WOW summer is almost here and the temperature is beginning to soar - what to do on those hot summer afternoons - go bowling of course.

Not too much happening this week, so this will be short and sweet.

The Florida USBC Women’s Bowling Association held their annual convention on May 16, 2008, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Attendance was down as local associations’ memberships drop so do the number of delegates they are allowed to send to the convention. No surprises were unveiled at the convention as the delegation elected officers and directors for the 2008-2009 season.

Kudos to Debbie Whitten who is the publicity chairperson for the Ocala USBC Women’s Bowling Association for bringing home 2 "writing" awards: one for her local association articles (submitted to the Sta ...

Sorry there was no blog entry last week, as I was attending the USBC National Convention and workshops in Kansas City, Missouri, as a Delegate for the Women’s Association. I was in the Saturday legislative meeting and election of directors and not able to complete the blog prior to leaving to fly home.

For all the scoop on what occurred you can go to bowl.com and click on the various links that they have set up regarding the various workshops, the "Clash Of Champions", the legislative action that occurred and the elections.

My take on the Convention and highlights from the events I attended are below.

This seemed to be the most unorganized of the three (3) conventions I have attended. There was not much variety in the workshops offered this year from the two (2) previous but I did attend several, one of which w ...

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS FOLLOWS:

The next 6 game sweeper will be on Sunday May 18, 2008, at AMF Ocala. Entries close 30 minutes prior to squad time. Squads are at noon, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm. Sign up and join in the fun.

Summer league information is available at all the centers. Check out what is available and if you don’t see a format you want - check in to setting up such a league - there are a multitude of options and forma ...

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS FOLLOWS:

The next 6 game sweeper will be on Sunday May 18, 2008, at AMF Ocala. Entries close 30 minutes prior to squad time. Squads are at noon, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm. Sign up and join in the fun.

Summer league information is available at all the centers. Check out what is available and if you don’t see a format you want - check in to setting up such a league - there are a multitude of options and formats available there should ...

Compared to last week’s tome this will be a short story.

Most of the fall leagues are wrapping up and the Top 10 Bowlers will not be posted after May 15, 2008. The reporting will start again in September after fall leagues start up.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS FOLLOWS:

The Annual Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, April 25, 2008, at the Ramada Inn at I-75 and 27. There will be a cash bar/social hour b ...

This article will be a long one as there is a lot of information to cover and thoughts that need to be shared. Please take the time to read the entire article, think about some of the issues, and give us feed back.

It may appear that the same information is being submitted week after week, but that is the only way to get the information out to the bowlers. Once the meeting, the banquet or the tournament is over it is deleted from the blog. If I don’t keep putting the information out there we (the men and women who serve on your local association boards or the individuals who are your league officers) keep hearing the same old line: "I DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, I NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A TOURNAMENT, I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THAT MEETING, I DIDN’T....." This is the way it has been for many years and will probably continue to be that way infinitum. &l ...

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS FOLLOWS:

The Annual Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, April 25, 2008, at the Ramada Inn at I-75 and 27. There will be a cash bar/social hour beginning at 6:00 p.m.; buffet dinner at 7:00 p.m.; presentation of awards at approximately 8:00 p.m. to be followed by entertainment and dancing. Tickets are available from any Association Board member or by contacting Jerry Abrams 625-1133 or Debbie Whitten 694-3373 co-chairpersons. Tickets are $25 per person. Come check out the enter ...

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS FOLLOWS:

Testing the blog after Ocala Star Banner updated their web site.

The blog will be updated tonight, April 1, 2008, when I get home from work and can access my report.

Thanks for the understanding.

How many weeks are left in the league? Too many some say and not enough for others. There are the die hards that like to bowl year round - yes 52 weeks a year - would not take off time for holidays except they are out voted most of the time. Have league seasons gotten too long? Are split seasons and shorter 12 week sessions with a break in between the way of the future? All these issues are up to the league bowler. The bowler center should not be able to dictate how long a league’s season is, however, with the pricing structure dictated by corporate officials league’s are being forced to bowl more weeks in order to pay the least amount in league fees. Most leagues pay more to the center in lineage than they collect for their prize fund. Seems that this is just the opposite of what it should be in order to attract more bowlers to the center and to join leagues. With the state of the economy where will leagues be at the beginning of ...

THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN ON SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 8, 2008, BUT THE HOTEL WHERE I WAS IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, THE INTERNET BETWEEN THERE AND THE OCALA STAR BANNER DID NOT PLAY WELL TOGETHER AND IT WOULD START TO LOAD AND THEN STOP OR NOT ACCESS THE SITE AT ALL.  SORRY THIS IS LATE BUT ALAS BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. 

REMINDER - DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME WILL GO INTO EFFECT ON SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2008, HOWEVER, YOU COULD TURN YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2008, IF YOU WANT BEFORE RETIRING FOR THE NIGHT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GET UP AT 2 A.M. TO TURN THEM AHEAD. YOUR CHOICE. This is earlier than in previous years as the government feels we will save money energy if we have more daylight hours for more months of the year. Daylight Savings Time will not end until the first weekend of November. Enjoy all that extra daylight.

