Metropolitan High School League Rules

2006-2007 Season

The Metropolitan Traveling High School USBC Youth Leagues shall consist of teams with a playing strength of 5 bowlers per team.  Each school may field one boy's and one girl's team in the Varsity League and one or more boys and girls teams in the Junior Varsity League.  The leagues shall bowl on Monday afternoons commencing on November 20, 2006 and teams shall bowl a thirty-week schedule in ten weeks actual time.  Each league session will be bowled against one school.  Lanes will be available for practice at 4:00 pm and all scheduled matches shall start promptly at 4:10 pm.  Shoe rental will be free.  USBC Youth Organization shall sanction all participants in the league.  This league will split into divisions that bowl in different houses; all divisions bowl on the same day at the same time.

Rule 1 - Membership in League

Membership in the league shall be open to boys and girls up to the age of 21 as of August 1 of the current bowling season.  The league will consist of bowling teams of Nebraska High School Students in good academic standing and attending a high school (public or private) in the Omaha area.  Teams are composed of students attending and enrolled in one particular high school.  In the event no active bowling program of their sex exists in their high school, a student in the Omaha metro area may petition the board to bowl with an established program.  Any individual not meeting requirements of Rule 400 and under suspension by the responsible league official and/or USBC YOUTH shall be ineligible to participate in any sanctioned event.  The upper age limit may be waived for an individual authorized as challenged (USBC Rule 400).

Members must not bowl, substitute, pace, or otherwise become an active bowling participant in bowling activities where money or merchandise awards are offered to any participant on the basis of bowling score, bowling skill, or position standing unless meeting the standards set by Special Eligibility Rules noted in USBC Youth Rule 400.  (This means no sweepers, no cash awards from parents, etc.)  Any members violating this rule shall fall under the disciplinary procedures as outlined in Rule 115c of the USBC Youth manual and will come before existing disciplinary board appointed by the Metro High School Board of Directors.  The board will be made up of a quorum of the Metro High School Board of Directors with at least one officer present.

The membership year is August 1 through July 31 of the following year (USBC By-laws, Chapter 4, Article 4).

Rule 2 - Supervision

The league shall be under the supervision of the Metro High School Coaches Board of Directors who shall operate the league in cooperation with the bowling center management.  The Metro High School Board of Directors is composed of one coach from each school and adult league officials elected by the Metro High School Coaches Board of Directors according to USBC Youth and league rules.

Rule 3 - League Fees

Each team shall pay a total of $220.00 by the first week of bowling (Nov. 20, 2006).  All fees related to the league are the responsibility of each team with each team having an adult-sponsor.

Checks for league fee payments (made out to the Metro High School Bowling League) will be allowed until such time as one is returned from a bank for insufficient funds.    At this time the individual shall pay all service charges incurred for each returned check and the cost of the league fees owed.

Rule 4 - League Funds

The Metro High School Coaches Treasurer and Metro High School Coaches President and/or Metro High School Coaches Vice President shall see that a true and accurate record is kept of all funds collected in the name of the league on a monthly basis. (See USBC Rule Book, Chapter 8, USBC Bonding, Burglary, and Holdup Insurance.)

Rule 5 - Weather

In the event of severe weather and O.P.S cancels school, the league will be cancelled. If in doubt or the weather deteriorates during the day, the bowling centers will be notified by 2:00 pm. Coaches and bowlers can contact the bowling centers for confirmation of league bowling. In the event of a team emergency, the league will allow a postponement providing said emergency does exist.  No refunds for cancelled sessions will be considered until after all of the league bills for the season have been paid.

Rule 6 -Team Captains

Each team shall elect its own captain.  The captain shall sign the opponent?s side of the recap sheet, verifying the accuracy of the scores and will be responsible for the full completion of said sheet.  Team captains should be elected the first week of the season and names given to the Metro High School Coaches League Secretary.

Rule 7 - Roster

Playing strength of a team will be five (5) players with a maximum of eight (8) being carried on the team roster at any one time.  Team roster additions and deletions may be made at any time during the season by making the Metro High School Coaches League Secretary aware in writing of any changes.  If your roster goes over eight bowlers and the league secretary is not informed who to drop to the sub list, the secretary will remove the bowler who has not been bowling and who has the least number of games.

Varsity and JV bowlers will not be eligible to bowl in both Varsity and JV during the same league week (USBC Rule 107a). A bowler may only be listed on one JV roster during the season.  Where a school has 2 or more JV teams in the same division (Boys or Girls) the Site Director, in the case of an emergency, may allow JV bowlers to temporarily move from one to another team roster within their school. Permanent changes between JV rosters can occur with the approval of the Site Director. Written notice of the change must be given to the league secretary.

Rule 8 ? Protests

A league member may file a written complaint of protest with the Metro High School Coaches President and/or Metro High School Coaches official requesting a meeting with the Metro High School Coaches Board, along with the presence of a Metro High School Coaches officer, shall constitute a quorum. Protests must be filed within 48 hours of the incident.

