National ranked events

[Belly]

Hi all,

I have been thinking about the problems with avaiablility of spots in ranked events. For what is worth here are some of my thoughts.

1. Ranked events should only be open to bowlers with a silver membership, this should act as a players card and give the silver membership some much needed signifigance.

2. If a ranked event is not full of silver membership card holders, 14 days before an event then the balance of the field can be made up of other bowlers with only a league sanction card, which would be mainly local bowlers, who would be listed as emergencies.

3. The national rankings rankings should change its name to the "Order of Merit" listings. Every bowler with a silver membership should be listed under the "Order of Merit" listing. Should the position ever arise where there are more silver members that there are spots in a ranked event then a bowlers position in the "Order of Merit" would decide the priority of bowlers for the event the same as both Tennis and Golf.

4. Should TBA or any other organisation want to select teams, or limit events to say 24 bowlers then the"Order of Merit" should be the bases of all selection. This would give the Order of Merit even more signifigance and take away any so called selection favourites or the need to bowl even more events to select teams.

 

[Brenton_Davy]

At the risk of facing accusations of "Elitism" (wouldn't be the first time), these suggestions have merit. MIght take some administration by tournament promoters tho. With the proper support from TBA tho, it could well work.

 

[becka_girl]

Hi all,

I have been thinking about the problems with avaiablility of spots in ranked events. For what is worth here are some of my thoughts.

1. Ranked events should only be open to bowlers with a silver membership, this should act as a players card and give the silver membership some much needed signifigance.

2. If a ranked event is not full of silver membership card holders, 14 days before an event then the balance of the field can be made up of other bowlers with only a league sanction card, which would be mainly local bowlers, who would be listed as emergencies.

3. The national rankings rankings should change its name to the "Order of Merit" listings. Every bowler with a silver membership should be listed under the "Order of Merit" listing. Should the position ever arise where there are more silver members that there are spots in a ranked event then a bowlers position in the "Order of Merit" would decide the priority of bowlers for the event the same as both Tennis and Golf.

4. Should TBA or any other organisation want to select teams, or limit events to say 24 bowlers then the"Order of Merit" should be the bases of all selection. This would give the Order of Merit even more signifigance and take away any so called selection favourites or the need to bowl even more events to select teams.

Australian Teams are only open to National Training Squad members.

I believe the nationals rankings are already only available for silver members at the moment. I dont believe we can just leave events open for only silver members because we already struggle with lack of numbers for our tournaments in this country, I dont believe any bowlers have ever been knocked back from an event because it is full.

 

[Roysa]

I thought we are a sport that is struggling?

Why would we put further hurdles Infront of people to participate in tournaments.

What is the aim? To get more people with silver memberships?

 

[Belly]

Hi

In reply to Beck and Roysa my comments, were directed mainly to the Senior section of bowlers where events have been full and bowlers have been knocked back.

In regard to your comments, one of the reasons that bowling is struggling for entries is the lack of prestige events have. Bowling has become too "same old same old"events. Events like to South Pacific Classic which used to be an occassion, or events like the Australian Open, Canberra Cup, NSW Open, etc had both Mens and Womens division where all bowlers would come together and create an event on and "off" the lanes. Strangely it has been my experience over many years, the best way to increase numbers is to make events more exclusive then bowlers want to bowl in them. We need to put more prestige and importance into events and limiting them to bowlers who have purchased a Silver Membership is the first step.

PS: Many years ago probably before you were born when bowling was booming there were several events where bowlers were knocked back, example the Melbourne Cup you needed to inherit a spot to get in.

 

[mureg]

The only problem I see is if you are a new bowler coming into seniors the way it is now you still may not be able to get a spot to earn order of merit points.

 

[twenban]

Totally agree with you Belly, lets wait and see if an actual WTBA pattern is set and if so see if the events are still full. Everyone says if bowlers don't average well no one will enter. So this may be interesting with a 44' (long) pattern down at Cablooture, it should be a very tough lane condition and very different to what everyone is used to at 3 to 1 instead of 11 to 1. Good luck to everyone ..

 

[Anthony L]

Alternatively, organisers do not take names and make list for the following year instead just post it on Total Bowling and that way the tourney is not being posted with only a few spots available and every one can nominate off scratch....would this be viable?????

 

[The Oldest Croc]

I have been reading your post with interest just a thought maybe the format of the seniors tournament could be altered to allow more bowlers to participate

 

[strop]

Alternatively, organisers do not take names and make list for the following year instead just post it on Total Bowling and that way the tourney is not being posted with only a few spots available and every one can nominate off scratch....would this be viable?????

Unfortunately Tone, not every-one has access to the internet.
You will not please everyone, no matter which way you do it......some-one will or might miss out.....could be a timing issue...etc..............

The only way is to change the format, which means less games for some............
Or try and utilize Friday and Saturday night....which I don't think will work.

End of the day, especially close to the event with the amount of pull-outs...you end up very close to required number....

Will it grow further.....???? that's the burning question....

 

[CHIN]

Alternatively, organisers do not take names and make list for the following year instead just post it on Total Bowling and that way the tourney is not being posted with only a few spots available and every one can nominate off scratch....would this be viable?????

.

Good point.

