OFFICIAL T.G.I.F. BOWLING LEAGUE RULES (FINAL: 09-09-2016) LEAGUE: T.G.I.F. Bowling League LOCATION: Brunswick Zone, Glendale AZ SEASON: Fall/Winter 2016-17 LANES: 1-14 LEAGUE OFFICERS: President: Debby Tornberg, 602-214-4686 Vice-President: Art Graham, 602-295-5064 Secretary/Treasurer: Mike Peters, 623-238-9701 Sergeant at Arms: Dennis Thompson, 623-977-6195 This organization will be known as the TGIF Bowling League. This league shall consist of 14 teams with 5 bowlers on each team. If the season begins with fewer than 14 teams, the number of teams needed to bring the league to 14 teams may be added without approval of the Board of Directors. Additional teams may be added only with the approval of the Board of Directors. A. GENERAL 1. The purpose of the league is to conduct tenpin activities. It shall foster and maintain the spirit of good fellowship and true sportsmanship. 2. This league shall be certified by the USBC, United States Bowling Congress. (Metro Phoenix USBC Association). 3. Each member of this league must apply for a certification card from USBC; the cost is $21.00. If a member is already certified, he/she must still fill out a certification card, but not pay. 4. The league should hold at least two organization meetings; one prior to the start of the league schedule and one before the distribution of league awards and prize fund. The election of officers for the succeeding season should be conducted at the membership meeting that is held before the distribution of league awards. 5. The officers of the league shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, and Sergeant- at-arms. 6. The Secretary/Treasurer is responsible for collection of individual certification applications and money, completing the league certification application, and submitting all to Metro Phoenix USBC Association within 30 days of the start of league bowling. In addition, responsibilities include maintaining all league financial records for 1 year from the completion of the season. Also, the Secretary/Treasurer is further required to submit the FINAL AVERAGE REPORT for all bowlers in their league regardless of number of games bowled. 7. President of the league is required to have an Audit Committee and a Prize Fund Committee. The President is required to perform an arithmetic audit monthly of all monetary records maintained by the Secretary/Treasurer. Bank and/or prize fund statements are to be sent directly to the President. The Audit Committee is required to verify the amount and dates of deposits, and review canceled checks and supporting documents to determine that expenditures are proper. Failure to perform these audits will make the bonding of league funds null and void, and could cause the President to lose his/her certification. 8. The management of this league shall be vested in the board of directors, which shall consist of the officers and team captains. A simple majority shall constitute a quorum. 9. The President will preside over all meetings of the board and/or league according to Roberts Rules of Order. In the event of the President's absence, the Vice-President shall assume the role as chairperson at these meetings. The President may select anyone to conduct the meeting as long as the President/Vice-President preside over the meeting. 10. The duties of each officer, the rules under which this league shall operate, and coverage for any rules not covered by these league rules shall be those set forth in the USBC Playing Rules (Rules 102a-102g).
B. SCHEDULE 1. The league will bowl on Fridays for 35 weeks, commencing on 09-09-2016 and concluding on 05-19-2017. All scheduled matches will start promptly at 6:00pm, with practice beginning at 5:45pm. 2. League will not bowl on 11-25-2016 (Thanksgiving Holiday) and 12-23-2015 (Christmas Holiday). 3. The league schedule will be divided into two 17-week segments. The 35 th week will be used for the League Championship roll-off and Sweepers. 4. The first-half segment ends on 01-13-2017 and the second-half segment ends on 05-12-2017. 5. The schedule format for each segment will be as follows: a. League will be split into 2 divisions of 7 teams each as follows: First-Half Division #1: Odd-Numbered Teams Division #2: Even-Numbered Teams Second-Half Division #1: Based upon 1 st -Half results (see below) Division #2: Based upon 1 st -Half results (see below) Second-Half (details) Division #1 for the 2 nd half of the season will consist of the following: - The 4 playoff teams from the 1 st half of the season - Plus the 3 teams (of the remaining 10) with the most points won through week #17 Division #2 for the 2 nd half of the season will consist of the following: - The remaining 7 teams b. Team numbers to be decided by a RANDOM DRAW prior to the league meeting. c. Weeks #1-7 (#18-24 in 2 nd Half) consist of Inter-Division" matches; teams only bowl opponents outside of their division. d. Weeks #8-14 (#25-31 in 2 nd Half) consist of Division" matches; teams only bowl opponents within their division. Note: Due to the odd number of teams in each division, one of the matches each week during Division play will actually need to be an Inter-Division match. e. Week #15 (#32 in 2 nd Half) is a "Per-Division" position round as follows: BOTH HALVES: The last-place teams in each division will bowl each other on lanes 