New Sport Bowling program to start Aug. 1

[Amyers]

A few more thoughts on this.

The elimination of the Sport Honor awards is a joke! I was never in the running for one and most likely never would be but that stinks.

The mess with the tapes and all that crap should have been eliminated anyway. There is not currently nor has there ever been a certified sport shot league in this area simply because of this fact. There have been quite a few sport leagues but none of them have ever been certified.

If someone is really desperate enough to try and sandbag by only playing on unreported sports shots then they are going to find a way to game the system somehow or another anyway. Welcome to the USBC showing they have no interest in governing the sport they are supposed to be overseeing again.

[foreverincamo]

I was going to join a sport league this summer before I got hurt atwork just because I could have a shot at getting a second ring . Now it looks like I have to buy any future rings. Bummer

[Ryster]

If you want people to treat bowling as a sport, you need to start governing it like a sport. The USBC needs to first start by enforcing the rules they have before changing them or creating even more.

I would propose to them they should require all centers who host sanctioned leagues and tournaments to have referees/officials present for ALL USBC sanctioned events. The required number of referees/officials would be based on a ratio based on the number of bowlers scheduled to be present. For example, one per 30 bowlers. This person would handle all aspects of officiating (rules questions, lineup changes, score changes, etc.) The referees/officials would be required to check the lanes prior to the start of competition to ensure foul lights are working, ball returns are functioning, pin setters are working, etc. They would also be trained to inspect the lane machine to make sure it is functioning, and the houses would be required to keep a detailed log of all lane treatments and what settings were used on the machine. This log would be required to be made available for review by the referees/officials at any time without notice. If the log has any discrepancies, the house is required to treat the lanes being used for competition before it begins.

I can't tell you the number of times I bowl where the foul lights are turned off, bowlers change the surface of their equipment while bowling (or the surface they have has clearly been altered such that only the track area has been scuffed.) People will change delivery a few times during the night (right to left, left to right). If there was an official presence during competition, and people were conscious of the presence, it would be treated accordingly by the participants. For the most part bowling is an honor system, self-officiated sport which gives it a very "loosey-goosey" reputation.

[Old lefty]

After 30 years of bowling .I finally joined a sport league,must admit ~IT'S TOUGH,but it's been a lot of fun relearning this game,I hate what I'm hearing about people sandbagging their avg's in these leagues......thought they suppose to make you better ?