I want to start subbing. USBC Standard or Sport membership?

[unclemantis]

I want to try subbing for a league today, I do not have a USBC membership yet. When I went to sign up for a membership the website asked me if I wanted Standard or Sport.

What do I need to start bowling in house leagues?

http://www.leaguesecretary.com/bowling-alleys/rhode-island/e-providence/east-providence-lanes/bowling-leagues/3265/leagues.aspx

Also since this will be my first night and this is the night that determines my handicap, which one should I pick?

LeagueID Name Day Season Time Type Average
36496 SUN AFTERNOON MIXED 2012-13 Sun Fall 11:00 AM Hdcp Adlt Mix 160
36498 SUN. SUNSETS INV. 2012-13 Sun Fall 6:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 149
36499 SE CONTAINER\FUN 12-13 Sun Fall 6:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 146
36603 SUNDAY NITE REBELS 2012-13 Sun Fall 6:20 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 146
47533 G A L A 2012-13 Sun Fall 6:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 135
58290 MON NIGHT ORIGINALS 2012-13 Mon Fall 7:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 161
36503 ST. TERESA'S SENIORS 12-13 Mon Fall 1:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 126
36596 E. P. POLICE 2012-13 Mon Fall 5:05 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 140
36597 BAD NEWS BEARS 2012-13 Mon Fall 5:30 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 132
36480 MON NIGHT LIVE 2012-13 Mon Fall 7:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 167
36446 J. MCPHAIL MEN'S MEM'L 2013 Mon Fall 6:30 PM Hdcp Mens 190
36502 MON. MORNING GALS 2012-13 Mon Fall 9:15 AM Hdcp Womens 119
58291 TUES SUMMER HSE 2012 Tues Sum 7:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 149
36483 Elaine's Starlighters 2012-13 Tues Fall 6:50 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 155
36484 TUES. NIGHT MIXED 2012-13 Tues Fall 7:30 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 148
36505 ST. PATRICK'S SRS 2012-13 Tues Fall 1:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 139
36504 EARLY BIRDS 2012-13 Tues Fall 9:15 AM Hdcp Womens 132
36506 WED. RETIREES 2012-13 Wed Fall 1:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 141
36600 POTATO HEADS 2012-13 Wed Wnt 7:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 135
36485 GOODTIMERS 2012-13 Wed Fall 6:30 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 154
36486 RENO-POLI INV. 2012-13 Wed Fall 6:30 PM Hdcp Mens 200
36599 TOPPERS 2012-13 Wed Fall 10:30 AM Hdcp Womens 125
36601 F U J I FILM 2012-13 Thur Fall 5:30 PM Hdcp Adlt/Yth Mix 144
49526 ST. AIDAN'S SENIORS 2012-13 Thur Fall 1:00 PM Hdcp Adlt/Yth Mix 142
36507 COFFEE BREAKS 2012-13 Thur Fall 9:35 AM Hdcp Adlt Mix 122
36508 THURS MORN MXD 2012-13 Thur Fall 10:00 AM Hdcp Adlt Mix 156
36489 THURS NIGHT F U N 2012-13 Thur Fall 6:30 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 157
58293 SUMMER SUNSETS 2012 Thur Sum 7:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 162
36445 DROPOUTS - WINTER 2013 Thur Wnt 6:30 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 159
36598 SPANKY'S GANG 2011-12 Thur Fall 7:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 134
36490 RON GIGUERE MEM'L 2012-13 Fri Fall 6:35 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 167
36491 FRI. NIGHT LIVE 2012-13 Fri Fall 7:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 150
36492 T. G. I. F. 2012--13 Fri Fall 8:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 149
36493 OLNEY STREET 2012-13 Sat Fall 5:00 PM Hdcp Adlt Mix 151
47554 East Providence Jr League Sat Fall 9:30 AM Hdcp Yth Mix 123

[bowl1820]

You would sign up for your USBC card at the league your going to bowl on, this will also include the local association membership at the same time. Don't bother with the website

Unless the league is a sports league you'd get a standard card.

The league you bowl on will have rules telling what entering average you use (Most likely you'll have to establish average the first night you bowl, since you don't have a last year average.) and what handicap is used.

Those averages shown have nothing to do with figuring your handicap, it just shows the average make up of the the people bowling on it

As for which league to join pick the one you like the best.

[unclemantis]

You would sign up for your USBC card at the league your going to bowl on, this will also include the local association membership at the same time. Don't bother with the website

Unless the league is a sports league you'd get a standard card.

The league you bowl on will have rules telling what entering average you use (Most likely you'll have to establish average the first night you bowl, since you don't have a last year average.) and what handicap is used.

Those averages shown have nothing to do with figuring your handicap, it just shows the average make up of the the people bowling on it

As for which league to join pick the one you like the best.

So long story short.. walk in with cash.

I will be subbing not joining a league. Will the "local association membership" still apply?

Is this kinda like Federal, State and Local taxes?

[J Anderson]

I want to try subbing for a league today, I do not have a USBC membership yet. When I went to sign up for a membership the website asked me if I wanted Standard or Sport.

What do I need to start bowling in house leagues?

Also since this will be my first night and this is the night that determines my handicap, which one should I pick?



As Bowl1820 said you can get your USBC membership through whatever league you join. If the center has leagues that are not sanctioned, all you need to do is show up ready to bowl.

