USBC Sanctioning

[RobLV1]

While hanging out with way too much time on my hands, I got to thinking about Sanctioned Leagues. Looking at all the ways that the USBC has dropped the ball in terms of bowling; failure to adequately control bowling ball specifications, dropping of all but the most rudimentary dressing regulations, stoppage of local certification of lane surfaces, cutting way back on individual achievement rewards (how many plastic key rings can you use), I have to wonder why we keep paying sanction fees to keep them going. I'm think of proposing that we reconsider sanctioning this year at our league meetings. What are your thoughts on sanctioned leagues?

[classygranny]

If you have ever bowled in a league where there was money issues (stolen/mis-accounted for) you understand the need for the bonding. If there was a way to protect the funds, perhaps the certification could go away.

On the other hand, if the league rules did not include ALL/MOST of the USBC rules you could have a bit of a mixup. For instance, if the league rules didn't cover the issues of dead balls or balls coming out of the gutter and clipping corner pins - all "might be" legal in an unsanctioned league.

Just food for thought - I don't really lean one way or another.

[bowl1820]

Whether a league should be Certified or Not is a long running debate.

Some of the main things certification provides is that players get to play under a set of standardized playing rules and for the most part it also provides for a standardized playing field, which would be utilized by every other certified league no matter where they are located.

That way when you go somewhere else to bowl, You won't have to play under a set of totally different rules.

It also provides a record keeping service which maintains a database of certified players averages. This database is used by leagues and tournaments to verify players entering averages etc. no matter where they are at.

Certification also provides bonding for the leagues money in case of theft or whatever .

Are these three things worth the your $20 certification (Sanction) fee? If not then don't certify.

Okay so everyone agrees they don't like the USBC so they don't certify, what do they do then?

Most un-certified leagues I've seen in person or heard about online that are talked about, They wind up for the most part using the same USBC rules and approved equipment as before. Maybe there might be one or two minor changes (you can use a ball with a weight hole, you can sand the ball during bowling etc), but they still are basically using the same rules.

So did they lose anything?

Well if there is a dispute, it ends with the league. Because If you don't like the out come you can't fight it. You can't go to the local assoc. or national level and going un-certified the league loses the USBC bonding, So unless the sec./tres. gets bonded (Which we had one here did that) or the house sets up some kind of escrow account or whatever. The league money isn't protected.

As for the players with maybe the exception of recreational bowlers, That only bowl one league and the occasional fun tournament.

The more dedicated players, will still get their USBC card. Because they play in another leagues that are certified and the USBC and Big money tournaments that are certified and require you have your USBC card. So only a few recreational players actually saved money and the league lost it's bonding.


As for the USBC average database, if everyone goes uncertified that database will become meaningless and dry up. What then is every league going to start calling all over the country for players averages? Will someone start a new "free" database up? if so with every place doing it's own thing the averages will still be just as meaningless somewhere else.

As for the conditions, the house is typically still certified, so their still playing on the same conditions. So Unless the league makes a agreement with the house to have different conditions (easier,harder whatever), which they could have done that when they were certified, nothing has really changed.

Nothing is being verified,Their still putting out all but the most rudimentary conditions and the local certification of lane surfaces is still not happening. it's highly unlikely the league will be out there taping the lanes, checking the levelness of the lanes etc. so not certifying didn't really gain you anything except maybe the ability to roll a ball with a extra hole in it or not put your thumb in etc.

As for Awards, I always thought it was funny. For years online I seen people complain about how awards were meaningless and wish they got rid of them.) Then the USBC started getting rid of some of the awards, Then it's "OMG!!!! their getting rid my awards! that ain't right".

Now the USBC didn't do away with awards, they left it up to the local assoc. to handle them. If the players don't like the award types given out what do they do? Well they can get together go to the assoc. meetings and get them to change them. But we know that will never happen, bowlers like to complain but they don't want to be part of the solution. They want someone else to fix it and pay for it.

Un-certified leagues, well they either won't give out any awards or they will raise the fees some and give out their own. Of course most of those will be cheap trinkets too, because they find out awards/prizes are not cheap unless you get cheap ones because they don't that much money. It won't be that much different than the USBC's in the long run.

Sorry I just started rambling here.

[bowl1820]

If you have ever bowled in a league where there was money issues (stolen/mis-accounted for) you understand the need for the bonding. If there was a way to protect the funds, perhaps the certification could go away.

The league sec./Treas. could get bonded.

Some use the house as the "Bank" But unless they(the house) set up some kind of escrow type account or whatever it's called to put the leagues money in. It not necessarily safe there either, if the house closes goes out of business they can take the leagues money with them. Someone posted about that happening awhile back.





