Rule 1:   SCHEDULE

The Head Pins Bowling League shall be sanctioned with the United States Bowling Congress through their local associations. The league shall consist with the maximum of 24 teams each with the strength of five people. The league shall bowl on Sundays for 31 weeks commencing on September 11, 2011, ending on April 15th. Sweepstakes will be on April 22. No bowling December 25th or Jan 1st. Banquet is scheduled for May 6th. All matches shall be scheduled to commence at 5:50pm with 10 minutes of practice balls and league play at 6:00pm.

Rule 2:   MANAGEMENT

The management of this league shall be vested in a Board of Directors, which shall consist of the officers and the team captains. A majority shall constitute a quorum. The Board of Directors shall adopt the league rules and the membership shall elect the officers.

Rule 3:   TEAM FRANCHISE

A team franchise (a team spot) in the league shall be held by the TEAM CAPTAIN as long as the team captain is acceptable to the majority of the full membership of the Board of Directors. A franchise cannot be recalled during the season without sufficient cause and a majority vote by the Board of Directors.

 

A team captain moving to another team will lose their franchise status. However, if the prior team’s members opt to stay in the league, that franchise shall be turned over to the new captain.

 

The league secretary must be notified of the captain’s intention to retain the franchise on or before the end of March 2012. Failure to do so will result in the control of the franchise returning to the Board of Directors.

Rule 4:   WEEKLY FEES

The weekly bowling fees for each bowler shall be $15.00 by which $9.50 will cover the cost of bowling and $.25 will go towards sweepstakes, $.10 will go towards our awards banquet and the balance to be placed in the league treasury. The league shall also pay an annual IGBO membership fee for the Head Pins League. Money shall be turned into the league treasurer by the end of the fifth frame of the first game.

 

Games SHALL BE FORFEITED by a team on the night THE TEAM’S MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE BECOMES MORE THAN $75.00 PAST DUE IN THE LEAGUE PAYMENT. INDIVIDUAL WILL FORFEIT IF PRESENT AND PLANNING TO BOWL AND ARE $30.00 PAST DUE IN LEAGUE PAYMENT. In the event a permanent team roster falls to four members please notify a Board representative as soon as possible. With prior notification, the Board will review unusual circumstances and Consider flexibility. However, the Board reserves the right to call a general meeting to determine continued league participation for that team when full payment are not made. You may refer to Rule 104b in the USBC Rule Book.

 

Team Captains shall police their team member for past dues.

Rule 5:   CHECKS

Weekly fees shall be paid in cash or check. Checks shall be made out to: "Head Pins League". Any pre-paid fees shall be credited to and noted on their team’s weekly envelope.

 

There shall be a $25.00 service fee assessed on any NSF check returned and must be paid in cash. Any bowler that has written a NSF check shall not be eligible to bowl until reconciliation on check amount and any service fees applied have been made.

 

The Board of Directors shall be flexible and work with any bowler that writes its 1st NSF check. However, in the event a 2nd NSF check is written, a "Cash Only" policy shall be enforced with that bowler. The "Cash Only" policy shall apply to the Head Pins League and Tropicana Lanes.

 

No checks shall be accepted after March 18, 2012, for weekly fees.

Rule 6:   SALARIES

A fee of $1.00 per team per week shall be deducted from the league’s treasury. Fees shall be paid to the league’s secretary ($.38), the league’s treasurer ($.37) for their administration services and $.25 to the bowling house (Tropicana Lanes) for collecting and housing the League’s funds and records.

 

An administration fee of $5.00 per week shall be paid to the webmaster for website registration, server fees and weekly updates.

Rule 7:   LEAGUE FUNDS

League funds will be deposited weekly through Tropicana Lanes (a bonded facility). In the event we must change banks, it shall be an Executive Board decision on which bank to use.