If you are just looking to sub, just head to the lanes whenever you know there are leagues bowling and let it be known that you would like to sub. Most league secretaries are there at least 15 minutes before league starts. Often, teams won't know that they need a sub until the end of practice when a teammate still hasn't shown up, so figure on up to half an hour from the time you introduce yourself to the people who run the leagues until you find out that you can bowl.

If you are trying to get into full time league bowling by subbing you might want to be a little bit choosier about which league. First would be to pick one that fits best with your schedule, since if you become a regular you may wind up having to pay even for the days that you can't get there to bowl, After that I would either go by whether you would fit well with the other people in the league or the cost. In my area, leagues fees can run from $12/week for a seniors league to $30 for a league with a big prize fund.

[J Anderson]

So long story short.. walk in with cash.

I will be subbing not joining a league. Will the "local association membership" still apply?

Is this kinda like Federal, State and Local taxes?

If you're lucky the league rules will require the absent bowler to pay for the week and you'll only need about $20 for the USBC membership.

USBC sanctioned leagues require that all subs be USBC members. Sport leagues usually let non-sport members sub once without upgrading their membership

Almost exactly, except local is most likely by county, not town or city.

[unclemantis]

If you're lucky the league rules will require the absent bowler to pay for the week and you'll only need about $20 for the USBC membership.

USBC sanctioned leagues require that all subs be USBC members. Sport leagues usually let non-sport members sub once without upgrading their membership

Almost exactly, except local is most likely by county, not town or city.

how much would the local fees be? $21 for adult usbc, how much for the local?

[J Anderson]

how much would the local fees be? $21 for adult usbc, how much for the local?

The $21 figure that you got from Bowl.com is the total. When you join through the website USBC sends part of the money back to your state and local associations.

[unclemantis]

The $21 figure that you got from Bowl.com is the total. When you join through the website USBC sends part of the money back to your state and local associations.

Oh sweet! They are NICE GUYS!

[unclemantis]

Oh sweet! They are NICE GUYS!

So.... why would I want to join USBC on the local level, than the other way around? Does local get a commission?

[noeymc]

saves u time cuz u do right while ur there

[e-tank]

im just posting to say thanks for the link to league secretary. I didnt know about it before this. Pretty cool site!

[ecub]

Some houses use League Secretary to post their league's data, some don't. Some house post ALL their leagues, some only post a few. The house has to pay to post this data. So DO NOT use League Secretary as a basis on what leagues are available in your area. Contact your local bowling alley for that.

[ecub]

I can't edit my previous post, but here is an example. One of the leagues I sub at is in Lisle Lanes. According to the League Secretary (http://www.leaguesecretary.com/bowling-alleys/illinois/lisle/lisle-bowling-lanes/bowling-leagues/5237/leagues.aspx), the bowling alley ONLY 5 leagues. But if I go to the LisleLanes.com League info (http://www.lislelanes.com/leagues.cfm), they ACTUALLY have 20 leagues.

[unclemantis]

I can't edit my previous post, but here is an example. One of the leagues I sub at is in Lisle Lanes. According to the League Secretary (http://www.leaguesecretary.com/bowling-alleys/illinois/lisle/lisle-bowling-lanes/bowling-leagues/5237/leagues.aspx), the bowling alley ONLY 5 leagues. But if I go to the LisleLanes.com League info (http://www.lislelanes.com/leagues.cfm), they ACTUALLY have 20 leagues.

Thank you for the info!

[CeKnauss]

Also, if you happen to sub at multiple bowling centers in your area, they may all be in a singular bowling association. For example, I bowl in Oklahoma, at centers in Midwest City and Moore. Both are in coordination with the Greater Oklahoma City Bowling Association despite being in different suburbs. I only have to pay local fees once. I bowled in Enid for the first half of the fall season, so I paid my state fees and the local fees for the Greater Enid Bowling Association, but only the state fees carry over down here.

As some other have stated before, each league has their own bylaws regarding substitution and who pays. Some leagues have vacancies open up after certain times, such as after Christmas, if people move or change jobs or a member must have surgery or whatever else.

Also, as stated, the best ideas are to just go to the alleys and ask for a list of leagues. Most will be able to either print you off a list or let you know which are more likely to need subs. Sometimes, the best idea is to just show up and get to know members of the league without appearing needy or demanding. Developing connections can be a miracle in the bowling world. The more people you know and the more that know you will help you find a spot. Almost every new league I've joined I started as either a sub or taking over a vacancy with the exception of a few.

[J Anderson]

So.... why would I want to join USBC on the local level, than the other way around? Does local get a commission?

Most sanctioned leagues, since they have to prove that all their members are also USBC members, take care of care of collecting the USBC applications and membership fees. If you've already joined on line, you still have to fill out the form giving your membership # and stating that you paid on line. I only know one person who has told me that the signed up on line,

[ecub]

However many leagues you join as a sub or regular, if it is a sanctioned league, you are REQUIRED to fill out a sanction card. This applies even if you're already sanctioned on another league or not. If the bowling center is part of a region covered by your current sanction card, then you will NOT have to pay any additional fees. If it outside the region, then you may have to just pay the local fees.

But don't let all this confuse you. When you join a league either as a sub or regular, just fill out the sanction card and pay the required fees. If you join another league, just tell them your already sanctioned on another league and pay any other additional fees, if required.