Giving tips to another player during league play.

[ibhorse]

I looked through the rules at USBC trying to find out if it is legal to give tips to another player during sanctioned league play.
My wife and I bowl in the same league but on different teams. I will give her advice during league play on how to pick up certain shots. This really pissed off someone on the team she was bowling against.
I know I read somwhere that the USBC passed a rule that coaching is allowed during league play but i can not find it. Can someone help me out to let me know if it is legal during USBC sanctioned league paly. Thanks

[J Anderson]

As somewhat of a libertarian, I think that if there is not an explicit rule against giving advice during play it should be allowed. After all, you are just suggesting a target/line. It is up to your wife to execute the shot. As USBC members we should be encouraging good sportsmanship, and part of that is to help other bowlers bowl as well as they possibly can.

I still remember the first season that I bowled, a player from the team we were bowling against gave me some very basic advice. One of his teammates jumped up and came over to us, almost yelling, " Don't help him, he's on the other team!" or words to that effect. Fortunately, John Roth was a stubborn old Yankee whose reply was something like, "Shut up, its none of your business, I'll help whoever I want to help."

I myself am not as generous as Mr. Roth. I tend only to give advice to by opponents after they have lost.

[ibhorse]

Thank you for your input. I think unless you are getting paid to bowl people need to chill out. I want to win just as much as the next person, but good sportsmanship is a very important thing to us.
I spoke to John at USBC this morning, and he said that there is no rule about coaching. In fact he encourages it. He said the league could make up a rule against it but if it does not affect league play then there is no problem with it.. :):)

[jimgilmore]

I think it depends on what coaching you mean ? If I tell my team mate to relax and make a good shot am I coaching or just being supportive ? After all stating the obvious may be coaching or I might be just being a supportive teammate ?

[Punkrulz]

Personally speaking, I would see how the league is themselves, whether they're relaxed or uptight. I'm in a USBC sanctioned league, and mostly everyone in the league is extremely relaxed about the rules. Most of them are related to each other or friends and have bowled in the same league for quite awhile, as we had been approached as the new guys. Everyone is there to have fun. Friday we bowled against some of the higher up position wise in the league (I think the secretary / treasurer as well as the guy who handles us playing cards). They even informed me about someone who I know locally that he was a "stickler" for the rules, and people are not fond of him.

If you want to be a stickler for the rules it's one thing, but seriously if you and your wife are there to have fun, as well as to practice to getting better then what's wrong with some advice? Just as J said it's up to your wife to actually execute the shot. This isn't football where you're giving the other team your plays so they have a better chance. Yes its a team sport. If this person is so concerned with winning then the rest of their team needs to do better as well. I'd be upset if someone yelled at me for me coaching my wife how to play!