GUIDELINES

Vision Statement

To provide an environment for the Division’s club bowlers, of both genders, and of all levels of experience and ability, that combines the competitiveness of a League competition with the opportunities to socialize with other club members.  It is intended to support and develop the clubs, as they are the basic social unit of the Division. 

 

Philosophy

The Winter League shall hold a hierarchal relationship that places it below USLBA-sponsored, SWLBA-sponsored, SWWD-sponsored, and SWD Club-sponsored tournaments.  Therefore its matches shall not be scheduled on any dates that conflict with any of the aforementioned events. 

 

Structure

The competition will be in the form of regionalized leagues.  The winners of each regionalized league will meet in a play-off format.  The structure will depend on the number of teams entered.  The League will be sensitive to geographical and travel considerations.

 

There will be 2 tiers of competition:

 

A Trophy league, which will be accented on the competitive aspect, and will involve the more experienced and accomplished bowlers within the Division, and may involve more travel, depending on the number and geography of the entries.

 

A Development League, which will be accented equally on the competitive and social aspects of the game.  This league is composed of those bowlers who are newer to the game and would like to develop their game further.  It is hoped that the more experienced bowlers would mentor the newer bowlers.

 

An engraved trophy will be awarded to the winning Trophy and Development team of the Winter League.

 

Playing Dates

The Leagues will be played beginning in December and ending in March each year.  It will be played on Saturdays at 9:00am, unless the clubs concerned agree on an alternative date and time, such as a Sunday or a weekday.

 

Each team would play approximately 6 or 7 games, which will give us additional dates for cancellations due to the weather.  For those clubs involved in the play-offs this may extend to 8 or 9 games.

 

Development League Format

Each team will consist of 4 players (men, women, or combined).  There will be two games of Pairs in the morning and a games of Triples and Singles following the morning Pairs.

 

Within 1 day, the scores will be emailed, or called in to the League coordinator:  _________________  __________________________.  He will publish the results in the League Newsletter.

 

Trophy League Format

Each team will consist of 4 players (men, women, or combined).  There will be a game of Rinks (foursomes) in the morning and 2 games of Pairs following the Rinks.

 

Within 1 day, the scores will be emailed, or called in to the League coordinator:  _________________  __________________________.  He will publish the results in the League Newsletter.

 

 

League Standings

The league standings will be published in the Newsletter.  Any inquiry or dispute as to the league standings or points scored should be taken up with the league coordinator: __________________________________ _______________________.  In the event of two teams having the same total points (tie) at the end of the regular season, the league position will be determined by the results of the games between those two teams. 

 

Teams

All clubs will be encouraged to join either league, and can enter as many teams as they believe they can support.  Generally, 7 players are needed to support a 4-person team (illness or injury, vacations etc.).  The league stresses this point.  Because of the tight time frame of the league, games should only be rescheduled because of rain.  They cannot be rescheduled because of player unavailability.  Thus teams would need to ensure that they have sufficient players able to fill places in the team if necessary.  The names and contact information of members of each team shall be provided to the Chairman of the Winter League.

 

 

Winter League Guidelines    Revised September, 2011        Page 2 of 2

 

Please remember that any default by not fielding a full team has a critical effect on the league and cannot be adequately dealt with in any fair way to all the competing teams involved.  The league would further request that any team that cannot field 4 players inform the other club and the league. 

 

For each team in the Trophy League, 4 players must register with the League, and these players would not be allowed to play in the Development League.  Other than that, any members of the club could fill each team.  An example might be Development players moving up to fill a Trophy position.  But, a Trophy player can never move down to complete at the Development level.

 

If a club enters more than one team in the Trophy League, they must register 4 players with each team and keep them separate in some way by naming the teams differently. Trophy League players are only allowed to play with the team they are registered with.   If a Trophy League team needs a replacement player, that player must be brought up from the Development League.  The list of players designated to each Trophy League team will be provided to all clubs.

 

The wearing of matching colored uniforms for each team is encouraged.

 

Disputes/Adjudication

The Tournament Chair, ________________________________, will adjudicate any issues that occur.  Any issue that is not settled to the satisfaction of the parties involved will be escalated to the SW Division Tournament committee.

 

Schedule

Once the number of teams has been determined, the two schedules will be published.  Every effort will be made to make the environment as social as possible by having four, or even six teams (based on the number of entries) playing at a particular venue.  It will, as much as it is possible, be based on a Home & Away structure so that each team can expect to have approximately half of their games on their home green.  This, of course, will depend on the clubs being able to adhere to the original schedule when it is published.  No play date shall be scheduled in conflict with any other event.