CHANGE IN ...

CHANGE IN DATE FOR Six Game Sweeper - MOVED TO MARCH 16 - SO IT WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH THE CITY TOURNAMENT. LOCATION - AMF Ocala. $40 single entry; $70 combo entry. Handicap is 90% of 210. Early entries to be turned in to AMF Ocala; walk in entries up to 30 minutes prior to squad times. For more information contact JJ Jones the tournament director at 732-7355.

The Open City Championship ended on February 10, 2008. Unofficially the winners are: 1^st Place Handicap Team - High Rollers with a 3,707; 1^st Place Scratch Team Brian Brazeau Pro Shop with a 3,418; 1^st Place Handicap Doubles Chris Young/Darren Dukes with a 1,562; 1^st Place Scratch Doubles Ryan O’Cull/Scott Anderson with a 1,425; 1^st Place Handicap Singles Chris Young with a 779; 1^st Place Scratch Single ...

Reminder that the Florida State Championship Tournament deadline is February 29, 2008.

CHANGE IN DATE FOR Six Game Sweeper - MOVED TO MARCH 16 - SO IT WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH THE CITY TOURNAMENT. LOCATION - AMF Ocala. $40 single entry; $70 combo entry. Handicap is 90% of 210. Early entries to be turned in to AMF Ocala; walk in entries up to 30 minutes prior to squad times. For more information contact JJ Jones the tournament director at 732-7355.

Go to the PBA Motel 6 web site to vote for the location you would like to see the tournament come to. Orlando is in the running. Voting counts. Check it out.

The Ocala USBC Women’s Bowling Association’s Annual City Championship Tournament gets underway this morning at AMF Ocala with the Team Event. The tournament will move to AMF West for the Doubles/ ...

Reminder that the Florida State Championship Tournament deadline is February 29, 2008.

Florida Women’s State Tournament deadline is February 15, 2008.

CHANGE IN DATE FOR Six Game Sweeper - MOVED TO MARCH 16 - SO IT WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH THE CITY TOURNAMENT. LOCATION - AMF Ocala. $40 single entry; $70 combo entry. Handicap is 90% of 210. Early entries to be turned in to AMF Ocala; walk in entries up to 30 minutes prior to squad times. For more information contact JJ Jones the tournament director at 732-7355.

Go to the PBA Motel 6 web site to vote for the location you would like to see the tournament come to. Orlando is in the running. Voting counts. Check it out.

Results of the State Senior Tournament held in Merritt Island are here. Ocala bowlers made a go ...

Reminder that the deadline for the Ocala USBC Women’s Bowling Association City Tournament is Sunday, February 10, 2008. Make sure your entry is in any of the women’s boxes at any of the centers by midnight Sunday as they will be gathered shortly thereafter.

Reminder that the Florida State Championship Tournament deadline is February 29, 2008.

Florida Women’s State Tournament deadline is February 15, 2008.

CHANGE IN DATE FOR Six Game Sweeper - MOVED TO MARCH 16 - SO IT WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH THE CITY TOURNAMENT. LOCATION - AMF Ocala. $40 single entry; $70 combo entry. Handicap is 90% of 210. Early entries to be turned in to AMF Ocala; walk in entries up to 30 minutes prior to squad times. For more information contact JJ Jones the tournament director at 732-7355.

Go to the PBA Motel 6 web s ...

As I said last week change is the only constant with USBC. In a "News Story" posted on bowl.com on January 25, 2008, USBC has made the decision to once again change it’s awards program for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 seasons.

Beginning August 1, 2008, which will begin the 2008-2009 league season the following awards will be ONCE IN A LIFETIME and not once a season: 300 game, 800 series, 900 series and 11 in-a-row. There will be no recognition for duplicate accomplishments in a league season. Once you have accomplished these goals the powers to be at USBC do not feel that you need to be rewarded again and again. Once is enough!!

Beginning with the 2009-2010 season the emblem and pin awards will be all EMBLEMS and they also will be ONCE IN A LIFETIME and not once in a league season.

USBC ...

Change is the only constant with USBC. Plans are underway for USBC to move the headquarters from Greendale, Wisconsin, to Arlington, Texas. Headquarters have been located in Greendale for approximately 100 plus years since the inception of ABC and WIBC. Not good enough for today’s board or are they tired of the cold and snow? They cite that being in a high profile area would help enhance the visibility of the "sport of bowling." They also cite that being near entertainment venues would be a benefit. To whom? The board needs to focus on improvement of bowling services, awards that bowlers are proud to display and the overall image of bowling as being a family sporting event, a competitive sport and most of all a fun sport. But who are we? Just the lowly amateur bowler that keeps them employed.

The bowling lingo is not changing. Last week a commentator covering the televi ...