On the other hand, if the league rules did not include ALL/MOST of the USBC rules you could have a bit of a mixup. For instance, if the league rules didn't cover the issues of dead balls or balls coming out of the gutter and clipping corner pins - all "might be" legal in an unsanctioned league.

Just food for thought - I don't really lean one way or another.

Most un certified leagues wind up using the USBC anyway. But yes disputes can happen and you lose some of the USBC resources that are in the rules.

[classygranny]

The league sec./Treas. could get bonded.

Some use the house as the "Bank" But unless they(the house) set up some kind of escrow type account or whatever it's called to put the leagues money in. It not necessarily safe there either, if the house closes goes out of business they can take the leagues money with them. Someone posted about that happening awhile back.


Only the bonding would be safe. Even if you use the house banking, there is a time frame when the funds are withdrawn and disbursed that "something" could happen.

[Ryster]

League awards are paid for and provided by the local association in my neck of the woods. Bowling towels, keychain flashlights, accessory bags, etc. Basically the best trinkets China has to offer.

It is getting harder and harder to justify sanctioning. Bowlers are more and more not wanting to follow the rules. "We are here to have fun. The rules don't matter that much.". Well, then don't sanction.

Personally, I find value in sanctioning so I have a sanctioned average for tournaments. While I rarely bowl tournaments anymore, I never know when one will come up or I will be asked to bowl in one. The $20 annual fee is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

[classygranny]

League awards are paid for and provided by the local association in my neck of the woods. Bowling towels, keychain flashlights, accessory bags, etc. Basically the best trinkets China has to offer.

It is getting harder and harder to justify sanctioning. Bowlers are more and more not wanting to follow the rules. "We are here to have fun. The rules don't matter that much.". Well, then don't sanction.

Personally, I find value in sanctioning so I have a sanctioned average for tournaments. While I rarely bowl tournaments anymore, I never know when one will come up or I will be asked to bowl in one. The $20 annual fee is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

It's funny you say "Bowlers are more and more not wanting to follow the rules". I have a friend that bowled a summer league - not certified. No one followed any rules, there were a couple of fights over pin carry - ie; ball came out of gutter and got a corner pin, it counts - as it wasn't written in the league rules. Also, there was a guy that bowled right handed and picked up all his right side spares left handed - counted, because they hadn't put that in the rules. The league rules have to specifically address all of those issues - or attach themselves to the USBC rules or state which ones. It can be messy if the league officers aren't careful. If a league is going to use the USBC rules, it seems they should "pay" for that privilege and just certify the league.

[boatman37]

I used to play pool quite a bit. When playing for fun house rules apply. When you went to a place you always had to ask what the rules were, And you couldn't usually remember so you always had to ask. Fights and arguments were common because someone would 'assume' a rule then an argument would ensue. I played in leagues and league rules overrode house rules when playing league so everyone was on the same page. It wasn't sanctioned by anyone but the league adopted a set of rules and that was that. I think poll rules are a little more difficult than bowling rules in my opinion but nonetheless I think a standard set of rules is a good thing and the $20/year is nothing in the grand scheme of bowling costs.

[RobLV1]

Just because a league is not sanctioned does not mean that they cannot agree to abide by USBC Rules. Having rules makes sense. Having every bowler pay for the "privilege" does not.

[boatman37]

Most of the leagues at our center are sanctioned but there are a few that aren't so you do have options if you don't want to pay sanction fees. Our Tuesday night league is sanctioned but the Thursday night league is not.

[Ryster]

It's funny you say "Bowlers are more and more not wanting to follow the rules". I have a friend that bowled a summer league - not certified. No one followed any rules, there were a couple of fights over pin carry - ie; ball came out of gutter and got a corner pin, it counts - as it wasn't written in the league rules. Also, there was a guy that bowled right handed and picked up all his right side spares left handed - counted, because they hadn't put that in the rules. The league rules have to specifically address all of those issues - or attach themselves to the USBC rules or state which ones. It can be messy if the league officers aren't careful. If a league is going to use the USBC rules, it seems they should "pay" for that privilege and just certify the league.

Yeah, it can be really messy. Most of the unsanctioned leagues here "claim" they are adopting the USBC Rule book as their governing rules. So the bowlers basically want the rules, but don't want to pay the sanctioning fee because they don't "get anything" out of it. Then, they don't want to follow the rules because it is an unsanctioned league. It makes my head hurt.

We have other people who don't want to sanction because they claim it is too expensive. It comes out to about $0.58 per week (based on a 34 week fall league...or $0.38 per week if you bowl the entire year). If that is too expensive, then they shouldn't be bowling in 2-3 leagues per week...and then also buying drinks, food, 50-50 tickets, etc.