Also allows poeple turning 50 that year that couldnt bowl the previous year to have the same chance as everyone else to enter instead of when its posted find out tournament is already full.
I think the "I dont have access to internet/totalbowling" is a bit lame. You see plenty of people posting and entering 3, 4, or 5 people at a time for a tournament. Obviously the other people dont have access to computers to do it themselves, and tournament still has reserves 2 months prior to the tournaments.

 

[strop]

I don't think it is lame Robert, it's a fact, and as a organizer I can give you proof.

Timing of when you post it,announce it blah blah...will and can cause a problem as well.........
Do we cater for locals first ?
Do we let Joe Blogg nominate 20 people on the Web just in case he thinks they might miss out.......
Do we make it so only yourself can nominate only.....

Blah Blah Blah...and so on.............

My question is, has there been up to now one tournament where some-one has not got a run and why?
I would like to hear?

Do we need to change the format to less games per squad, and more squads, so we can fit every one in............
Currently I believe we give value for money..........for us here in SA every-one gets to bowl 18 games?
Is that too many games for us oldies?

I am in a similar situation here with the SA Classic, we have 11 reserves with also maybe a couple more that don't have internet access that bowled last year and most probably
will want to again this year.
Do I make it 5 per pair for "B" Squad and fit them in and run the risk of not finishing till 5pm on the Sunday..............
I'm quite happy to do that cause I'm a local..........what about those inter-state bowlers who want to get away quick after the event to catch flights?
Still indecisive on this at the moment......
We are the 4th tournament, with no pressure on making the Worlds..........lol.

And pending on what oiling pattern they put down for the first 3.......some will be looking forward to our pattern, and yes we will be using
the same pattern as the last 2 years...........so you should be use to it by now.....

Cheers

 

[CHIN]

I think the only point Tony L mentioned was that:

"organisers do not take names and make list for the following year instead just post it on Total Bowling and that way the tourney is not being posted with only a few spots available and every one can nominate off scratch".

there was no mention of

changing formats
changing finishing times
number of bowlers per squad
blah blah blah blah blah.

changing the way organisers take entry's and post tournaments already full has no effect on other imaginary problems you may have.
fair for everyone then.

 

[Susanne]

Strop, you can make B squad 5 per pair as long as you allow interstate bowlers who have flights out before 7.30pm to be in the B Squad.

Generally I would book a flight out of most tournaments after 7.30pm but the last flight from Adelaide to Sydney is 6.50pm which would make it necessary for someone like myself to be in Squad B.

It may require a little bit of switching around but I did do this at my tournament in Sydney and there were no problems. Local bowlers were happy to switch squads to allow for the interstate bowlers in squad B.

As for a different format, as a promoter and sponsor, would love to hear suggestions, keeping in mind that senior bowlers like to bowl the 2 days.

Susanne

 

[strop]

Yeah fair enough Sue, its a toughy, but I agree on what your saying. As I have said i would love to accommodate every-one.

Robert, I added a few extra thoughts.....keep up with me OK.....

 

[CHIN]

No need to add extra thoughts....You seem to be having enough problems grasping the original one.

 

[strop]

No problem at all chucky!!

 

[Susanne]

Belly

Totally agree with your ideas including "Order of Merit".

The 2012 Sydney Classic had the criteria of Silver Members having precedence over League Members which had some promoters for and against. Fortunately I did not have to use the criteria as there were enough spots.

The Silver Members pay double the amount for the membership and should have some benefits over and above League Members who only bowl when the ranked event is in their state. They do not need to book flights or accommodation which makes it easier for them to be late entries.

Susanne

 

[Hollywood]

Just a couple of thoughts also. In past years before internet how did people enter tournaments? They sent in their entry form with a deposit. without it no start.
You can still do the same, print it out fill it out scan and email it. Go to a friends if you have to. someone close to you will have a computer.
More than in favor of only being able to taking entries after the entry form has been accredited and sent out. No early stick me down for next year..
Chinn: in agreance with your comment above: You must be able to give new seniors aging in an opportunity to start bowling in the events as well otherwise how do they get the chance to compete
otherwise, it just ends up being the same ol same ol bowlers in every event on the senior calendar because they bowled in it last year. Some also can't afford to travel to nearly every tournament
that is on each year and may just want to target their local and 1 or 2 that are reasonably close. So although at this stage most tournaments have taken names the previous year
I think as the group of centres / Tournament Directors that run these Seniors events we all need to make a pact and start from next year, no early names on lists and make the change then
everyone is on an even playing field, the first change is always the hardest, but something needs to happen.

With the Canberra Seniors Cup this year already as you can see with the Squads we have 48 & now 60 which we needed to do for obvious reasons and still 9 reserves and maybe more to come... Do we then maybe open A to 60 as well?
as we know over the next few years their will be an influx of baby boombers turning 50 we hear it all the time, so we all may be faced with the same option & Tony S in regards to your decision about games I think 16
is a good number 8 & 8 but it means a 7.30 start & a 5pm finish both days & possibly allowing all interstate flying competitors to fill B squad first..to be fair and having the chance to get flights
to the furthest destinations like Perth & Adelaide as there generally isn't that many options late in the day.

Food for thought, interested on any comments.
Cheers, Hollywood.

 

[jimcross]

Stop allowing all those youngsters to enter. 50 indeed ! The first flush of youth still. 65 at the very least !!