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03/10/2023 How to adjust the team prize list For details and options on how to amend the league prize list, click here. How to prorate prize money when needed When an individual or team properly withdraws (Rule 121a), they would receive a prorated share of the prize money. To prorate prize money between bowlers, divide the total team prize money by the playing strength of the league to determine the amount per bowler on the team. Then, divide the individual portion by the number of weeks the league bowls, which equals the amount of prize money per week an individual receives. Multiply the amount per week by the number of weeks each bowler paid. Example: A league bowls 25 weeks, and each team has four players. The team prize money is $400 total or $100 per bowler. To split prize money between two bowlers, divide the individual prize money ($100) by the number of weeks (25) to get the amount per week (100/25 = $4 per week). This amount is then multiplied by the number of weeks each bowler paid into the prize fund. What takes precedence? We receive calls from handicap leagues asking what takes precedence when awarding scratch and handicap prizes at the end of the league season. If the league rules are silent, the league board of directors decides by a majority vote of those present and voting which takes precedence. If leagues have adopted prize lists with differing prize values for the various categories, many leagues will use the higher valued prize as taking precedent. 02/08/2023 Summer Work for a Successful Fall By now, most fall/winter leagues have completed their seasons and bowlers are moving on to their summer activities, which we at USBC hope include bowling in a summer league. You, however, as a league officer, can’t sit back and completely rest. There are things for you to accomplish over the break to help set the table for next season. Here are a few things to review as you prepare for next season:
Association Workshops and USBC assets to help your league be successful Does your bowling center/association offer a league officer workshop? If so, make plans to attend and invite the other officers of your league. The information provided at these gatherings helps disseminate important information on how to improve your league’s operations and to keep everybody informed about things that are new in bowling. This season’s league kits will include information for you and your bowlers showing more about the value of USBC membership. USBC also provides a host of information for our league officers to help them navigate league operations. We provide guidance of Officer Duties, Conducting Meetings, League Rules, Finances. The list goes on and on. Access all of this on the USBC League Resources page. 2022-2023 Rulebook The 2022-2023 USBC Rulebook can be found on BOWL.com. We have added a few features to the online book that make it easier to view and search for topics. The online version has been enhanced to a larger scale. The pages now are full screen, with larger font, and easier to print from BOWL.com. The rulebook will be posted at BOWL.com/Rules. Don’t forget…Final averages are official as of the date the league ends and due within 15 days. If the league votes to end the schedule, final averages must be submitted to the local association within 15 days of the vote to end the league. 05/13/2022 Closing out the season entails quite a bit more than just passing out the prize money. Below is a list of actions that need to be completed at the end of your season. League secretaries need to:
League treasurers need to:
If elections are held, the current officers must turn over all records to the new officers. USBC provides information on league operations and officer responsibilities on our League Resources page. Don’t forget…averages must include all complete roll-off games, playoff games and any sweeper or “Fun Night” games bowled using the game of American tenpins. Please forward the league averages as soon as possible to the local association. This will give the association time to process the averages for the national database, so they appear on BOWL.com. Do Your Bowlers Know…the date of your league’s organizational meeting? We urge leagues to set the date before the end of the league session and let your bowlers know the date of the meeting for next season. 04/06/2022 Don’t forget…The League Treasurer is responsible to provide a detailed financial statement to each team captain when the prizes are distributed. USBC has created an interactive financial statement for leagues to use. You can access it here. What takes precedence? We receive calls from handicap leagues asking what takes precedence when awarding scratch and handicap prizes at the end of the league season. If the league rules are silent, the league board of directors decides by a majority vote of those present and voting would decide which takes precedence. 03/02/22 – Financial statements are not the audit
An audit and a financial statement seem to be the same, but they are not. An audit is completed by a committee appointed by the league president, and the financial statement is completed by the league treasurer and includes a copy of the league payout. Audits The audit committee checks league records, no earlier than one month prior to the league payout, to verify league income, expenditures and balances. The committee also can be tasked with auditing league records, averages and position standings at the request of the league board of directors or league president. Click Audit Procedures for more details. We have created the Audit Committee Worksheet and Audit Committee Worksheet Instructions to assist the audit committee with the audit. You may have to download the Audit Committee Worksheet to your desktop before you can use it. Financial statements A financial statement is the league treasurer’s report of the league finances. The financial statement should show the actual income based on pay envelopes and expenses paid by the league. The financial statement also includes the beginning account balance (if any) and shows the residual funds left in the league account. We have created a Sample Financial Statement and an interactive League Financial Statement for the convenience of league treasurers. Don’t forget…Treasurers are required to provide a financial statement to each member of the league board of directors when prizes are paid. The financial statement must show all league income and expenses and include a copy of the prizes paid and to whom. 02/03/2022 – Our first spotlight dealt with adding or losing teams during a season. What do we do when a team wants to join or leave the league? A team withdrawing from or joining a league affects the schedule and the prize fund. The schedule must reflect the number of teams in the league. Review this document to see how to handle a team joining or withdrawing from the league. Click here to learn how to adjust the league’s prize fund. |
| 02/17/22 – How Do I Handle a Protest or Disqualification?
Rule 329 requires protests and appeals to be filed in writing and within 72 hours of the infraction or prior to the payment of prizes (whichever occurs first). When presented with a written protest of appeal, tournament management is required to make the initial decision. The decision of tournament management can then be appealed to USBC. If your situation will result in the disqualification of an entrant, you must provide WRITTEN notice of the disqualification to the player (or the team captain) stating the reason for the disqualification and giving them notice of their right to appeal the disqualification to USBC. Payments of affected prizes must be held until notified by USBC that no timely appeals have been received. |