On my sanctioned league this Summer, there were blatant rule violations. Balls coming out of the gutter and hitting pins but not adjusting the score, pin setter dropping pins and then not getting them set back up for the spare then taking full resulting score for the frame, using balls with balance holes, cleaning balls with ball cleaner while bowling (only isopropyl alcohol is allowed right now during competition). A whole variety of things.

I put a lot of blame on the league officers for not enforcing the rules and for not creating an environment where people feel they can turn to them for rule enforcement. I also blame the bowling center somewhat for not encouraging rule enforcement for fear bowlers will get mad and not come back to the center.

I got to see a really fun fight recently on a sanctioned league. Bowlers leaves split, but one pin slid and went out of range. Pinsetter knocked the pin down when clearing the deck for the spare. Someone on the other team says "OH! We will call and get the pin set back up." The bowler says "Absolutely not!! I need all the help I can get against your team and will throw for the spare as is!"...several four letter words were exchanged and the bowler "won" the argument...picked up the now single pin spare and took the spare for their score. All of this happened directly in front of the control counter at the center as well and no one said a word.

[Aslan]

Most non-sanctioned leagues I've known people who bowl in are full of cheapskates that don't want to pay the extra $1-$2 a week to bowl in a sanctioned league.

It's usually not an issue until:

A) One of them bowls an honor score and realizes they don't get anything for it.

B) The center they bowl at does something janky and they complain and realize the center stopped sanctioning leagues because the center didn't want to pay to upkeep their center to the standards necessary to pass any type of certification.

C) Some players decide to use some non-sanctioned balls/equipment/whatever...and someone complains...then they find out those rules don't apply.

D) They get their league winnings at the end of the year and realize the winnings aren't what they used to be because the $11/week league doesn't have near the prize fund as the $25/week league they used to be in but they never did the math.

Once I see a center start to offer non-sanctioned leagues...that usually means the center is desperate...especially if it's harder to find a sanctioned league than a non-sanctioned one.

[Ryster]

Most non-sanctioned leagues I've known people who bowl in are full of cheapskates that don't want to pay the extra $1-$2 a week to bowl in a sanctioned league.

It's usually not an issue until:

A) One of them bowls an honor score and realizes they don't get anything for it.

B) The center they bowl at does something janky and they complain and realize the center stopped sanctioning leagues because the center didn't want to pay to upkeep their center to the standards necessary to pass any type of certification.

C) Some players decide to use some non-sanctioned balls/equipment/whatever...and someone complains...then they find out those rules don't apply.

D) They get their league winnings at the end of the year and realize the winnings aren't what they used to be because the $11/week league doesn't have near the prize fund as the $25/week league they used to be in but they never did the math.

Once I see a center start to offer non-sanctioned leagues...that usually means the center is desperate...especially if it's harder to find a sanctioned league than a non-sanctioned one.

Another favorite of mine is when the bowling center raises lineage and says "if you want the prize find to be the same as it was last year, you will need to raise your weekly league fees by $1 a week." The typical response is "NO WAY! I refuse to pay another $1 per week! It is already $17 per week, what more do you want us to pay?!?!?"

Then, payout night comes 33 weeks later, and everyone is complaining how it wasn't as much as last year and if they had known they would have agreed to paying a little more. :confused:

[Aslan]

Another favorite of mine is when the bowling center raises lineage and says "if you want the prize find to be the same as it was last year, you will need to raise your weekly league fees by $1 a week." The typical response is "NO WAY! I refuse to pay another $1 per week! It is already $17 per week, what more do you want us to pay?!?!?"

Then, payout night comes 33 weeks later, and everyone is complaining how it wasn't as much as last year and if they had known they would have agreed to paying a little more. :confused:

Yup. People are idiots.

I joined an $11 league...my first league ever...didn't know any better. Didn't even know what sanctioning was. The league was literally CALLED "El Cheapo" and was designed to be cheap. Yet, at the end of the season, there were teams griping that they didn't get very much in their prize fund. It's like, C'MON! Really?!

It's like when people complain about paying their $20 USBC annual dues. It's $20 per YEAR. An entire YEAR...for $20. Not $200. Not $20/month. Less than a dime a day. People probably leave more pennies at their coffee shop over the course of a year than they pay in USBC dues each year. I've been strapped for cash since 2017...and I've never once thought, "Geez...I'd join a league if it weren't for that dang $20 USBC membership."

Instead...I got a team of ****heads that keep trying to get me to drink pitchers all night and buy shots and spend $35-45 on booze every night. Apparently, because they all struck in one frame and I didn't...and that happened twice so far...I have to buy them all shots. So...I guess I'm two rounds behind in that little game. I pay $20/week to bowl, lose $6/week in the card game, and now I gotta spend $$$ amount to fund their booze habit...yet I'm gonna gripe about $20/year to the USBC? Not likely.

