Australian Rankings - what do they mean to you?

[GeorgeF]

Continuing on from the recent MTC news why is it we place so much emphasis on National rankings? Do people like their name up in lights? Do they think it will lead to National selection (which it clearly doesn't)? Or you don't give a hoot.....

My bowling is a business and irrelevant if the MTC Cup was ranked or not I'd bowl it purely because it offers the best prizefunds we have seen in Australian Bowling since the Manhatten days.

Even the rankings structure could be up for debate but thats a whole new topic

My personal view is that tournaments provide a breeding ground to success and should be assisted by TBA in anyway they can. With declining numbers and declining tournaments the recent MTC decision seems heavy handed and uncalled for. Call me crazy but I feel TBA's role is to promote tournaments and bowling in Australia, I personally don't see too much of that happening of late.

The only true difference for me between having a National rankings system and not having a National rankings system is the chance of winning $1000 at the end of the year. So what do rankings mean to you?

 

[June Voukolos]

The Rankings in every sport becomes an issue when both sporting organisations and individuals are seeking government funding and sponsorship. A would be sponsor certainly would look more favourably on a bowler ranked in the top 10 or higher than a bowler who cannot show a ranking in their sport. For state governments who still fund tenpin bowling and Queensland and Northern Territory are the highest funded, having bowlers in the top 20 certainly increases the funding level for coaching and in some cases state team travel. To receive State Government funding the State body must be affiliated with the recognised National Sporting Organisation and their rankings is the system that is recognised. Key performance areas in some states include rankings for their elite players.
Hope this helps.
June Voukolos

 

[RobbieB]

Does having bowlers in the top 20 really affect sports funding for Qld? I'm one of the bowlers who never bothered applying for ranking points, partly because I see them as irrelevant to me personally, and I don't feel that they truly reflect the real-world rankings of the bowlers anyway (except maybe at the very top). Add to that that I think they should be automatically generated whether bowlers apply for them or not as part of the NSO's service to the sport, so that even if they are flawed, at least they are complete. However, I think I would have been in the top 20 at various times in the past few years (which in itself makes a mockery of the rankings) so if it does affect funding for TBAQ perhaps I should get off my fat arse and apply.

 

[Ice Maiden]

Given how far (at least a 3 hour flight) and how many times (everytime) I have to travel to get ANY rankings points, its really not worth me chasing. Its nice to be ranked highly, but if i did start chasing rankings points to try and get the $1000 at the end of the year, I'd be much more out of pocket than if i went to the tournaments I feel I could do the best in and make something back.

 

[rambo1]

george as usual you are spot on!!

hi june, can you please let me know what the TBA is doing & has done to promote the sport of bowling

 

[Gail Torrens]

Re Australian rankings

Funding by the Qld State Government to TBAQ is for sports development only and is not available to assist elite athletes. Recently the Qld Sports and Recreation Department has made available limited funding to assist Juniors under the age of 18 who had to travel more than 300 klms away from TBAQ state organised events. This includes Junior Championships, Disabilities and the Queenslands Interschool Challenge.

Further information is available from the TBAQ office.

TBAQ Administration

 

[xpense]

personally never cared about the ranking points.

If state funding from governments is based on ranking points then we have a problem, as very few bowlers are actually nominated for the ranking points (in the context of number of bowlers, bowling in AUS)

The Vic gov is concerned about the number of registered players in the state. This can be at any level. The higher the number of registered playres, the higher the funding.

Sounds good, but the gov, wants exposure to the registered players details, to ensure that each player is only being counted once. sounds fair. l say. The problem is that the all the assoc in vic will not work together to provide the details of thier registered bowlers, so that a comprehensive list can be made. So the state gov funding is based on the number of bowlers that are registered directly with TBA (vic gov only recognises the affilliated state body of the national body. i.e. Victenpins for vic, on behalf of TBA).

no rankings points will stop a bowler chasing a great prizefund like the MTC has, if it has no points next year

 

[GeorgeF]

The Rankings in every sport becomes an issue when both sporting organisations and individuals are seeking government funding and sponsorship.

A would be sponsor certainly would look more favourably on a bowler ranked in the top 10 or higher than a bowler who cannot show a ranking in their sport.

As a bowler and a previous bowling company employee a bowlers National ranking was not a factor in sponsoring bowlers (and shouldn't be). A bowlers personality, ability, conduct, experience and potential were more key factors in deciding if a bowler should get sponsored or not. I still to date have not known of any elite bowler obtaining sponsorship on a National ranking alone.