1-2 1 st HALF: Division #1 on lanes 3-8, Division #2 on lanes 9-14 2 nd HALF: Division #2 on lanes 3-8, Division #1 on lanes 9-14 Note: On lanes 3-8, the teams will be placed in reverse order of their standings, beginning with the top team on lane 8 and the bottom team on lane 3. On lanes 9-14, the teams will be placed in the order of their standings, with the top team on lane 9 and the bottom team on lane 14. f. Week #16 (#33 in 2 nd Half) is the first round of playoffs as follows: The top 2 teams in each division qualify for the single-elimination playoffs. The playoff teams will be seeded based upon points won as of week #15 (week #32 in the 2 nd Half), with the #1 Seed being the playoff team with best record and the #4 Seed being the playoff team with worst record. Lanes 7&8: Seed #1 Versus Seed #4 Lanes 9&10: Seed #2 Versus Seed #3 Other Matches: Match pairings will be set via random computer-based selection for the playoff weeks. The selection will be performed in such a way as to guarantee that there will be no match repeats for these three playoff weeks. Further, the selection will give priority to pairings among teams that have bowled (or are scheduled to bowl) against each other the fewest times for the season. g. Week #17 (#34 in 2 nd Half) is the second round of playoffs as follows: Lanes 11&12: Winners from Round #1 play; the winner is the Champion for the Half. Other Matches: Same as for weeks #16 & #33 (see above)
6. In case of ties for the playoff seeding positions, the following tie-breakers will be used to eliminate the ties: 1. Team Total Pins, Scratch Plus Handicap 2. Team Scratch Total Pins 7. All postponement requests (including pre-bowl requests) must be approved by the Executive Board (President, Vice-President, and Secretary). Teams may request to bowl unopposed before or after a regularly scheduled match. All requests must be made through the league prior to the scheduled league session, except for emergencies. Procedures outlined in USBC Rules 111a-f must be followed. See USBC Rule 111b regarding emergency postponements. 8. Due to the critical nature of the sudden death playoff format for this league, a special rule applies for postponements during playoff weeks. On Playoff weeks (the last 2 weeks of each Half), no postponements (Emergency or otherwise) will be allowed for any of the teams competing in the elimination matches. Normal postponement rules are in effect for teams that are not competing in the elimination matches. 9. As a courtesy, teams planning to pre-bowl or post-bowl should notify the opposing team. 10. Post-bowled games shall be bowled by midnight of the 2 nd Sunday after the scheduled match (9 days later), or by the midnight on the Sunday prior to the next scheduled position or playoff round, whichever is sooner. 11. Individual team members may NOT pre-bowl or post-bowl their portion of the postponed match without the other team members present. 12. Unopposed bowling will not be allowed unless approved by the Executive Board. 13. There will be an individual Sweeper on the last night of bowling, which is 05-19-2017. C. FINANCIAL 1. Bowling fees per individual to be as follows: Bowling and Tax: $14.50 (price guaranteed through the 2016-17 season) Secretary/Treasurer: $1.00 Prize Fund: $4.50 Total: $20.00 2. Total team fees of $100.00 shall be collected by the team captain and paid to the League Treasurer by the end of the 5th frame of the first game. 3. Payment of the last two (2) weeks of the league schedule is due by the end of the 6th week (10-14-2016). 4. If a member has satisfactory cause to resign from a team during the bowling season, two weeks notice shall be given, in writing, to the team captain, league secretary, and to the bowling center. Weekly league fees, including bowling prize fund, secretaries fee, etc. shall be paid by the resigning team member for two weeks if team is not filled. The payment in advance for the last two weeks of the league schedule does meet this requirement. 5. A member who withdraws without giving proper notice, or withdraws without a satisfactory reason, or who is dismissed from the league for sufficient cause, shall forfeit any money paid to the league. See USBC Rules 114a, 114b, and 115b. 6. It is the responsibility of team captains to see that members of their team are current in all league fees. A maximum of 2 WEEKS ARREARS in league fees will be allowed for each bowler. If a team member is in arrears for longer than this, and the team member is not brought current the night that that team member bowls, then the team may forfeit all games won that night. 7. The salary, if any, to be paid to the secretary, or any other officer, shall be paid at the completion of the league schedule unless otherwise approved by the Board of Directors. 8. An Audit Committee must be appointed by the President. Both this committee and the President must verify league funds monthly. Copies of the audits must be available for review. (see USBC rule 102C #6). 9. The league will use the banking service provided by the bowling center. 10. All expenses incurred by the league resulting from returned checks shall be the check writer's responsibility. 11. This league shall be guaranteed. Each league member is responsible for payment of the weekly bowling fees whether or not they are present to bowl.