Rule 9 - League Awards

This is a scratch league.  Since every regular game constitutes a week of bowling we cannot give a High Series award because you must bowl at least three games per week to have a series

A member shall be eligible to receive only one individual league recognition award.  The following order will be observed:  (1) League High Average; (2) League High Game.  Note:  High Individual Match Point is considered a Merit Award and is not considered an individual league recognition award.

To be eligible for these awards, a bowler must bowl at least two-thirds (2/3) of the league schedule (See USBC Rule 54b).

Team trophies will be given to 1^st and 2^nd place teams in each division.  An additional team trophy will be added for every fraction of 5 teams when a division has more than 5 teams.  (For example, a division with 8 teams will have 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place trophies.)

Rule 10 - Averages

Bowlers will establish their league average when they bowl their first game.  The first Baker game also establishes the team Baker average.

A bowling average is determined by dividing the total number of pins credited to a player by the number of games the player has bowled in one sanctioned league in a season.  In all cases, extra pins or fractions must be disregarded when using averages for league play.  The extra pins shall be reduced to a percentage of a pin only for the purpose of deciding individual position standings in a league.

Games including partial or complete absentee scores cannot be credited to the player?s average.

If a bowler changes the hand-delivery used in setting an average, a new average must be established using that hand.  The switch must be approved by the site director and noted on the league recap.

Rule 11 - Legal Line-up

As a team may carry 8 players, there should be no reason to have less than a full team at the start of a match.  The minimum number of bowlers that constitutes a legal lineup is 3, and this may include subs to make the three. A true vacancy is to be considered part of a legal line-up.  However bowlers may be loaned between schools as long as they are not bowling against their own team.

Rule 12 -   Order of bowing

The team scheduled to bowl on the left lane (or odd lane of a pair) enters its lineup first, followed by the team on the right lane.  Substitutions are not allowed during a match except in the case of an emergency, illness or replacement of an ineligible player and must be approved by the site director.

Rule 13 - Absentee Scores

The absentee score shall be the average, less ten pins, of the absent bowler.  If more than one bowler on the roster is absent, the bowler with the MOST games is the average you must use.  This is one reason to report changes in your team roster to the league secretary.

When bowling against an absent score the bowler must bowl within 10 pins of their own average to win the point.  This is also true for Baker matches when a team has an established Baker average.

Rule 14 - Vacancy Scores

When a team does not have enough players on the roster for full line-up, they shall use a vacancy score.  For Varsity Boys (150), Varsity Girls (120), JV Boys (130), JV Girls (90).  When bowling against a vacancy score you must bowl within 10 pins of your average in order to win the point.

For the first night of league competition only, a vacancy Baker score is the same as listed above.  A team bowling a Baker vacancy must bowl more then the vacancy score.

Rule 15 - Method of Bowling

The league bowls three games each time the league meets:  two games of match point play and one Baker game.  Each of these games constitutes one week of the league schedule.  All games will be bowled against the same school.  Baker games will be bowled with the two opposing teams staying together frame for frame.  Teams may bowl their Baker matches with less than a full team following a normal rotation, providing the absence of that bowler is legitimate.   In the interest of sportsmanship and fair competition, allowances need to be made for late arrival.  Please be patient and fair! Extra bowlers not competing in match play will not be allowed to bowl for average.

Rule 16 - Bowling Apparel

Beginning the third date of competition, all teams are required to wear identical shirts or blouses.  NO EXCEPTIONS!  Improper wearing apparel is discouraged. Improper apparel includes sweatpants, shorts, boxer shorts worn outside or displayed inappropriately under outer clothing, rolled up skirts or blouses, ?Big Johnson? or other suggestive T-shirts or blouses and any clothing that is not an approved team uniform.  A bowler will not be able to compete after the second date of competition without a proper shirt or blouse, no exceptions.  Hats are not permitted. Skorts may be worn as long as they are of suitable length.  Sharing of shirts is also not permitted.  In the event of a sub between same school teams, they must wear a team bowling shirt but it does not have to be identical.

Rule 17 - Forfeits and Byes

When bowling a bye team or a team forfeiting its games, to win the individual point the bowler must bowl within 10 pins of their average and the team must bowl within ten pins per member of the team average.

Please remember each game is its own week, so your average may change from game one to game two, possibly dramatically due to the small number of possible games in the season (20 maximum). 

The scoring system is as follows:

1 point       for a win against an individual opponent (1/2 for a tie)

3 points     for a team win (1 1/2 points for a tie)

4 points     for a Baker team win (2 points for a tie)

This makes a session of the league have a value of 20 points.

Rule 18 - Tardy Players

A bowler arriving late may be entered into the lineup providing the opposing team has not completed the fifth frame of competition.  In the interest of sportsmanship and fair competition, allowances need to be made the late arrival.  Please be patient and fair!