Rule 8:   PRIZES

A prize list(s) will be distributed to the Board of Directors for approval and voted on within five weeks after the start of the schedule (October 9, 2011). To qualify for the individual awards, a bowler must have bowled a minimum of 21 games per that half to be eligible for that prize fund. TO QUALIFY FOR INDIVIDUAL HIGH AVERAGE, THIS BOWLER MUST HAVE BOWLED A MINIMUM OF 45 GAMES. A bowler can qualify for only one award for a high series or game per halves. When a team or an individual qualifies for an award in each category and prizes are of equal value, the series will be awarded. In all other cases the price with the highest value will be awarded.

 

The prize distribution will be awarded within 14 days of the end of the bowling season on May 6th, 2012.

Rule 9:   ENTERING AVERAGES

New Bowlers shall use their highest average established from any house in a sanctioned league from the 2010-11 season, based on 21 or more games bowled. If not applicable, then the bowler shall use their highest average established from any house from the 2011 summer session, based on 21 or more games bowled.

 

Returning Head Pin Bowlers will use their ending averages from last season.

Rule 10:   HANDICAP

The handicap shall be 90% and based on the difference between each individual’s average and scratch figure of 225. The team handicap for each scheduled match shall be the total of all individual’s handicap of the 5 bowlers in the lineup. Handicaps will be based on the entering average for the team member until they have a THREE game average. Thereafter the handicap will be based on the current averages. Bowlers who do not qualify under the provision of Rule 8 will have their handicap computed after the first complete series by which they complete. Bowlers in this category must bowl all games in their first series in which they complete in order to qualify for handicap or their scores are void.

Rule 11:   TEAM ROSTERS

Captains will submit a roster of team members to the secretary prior to the start of the schedule. ROSTERS SHALL BE LIMITED TO EIGHT PLAYERS. If a team adds a bowler that has previously bowled with another team during the season, the league secretary must be notified before they can bowl with the new team or their scores are void. NOTE: Prior to moving to another team, that individual must clear all past fees that are due on their old team.

 

New players shall not be added after week 8 for the first half of the season and week 23 for the second half of the season. No bowler can be added within the last seven weeks without approval from the Board of Directors. If approval is not granted, then the new bowler’s scores shall be void.

Rule 12:   LEGAL LINEUP

A minimum legal lineup must be present by the end of the fifth frame of the first game or the series will be forfeit. A minimum lineup must include at least three players (THIS CAN INCLUDE PRE-BOWLERS) from a team’s current roster.

Rule 13:   FORFEITURES

When a game/series is declared a forfeit, the opposing team shall be awarded 2 points per game forfeited. The opposing team may receive an additional point if their total team series pin count exceeds or is equal to the sum of their team’s averages (legal lineup for all three games) minus 150 pins.

Rule 14:   ABSENTEE and VACANCY SCORES

Absentee scores shall be used when a team has a legal lineup, but less than a full lineup by the end of the fifth frame of any game in a series. Absentee scores shall be the absent member’s average less ten pins. When there are additional members on a roster, the absentee score of the absentee with the highest number of games shall be used. When two absent members have the same number of games, the lowest absentee member’s average shall be used. The handicap shall be figured on the average of the designated absentee(s). When a team does not have enough players on its roster for a full lineup, a vacancy score of 120 shall be used. Such score shall be basis for the handicap.

Rule 15:   PRE-BOWLING

Any officer of the league can allow PRE BOWLING with PRIOR APPROVAL. If a pre bowl sheet is lost or destroyed, a blind score will be used. Pre-bowl scores MUST BE USED AND MAY ONLY BE USED FOR THE NIGHT BY WHICH THEY ARE INTENDED FOR. Pre-bowl scores are eligible for USBC awards with the exception of the 298, 299 and 300 games awards and 800 and 900 series awards.

 

Bowlers are limited to five pre bowls per each half of the Head Pins League seasons. Pre-bowl scores used for the weekend of Easter, April 8 and Super Bowl February 5, 2012 shall not be counted against the 15 game rule aforementioned.

 

Pre Bowling will be allowed based on lane availability at the discretion of the bowling center. Please call the house for lane available.

 

PREBOWLS ARE NOT ALLOWED FOR POSITION ROUNDS OR SWEEPSTAKES.

