T.G.I.F. LEAGUE

BY-LAWS 2009/2010

The T.G.I.F. League shall be sanctioned with the U.S.B.C. through their local associations.  Each team roster shall consist of 4 bowlers (male and female).  The league will bowl on Friday evenings starting September 11, 2009 for a period of 34 weeks.  Practice begins at 6:20 pm.  All matches will begin promptly at 6:30 pm.  Woodbridge Bowling Center has given our league lanes 15-24 for this season.

League Meetings and Officers

The following were elected for the 2009/2010 season:

President: Joanne Jaquillard   Secretary:  Steve Bilawsky   Treasurer:  Lynn Bilawsky

League rules shall be adopted at a meeting with team captains and Executive Board prior to the start of the league schedule.  After the league schedule begins, a change in league rules can be made only with the unanimous written consent of each team captain or designated representative.  Absentee and proxy votes are not acceptable and only members present are eligible to vote

LEAGUE FEES

Weekly Bowling Costs

The league fees for the 2009/2010 bowling season shall be $23.00 per bowler, per week with the following breakdown:

                        Lineage:            $12.00 

                        Prize Fund:       $11.00        

                        Total:               $23.00

Team Captains are responsible for ensuring that the proper amount of monies are collected in the envelope

each week. Teams containing 4 bowlers will pay $92.00 each week ($782 per person total for the season). 

Membership – Sanction Fees

All bowlers shall be responsible for payment of their own sanction fees by the 1^st scheduled night of bowling.  Team captains are responsible for assuring that all bowler, including substitutes, fill out and sign sanction cards and submit required sanction fees (if necessary) to the league Secretary prior to bowling.  Bowlers failing to do so will receive a score of zero (0) for all such games bowled.  The price of sanctioning for this season is $16.00.

League Salaries

The league authorized payment of the following officer’s salary for the 2009/2010 season.  The Secretary and Treasurer positions will split the salary of $40 per team. 

Entering Averages and Handicaps

• Individual handicaps shall be based on 100% of 225.
• Averages over 225 shall receive a negative handicap based on 100% of 225.
• Individual bowlers shall use last year’s league average as an entering average for the first nine (9) games bowled or completed series.
• If no league average is available, the following will apply:

1.     Highest Middlesex County book average (21 game minimum) for the previous 2 Fall/Winter seasons.

2.     Highest out of county book average (21 game minimum) for the previous 2 Fall/Winter seasons.

3.     Bowlers without one of the above averages shall establish an average after bowling 3 games.  This average will be used for the first 9 games.  Average will become current after the first 9 games.

Bowling Out

No bowling out shall be permitted, except in the case of emergency, as defined and authorized by the Executive Board.  Only the game in progress may be bowled out.  Subsequent games will require the use of a blind or substitute.

Pacers

No pacers shall be permitted.

Ten Pin Drop Rule

A ten pin drop rule, based on the entering average, shall be in effect for the entire season.

Legal Line Up

A legal line up shall consist of a minimum of 2 regular bowlers.

Substitutes

Floating substitutes shall be utilized throughout the season.  A substitute must have bowled a minimum of nine (9) games to be utilized during the last 4 weeks of the season.

Absentee/Blind Scores

A team may use a maximum of 2 absentee (blind) scores.  An absentee score shall be the regular roster bowler’s average less 10 pins.  Handicap shall remain the same.

Vacancy Team

• If the league consists of a Vacancy Team, the opposing team must bowl within 40 pins scratch of its current team average each game to win points.
• Points for total wood shall be automatically awarded to the team bowling all 3 games.

Prize Lists

The league President, or his designate, shall assign a minimum of 3 league members to draw up separate prize lists.  Proposed prize lists shall be submitted to the league secretary no later than the 5^th week of bowling.  Prize lists shall be voted on no later than the 6^th week of bowling.  Each team shall have 1 vote for the adoption of a prize list.  A copy of the prize list shall be distributed after the voting takes place.

Prize Qualifications

Only roster bowlers shall be eligible for individual awards.  To qualify for an individual award, a bowler must bowl a minimum of 2/3 of the games.  Substitute scores may be utilized in the determination of team awards.

Tardy Players

A late arriving bowler shall be permitted to catch up if the opposing team has not completed the first five (5) frames of the first game only.

Forfeit – Lack of a Legal Line Up

• If a game or games are forfeited due to the lack of a legally constituted line up, the opposing team must bowl within 40 pins scratch of its current team average each game to win points.
• Points for total wood shall be automatically awarded to the team bowling all 3 games.

Forfeit – League Fee Arrearages

A team which has league arrearages in excess of $92.00 shall be permitted to bowl, but will forfeit all points until all league fees are current.  All arrearages must be paid before the beginning of the second game on the scheduled night of bowling.

Vacant Bowler – Score and Handicap

A team with a roster with only three (3) regular bowlers on the roster shall receive a vacancy score of 200 for the remaining bowler.  There will be no handicap given for this bowler.

Team Standings

• Team standings shall be based on 2 points for each game won and 1 point for total word for a total of 7 points per week.  Games tied shall count as 1 point for each team.  A tie for total wood shall count as ½ a point for each team.
• In the event that two teams are tied for points won on a position night, the team with the higher total scratch wood shall be afforded the higher position.
• A tie for first place at the end of the season shall require a one game bowl-off to determine the league championship.  Such a bowl-off shall take place at a time to be determined by the Executive Board of Directors.
• Any other ties for position at the end of the season shall share prize fund monies for the positions proportionately.

Postponed or Pre-Bowled Games 

League games must be bowled as scheduled unless postponed.  The Executive Board shall determine what sufficient cause to grant postponement is, but cannot adopt a rule that would have the effect of not permitting any postponements.  In the event of a postponement, the league Secretary shall notify the bowling establishment of such postponement no later than 4:00 pm of the day the league is scheduled to bowl.

Clinch of First Place

A team clinching first place prior to the conclusion of the season shall bowl the last place team for all remaining position nights of the season.  If both first and second places are clinched, they shall bowl each other for all the remaining position nights of the season.

Position Rounds

Position rounds will be bowled every fourth (4^th) week of the bowling schedule as well as the last four (4) weeks of bowling.  Bumper/Position rounds will be bowled on the following weeks:  Weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 28, 31, 32, 33 and 34.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct Rule

Any actions determined by the Executive Board of Directors to be detrimental to the league and/or the game of bowling shall be addressed as follows:

• First Offense:                $10.00 fine
• Second Offense:           $20.00 fine
• Third Offense:               Member shall be brought before the Board for “Appropriate Action”

Appropriate Action may include any of the following:

• Expulsion from league.
• Forfeiture of all awards and prize fund distribution.
• Recommend suspension from or denial of ABC membership.

Note:  All fines collected will become a portion of the league prize fund.  Additionally, the abuse and/or damage of bowling establishment equipment, facilities or personnel will not be tolerat3ed.  Any league member determined to be involved in such activity shall be removed from league participation until full financial restitution is made, and shall additionally be subject to disciplinary action as described above.

All the rules and/or disputes not specifically addressed herein shall be decided by the Executive Board, as governed by application of the current edition of The American Bowling Congress Playing Rules.