[Ryster]

Yup. People are idiots.

I joined an $11 league...my first league ever...didn't know any better. Didn't even know what sanctioning was. The league was literally CALLED "El Cheapo" and was designed to be cheap. Yet, at the end of the season, there were teams griping that they didn't get very much in their prize fund. It's like, C'MON! Really?!

It's like when people complain about paying their $20 USBC annual dues. It's $20 per YEAR. An entire YEAR...for $20. Not $200. Not $20/month. Less than a dime a day. People probably leave more pennies at their coffee shop over the course of a year than they pay in USBC dues each year. I've been strapped for cash since 2017...and I've never once thought, "Geez...I'd join a league if it weren't for that dang $20 USBC membership."

Instead...I got a team of ****heads that keep trying to get me to drink pitchers all night and buy shots and spend $35-45 on booze every night. Apparently, because they all struck in one frame and I didn't...and that happened twice so far...I have to buy them all shots. So...I guess I'm two rounds behind in that little game. I pay $20/week to bowl, lose $6/week in the card game, and now I gotta spend $$$ amount to fund their booze habit...yet I'm gonna gripe about $20/year to the USBC? Not likely.

Exactly! The same people that refuse to increase the weekly dues by $1/week are the same ones spending $30-$50 each week on drinks from the bar and food from the bowling center restaurant. That is an extra $1,000-$1,500 they are spending over the course of 33 weeks. I am sure some people budget for it as their weekly entertainment expense, but there are others that definitely don't.

I don't get involved in card games, side pots, drinking games, nickel/dime/quarter kitties, or whatever else people come up with. Those types of things don't make it more fun for me and are not why I go bowling.

We even had people complaining during the summer about having to get the balance/weight holes in their balls plugged to be able to use them. The bowling center pro shop was only charging $10/ball to plug the holes, yet people were moaning about how expensive it was. "I have 3 balls and that was $30 I had to pay! Bowling is getting too expensive! Oh, waitress, please bring me another bottle of beer!"

The local association does their best to give people useful trinkets for accomplishments. People complain that the awards aren't good enough and they should be getting "better awards" for what they pay to sanction. Like you said, it comes down to the equivalent of a nickel a day. If they were getting patches, they would throw them out. If they were getting certificates or plaques, they would be tossed in the dumpster. Trophies end up in a box in the garage/basement/attic. At least with a microfiber towel, pen/stylus, keychain flashlight, pocket knife, or nail file, or something like that there is some functional use to it.

[RobLV1]

I think my point has been missed here. I'm not complaining about the $26 Sanction Fee (Nevada). I'm complaining about the fact that the USBC has done absolutely nothing to protect the integrity of the sport. They allowed reactive resin bowling balls. They allowed dynamic asymmetrical cores. They allowed 2-handed bowling. They stopped making any attempt to keep oil patterns under control. They've stopped local associations from doing yearly lane certifications, choosing instead to "handle it on a national level." Now they've stopped listing USBC Certified Coaches on their website, in fact coaches are no longer deemed Certified, we're USBC Trained.

From the time that the USBC decided to abandon their headquarters in Wisconsin so that they could share a headquarters with the BPAA in Arlington, Texas, they have ceased to be of any use to the sport, except to protect and promote the profits of their coffee break buddies, the bowling proprietors.

I wouldn't say a word about USBC Sanction fees if they did anything at all to deserve them!

[Ryster]

I think my point has been missed here. I'm not complaining about the $26 Sanction Fee (Nevada). I'm complaining about the fact that the USBC has done absolutely nothing to protect the integrity of the sport. They allowed reactive resin bowling balls. They allowed dynamic asymmetrical cores. They allowed 2-handed bowling. They stopped making any attempt to keep oil patterns under control. They've stopped local associations from doing yearly lane certifications, choosing instead to "handle it on a national level." Now they've stopped listing USBC Certified Coaches on their website, in fact coaches are no longer deemed Certified, we're USBC Trained.

From the time that the USBC decided to abandon their headquarters in Wisconsin so that they could share a headquarters with the BPAA in Arlington, Texas, they have ceased to be of any use to the sport, except to protect and promote the profits of their coffee break buddies, the bowling proprietors.

I wouldn't say a word about USBC Sanction fees if they did anything at all to deserve them!

