USA Bowl is home to several other gay leagues

• Cedar Springs Fun Bunch Doubles – Mondays 6:30pm
• TNL Ladies – Wednesdays 6:30pm
• LAMBDA Mixed – Thursdays 8:45pm

For information about any of these leagues, contact Susan at USA Bowl by phone or email

The Scoop

OLBA has three sessions:

• Fall: begins the Monday following Labor Day and ends the Monday two weeks before Christmas Day
• Spring: begins the Monday following New Year's Day and ends the Monday two weeks before Memorial Day
• Summer: begins the Monday following Memorial Day and ends the Monday two weeks before Labor Day

Each team consists of a maximum of six (6) members with any four (4) bowling in competition each week.

Fees:

• Weekly dues are fifteen dollars ($15) per bowler—sixty dollars ($60) per team.
• Each bowler must pay the USBC certification fee of eighteen dollars ($18), due the first night they bowl.
• Each team is responsible for a one-time-per-session twenty dollar ($20) prize fund fee. For returning teams, your reservation fee is applied toward this prize fund fee.
• Dues and fees may be paid by cash, check, or money order. Payment by credit/debit card is not available.

League officers

Officers are chosen by election each spring.

Registration Form

Use this form to sign you and your team up for participation in OLBA.

League By-laws

2008-2009

1. League Affiliation

   • Certification

     The OLBA league shall be certified by USBC. USBC certification fees are $18 with a transfer fee of $8.

   • Governing

     All USBC rules will govern league play per the USBC Playing Rules Book. (Available at www.bowl.com left selection menu, Information, Playing Rules Book.) The OLBA league officers will handle any issues or concerns not covered by these by-laws using the USBC playing rules as a guide. Team Captains along with the league officers will be responsible for voting on the by-laws that govern OLBA.

   • Membership

     The OLBA is also a member of the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO) and shall pay yearly membership dues as required. (See Shane Hall, IGBO Rep, or visit www.igbo.org for additional information.)

   OLBA will consist of no more than 58 teams, with a playing strength of four (4) on a team. There may be any combination of men and women on a team roster. Each team must designate a team captain. A team may carry up to six (6) members on their roster. Once a bowler has been voluntarily removed from a team roster, said bowler may not rejoin the team. OLBA will bowl an “open” (non-divisional) USBC schedule based on the total number of teams in the league. At the conclusion of the third (3rd) week of bowling, the league will be divided into divisions based on team average.

2. League Officers and Representatives

   • Officers

     Shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Sergeant at Arms.

   • Representatives

     Shall consist of an elected IGBO Representative.

   • Terms

     Terms of office will begin with the Summer Season and run through to the end of the Fall/Spring Season.

     • 1-year term for the President, Vice President, Sergeant at Arms and IGBO Representative.
     • 2-year term for the Secretary and Treasurer.

   • Nominations and Elections of Officers and Representative

     Nominations for league officers and IGBO representative shall be accepted on the 2nd Monday of April with elections being held the 3rd Monday of April. Secretary shall be elected in even numbered years and Treasurer in odd numbered years.

3. League Seasons

   The OLBA will consist of a Fall session and Spring session which make up a season and a Summer session.

   • Fall/Winter/Spring Season

     Will be 33 weeks in duration consisting of two sessions, a fall session (first half) and a spring session (2nd half):

     • Fall Session will be 14 weeks in duration beginning on September 8, 2008 and ending on December 8, 2008.
     • Spring Session will be 19 weeks (including the roll off) in duration beginning on January 5, 2009 and ending May 11, 2009.
     • For the season, a league roll off between the winning teams of each division from the 1st half and the 2nd half will be held on May 11, 2009. The league champion will be determined by a three (3) game total pin fall competition. A team may secure only one position in the roll off therefore, 1st half winners will be ineligible for 2nd half positions. Should a team finish 1st in each of the halves, the team finishing 2nd to that team in the 2nd half would earn a position in the roll off. Should a tie exist for 1st place in any division in any half, a one game total pin roll off will be held between the tied teams with the highest total pin fall including handicap determining 1st place.
     • During the roll off, all teams, including the roll off qualifiers, will be competing in a "fun" sweeper event coordinated by the Officers.

   • Summer Session

     Consists of 13 weeks beginning June 1, 2009 and ending August 24, 2009.

   A pre-registration for Summer & Fall/Spring will be offered the last night of each season to reserve a team's spot that particular season. Reserved spots must be claimed by 7:00pm on the first night of the new season/session.

   Awards presentation shall be scheduled for the Monday following the final week of league competition per session. Fall – December 15, 2008, Spring – May 18, 2009, Summer – August 31, 2009. The league president is charged with securing facilities for the awards presentation.

   Any unclaimed money will be held no more than 30 days from the awards presentation. During this period, the treasurer shall attempt to reach by telephone and/or email any person due award money. Please note, after 30 days, any unclaimed prize money will be returned to the league and placed in the next season's prize fund.