 

Given that we receive sufficient entries there will be playoffs between the winners of the various regions, and trophies will be awarded to the Playoff Finalists.

 

Cost

The cost would be $40 per team of 4 ($40 for your Trophy team and $40 for your Development team).  This would cover any administrative expenses, and the purchase of trophies.  Checks would be made out to:   SWLBA Tournament Committee.  There will be a fully published accounting of all monies involved.

 

Green Fees

It is hoped that in the spirit of friendly competition and cooperation that visiting club members not be asked for any further financial obligations in the form of club “green” fees to compete.  This interclub cooperation is greatly appreciated.

 

Newsletter

A newsletter will be published each week, which will contain the league standings for each region.  We ask each team captain to send in a report of the match by Sunday, 8:00 pm.

 

Administration

For questions/issues relating to league structure, match days and time, or player eligibility, please call ____________________________________________

 

For questions/issues during the day of the game call _______________________________.

 

Please note that _________________, the League Coordinator is not an umpire, any measuring or rules issues should be decided by the two teams even if the League Coordinator is in attendance.

 

Revised:  September, 2011

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

1.    Games are scheduled to start at 9am on the scheduled date, which is a Saturday.
                a.    Complete teams should arrive before 8:45am
                b.    Players should bring their own lunch.
                c.    Captains will call the opponent’s captain to confirm prior to Friday evening.
                d.    If a full team cannot be fielded, the captain should call the opposing captain (or the league).
                e.    Substitutes can be used if required for the Pairs games. 
                f.    If a match is rained out, then please re-schedule with the opposing captain.  Sunday could be used.  In all cases, call if weather is questionable.  It could       be raining in your area and sunny at your opponents.
 
2.    The format will be:

a.        Development League: Two games of Pairs in the morning, and a game of Triples and Singles in the afternoon.

 

b.        Trophy League: One game of Rinks in the morning, and two games of Pairs in the afternoon.

 

3.    Development League: Prior to all games, and before they receive any information about the make up of the opposing

Teams, both Captains will list the members of the team that will be playing as Pair 1 and as Pair 2 and give

that information in writing to the opposing Captain.  Pair 1 will play Pair 1, and Pair 2 will play Pair 2. In the afternoon this process will be repeated for the Triples and Singles matches.

 

4.    Trophy League: Prior to the afternoon Pairs matches, and before they receive any information about the make up of

the opposing Teams, both Captains will list the members of the team that will be playing as Pair 1 and as Pair 2 and give that information in writing to the opposing Captain.  Pair 1 will play Pair 1, and Pair 2 will play Pair 2.

 

4.    Each captain will call in, or email a report of the games to the coordinator: ___________________________ 

               _______________________  for inclusion in the weekly Newsletter.  (Deadline: Sunday, 8 pm)

5.    Each team will wear whites or matching colored outfits.

6.    Any dispute relating to the administration of the league can be presented to the league.

7.    Scoring:
                a.    Triples, Pairs and Rinks games will be 15 ends – Ties stand.
                b.    4 points will be awarded for winning the game (2 points each if a tie).
                c.    2 points will be awarded for each set of 5 ends that a team wins, i.e. the first five ends, ends 6 through 10, and ends 11 through 15.

d.        In the Development League the Singles match will be to 18 shots and will be worth 10 points to the winner.

e.    Each captain should confirm the final score (30 points shared between the two teams in the Trophy League

and in the Development 40 points shared between the two teams) with the opposing captain and send the score to the league with the match reports.

 

8.  Additional Winter League Rules:

                a.  USLBA rules shall be followed unless an exception is specified.

b.   Each team will be allowed 1 dead end per match.  Each additional dead end will be placed by USLBA re-spot  rule (15.5).

                c.  To make sure we are running on schedule the last end of the morning matches will start no later than

               12pm.  If it is 12 pm it will be declared the next end is the last                end of the match.

                                Note:  In the event less than 15 ends are played the team that has won the most ends in the

                             final 5 end set will get the 2 points.  If the teams are tied in ends won in the final set, each

                             team will get 1 point.

d.        Afternoon Pairs needs to begin by 12:45 at the latest so there will be ample time to finish by sunset.  (if the club does not have lights)

e.        The registered players for a club’s Trophy League (TL) team may not play for the club’s DL team. 

9.     Substitutions:

         a.  In the Development League, substitutions will have no restrictions.

         b.  In the Trophy League, substitutions must conform to USLBA rules.

Winter League Results

****

****