They have performed many studies surrounding equipment and equipment specifications. They set limits on RG, differential, CoR, coverstock absorption rates, pre and post drilling static weights. They may have not banned 2-handed bowling, but I am convinced the recent changes regarding weight/balance holes and finger hole use during ball delivery are a direct result of them working to keep 2-handed deliveries and no-thumb deliveries from having a dynamic advantage. As technology advances, so does the equipment. The USBC makes sure that the new equipment does not exceed a certain level to maintain some level of required skill. A bowler still has to find a line, hit their mark, and get the ball in to the pocket at the correct entry angle to carry.

Would we be better off still using Manhattan Rubber balls, with lane oil applied by hand on real wood lanes, and still manually scoring using transparencies on overhead projectors? If that is how bowling still was today, it would have died a long time ago.

The results of their studies, according to them, indicated that ball surface played a greater role in changing lane conditions than the actual lane condition itself. This is what prompted them to update the coverstock absorption rate standards and go to the dry towel only rule. This is also what prompted them to relax the lane condition standards at centers.

Much of what they do is behind the scenes. The only time we see the results of what they do is when they make a rule or policy change.

There are so many variances in lane surface going on these days around the country (synthetic, wood, half synthetic/half wood, new lanes, beat up lanes, not to mention different topography of lanes even in the same center) that it would be impossible to have any consistent standardization of lane conditions nationwide.

The USBC Website still offers the ability to find a coach:
https://webapps.bowl.com/USBCFindA/Home/Coach

Personally, USBC Trained means more to me than having the word certifed in the designation. USBC Trained says to me that the coach was trained by the actual organization using a prescribed methodology. "Certified" is kind of a diluted title these days. People learn skills from numerous sources, and then go to a certification organization and get an official acknowledgement. At least the USBC is making an effort to control the concepts and training of their coaches and not just certifying anyone who happens to be able to pass the tests of the various levels (without at least reviewing USBC's materials first.)

Many of the bowling proprietors in this area do not necessarily agree with what the USBC does or the rules and policies they implement. However, they realize that the USBC is the governing body for the sport and they are kind of stuck with them.

[bowl1820]

"the USBC has done absolutely nothing to protect the integrity of the sport."

Given if that is true, The majority of USBC members (the players) are hardly blameless in this, as They have done little to nothing themselves to protect the integrity of the sport.

They mostly just sit there and complain about the problems, Yet they don't want to be part of the solution, They expect someone else to do it and they expect someone else to pay for it.

They don't go to association meetings and make their voices heard and try to change things, it's always "Well they probably won't listen so there's no reason to even try." so of course nothing gets done or really changes.

I'm sure there are some players that might have good ideas for solutions, But unless they step up and put them forth and get others to join with them and attempt to make to change things, nothing will change.

Another thing is when the USBC even remotely tries to make a change to address any of the problems, Nobody likes it. It's always "They did too much", "They did too little", " Why did they change that? that doesn't do anything.", "that hurts me, but not that guy that's not fair!' etc. etc.

What are they too do?

[RobLV1]

Ryster: Over 10 years of writing BTM articles, many of which dealt with bowling balls, I was intimately involved with the USBC ball motion studies. I was also a member of the Board of Directors of the SNUSBC. My Silver Level Certification was earned through attending actual in-person seminars, for which I paid thousands of dollars. I gained my Certification by passing tests, both written and video analysis at the end of each certification seminar. I will tell you that the USBC no longer acknowledges "Certified" coaches, nor do the still list coaches under the "find a" section of their website. I can only surmise that their buddies at the BPAA didn't like the idea of a bowler at a certain center calling a certified coach who works out of a different center.

I admire the fact that you have developed a blind allegiance to the USBC, but, as I stated earlier, this organization has done very little to maintain the integrity of the game. Would bowling be better off using Manhattan rubber balls on wooden lanes? No. Would bowling be better off using urethane ball and plastic balls with symmetrical cores? You betcha! As a long-time certified coach, I would much rather see bowlers use their energy to learn how to roll and bowling ball, than trying to memorize the characteristics of the eight different bowling balls that they bring to league each week.

[RobLV1]

bowl1820: I was one of the ones that that always tried to stand up to the USBC and defend the bowlers. I went to Town Hall meetings and asked them, point blank, why they continued with the one ounce static weight limit when their own ball motion studies showed that static weights have less effect than ambient temperature on ball motion. I was told, "Probably because that's the way we've always done it."

At one point, I discussed the USBC's lack of action regarding bowling balls with one of the top members of the Nevada State Association. He promised that he would join me in following up. The next thing I heard, one of the members of the National BofD's told him to back off... he would hand it himself. What a surprise, nothing happened!

My criticism and lack of respect for the USBC does not come without efforts on my own part over the years to try and get them to support bowling. The fact of the matter is that the only thing that they seem willing to support is their own need to exist without serving any purpose that is not totally self-serving.