For state governments who still fund tenpin bowling and Queensland and Northern Territory are the highest funded, having bowlers in the top 20 certainly increases the funding level for coaching and in some cases state team travel. To receive State Government funding the State body must be affiliated with the recognised National Sporting Organisation and their rankings is the system that is recognised. Key performance areas in some states include rankings for their elite players.
Hope this helps.
June Voukolos

I can appreciate what your saying but all of your posts refers to obtaining funding and sponsorship for Associations, not bowlers directly. TBAQ (to whom I've worked with over the last 10yrs) have never received funding for the elite, as Gail mentioned, it was only for development. I'm sure if there would have been funding for elite adult bowlers I'd know about it

My whole problem with the rankings system is that it has no pathway or relevance for any bowler aspiring to make a National Team or better themselves. You could be No.1 in the country in your respective division and not make a National team.

The current system serves no purpose to a BOWLER expect a $1000 bonus at the end of the year. It maybe different for NT athletes who obtain funding for trips through out Australia but most of the country don't reside in NT.

The ideal rankings system would be one in where bowlers can see a CLEAR and DIRECT pathway to the National team. ie The top 5 were automatically the National team for that respective division. If a bowler was unavailable then the next one on the list got a run. Camps, coaching clinics, roll offs are good but that gives bowlers no incentive to participate in National events or bowl Rachuig.

Ask any bowler in Australia how do you make a National team and they will have no answer, thats because as bowlers we don't know exactly what it takes and there is no clear pathway to a guaranteed National spot. This is TBA's role and something they haven't delivered on for over 5yrs.

In swimming, come in the top 2 at the National trials and your in the team, Athletics is the same. I could list heaps of other sports and you'll find most of them have CLEAR pathways on making National teams, we don't.

As an ex-National representative and competitive tournament bowler I can only hope the future gets better for our up and coming junior, youth, adult and senior bowlers.

TBA, bowlers want no more guessing, no more random camps and last minute clinics, bowlers want National Rankings system with purpose and pathway we can aspire and aim to!

See you on Saturday no doubt where we can discuss this further if you wish

 

[Feral]

George, that is the best post you've ever made, and you've made some beauties in the past.

Ranking is a load of c r a p in the current system. There are bowlers out there with dollars in their pockets who can afford to go to just about any and every points scoring tournament. They get points. So what? It doesn't make them any better than (or should I say an ounce of skill on) those elite and not so elite bowlers who are raising a family, haven't got the money for what ever reason (pensioners eg.) or for other reasons are not to be able get to "the elite ranking tournaments".

Have a look at the rankings - how many SKILLFUL bowlers do you know who are not on the list or low down because they haven't bowled many of these "elite" tournaments?

How many C R A P bowlers are in there with points to their names while you haven't got any because you are not able to show your real colours? Yet you know you are a better bowler than they are!!!!

Funding from governments should be for right across the board bowlers - not just for junior development. We have some of the best bowlers in the world in this country, as we have swimmers etc. Swimming gets heaps of $$$$ to keep us up with/ahead of the rest.

Why not Tenpin bowling? ANSWER: IT HASN'T BEEN SOLD, MARKETED OR PROMOTED BY TBA and never will be given the c r a p that goes on and on and on and ...... Those best bowlers should be promoted, sponsored and paid in a manner similar to the swimming best. The "run of the mill" bowlers and socials would have bowlers to look up to, even HEROES!!!! Aspiring stuff TBA.

Asides:

When the budget came out I was thrilled and sad at the same time. Why?
1. There was no millions of $$$$ allocation to Indonesia so they could investigate why their planes fall out of the sky.
2. There was no money for the Royal Flying Doctor, surf life saving, Aboriginal well being, hospital burns units, other volunteer organisations (fire brigades, meals on wheels, Salvos etc), the homeless, ....... (they will still rely on raffles and the collection tins!!!!)

And yet TBA is supposed to be in control of tenpin bowlings' destiny?? If so, then it's way past time that TBA get off their r says and just concentrated on PROMOTION, MARKETING AND SELLING of Tenpin bowling to the governments to get a slice of the cake. Keep out of the tournament sanctioning etc business and go and have a yarn to "Bonsai" (little Bush) before he gets his marching orders. Could be a vote winner.

 

[rambo1]

george mate don't waste your time on this subject this has been going on for over 40 years & nothing has changed just faces