Fall Bowling Leagues Beginning: the USBC Needs You

Yes friends. It is that time of year again. Summer is almost over and fall bowling leagues are starting up again. This is one of my favorite times of the year. I love seeing all the people I missed over the summer, the competitive atmosphere, and the fun environment that my local bowling alley provides. I love the sound of a bowling ball crashing into the pocket, even if a stone 8 pin is left standing.

Despite how exciting this is for me and many other bowlers out there, the membership numbers for the USBC is on a slow, but steady decline. Many think it is due to the current ecnomic situation we are in, but I think there may be more to this story than people trying to save a dollar. The are many changes going on in the USBC right now, and I think some people are not taking them lightly. One thing I have noticed over the years is the awards given out for accomplishments seem to get cheaper, and some awards now are not given out anymore (like the big four I picked up in league this past week). This does not bother me too much, but it is nice to have our league President call my name before bowling league and present me with an award and perhaps a few claps.

Despite all these changes, the USBC is doing a wonderful job promoting our sport and making sure it is bowled in a fair and competitive nature. We now have great programs like sport bowling leagues, allowing us to bowl on the same conditions as those on the PBA Tour.

In this economic recession we are all trying to save some money, but can we really afford turning our backs on the USBC and on our sport when they need us the most? Let's all get signed up for fall leagues, have fun, become better bowlers, support the USBC, andas an added bonus, maybe win a few dollars! I hope everyone enjoys one of my favorite times of the year! Good luck!

Big Four Split In Bowling League: Where is my USBC patch?

I have been bowling for almost 20 years now on and off, and bowling very seriously for around 7. However, one of the accomplishments I have not made until now is picking up the big four split, which is the 4-6-7-10. I have hit 3 of the 4 many times, but never all of them until I did it tonight in bowling league. Then I go talk to the secretary about my accomplishment, only to find out that the USBC no longer gives out patches for this award. Now bear in mind, I do not bowl just to get awards. I do have 2 300 rings and I show them off every chance I get, but the gratification of bowling the 300 was worth way more than the ring I got for it. Hearing the crowd cheer on the 10th, 11th, and 12th strike were sounds I wish all bowlers could hear. But I do not expect a ring for this bowling accomplishment. However, a cheap, inexpensie patch showing that I picked up the big four would be really neat to have. That is a very hard spare that most people will never pick up in their life. I think the USBC should continue to reward bowlers for their accomplishments, even if it means that the patches may not be as nice.