[J Anderson]

They have performed many studies surrounding equipment and equipment specifications. They set limits on RG, differential, CoR, coverstock absorption rates, pre and post drilling static weights. They may have not banned 2-handed bowling, but I am convinced the recent changes regarding weight/balance holes and finger hole use during ball delivery are a direct result of them working to keep 2-handed deliveries and no-thumb deliveries from having a dynamic advantage. As technology advances, so does the equipment. The USBC makes sure that the new equipment does not exceed a certain level to maintain some level of required skill. A bowler still has to find a line, hit their mark, and get the ball in to the pocket at the correct entry angle to carry.

Would we be better off still using Manhattan Rubber balls, with lane oil applied by hand on real wood lanes, and still manually scoring using transparencies on overhead projectors? If that is how bowling still was today, it would have died a long time ago.

The results of their studies, according to them, indicated that ball surface played a greater role in changing lane conditions than the actual lane condition itself. This is what prompted them to update the coverstock absorption rate standards and go to the dry towel only rule. This is also what prompted them to relax the lane condition standards at centers.

Much of what they do is behind the scenes. The only time we see the results of what they do is when they make a rule or policy change.

There are so many variances in lane surface going on these days around the country (synthetic, wood, half synthetic/half wood, new lanes, beat up lanes, not to mention different topography of lanes even in the same center) that it would be impossible to have any consistent standardization of lane conditions nationwide.

The USBC Website still offers the ability to find a coach:
https://webapps.bowl.com/USBCFindA/Home/Coach

Personally, USBC Trained means more to me than having the word certifed in the designation. USBC Trained says to me that the coach was trained by the actual organization using a prescribed methodology. "Certified" is kind of a diluted title these days. People learn skills from numerous sources, and then go to a certification organization and get an official acknowledgement. At least the USBC is making an effort to control the concepts and training of their coaches and not just certifying anyone who happens to be able to pass the tests of the various levels (without at least reviewing USBC's materials first.)

Many of the bowling proprietors in this area do not necessarily agree with what the USBC does or the rules and policies they implement. However, they realize that the USBC is the governing body for the sport and they are kind of stuck with them.

I tried earlier today to access the find a coach feature at BOWL.com. After logging in and clicking on "Find a...." I saw only Find an association, a center, a league a member and a registered volunteer. Clicking on the link in your post it looks like over half of the coaches in Connecticut have been removed from the list, including myself.

As for changing the language used from certified to trained, I am peeved. I equate saying "I an USBC trained to a particular level" to some one saying "I attended ________ University". It could mean they earned a degree there or it could mean they got in, and flunked out after one semester.

[Ryster]

Ryster: Over 10 years of writing BTM articles, many of which dealt with bowling balls, I was intimately involved with the USBC ball motion studies. I was also a member of the Board of Directors of the SNUSBC. My Silver Level Certification was earned through attending actual in-person seminars, for which I paid thousands of dollars. I gained my Certification by passing tests, both written and video analysis at the end of each certification seminar. I will tell you that the USBC no longer acknowledges "Certified" coaches, nor do the still list coaches under the "find a" section of their website. I can only surmise that their buddies at the BPAA didn't like the idea of a bowler at a certain center calling a certified coach who works out of a different center.

I admire the fact that you have developed a blind allegiance to the USBC, but, as I stated earlier, this organization has done very little to maintain the integrity of the game. Would bowling be better off using Manhattan rubber balls on wooden lanes? No. Would bowling be better off using urethane ball and plastic balls with symmetrical cores? You betcha! As a long-time certified coach, I would much rather see bowlers use their energy to learn how to roll and bowling ball, than trying to memorize the characteristics of the eight different bowling balls that they bring to league each week.

Coaches are still listed on the USBC website. I provided a link in my previous post showing this.

I do not have a "blind allegiance" to the USBC. I don't agree with everything they do. However, they are the governing body of the sport and there has to be some level of trust that what they are doing matters in the grand scheme. When all of the members stop trusting the organization they will leave. With no members the organization will fold, and bowling becomes a leisure or arcade style activity with no organized or sanctioned component. The bowling equipment industry will dry up, bowling centers will shrink, and eventually bowling will be gone.

I had an immediate family member who was VP of our local bowling association. They worked very hard at the role and did everything asked of them plus more. I also assisted them behind-the-scenes with various projects. While they were definitely appreciated by the association for all of their hard work and dedication, things moved at a snails pace. There was always a roadblock to getting something done and it was usually political in nature. Politics in a largely volunteer organization! Not a good look. The family member eventually walked away from the role as it was taking time away from more important daily life things that needed to be done. However we continue to sanction, bowl in sanctioned leagues, support local junior bowling programs, support our local center, and respect the work being done by the USBC.