 

The Treasurer will be allowed to pre bowl every week for the first game of the night to assist him/her to handle weekly Treasurer Duties.

Rule 16:   TARDY PLAYERS

A bowler who arrives late may enter the game provided the fifth frames have not been completed. Frames missed by the tardy bowler may be made up and without any practice balls being thrown. A frame shall be considered complete when the bowler in the anchor position on each team has completed the frame.

Rule 17:   POSITION STANDINGS

Standings shall be based on a point basis, with two points for each game won and one point for the high team series in a match.

Rule 18:   BOWLING UNOPPOSED

The league may commence with an odd number of teams or if in the event that a team drops out during the season, the league may have an odd number of teams.

 

Two (2) points per game shall be awarded when the unopposed team’s scratch total in any game exceeds or is equal to the sum of the 5 bowler’s scratch averages (legal lineup) minus 50 pins.

 

An additional point shall be awarded when the unopposed team’s series scratch total exceeds or is equal to the sum of the 5 bowler’s scratch averages (legal lineup) minus 150 pins.

Rule 19:   ROLL OFFS

The season shall be divided into two halves with one, 1st Place team for each half. In the event of a tie for either half, a ONE GAME roll-off shall be declared and shall be bowled the night of the "position rounds" for a determination of the, 1st Place team finish for that half.

 

An overall League Champion shall be determined on Sweepstakes Night. The winners of each half segment shall compete in a "best 2 out of 3 games" series.

Rule 20:   SWEEPSTAKES ELIGIBILITY

A bowler shall be eligible to participate on Sweepstakes Night if they have bowled in a season total of 21 games prior to that night.

 

PREBOWLS ARE NOT ALLOWED FOR POSITION ROUNDS OR SWEEPSTAKES.

Rule 21:   ELECTIONS

Elections for the following year’s Executive Board and IGBO representative shall be held prior to the end of the bowling season. There shall be a Nomination Committee selected to handle the elections. This committee will consist of three members from the general assembly who are not currently an officer or planning to run for an office and shall be overseen by the Executive Board.

 

The nomination of the candidates shall be submitted Sunday, March 4, 2012. Bowlers will be able to meet nominates Sunday, March 11, 2012, and the election to be held the following 2 weeks (to give everybody a chance to vote) March 18th and March 25th. The votes will be tallied and counted the last night of elections and prior to the close of bowling. The results will be announced at the Award Banquet, May 6, 2012. You must be present to vote.

 

Any person nominated for the Executive Board can only accept one nomination for office. Nomination for both Executive Board and IGBO representative will be exempted from this rule for the reason that the IGBO representative is not an Executive Board position.

Rule 22:   ASSOCIATION FEES

Fees for USBC memberships shall be due and paid by the 2nd week a bowler bowls. Both Men’s and Women’s dues are $16.00 each. THE DUES ARE THE RESPONSIBIILTY OF EACH INDIVIDUAL BOWLER AND NOT THE CAPTAIN’S. IF NOT PAID BY THE SECOND WEEK A BOWLER BOWLS, THE BOWLER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BOWL.

 

New bowlers shall have two weeks to pay their Association Fees. Bowlers will not be eligible for USBC awards unless their Association Fees are paid.

Rule 23:   BYLAWS FOR THE 2012-2013 SEASON

Rules for the 2012-2013 seasons will be voted on at the 1st meeting of the Board of Directors before the start of the 2012-2013 seasons.

• PLEASE REMEMBER OUR STARTING TIME IS 6:00 PM AND PRACTICE STARTS AT 5:50 PM
  
• CAPTAINS SHOULD KEEP PLAY MOVING WHILE BOWLING
  
• CAPTAINS ARE REMINDED THAT THEY SHOULD HELP ENFORCE BOWLING ETIQUETTE WITH TEAM MEMBERS
  
• TEAMS MUST BE CURRENT WITH FEES by the end of each half (Dec 13th for the first half and April 15th for the second half).
  
• WE WILL NOT ACCEPT TEAM MONEY OWED THE NIGHT OF SWEEPSTAKE.