It's a real shame to see the youth tournament scene dwindle like this.
The youth want a circuit, the girls their own division, and when one is offered, with substantial prize fund, the numbers just vanish.
Not saying this is the case in all events, the likes of Werribee and Sydney youth are premier events.
As to local numbers, the Vic shield/youth teams roll off is the following weekend, perhaps the costs of both have made a few choose only one.
I personally cannot offer a solution nor explanation for this... This year the youth circuit has experienced difficult and challenging conditions at most, if not all events. The experience on these conditions with fellow youth bowlers would be second to none for those juniors aspiring to be the next best thing in our sport.
The older youth competitors were young, fresh, and inexperienced at one stage in their bowling careers. With every tournament they bowl, something new is learnt.
No one wins them all... My brother has not missed a youth event this year (bar this one because of injury). At the start of this year he said he wanted to improve. He may not have come near one cut yet, but he comes home with things to work on, and having made new friends. Regardless, he doesn't beat himself up on performance, he's back at the next event, with a new plan of attack.
It's these type of bowlers we are missing... Not necessarily bowling every event, but those keen to prove to themselves what they are capable of, regardless of results.
I can only hope something is resolved in the near future, before the current youth begin to age out over the next 1-3 years.