Tournament Entries

[strop]

Where do I start with this,
Over the years I have seen a dramatic decrease in tournament entries, with no increase in sight. Open tournaments have taken a hit and some of the committees around haven't helped with this.
First of all we had the Barossa cup on the weekend with what? 38 entries.
Pretty poor effort for this state with management putting so much time and money into this event. Some Bowlers doing what they do best putting their names down to bowl and not fronting up on the day. Understandable if there was a real problem. The young so-called talent around today that cannot or will not support this event because of what-ever reason...... I suggest these: cant be bothered, not a TBA event, conditions aren't easy enough, we dont like the management......just to name a few.
And they wonder where are all the tournaments for open play are going!!!
The other one that really gets to me is if you make the State Team you are (up to a point) dictated to as to what you can and cannot bowl in whether it be the Bob Elliot Memorial, Barossa Cup, or what ever tournament. How true? Well you tell me.
Personally if I want to bowl in any tournament I choose, I will.......How stupid would they be to suggest any different.
Next thing is they will be making people travel all the way from Mt. Gambier
just for a 2 hour training session on the weekend. Over many weekends...... Once again how stupid. Talk about organisation!
I know there are restrictive factors in bowling many events, fuel costs, money for entry fees etc.......but if events don't get supported then tournaments will die......like many already have.
Good luck to those bowling in president shield I believe start bowling this week-end, Rumor has it there is no matchplay section to this event. I will only assume there doing the same at the national level (no matchplay) Opponent 'V' Opponent...............'HELLO'.
Please all get out there and support all tournaments especially Open Event's before it's Too Late.
Cheers
Tony

 

[SNEEZY]

Agree with you 100% Tony - Well Said!!!

I think that this day and age, the cost of Fuel along with a lot of other factors - especially for those that live away from home and have a mortgage. It becomes very hard to save money for these sorts of events.

Whilst I haven't been around the tournament scene for as long as some, I can say that there are a lot of bowlers out there that rather put there money to some other use as they think that they are not good enough to compete in such tournaments as they don't have a very high average therefore think that they are wasting there money.

Well, I think that to bowl in open play tournaments you have to want to persue the sport in that way. Also, if you do want to participate in these tournaments bowlers need to be prepared to spend the money and gain the experience from bowling in these tournaments so that they can learn and better themselves as a bowler. If this means bowling in 10 tournaments before making a cut then so be it. If you are good enough to make the cut on your first tournament then so be it.

Ultimately, if you want to progress to tournament bowling then you need to bowl in tournaments otherwise bowlers will always be league or social bowlers. I think that tournament organisers need to look at how to entice the lesser average bowler into wanting to participating in such tournaments.

You have to be in it to win it. If every bowler sat back and said they weren't good enough then the sport would die very quickly as there would be no one to bowl against.

I too like Tony urge bowlers to support all tournaments particularly in this state to ensure that they survive and are available in the future for bowlers to bowl in.

Well the next event I will be bowling in will be the SALISBURY SINGLES CLASSIC. See you there.


Just My Thoughts (thought I better say this before i get attacked)

THANKS

DAVID

 

[StarRomeo]

i agree with you Tony, but i think the high entry fees of the tournaments do put many young bowlers away, coz there are only a small number of bowlers who benefit from the big price money. For the future of SA bowling, i think we should come together and organise some local tournaments with low entry fees, say weekend tournaments over 4 weeks and use different PBA oil pattern. That way, we can encourage people to bowl on sports condition and make them to be confident in bowling future tournaments.

Just a thought

 

[falloutboy]

I've only started going in tournaments again, starting from the under 23's and the barossa cup. The main thing I only worry about is the entry fee, and other than that I have no concern. But you have low entry fees, low prize money. But I think mainly it's the entry fee which is the most daunting.

For me, my bowling has improved greatly this year and I am going in tournaments now to see the level that I'm at and if I can bowl as good as the big name bowlers. From the 2 tournaments I have been in, I've been happy with the level that I'm at and I've proven to myself that I can bowl as good as anyone, not caring if they have represented Australia or the State.

The main 2 things I worried about before I bowled in under 23's was the entry fee and could I bowl some decent scores and to handle the pressure. From how much I enjoyed the under 23's, I have more confidence to bowl in more tournaments and I think bowlers who don't really bowl tournaments will feel the same way if they experienced them.