The local association has tried a "back to basics" approach to bowling, including sponsoring a tournament where only plastic balls with pancake weight blocks can be used. The oil pattern is also adjusted accordingly (shorter oil, lower volume.) Only the die-hard competitive bowlers participate. Trying to get higher average house bowlers to participate is like pulling teeth. Most refuse to bowl in it because it hurts their ego to see just how much they rely on typical house shots and dynamic equipment to average 200+. But the reality is, that is what bowlers like. They like to see the ball hook. They like to see those 200+ scores. It makes them feel better and gets them excited for bowling. When bowlers see their scores drop, they are unhappy, and no longer want to bowl. So the centers put out the easy shot, keep the league bowlers happy, and keep their customers coming back. You can't really blame them for that.

I also know people that spend literally thousands of dollars every year for the latest "hook/strike in a box". That is what they like to spend their money on, and the ball companies feed off of those people. They are literally selling people false hope. That is their business. Every new ball that comes out has performance that is capped by the USBC. The ball companies can market however they wish, but ultimately the ball itself can only be built to the extent approved by the USBC. Many bowlers are fully aware they could benefit from lessons by a coach, but simply do not have the motivation or time to dedicate to it. Some bowlers I know have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars and several months of time on coaching from certified coaches, only to see no improvement. They then stop going to coaches. So they use their money to buy new equipment instead. Yes, it is frustrating. But it is also the reality and the path of least resistance.

There is nothing preventing anyone who thinks they can do it better from starting their own bowling association. The USBC is not the only bowling association in the United States, there is also The National Bowling Association. Maybe it is time for someone with enough time, resources, and dedication to start a new organization. Put together a grass roots campaign and a platform to recruit members, bowling centers, manufacturers, professional organizations, etc. The USBC has a 125 year head start, and the TNBA has been around 81 years, but that doesn't mean someone with a new, fresh approach couldn't come along and take the industry under their wing.

[RobLV1]

Ryster: Both J. Anderson and I are (were) USBC Certified Coaches. We both check out Bowl.com (USBC website) within the past two days. The "Find a Coach" feature has been removed.

I'm not saying that it would be easy to move bowling back to where it was in the past, but a credible organization that actually cares about the sport could start to bring some integrity back simply by reinstating some kind of oil pattern regulations. Nobody is saying that we should go back to rubber balls and wooden lanes, but by dialing back on oiling patterns and stupid strong bowling balls, they could at least make it so that bowling is not the laughing stock that it has become.

[boatman37]

I'm ok with it just because there really isn't an alternative. Only example I can think of is my son raced karts for several years. TaG karts (touch-and-go push start) were the hot class for the 15 and over group but there were 2 different organizations that could be raced under. One being WKA and the other being TagUSA. There was a particular engine (Vortex Rok TT that was really fast so there were 2 options. Under WKA rules you had to retard the timing and run at a 375 minimum weight or you could run TaGUSA rules with full timing at 385 lb minimum weight. Our track elected to go with WKA but since we were not actually governed there was nobody to enforce it so we had guys running a TaGUSA engine under WKA weights so they were quite a bit faster than the rest. It was frustrating because even the guy that built those engines for those guys knew it but couldn't do anything about it. The issue was these engines were $4000 compared to the one we ran that was $3000 but my son was smaller so that extra 20 lbs of lead he would need to make minimum weight was too much. We already had about 25lbs on there and were running out of room to put it.

Might not be the best example but point is with no governing body what repercussions might there be? Who will police everything?

[Ryster]

Ryster: Both J. Anderson and I are (were) USBC Certified Coaches. We both check out Bowl.com (USBC website) within the past two days. The "Find a Coach" feature has been removed.

I'm not saying that it would be easy to move bowling back to where it was in the past, but a credible organization that actually cares about the sport could start to bring some integrity back simply by reinstating some kind of oil pattern regulations. Nobody is saying that we should go back to rubber balls and wooden lanes, but by dialing back on oiling patterns and stupid strong bowling balls, they could at least make it so that bowling is not the laughing stock that it has become.

There may not be a direct link on bowl.com, but if someone Googles USBC Coach or even Bowling Coach the search feature comes up in results.
https://webapps.bowl.com/USBCFindA/Home/Coach

Oil pattern regulation won't solve anything. A standardized house pattern could be implemented, but that pattern will play different in every house, and even within the same house. They could reinstate the three unit rule, but then each house will put out a random shot using at least three units of oil. Some will use short patterns, some will try a longer pattern, it will still be the wild west.

