Please read all posts related to the upcoming 2012-13 season entirely in preparation for the start of the year.
TRY-OUTS
The USBC Collegiate has instituted roster limits for the total number of players that we can sanction for a given season. For the 2012-13 season and beyond, the limit is 25 men and 25 women. This means that greater emphasis will be placed on the try-out tournament.
TRYOUT FEE In order to offset the cost of tryouts and to prepare for the season from a bowling shirt standpoint, we are requiring a $50 tryout fee.If you DO NOT have the Vegas gold shirt purchased for the 2011-12 season, your tryout fee will be $100.$50 will go to St. Charles Lanes in exchange for receiving a FREE BOWLING card that entitles you to free bowling all season.The remaining $50 will go to our shirt fund to pay for the second set of shirts we need each season.Those that pay the shirt portion of the tryout fee, but do not make the travel roster will be refunded the shirt portion of the fee at the conclusion of tryouts.
FREE BOWLING cards for Lindenwood University bowling program student-athletes may be purchased separately for $25.
TRY-OUT DATES The fall semester calendar is different than it has been for many years meaning the first week of classes falls right before Labor Day weekend.As a result, and based on availability at St. Charles Lanes, the schedule will be as follows:
Day one: Saturday, September 1; 9:00am Day two:Sunday, September 2; 9:00am Day three:Saturday, September 8; 1:00pm Day four:Saturday, September 15; 1:00pm
Each day will consist of eight games (moving pairs after each game) bowled on a different sport pattern.Those have yet to be determined, but expect a short, medium and long pattern in some order the first three days, with the US Open pattern the final day.
This tournament will be used to determine the top 25 and the team on which each player begins the season. Additional details about the selection process will be explained at the organizational meeting. There will be a change in the way that free bowling balls from our Brunswick sponsorship are distributed.More on that later.
Our first tournament is in Milwaukee the first weekend of October and we will take one mens and one womens team of eight to that tournament based on entry availability.Generally, the top 6 men and top 6 women from try-outs are guaranteed to go to that first tournament, with Randy and Phil reserving the right to select up to two additional picks from anyone to fill the 8-person roster. Last year, both of us ended up just taking the top eight from try-outs, but its not always guaranteed that well do that.If we are able to get an additional mens or womens team, expect at least 14 players to go with seven on each team.
Those not making the 25 player travel rosters are still full members of the Lindenwood University bowling program and will still be able to participate in team activities including practice, but will just not be able to travel to collegiate tournaments.They will be funded for 14 weeks in the PBA Scholarship league on Tuesday afternoons at 4pm at St. Charles Lanes. This funding will also include a regular junior or adult sport sanction depending on your preference.Last year, this league took place in the spring, but we expect a fall option to be available this year.
Rules also require us to declare a varsity team at each tournament. The varsity team is the only team that can receive power points for post-season determination. We can only bring an additional two JV teams each weekend, so expect some rotation required in order to allow everyone on each 25 person roster to have as much of an opportunity as possible to attend tournaments throughout the season.
That being said, you can expect that we might travel with three teams of seven, or we may travel with three teams of eight with the 8th person being a non-bowling assistant coach.Some other combinations may be utilized as well.If you are selected to travel as a non-bowling member, you are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity.
Because of the valuable nature of a travel roster spot, anyone on the travel roster that has been given opportunities to travel, but has not thrown a ball in competition by the fifth event of the season (except for injury) may be asked to surrender their spot so someone else can utilize it.