With the Barossa Cup, yes the lanes were very hard and different from what I'm used to, but to me I see it as a challenge to bowl on a harder surface and you have to earn your strikes, as most times they don't come easy. We were short of numbers at the Barossa Cup, most averages were lower than normal, but you can't expect every centre to produce the same type of patterns.

Bowling in tournaments and having a go against better bowlers and different lane conditions, can only help your bowling even more. But for everyone who wants to go in a tournament but is worried about the lanes, good bowlers or entry fee. At least have a go. I know by me going in the under 23's and barossa cup, has got me wanting to bowl in more tournaments and to compete with the best.

But with entry fees as well, yes there should be the high entry fees still, with the high prize money. But for the people who always wanted to bowl in a tournament and to feel what its like, I suggest we have more lower entry fees, with the lower prize money and have these tournaments located in alot of bowling centres.

People who will enjoy bowling in the lower entry fee tournament, might feel more confident and then eventually decide to bowl in the higher prize tournaments. Just my opinion and suggestions anyway. But I think it will benefit for everybody in the future.

 

[Bowling Balls Australia]

I was fortunate enough to bowl (partly before injury anyhow) in the VIP Classic in Hobart a few weeks ago. They had a very good open field, but also had outstanding representation in the Restricted Class.

Whilst smaller centres in SA, ie Tanunda and Murray Bridge, don't have the lanes to run a restricted class in conjunction with the open field, there are many centres which do.

As David said, bowlers have to start somewhere in the tournament scene and here is where it could be done. Combine both restricted and open events on the sports patterns so the lesser bowlers can have a taste of the conditions.

There are lots of 175 to 185 average bowlers around who would love to compete on the tougher patterns and gain the experience, but know bowling in open fields they will get blown away and that makes it a very expensive learning curve.

We might be amazed as to how many of those bowlers will benefit and improve, then when their averages dictate it they may be more willing to take the next step.

Simmo has organised a good event at Salisbury with quite good numbers participating, this event is a classic example. There is really no reason why this could not be a dual tournament, scratch up one end and restricted up the other on the same conditions. Maybe that is something you could consider for future years Simmo? I am sure Colin, Julie & Paul from Hobart would give you some help as to how it can be done - they did an enormous job.

I look at this scenario in similar ways to AFL/SANFL football - very few players go the the AFL without a season or so at least in the lesser league, even though they may be ready or very close to it. 180 average bowlers are really only another closed frame away from being card bowlers, having combined tournaments on the tougher patterns will condition those people to be able to compete at the higher level when they get that extra spare consistently.

The atmosphere will improve significantly too if instead of having 38 entries at a tournament, we have 75 or so. Of course, entry fees and consequently prize money are reduced for the restricted class, therefore there is not the same financial drain whilst people are learning and gaining the necessary experience.

Food for thought..........I KNOW we would get the numbers in restricted class to make the exercise worthwhile.

Max

 

[Andrew K]

we are trying to look at the problem at woodville too, we are starting small with junior doubles this year, but over the next few years we are hoping to expand it to youth, adult, with open and restricted classes with singles doubles, and teams

 

[jason_doust]

Max said "We might be amazed as to how many of those bowlers will benefit and improve, then when their averages dictate it they may be more willing to take the next step." I agree up to a point. We might also be amazed at how many will sandbag their average into the restricted level, like they do for De Veer. There's good and bad to that plan.

How about a restricted prizefund within the tournament proper? Boost numbers and make the event larger. Players compete in the event proper, learn about tournament play (maybe a 10 minute briefing before qualifying to learn protocols) and have to mix it with better players, pushing them on. Then a seperate matchplay.

I've only just dreamed this up, so it needs some resolution.

On the subject of entry fees, I really balk at paying $300 like a lot of folks. It's above my threshold of pain (and I'm a really keen player.)

