TIDEWATER  TEAM   CHALLENGE   BYLAWS
Year 2006 - 2007

Revision Date: August 28, 2006
Currently, Final Champion Finals have been revised (7, a, b, c.)
    These Rules Changes have  not been approved .  
   

1.    This will be a USBC SANCTIONED, YOUTH MIXED HANDICAPPED LEAGUE. Each bowler will be on a USBC sanctioned league at the center the team represents. Bowlers sanctions must be in good standing. There will be no limit to the number of teams a center may  enter. A bowler may be approved to bowl on a team from a center without being on a sanctioned league at that center ONLY with the approval of the Tidewater Team Challenge directors.

1a.  The Tidewater Team Challenge Board of Directors will be made as follow:
        Adults:  President -- Kim Bergeron  Vice President -- Alan Glasgow   Treasurer -- Wanda Barton  Secretary -- Larry Schmidtmann
        Youth:   President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer.  Theses officers will be elected at the meeting of the first Competition 
         (Sept. 17, 2006).  The President will have voting rights. (The Youth will be elected each year)

2.    Each team will consist of  four bowlers with a combined team average of 560 or higher. Handicap will be 80% of the difference between the TEAMS average, with the TEAM who has the lower average receiving the pins.  A team with less than a team average of 560 will be allowed to compete BUT THE TEAM AVERAGE WILL BE 560 FOR TEAM AVERAGE. 

3.    The opening average will be calculated at the end of the first three game block completed, no matter how many games are bowled in that three game block, this average will be used in the first two three games blocks. Averages will then be recalculated after each competition (month).

4.    Teams must have two regular roster members to have a  LEGAL LINE UP. A Team must have a legal line up by the end of the first frame. If a team does not have a legal line up by the end of the first frame the game will be declared forfeit and will be bowled under  USBC Youth RULE # 110b "Forfeit -- Procedure for Bowling". A team bowling against a "Forfeit" must bowl within, 10 pins multiplied by the number of team members, of the average of those team members, to "WIN" the game (USBC RULE #110b).

5.    A late bowler must arrive before the end of the THIRD FRAME to bowl in a game already started otherwise the bowler must wait for the next game.

6.    Substitutes will be allowed if a team has a legal line up. Substitutes must meet all the requirements of team memberships or directors approval. A substitutes average will be calculated at the end of the first three game block completed, no matter how many games are bowled in that three game block. Substitutes are not eligible for scholarship awards and pay only lineage ($13.50).  It is the regular roster members responsibility to pay Scholarship & Secretary fee  ($12.50) for competitions missed.  Substitutes or someone that fills a vacancy will be allowed to bowl in roll offs and step ladder, ONLY, if they have bowled in at least 12 games and have an established average  in the league.  Substitutes are not eligible for scholarship awards unless the bowler authorizes a portion of the scholarship winning to the substitutes in writings to the TTC Board before or on the date of the Championship Finals.(2005 -2006)

7.    The League will consist of nine competitions.  Each competition will consist of two, three game block. A "win" and one point will be earned each game for the team with the highest total score, including handicap.  If two teams "ties", each team will receive 1/2 of a point for the game.  No points are awarded for the three game total. 

   7a.   The Championship will consist of a semi-final round and a championship round.  Any tie which affect the qualifying for the semi-finals will be determined by a one game roll-off.  If still tied, there will be a 9/10 frame roll-off with 1/10 handicap per frame, until a winner is determined.

   7b.    Teams qualify for the semi-finals round based on wins for the season.  The top half of the total number of teams will qualify to be in the semi-finals.  To produce an even number of teams for the semi-finals.  The top half plus the next highest standing team(s) will also qualify.  The team finishing in first and second place for the season will automatically advance to the finals.  The semi-final round will consist of two games, with total score including handicap determining the other three teams and the seeding for the championship.  All teams will be bowling against a "Reference team" to determine handicaps.  Any tie which affects advancement or seeding for the championship will be determined by a 9/10 frame roll-off with 1/10 handicap per frame, until winner is determined.

   7c.    The championship will be a one game step ladder format, with seeding determined by semi-final results.  The fifth seed will bowl the fourth seed, winner bowls third seen, winner bowls second seen, and winner bowls first seed for the championship.  All games will be total score, including handicap to determine the winner.  Any tie will be determined by a 9/10 frame roll-off with 1/10 handicap per frame until winner is determined.

8.     The exact scholarship pay out and number of teams invited to the "STEP LADDER" will be determined by the total number of teams participating as follows:

* 6th Place Team will Receive $400.00 (subject to change)
* 7th Place Team will Receive $300.00 (subject to change)

  8a.    A bowler must have  ALL  SCHOLARSHIP FEES PAID IN FULL on or before the end of the MARCH 18,  2007 competition to be eligible for a SCHOLARSHIP AWARD. If a bowler is transferred out of the area  BEFORE the end of league, or can not finish the league, the bowler will be eligible for a percentage of any scholarship the team wins,  IF ALL FEES are paid in full before the bowlers leaves, the percentage will be based on the percentage of games bowled. If a team can not replace a lost bowler the team may pay the remaining scholarship contributions for the bowler who was lost and split the remaining scholarship award between the remaining bowlers. 
All bowlers  MUST PAY the last competitions scholarship  $12.50, by the completion of the  MARCH 18,  2007 competition. If not paid in full the bowler will be disqualified for any and all scholarship awards.

9.    ABSENTEE and VACANCY  BOWLING:  A bowler who has an established average in the TIDEWATER TEAM CHALLENGE and is absent, will be assigned a score equal to the bowlers average minus 10 pins for every game missed due to the absence. When a team has a VACANCY, the team will use the lowest average from the opposing team, minus 10 pins. If the TEAM has two VACANCY the two lowest averages, from the opposing team will be used in the format described above.

  9a.    There will be NO PRE or POST Bowling allowed. 

10.    A team must bowl in 36 of the 54 games to qualify for the step ladder and/or roll offs. If a team fails to meet this requirement the next team, based on number of wins, will advance to the roll offs and / or step ladder.

11.   A LATE ENTRY will be allowed if a team can not be at the first competition. Late entries MUST be bowled by October 23, 2005 at the same bowling center the first competition was scheduled (AMF Norfolk). Late entries MUST be bowled in the presence of at least one Tidewater Team Challenge director. FINAL RESULTS for the first round will not be posted until all late entries have been bowled.

12.    Cost is $26.00 per competition:    (Subject to change)
                                                        $13.50 Lineage
                                                        $12.25 Scholarship Contribution
                                                        $    .25 Secretary Fee

  12a.    Any Absent Bowler or Bowler who have not paid for their bowling  fee's will have ONE Competition to pay for the bowling missed..

13.    All area not expressly covered by these rules will be governed by the  USBC Playing Rules & Commonly Asked Questions 2006 - 2007..