QuestionAs a member of a Thursday night league. I'm writing you to express my concerns regarding what are unfair tactics being used by one particular high bowler in our league. This particular bowler routinely claims an injury on nights that he seems to be struggling and cannot adjust to the lane condition, and a a result he claims to have an injury or illness that prevents him from completing the set. In an effort to insure consistent marks and a blind score which he obviously feels would be a higher score than he's able to attain. We have extended him courtesy in the past, but now I feel that this is done to actually increase the chances of a winning night when this individual feels the blind score would be beneficial to the team n lieu of actual competition.
Please provide me with some recourse through existing rules or some form of penalty that would help to discourage this kind of behavior.
Answer
www.TrueBowlerAdjustme
Janet, this form of strategy "may" be the intent of the bowler. I don't like it. However, it happens more often than we admit it. This often occurs during the final weeks of league bowling. Rather than loose points in the standings, the absent score is a better bowler than the bowler who is "present to bowl" and has an establish a creditable average.
Weeks and weeks of bowling can take it's toll on the body and it's extremities. Good bowlers who bowl several leagues during the long winter league often over extend themselves suffering nagging injuries and ailments at times. Sometimes it's the love of the game. Sometimes it's the love of the prize money at the end of the season. So I will try not to stand in judgement.
Regardless, there are always rules. As a past league president, I didn't have to handled bad behavior. If I did, my league secretary kept me straight. She broke out the rule book. Gave clear thought to what was being protested. Then, she made sure I wasn't stepping on anyone's toes by bring it to the attention of the league officials and the person of concern.
Protest can be done verbally to your president, or written. League officials can review the local policies or rules for the current season. If they find the language that states a player's conduct in question. If rules are against that behavior, they can act upon it. Likewise, if they feel they should seek guidance from the local association, they may also follow that course.
If nothing can be done about an issue during the current season, then at your league meeting new language can be introduced and voted on to become part of the new rules for the league.
Every league has general rules they adopt from the USBC Rules which they use to guide them. Every league must vote upon the rules or rule changes for their league every season.
After reviewing the rules for your question, I saw no clear cut immediate action to be taken. The rules do not set a number of occurrences or infractions to constitute "cheating" in this manner, although it clearly may be happening.
Janet, please see possible solutions to your concerns by reviewing USBC Rules: 329, 304, 115a, 108 and 105.
You and many others can quickly see this and other applications of the USBC Playing rules by visiting the following website.
http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/rules/pdfs/2010-2011Pla...
Thanks for your question Janet! I wish I could have been more helpful.
-Coach Gary
Las Vegas, NV.
www.TrueBowlerAdjustments.com (It's a great book!)
