stop bowling.


Update, I bowled well this week, and we still got smoked, and my team still doesn't seem to care all that much. After talking to my friends, I am officially joining the other team next season. Just like I said though, I left, and they aren't planning on bowling at all next fall. I love those guys, but sometimes you are just on different paths than your friends. They said they'll still come down and hang out here and there, and we'll practice together. So now looking ahead to the team I am joining, in the league we are in we will be a dangerous team. The anchor has a great, classic smooth style, and has the highest average in our league. The others, ones delivery isn't bad, the others is awkward, but they can both get the job done. There averages aren't great, and neither is mine, but the 3 of us are getting better. The way were bowling now, we have a shot to have high team average next year when we re establish our averages. It is going to be strange not being the captain, and anchor.

[e-tank]

Update, I bowled well this week, and we still got smoked, and my team still doesn't seem to care all that much. After talking to my friends, I am officially joining the other team next season. Just like I said though, I left, and they aren't planning on bowling at all next fall. I love those guys, but sometimes you are just on different paths than your friends. They said they'll still come down and hang out here and there, and we'll practice together. So now looking ahead to the team I am joining, in the league we are in we will be a dangerous team. The anchor has a great, classic smooth style, and has the highest average in our league. The others, ones delivery isn't bad, the others is awkward, but they can both get the job done. There averages aren't great, and neither is mine, but the 3 of us are getting better. The way were bowling now, we have a shot to have high team average next year when we re establish our averages. It is going to be strange not being the captain, and anchor.

thats kinda how my team is. I mean i still bowl to have fun as my league isnt a serious league but my goal is to get better every week which i have going from a 120 avg in dec to a 170 now. My gf basically wants to win even to though she doesnt bowl her best games and puts no extra effort into getting better(she says im obsessed with bowling btw lol) Our other league mate is pretty good with a current 215 avg although his solution to bowling problems is to buy a new ball. And my final teammate does make an effort to get better except when it comes to something thats different for her like adjusting to conditions and playing a different line or changing styles that i think would help her. Its kind of frustrating at times as im pretty much the team coach.

[SmilingBowler]

UPDATE: Monday Night Mens

I received notice today that I'll be an official team member of "DC Towing" now, replacing Dave for the rest of the season. I'll be asking about him and his future when I attend league tomorrow night. I am excited for the opportunity to prove to him, myself and my teammates that collectively we've made a great decision. Our League Secretary page: (We're TEAM 1) (http://www.leaguesecretary.com/LeagueTeamRoster.aspx?LID=64646&YearNum=&Season=&WeekNum=)

The future is right around the corner, and as a good friend once told me,
"Success is where preparation meets opportunity."

I believe this is a Henry Hartman quote, though I have seen others credit Zig Ziglar. Doesn't matter to me, I find it to be a legitimate absolute truth in life! (: .)

[ArtVandelay]

Our team is a fun one... Our name is bowl job. Hahaha

But we are in the cellar. Dead last. We have the highest team average in the league and constantly give up over 150 pins per game. First half of the season we were in first until the final 2 weeks. We had a rough game headed into position rounds, where we gave up 80 pins to the number two team, and then watched them have two 700 series (both of those bowlers carried 160 averages...) and their other two bowlers were around 50 pins over average. Clean sweep, we never came close.

And now, the second half of the fall, it appears the bad bowlers have all gotten quite good and are constantly over average (not that our team captain is keeping a spread sheet, or anything... And not that that spreadsheet shows over 90% of our league is bowling at least 10 pins over average this second half, while we are all right at our averages for the most part...).

Our solution? More beer!!! We are clobbering the league in that stat!

[TCJ]

I'm on a men's league, handicap. My team isn't doing very well. Unfortunately, it seems that the anchor and I can't bowl together, and much too often when I'm on, nobody else is. Lineup is as follows:

Me: 196 - I'm usually pretty consistent. My scores don't fluctuate wildly.
2: 189 - Quite capable of stringing together a lot of strikes in a row and then ditching one in the gutter.
3: 183 - Inconsistent. Either on or off, but rarely anything between.
4: 181 - Great clutch bowler once he gets his strike ball working. Can't pick up spares.
5: 200 - Another on-and-off bowler. He's rolling high games or low games. Seems rare that he's just staying at his average.

[sprocket]

We have a well balanced team. There are two of us who average about 200. The others are 180,173,166,151. There is also another member averaging 204 but he has much less games than the rest of us. I told my team during the first half that with the slump I was in, if I started bowling better we couldn't lose due to my handicap. We have had a knack of not winning huge in our matches and that is important. We all try to do our best but it has really worked out that we tend to win but not dominate. That keeps our handicap up. Last week I just bowled terrible but we broke about even on a 40 point system and still won the second half with a fair cushion. The guys at 173 and 166 are very steady and the 151 is like myself and is improving. The 180 guy is struggling and will sit out the championship next week. I think I am a big wildcard for the championship because my lower back is very sore. Tomorrow I will have to make a decision because Monday is league night. The guy at 173 has a very good winning percentage and maybe he should bowl instead of me.

[billf]

We bowl Monday for our championship. we won the first half and cellar dwelled the entire second half. We've already discussed as a team which lanes we want. I suggested 7 & 8 as there is a dry board on 8 that causes strokers problems. The other team has one left, one cranker, one tweener and two strokers. We have one lefty three tweeners and one low rev stroker who won't hit that board.
They are better individual bowlers but I believe we are a better TEAM. This is our lefty's last season with us. He is our weak link in that if he has an off couple of frames, he just starts chucking it.
I'm thinking about bringing the second place trophy we won in this league two years ago. Wich do you want, another second or a first place? That should do the trick, or it might cause too much strain for some....hmmmm

My last chance for a 300 this season in this league. A rolloff. No other teams.