4. Organizational Fees

   Each team member is responsible for the following:

   • Bowling Fees

     $15 per team member, payable each week. Pay envelopes are required to be turned into the Treasurer by the end of the first game. Note, team members are responsible for payment of ALL bowling fees ($15) each week whether bowled or absent. A breakdown of weekly fees follows:

     Lineage	$9.00	Secretary	$0.50	Treasurer	$0.25
     Prize Fund	$5.00	Contingency	$0.15	IGBO Fund	$0.10

     The LAST TWO WEEKS bowling fees must be paid on or before the 6th week of the season/session. Fall – October 13, 2008, Spring – February 9, 2009, Summer – July 6, 2009. All bowling fees are due before the last two weeks of each season/session.

   • Certification Fees

     Are due the first night a bowler bowls with OLBA unless paid through another league. All bowlers must be certified for bowled scores to count for league competition.

   • Prize Fund / Reservation Fee

     A $5 prize fund fee is due on the 1st week of each session. This fee is applied to cover individual awards and must be paid no later than the 3rd week of the session. Returning teams have paid this fee by completing the process of reserving their team spot—$20 payment—for the next session/season.

     USA Bowl will contribute $5,000 per year to the prize fund of OLBA. The distribution of the prize fund contribution shall be as follows:

     $2,500 to the Fall session prize fund
     $2,500 to the Spring session prize fund

   OLBA will accept personal checks for league fees made payable to OLBA. There will be a returned check fee of $25. The bowler must pay in cash the amount of the returned check, the returned check fee and the current night's bowling fee before being allowed to return to bowling. All subsequent payments by the bowler must be in cash.

5. Accounting of Fees

   • League Monies Collected

     All monies collected shall be deposited in USA Bowl's league banking account the night of collection. No money shall leave the premises unless notified and approved by the President or Vice President. Two signatures (President & Treasurer) are required for ANY withdrawals.

     Note, OLBA's secretary and treasurer shall be paid for their services at the end of each month and at the end of each season/session.

   • Financial Statements

     A financial statement will be provided each week to each officer outlining the current status of income and expenses of the league. It is highly recommended that the treasurer maintain a weekly spreadsheet of payment by each bowler for auditing purposes.

   • Contingency Fund

     At the end of the season, any monies in the contingency fund over $250 shall be added to the prize fund. The remaining $250 shall be carried over into the next season.

   • Prize Fund/Awards

     OLBA shall pay a prize fund for the session or season based on a team's finishing position within its division. Individual/Team awards are listed in the order of eligibility since an individual and team may only receive one (1) of the following awards:

     • High Scratch Series
     • High Scratch Game
     • High Handicap Series
     • High Handicap Game

     For an individual to be eligible for an award, the individual must bowl two-thirds (2/3) of the scheduled games for the session or season.

6. Bowling Issues

   • Legal Lineup

     A legal lineup of at least 2 eligible team members must be present at the start of the first game to avoid forfeiture per USBC rules. If a legal lineup is present for the 2nd and 3rd games, the team may bowl as scheduled. Any tardy bowler will be permitted to catch up on frames missed provided that the first bowler of the opposing team has not bowled the 4th frame in any game.

   • Absentee Bowlers, Unopposed Bowling, and Postponements

     An absentee bowler's score shall be the bowler's current average less 10 pins. Any team bowling unopposed, or when the opposing team forfeits, must bowl at least the team average less 40 pins per game. Postponement of bowling is allowed but a league officer (preferably the Secretary) shall be notified by 7:00pm on the evening involved. There will be exceptions made for emergency situations. Please note, post bowling must be made up within 2 weeks of scheduled bowling. Pre and Post bowling must be scheduled through the league secretary. Any team failing to follow guidelines on post bowling will forfeit all games. In accordance with new USBC guidelines, Honor Scores will not be recognized when bowled in an unopposed pre- or post-bowl.

   • Substituting

     All desiring to substitute must be USBC certified and first check with the league secretary before bowling. Substitutes are not eligible for team and/or individual awards. Substitutes may not be used for vacant scores. Pacers will be allowed to bowl with the approval of both team captains involved. Pacers must pay lineage fees when bowling in a vacant position.

     New team members may not be added and substitutes may not bowl in a position round or the last 2 weeks of a session or season of league competition.

   • Averages

     Entering average for bowlers will be the highest current Dallas Bowling Association book average. Entering averages shall be used for the first 9 games Fall & Spring session and, 6 games for the Summer session, after which a new average shall be computed. Beginning Spring session averages will be carried from the ending Fall session for returning members. If a bowler has no DBA book average, he or she shall establish a new average based on 3 consecutive games rolled on one night. Established averages will change weekly.

   • Handicap

     A bowler's handicap shall be 90% of the difference of 230 and the bowler's current average. Example, bowler's average = 140, handicap = 81 (230 - 140 = 90 × .90), fractions are dropped.

   • Points

     Position standings shall be determined on an 8-point basis. 2-points awarded for each game won and 2-points awarded for the 3 game total pins (series). If there is a tie in pins at the end of any game or series, each team will receive 1-point.