D. HANDICAP, ENTERING AVERAGE, AND STANDINGS 1. League will bowl on a handicap basis. 2. Entering average and handicap will be used for each bowler until the bowler has bowled 9 games in this league. Entering average will be based upon the following: a. Returning league members use last year's average in this league (minimum of 21 games). b. New league members use highest 2015-2016 local association book average (minimum of 21 games). c. If no 2015-2016 local association book average then new league members use highest 2014-2015 local association book average (minimum of 21 games). d. If no 2014-2015 local association book average then new league members use highest 2013-2014 local association book average (minimum of 21 games). e. If no 2013-2014 local association book average, then no entering average is used, and instead an average will be established after three (3) games have been bowled in this league. 3. Individual handicap for award purposes will be 90% (odd pins to be dropped) between individual average and 230 per game bowled. 4. Handicap for this league will be 90% (odd pins to be dropped) between individual average and 230 per game bowled. 5. The point system used for determining team standings will be 7 points per match, which is 2 points per game plus 1 point for totals. E: ROSTER AND LEGAL LINEUP 1. Captains will turn in a roster of team members to the secretary prior to the start of the schedule. Roster will be limited to 7 players. Any roster changes must be reported to the league secretary prior to the time the new member bowls. 2. If a team roster contains a vacancy, then the vacancy must be filled prior to adding the 6 th and 7 th bowlers to the team roster. This means that teams with a vacancy cannot use alternate bowlers. For more information regarding this situation, refer to USBC Commonly Asked Questions #107c/10 which states that a vacancy score cannot be used unless the team has four or less players on the team roster. 3. New members cannot be added to a team roster in the final 3 weeks of any segment of the season (i.e. During the playoff weeks) without the approval of the Board of Directors. However, if a vacancy exists and the team has less than 5 regular bowlers (alternate bowlers are not considered), then new members may be added to a team's roster to bring the team to full playing strength (per USBC Rule 107c.9). 4. Roster members must have 9 games bowled in this league to bowl in the position rounds. Roster members must have 9 games bowled in this league to bowl in an elimination match during one of the playoff rounds. No minimum-game restrictions for the non-elimination matches during the playoff rounds. 5. There must be at least 1 woman and 1 man in each team's 5 bowler lineup. 6. A minimum legal lineup must include at least 3 players from a team's current roster. 7. A minimum legal lineup must be present to complete the first frame of any game or the game will be forfeited. A frame shall be considered completed when all bowlers present on each team have made their last deliveries in that frame. Refer to USBC Rule 109a for more information. 8. A player who arrives after his/her team has started to bowl shall be permitted to bowl and make up missed frames provided the opposing team has not completed the third frame. USBC Rule 11 to be adhered to relative to delay of game. 9. The Board of Directors or Postponement Committee may make allowances to these Roster and Legal Lineup rules per USBC Rule 109b.
