1. Rachuig
2. President's Shield
which catered to the elite level of bowlers in the adult and junior ranks.
QUOTE]
I would have thought the PBA Tour catered to the elite level of bowler?
I was at Rachuig as a spectator this year. I saw a large group of very, very good bowlers. But you dont have 140 elite players in one sport.
All of the bowlers in Rachuig have my utmost respect. They are the best their state can offer in that week, but the elite play for Australia.
"Yes, it's an expensive way to pay your dues, but you can't expect to get games just because you have rocked up. They must be earned."
We aren't a professional sport in Australia. The guy that sits on the bench for Man United is getting paid about 40k a week to sit there. Pay me to sit there and I'll do cartwheels if you want. But at three grand a week coming out of my pocket, not to mention time away from family and actually earning a dollar....
So there are a few choices here ... i can use the three grand to go and play the Australian Open and the South Pacific ... at least I know I will get to bowl in the heat of the competition. Then, when i dont cut (who ever heard of me making a cut), I'll grab some mates, go and get drunk and do some 'team bonding'.
I love team bowling though. It's great fun, and I'll continue to try out for teams that i can afford to bowl for, both in time and finance. But while I'm only bowling once a week, 4 games at a time, my game is not at Rachuig standard. Good luck to those who can invest the time, effort and money into their game to get to that level, but i enjoy my golf to much to make that investment.
The minimum games rule works very well. All the players in the team know the rules, so if you get 'sat out' of a game, you know it's only because of the rules, and you'll be back in soon. Brenton ... didn't you play ATBSO this year? .. What did you think? Did the managers and coaches have to plan ahead, in regards to who plays on the fresh and who's better on the burn? Or which teams you'd put your best foot forward against? In my opinion, it actually adds to the competition.
I have met Chris before, when he was a nervous kid playing his first De Veer ... he's a good young lad. I had a chat with him in the stands at the Masters and he's doing fine. He'll be back. He's very proud he's playing Rachuig these days.
I think the real problem in bowling is getting the huge number of juniors to keep at it when mum and dad stop paying for their bowling. They seem to disappear around "Youth". I also think leagues go for too long, but they are two other issues for another thread.
And Aphelion ... you are way good enough to bowl Rachuig. Have a go mate .. you'd kill em.
Marto.
ps. sorry if i have rambled.
Peter,
On the first bolded point, ok I should have worded it better, make it he elite level of interstate teams competition. I'll concede that.
ON the second bolded point, I did play ATBSO and I found it very difficult to come to terms with the requirement for everyone to play a minimum no of games, having not had to contend with that aspect before. Yes the managers did have to plan ahead, but I still contend that it will nearly always favour the states with the greatest depth. I have always contended that you play your best 5 til they drop, especially on the last day which is not posssible when there is a minimum games limit of 10 (or even 9 over 18 games). As I have previously said, Rachuig is purely about winning.
It is going to sound harsh but it seems that a few people need to pour some concrete down their trousers and....... Well, you know!!!
And finally, no you haven't rambled, you have put up some good impassioned arguments. I don't agree with most of them, but as you said before, I respect your opinion and your right to it. I just think some of it is crap!! LOL