They could further reduce the oil absorption rates on balls, and people will just throw older grandfathered equipment to get around it. They could increase the minimum RG and decrease the maximum differential, but unless they literally outright ban old equipment people will just stay with their grandfathered equipment. If people are told they have to buy all new equipment, they will quit. They could try restricting surface prep such as no ball may have lower than a 500 grit surface, but there would be no way to monitor or enforce it. Would the league president be required to go around and the check the Ra of every ball before league starts?

Now if they say you must use a minimum of three units of oil, and the pattern for a sanctioned non-sport league must be between 39-45ft in length, that might be something that people could get behind. They could further stipulate that the same pattern must be used for the entirety of the league season, and must be applied to the scheduled lanes no less than 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of the league. Enforcing it would be impossible, and centers would hate it, but at least they would have the requirement documented.

I have always maintained that there should be referees required at every center for every sanctioned competition (leagues and tournaments). They could be people selected at the local association level, on a rotating schedule based on location and availability, and get paid minimum wage for their referee shifts at whatever center they are assigned. They are the final word on any issue related to game play and rules. Having sanctioned bowlers "self-govern" themselves simply doesn't work.

[Aslan]

I think I tend to agree with RobM on this topic...although, I can see 'why' the USBC has been pushed down the path they've went down.

As numbers (bowlers) started to dwindle, prize funds started to dwindle at the pro level as interest in pro bowling started to dwindle. One can debate the chicken/egg of that...but the bottom line is...less people were league bowling and less people cared about the PBA...and that translated into less million dollar PBA events...which translated into less people caring about the PBA events, etc...

As centers started to close down and bowling shrunk across the country, the USBC lost some of it's power. The ball manufacturers sort of became the "authority" of the sport because they really carried the purse for the sport. They funded the events, they sponsored the athletes, and they sort of made the rules. As the technology got more exciting (reactive resin...balls smelling like cupcakes...balls hooking by themselves...etc...)...people started coming back to the sport. It's kinda hard to ask the USBC to step in at that point and say, "Whoa! Nope. We prefer a failing sport to a resurgence."

Same thing with 2-handed bowling. It was clear from day 1 that if they allowed it to enter the sport, it would forever change the game and cause numerous problems...but it was also clear that it would bring youth and energy into the sport...a sport that desperately needed youth and energy. So, the USBC was very, very careful with 2-handed bowling.

I think the problem the USBC has now is that when you bend enough....trying desperately not to "break"...you eventually get to the point where you look at the sport and say, "okay, we've bent completely over and this is a joke." But, at that point...it's too late...the ship has sailed...you can't go back. Anyone that remotely understands statistics...I mean REMOTELY...can look at the honor score statistics and see that something went terribly wrong in the sport. A 300-game went from a lifetime achievement for most league bowlers to something that most above average bowlers can stumble upon a few times if they keep at it. THAT was the time for the USBC to take back the sport and figure out whether they wanted to maintain integrity in a niche sport or just open the flood gates. They chose opening the flood gates and hoping for the best.

And, in their defense, they really had no choice once they bent over way back when. Once the snowball started rolling down the hill...the BPAA and bowling ball manufacturers simply didn't need them as much as the USBC needed the BPAA and ball manufacturers. Look at the Motiv cheating incident of 4 (or so) years ago. The PBA kinda just said, "whatever". The BPAA kinda just said, "hey...don't make a big fuss and make our league bowlers have equipment that is illegal." And the ball manufacturers kinda just said, "Rule? What rule? Oh, that rule? Wait, you were serious about that?" It was amazing (to me) how FEW people actually cared that Motiv broke the rule and won PBA events with illegal equipment. In any other sport, it woulda been the lead story on ESPN for a week. For bowling, I think it made one broadcast...late in the broadcast...as sort of a "here's something nobody cares about story".

No matter where you stand on any of this, the point is, nobody cares. The USBC gave up their high ground long ago...and now, nobody cares. Their rules are considered "suggestions" by the BPAA, PBA, and ball manufacturers. If any of those groups run afoul of those rules...or can make an extra buck violating any of those rules...I'm sure the USBC will change those rules. Thats why we have nearly every league bowling on a THS pattern, and 7x as many honor scores, and wrist positioners, and 2-handed bowling, and virtually no spot checks of sanctioned centers (lane conditions).

But, there IS HOPE. The USBC has done a really good job developing the women's collegiate game. If they can get bowling into high schools...get kids interested in it...even if that means 2-handed replaces 1-handed in the next decade or so...the college system is there to support bowling. And with all the TV networks hungry for programming, the PBA can find a place to air events now. Eventually, those college kids get jobs and decide to bowl in adult leagues and you might see a resurgence of the game down the road. It's just a different game.