F. SUBSTITUTES AND PACERS 1. Roving substitutes will not be allowed. Substitutes for this league are considered to be the 6 th and 7 th (alternate) members of each team roster. 2. In the team lineup, men may bowl in place of women and women in place of men provided that the lineup still meets the provisions specified in [E-5]. 3. The bowling fees paid by the alternate (6th and 7 th ) members of each team roster (if any) shall be determined by each team on a case-by-case basis. 4. Pacers are not allowed. (NOTE: This is a BZ Glendale House Rule ) G. VACANCY AND ABSENTEE SCORES 1. In the event a team is short bowlers on its roster, a vacancy score of 150 will be used. 2. In case a bowler is absent and no eligible alternate is used, the absent bowler's current average minus 10 pins shall be used (penalty for an absent bowler). 3. Absentee bowler's average may not be used for more than 2 weeks in succession unless authorized by the Board of Directors and the bowler is current in league fees. H. FORFEITURES (USBC RULE 110c) 1. All points in the game are awarded to the team present as long as the team present bowls a minimum of their team average less 100 pins. 2. In the event a team withdraws from the league, the team scheduled to bowl against the withdrawn team will be awarded points subject to rule [H-1] above. I. PRIZES 1. The President shall appoint a committee of at least three (3) league members to draw up prize options. 2. The prize list shall specify the prize fund final distribution and the criteria to be used for determining how any team place awards (1 st Place, 2 nd Place, etc.) are to be awarded. 3. The final prize list must be chosen and approved by the Board of Directors and distributed to each team captain within five weeks after the start of the schedule. J. QUALIFICATION FOR PRIZES (USBC Rule 117b) 1. To qualify for individual average, series or game awards, a bowler must bowl at least 69 games. 2. A bowler may not qualify for more than one individual award. If team awards are given, a team may not qualify for more than one team award. 3. A high individual average prize will be awarded and the recipient will be entitled to an additional individual award if earned. 4. If high series and high game prizes are awarded in both handicap and scratch categories, scratch awards take precedence and series awards take precedence over game awards. The award order is thus: 1 st -HSS, 1 st -HGS, 1 st -HSH, 1 st -HGH, 2 nd -HSS, 2 nd -HGS, 2 nd -HSH, 2 nd -HGH, etc. 5. Scores for individual handicap awards will not be figured until after 21 games have been bowled. 6. In the event of a tie for an individual award, DUPLICATE AWARDS SHALL BE GIVEN. 7. The Most Improved Average award will be awarded to the person(s) who show the greatest improvement in average after 21 games.
K. TIES, PLAYOFFS (USBC Rules 113a-113b) 1. The League Championship shall be determined by a three game series plus handicap using the point system from league rule [D-5]. Lanes determined by standings, with the League Championship match on lanes 7&8. 2. The teams involved in the League Championship match shall be the 1st-Half Champion and the 2nd-Half Champion. However, if the same team won both halves, then there will be no League Championship match. Instead, if prize money is to be awarded for the League Runner-Up team, then the two 2nd-Place teams shall bowl in a League Runner-Up match. 3. A bowler must have 21 games in this league to bowl for the League Championship, unless otherwise authorized by the Board of Directors. L. SWEEPER 1. Sweeper will be guaranteed; entry is mandatory for each bowler that is bowling that night. 2. Secretary/treasurer will be paid the normal fees for sweeper night. 3. Each bowler will pay a $5.00 entry fee for the SWEEPER; to be paid anytime up to one week prior to the day of the sweeper. 4. The prize fund portion of the bowler's fees for Sweeper Night will not be used in the sweeper prize fund, but will instead be contributed to the general prize fund. 5. There will be separate pots for men and women; pots shall be based upon participation. 6. All eligible roster team members may participate. 7. For roster bowlers to qualify for League Sweeper, they must have bowled 21 games in this league. 8. Since the team roster size is greater than the team playing strength, a vacant space must be available for additional roster members to bowl in the sweeper, unless otherwise authorized by the Board of Directors. 9. Alternate bowlers (the 6th and 7th roster members) may participate in the sweeper. 10. Sweeper to be based on individual scratch plus handicap score. 11. Handicap shall be as adopted in [D-4]. The aforementioned league rules adopted 09-09-2016. LEAGUE COMMITTEES: PRIZE COMMITTEE AUDIT COMMITTEE RULES COMMITTEE Kathie Kirkland Jim Graham Jeff Miller Terri Thompson Pat Midkiff Mike Midkiff Lu Cruz Sandra Fortin Terry Piercy Andrea Aggers Todd Atherton Dennis Newton