How to handle subs?

[boatman37]

So we added a 6th team member a couple months ago that will be an emergency bowler in case somebody can't make it. The league requires that a member have at least 21 games in to be eligible for playoffs. To get this person caught up we agreed that he would fill in every other week and we would take turns sitting out. 1 member has sat out twice now and three of us have sat out once. 1 member has said he isn't taking his turn to sit out. This member was on board with us adding this 6th teammate but when it came his turn to sit he said he wasn't sitting. His reasoning is that in his 4 years in league he has never missed a week and doesn't plan to so the relief bowler would not be needed for him. I can see that point but in my 1 year the only week I have missed was the one I volunteered to take my turn and even then I was there practicing then sat with my team the rest of the night.

So how would you guys handle this? The sub needs 3 more weeks of bowling (9 games) to get his 21 in that he needs. Should the 5th team member not sit out because they never miss? If so then that would apply to me too. So if I refuse to take another turn then it is all on the other 3 to take extra turns. Or should he be a team player and take his turn? Another member is taking their 2nd turn tonight because the 5th one said he wasn't doing it.

[vdubtx]

He should be a team player and take his week off. If he agreed to it originally, he needs to live up to his word.

[drlawsoniii]

Remove the team member who is refusing to take his turn from the team and have the sub take his place permanently. You dont need that kind of person on your team.

[boatman37]

i looked back through the texts and that person never really agreed to it. we voted but i don't see where he didn't responded. the sub bowls on another night and has said he doesn't want to be a full time member on another night but is happy to cover for somebody. But thats my thoughts, be a good teammate. he might not resist when asked. he was asked last week and just said the other guy can take his turn. not sure what he will do if presses

[vdubtx]

I guess a question that comes up is, Will you want a sub for your playoffs? Or, would you want your regular team members bowling during that time?

[boatman37]

well the one guy will be missing a week and it is around playoff time so just to be safe we want the sub to be eligible. our sub is pretty good (he has the highest average on our team by a couple pins after 12 games). we would have no problem with him filling in for playoffs if we need him.

[boatman37]

Went pretty good. all 6 of us were there. the one that hadn't sat out wasn't happy about it being a group meeting over it but in the end he seemed to accept taking his turn but we will see if he does when the time comes. He did say he never agreed to it but was out voted. he had a pretty good night so all was good

[grumpter]

I think, given the information we have been given, I am siding with the 'no sit out' guy. Either the decision to add a sub and to sit out were discussed at the same time which would mean the 'no sit out' guy was not onboard with it (he didn't vote). Or the decision for add a sub and sit out were discussed at separate times which would mean even if he agreed to adding a sub he did not agree to sitting out. He might have been thinking at the time of being asked about adding a sub 'sure, why not. it won't pertain to me as I will be here every week'.

I can see why he was not happy about the team meeting over it. Your statement of 'he seemed to accept taking his turn' doesn't give me a lot of confidence that he is not disgruntled about it. My suggestion would be to get him aside the next time you see him and simply ask 'how do you really feel about being forced to sit out?'. If he says he dislikes it maybe someone else can be a team player and take 'his turn' for him?

Obviously none of us were there or part of the conversations so we can only react to what you have given us.

[SpinBowler300]

A lot of us take pride in not missing a week of bowling. Myself included. I would not participate in the week off. I don't see where this guy is wrong for wanting to bowl the whole season.

[Amyers]

Really in this kind of situation it needs to be a unanimous vote not a matter of someone getting outvoted. In the future I would suggest only making this decision that way. I could understand if you decided to remove the objecting person from the team next season. Is this sub paying and splitting prize money with? I personally would be kind of pissy myself if I was paying for him to bowl and I cold be there.

[boatman37]

Yeah I see both sides, which is why I posted the question here. I understand his commitment to not missing but on the other hand we need a fill in in case of emergencies and we need to be a team player to help that sub get his games in. My concern of being a team player would outweigh my desire to not miss a week but I understand not everybody thinks that way.

[grumpter]

Glad to hear you are trying to see it from both sides. Will be interested to hear how it gets handled and shakes out.