Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Tips on making youth league stronger

  1. #1
    What is Bowling?
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Killeen, Tx
    Posts
    3
    Chats: 0

    Default Tips on making youth league stronger

    Greetings everyone, Im Josh Jones, I coach USBC Youth and also High school Bowling here in Killeen, Texas.

    At the present time, our youth league has dwindled quite a bit. The owners have offered a 1 time fee of 24.25 which covers sanction card, and first week fees, After the initial payment, the youth bowlers were offered free bowling until the end of the season. Even with the addition of 4 bowlers who also signed up from my local high school team, we only have 4-5 teams at most.

    I see this as a radical yet great idea and incentive for youth bowlers to learn the sport, but this idea can only stretch for so long. Is there any form of other ideas we could incorporate to get the youth league back in full swing?

    Any tips are appreciated.


    Coach Josh

  2. #2
    Bowling God billf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Sidney, Ohio
    Posts
    5,982
    Blog Entries
    1
    Chats: 217

    Default

    Free bowling didn't work? Wow. I offer the kids free coaching, one on one, after league. They all know I'm there all day on Saturdays. I started that because there is only so much you can do during league especially in a small alley. Twelve kids from the high school team are the team captains and have been a big help in letting me know who needs to work on what.
    Our athletic director talked to me during the summer about the school's coaching position. I was interested until he said I could only be an assistant because I wasn't an employee of the schools. Is this normal? The didn't renew the contract of the previous coach due to many issues with her. The new coach is a new teacher who has never bowled. He seems nice and is grateful I'm coaching the kids on the side.
    USBC SILVER CERTIFIED COACH
    Gold Coach Candidate
    Owner/Operator of Bowlerz Score Coaching
    Tweener Rev Rate of 420, Speed 19 mph
    Key Bowling Staff Member
    Key Bowling Coaching Staff

    IBPSIA member
    Former Staff Bowler at www.BowlerX.com

  3. #3
    Ringer
    Davec13's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Western NY
    Posts
    444
    Chats: 24

    Default

    Killeen, TX huh? How's FT HOOD?

  4. #4
    What is Bowling?
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Killeen, Tx
    Posts
    3
    Chats: 0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by billf View Post
    Free bowling didn't work? Wow. I offer the kids free coaching, one on one, after league. They all know I'm there all day on Saturdays. I started that because there is only so much you can do during league especially in a small alley. Twelve kids from the high school team are the team captains and have been a big help in letting me know who needs to work on what.
    Our athletic director talked to me during the summer about the school's coaching position. I was interested until he said I could only be an assistant because I wasn't an employee of the schools. Is this normal? The didn't renew the contract of the previous coach due to many issues with her. The new coach is a new teacher who has never bowled. He seems nice and is grateful I'm coaching the kids on the side.

    The head coach of the youth league and I do offer free coaching if they request it, thats a given.

    Generally as far as positions of the high school are concerned, you have a sponsor who is a school employee, they generally do the backgrounds of the coaches who want the job. I fell into it, my kid bowls for the school, and I offered to help out when Im there, which in turn, became an assistant coach spot lol.

    Right now our main focus is getting the strength back in the youth league, as we once had before.

    @Davec13

    I dont know, Im only a civilian, I dont bowl up at Phantom lol

  5. #5
    Ringer
    Davec13's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Western NY
    Posts
    444
    Chats: 24

    Default

    Well if you could make it on post and put up some flyers it could help out. There is what around 50,000 active duty people stationed there. That's a lot of people and some of them have kids. Maybe even a mixed father son type league could draw in some players. I was always looking for things to do in the winter with my son and a two man bowling team would have been fun. You can't hang out at Belton all the time.

  6. #6
    What is Bowling?
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Killeen, Tx
    Posts
    3
    Chats: 0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Davec13 View Post
    Well if you could make it on post and put up some flyers it could help out. There is what around 50,000 active duty people stationed there. That's a lot of people and some of them have kids. Maybe even a mixed father son type league could draw in some players. I was always looking for things to do in the winter with my son and a two man bowling team would have been fun. You can't hang out at Belton all the time.
    Unfortunatly we cannot just go on post and slap up flyers. That is Phantom Warrior's territory and we have that mutual respect

  7. #7
    Ringer
    Davec13's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Western NY
    Posts
    444
    Chats: 24

    Default

    I can understand not wanting to step on toes. A mixed junior league could be fun though. It would at least introduce some more people to the sport.

  8. #8
    Pin Crusher Tampabaybob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Seffner, FL
    Posts
    1,241
    Chats: 0

    Default

    Our numbers dropped this year from last year. I think some of it is the economy, and then some is just a loss of interest. Kids today have so many other things to do, bowling many times will take second place. I have one youth bowler who is a great swimmer and "before" bowling on Saturdays, he's already been to the pool for a team workout. By the third game he's exhausted. But he's at least trying to hang in there and do both.

    As far as recruiting goes, it's tough. I'm not sure what the answer is. As Bill said you would think the free bowling alone would bring them in. Unfortunally we have a lot of competition in today's world that we didn't have years ago. I can remember trying to figure out how to fit all of the kids in, in a 32 lane house. We used to be packed, but that was several years ago. Would love to find the answer and get more kids involved also.

    Bob

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •