WHAT’S GOING ON NATIONALLY?
Southwest Division Councilor Sam De Lisle reports:
* New USLBA officers for 2007 will be: President, Colin Smith (North East Division); Vice-president, Muriel Ratcliffe (South East); Secretary), Tom Kees (South East); and Brian Studwell (Holmby Park), Treasurer.
* It’s possible that the North American Challenge (the annual Canada vs USA test match) will be renamed the Americas Challenge. Brazil and Argentina are considering entering teams in the future.
* Ed Quo (Newport Harbor) was named chairman of the men’s National Team Selectors Committee, succeeding retiring chair Sam DeLisle (MacKenzie Park): who was, in turn, appointed to fill a two year term vacated seat. Other members are Arthur Allen (Arizona), Jack Lucey ( Northeast), and Gil Stephen (Arizona).
* A new policy requiring each Division to pay $50 per player to the host club of the U.S. Championships (at Sun City Center, Florida in 2007) was passed.
* The Council rescinded the $50 fee that had been required of members applying for the National Team. There had been concern that the fee may have dissuaded some bowlers from applying, and because U.S. women use their portion of the proceeds to pay for a “camp” that is open to women applicants only. The fee had been enacted in order to assist reducing some of the expenses of the national teams and to dissuade people who were only applying for “status” reasons. The Council’s action will result in an even greater financial burden on those who are selected to represent the USA in international competition.
* Lawn Bowlers in West Palm Beach, Florida were invited to affiliate with the national croquet center there. They have a magnificent facility and numerous “courts,” but do not have enough croquet members to fully utilize the greens and clubhouse.
* The Southwest Division (Southern California) boasts the largest regional membership in the United States, nearly 1,100 USLBA members, plus a few hundred others who apparently enjoy lawn bowling