Rule 19 - Position Standing

Standings are based upon team total points within each division.

Rule 20 - Division Championship Play-off

When a tie occurs for the championship of the Division, the division champion shall be determined by total pin count.

Rule 21 - End of Season Playoffs

At the conclusion of league play there will be scheduled league playoffs.  The JV playoffs are scheduled for Saturday, February 10, 2007 at Leopard Lanes and the Varsity playoffs for Sunday, February 11, 2007, at Cougar Lanes.  The costs for these playoffs are included in your team fee.  There will be team awards for the top four teams in each division.

Rule 22 - Bowling Out

A league member, in the case of an emergency, or prearranged with the site director and opposing team captain's approval (based on good cause), may bowl out in one game only (it will be the last game that person bowls no matter which game of the series it is) ahead of teammates or opposition.  The game must be in at least the fifth frame before anyone may bowl out.  Such scores shall count in deciding the game, in the bowler's average, and will qualify for USBC Youth earned awards and for league awards.  (USBC Rule 106e stipulates this must be rolled while the other players continue so as not to slow down the game.)

Rule 23 - USBC YOUTH Earned Awards

USBC Youth earned awards shall be submitted within ten days after the score is bowled.  Awards cannot be determined and submitted until the bowler has a 12 game average. If you think you have an award coming, you may contact the league secretary concerning the award status.

Rule 24 - Foul Line Observance

The foul line shall be observed during league play.  No USBC YOUTH or league awards will be made if the automatic foul detecting device or human foul judge is not used.  (See USBC Youth 5).

When a player deliberately fouls, the player shall receive zero pinfall for that delivery and shall not be allowed any further deliveries in that frame (See USBC Youth Rule 5).

A foul is committed with no pinfall being credited to the player although the ball counts as a ball rolled, when a part of the bowler?s person contacts or goes beyond the foul line and touches any part of the lane, equipment, or building during or after executing a legal delivery.  A ball is in play and a foul may be called after legal delivery is made and until the same or another player is on the approach in position to make a succeeding delivery.

If the player commits a foul which is apparent to both captains or one or more members of each of the opposing teams competing on the same pair of lanes where the foul is committed or to a Metro High School Coaches official, and should the automatic foul detection device fail to record it, a foul shall nevertheless be declared and so recorded.

When a dead ball is called, the delivery does not count.

The pins standing when the dead ball occurred must be respotted and the player allowed to rebowl that delivery, as in the case of a pin being interfered with as outlined in USBC General Playing Rules, Rule 8.

Rule 25 - Behavior of Members

A Metro High School Coaches official may suspend a league member for an infraction of a USBC Youth rule or league rule, other than the Eligibility Rule, for a period of one to three weeks.  One warning may be given before suspension.  Personal misconduct, including offensive language or inappropriate clothing (including but not limited to:  alcohol or cigarette ads, foul language, ?Co-ed Naked??, and ?Big Johnson? shirts, torn clothing, inappropriately tight clothing, excessively loose, or sagging clothing), or any other conduct derogatory to the best interest of bowling, may also result in suspension as outlined in the USBC Youth manual, Rule 17d.

Rule 26 - Food and Drink

Food and drinks are allowed but must be kept behind the pit counter and all bowlers must let their teammates know when they leave the pit area, where they are going to insure all teams continue in a timely manner.

Any spills must be immediately brought to the attention of the house and nearby bowlers to insure no injuries occur.

Rule 27 - Game Room and Electronic Equipment

No bowlers will be allowed in the game room during league session.  All electronic equipment and phone use is prohibited during league play.  Electronic equipment includes handheld games, cellular phones, pointers, pagers, CD players, MP3 players, IPODS, cameras, handheld computers, and laptop computers.

Rule 28 - Parent/Visitor Participation

Only the team members on the roster for that pair of lanes and up to two (2) coaches for each team may be in the settee area.  All other participants and adults must be in the spectator area.

Rule 29 - Smoking

Because USBC Youth leagues are now designated as part of the Junior Olympics, while junior bowling is in progress the No Tobacco Use rule is in effect and the use of tobacco products will not be allowed in the bowling center during league sessions.  If we do not fill the entire center, the center may allow the use of tobacco in an area that is at least one pair beyond where the league is bowling.  If any tobacco use is allowed it is to be by adults only ? no bowlers may smoke even if they are not bowling during a game.

Metro High School Board of Directors Officers

President - Terry L. Bruner Sr.

Vice President - Wayne Stockwell

Recording Secretary - Cindy Jenkins

Treasurer - Jeff Hoff

League Secretary - Jan Gathye

Approved - 10/18/2001

Revised - 12/10/2001

Revised - 11/14/2002

Revised - 6/14/2004

Revised - 9/23/2004

Revised - 10/21/2004

Revised - 8/20/2005

Revised - 8/15/06

Revised -11/15/06