Cheers,
Jason

 

[strop]

I agree with all your vaild points re this subject.
It reminds me of the ATBA days when at the same time there was SAMBA which was mainly handicapped tournaments aimed at those averaging around the 160- 190 ave mark. Maybe we could do this once again.
I now mainly bowl seniors which have a scratch and handicap division both bowling together, maybe we should have what they have with the same sort of format.
When I was growing up with bowling (hang on I'll rephrase that, haven't grown up yet), in my younger days I would try and bowl all tournaments no matter what just to be with the big boys that I looked up to....and just to get as much experience as I could. Didn't worry too much about entry fees because I loved the game.
In later years most of my involvement was in running tournaments as tounament director for the ATBA, which I did for over 10 years. I had just as much enjoyment in running a successful event as bowling in it.
In Adelaide we have (I think) the youth monthly tournaments, not sure if they still run them, which I thought was a good idea.
Bowlers need to bowl in what-ever tournaments they can without prejudice for the event or the centre.
I also agree on one point Jason made with regards to having a restricted ave event within the main event. How to keep track of bowler's averages and the validity of them. Plus having so many restricted bowlers bowling how many open players will be left after many won't want to bowl the scratch division any more? Due to the fact of the decline especially in this state to that breed of bowler called the elite or open bowler.
Cheers
Tony Stoppel

 

[SNEEZY]

In relation to the above, if anyone is interested in bowling in a tournament. Noarlunga Bowl is putting on a 30 Game Marathon (9 no tap). If anyone is interested then please either personal message me or post a reply on the thread already on this forum.

THANKS

DAVID

 

[AdrianS]

Still think the old SACBA format would be good for those months that stuff like SA cup, Barossa and these things that Salisbury/Elizabeth have been butting on. 6 games, cut to 10, the 1 game matchplay sprint with pinfall carried over, 4 or 5 man stepladder(even though i'm not the biggest fan of stepladders, with a 1 game matchplay you can hardly have a position round!!) this could be done for a lowish entry fee surely($70-80 maybe??)
And maybe a $10 discount if you show up and bowl in your ATBA shirt!!!(if anyone can fit into their old SACBA shirt well done for looking after yourself for the past 20 yrs!! )

 

[strop]

I agree with you Adrian, Those 1 dayers 6 game / top 12 / 1 round postional round / then top3 stepladder were good fill in tournaments.

I cant fit into my button up SACBA shirt anymore......being a elite athlete now...too much muscle.......

cheersa

tony

 

[xballs]

I cant fit into my button up SACBA shirt anymore......being a elite athlete now...too much muscle.......

cheersa

tony

See what happens when you do 200 sit ups aday!

 

[AdrianS]

I can still fit into my BRIGHT PINK one from 1998, hmmm, might have to pack it for Salisbury

 

[desmondo]

One area that has not been covered in this interesting and well debated topic is sponsorship. A few years ago, I rounded up a dozen or so sponsors for the Rauchig team. What did they get for it? NOTHING, no recognition, no thankyous, no letter - NOTHING. No follow up meant they were not interested in sponsoring the sport ever again.

I am happy to sponsor tournaments to the extent that my small business can afford to but I need something back out of it. Your name on the back of a brochure (not even for all tournaments) is hardly worth the exposure.
There are many ways to address this (and I hope Jo and her crew can start looking at it shortly) but something needs to be done.

I'll even throw this one out for a thought. I have a (very small) share in a mortgage broking business. Obviously we get money from every loan we arrange. If the right package was proposed by the SATBA, we would put some of what we make on each loan to a registered TBA bowler back into tournaments in SA. (We are talking a reasonable amount of money) For example, if the bowler wanted, we would pay their next tournament entry fee or assist them in acquiring new gear or pay for some coaching. In addition, there would be some sponsorship for the sport in general. We have a budget in mind for this but the better the package from SATBA, the more we would be willing to put in.

Regards
Des Wragg

 

[strop]

Des,
I didnt want to involve sponshorship in this debate, even though it is a must to have with tournaments , but it has been very hard over the years to give back to the sponsor what they deserve. Always has been a difficult area.

Your sort of sponsorship your apply to should be on a state level that involves all bowlers, not just a hand full. I'm sure Jo can help you with this one.

cheers

tony

 

[desmondo]

Tony,

Appreciate your comments and I understand the difficulty in the past.

Jo and I have been talking today and will carry it further.

Sponsors need to be looked after and in the past that hasn't been the case.

I have some ideas about sponsoring that may benefit both State teams and tournaments. However, please note that I have a small start up business and that does constrain my ability to support bowling in this state at the moment.

I want to be a visible long term supporter of bowling and it may take a bit longer than I want but it will happen.

Keep your comments flowing mate because a mug like me needs all the input he can get.

Des