TBA ???? GOOD or BAD

[Docta]

Well here it is guys, this may get shut down pretty quick but here goes anyway. I would like to here from everybody as to what they think of the TBA good or Bad, Are we heading into the right direction or is this a sinking ship.
You all know where I stand on the matter,
I have made no bones about what I believe is the problem so Im leaving up to you guys. For those of you that believe the TBA is good, please enlighten me as to why you think so. I would really love to hear for the TBA themselves as to what they are doing to help bowling get back on its feet, what plans and processes are in place to encourage and expand the youth market which I believe is lacking or is talking on the one and only bowling forum beneath them.
I would also like to know what we get for our money in respect to registration. Hopefully we can keep this thread civil, me included.....but I doubt it and I think its because a lot of the bowling community are feed up. Anyway over to everybody else.

 

[John_Velo]

G'Day All,

Easy for me, I believe that every bowler should be a TBA member. In fact I was shocked when I came back to bowling after 24yrs away to hear it was not required. I was shocked that was permitted as 24 years earlier it was mandatory to bowl league.

Every sport needs good governance to succeed and for bowling to rebuild.

You can't play cricket with out paying membership, Rugby League, Soccer name an Australian wide sport and good governance is there and membership mandatory.

 

[Dougy]

I also think its great u have to be reg tba member. Atleast ya coved if ya hurt ya self. Dicounts wen u go away for tournys.

 

[CT]

For governemnt funding requirements we are required to have a registered national orginisation. If it wasn't the TBA it would be a similar thing under a different name.

Personally i think one of the biggest issue bowling has faced is the lack of the requirement to be part of the TBA. Its very difficult to grow the sport when not everyone is contributing to the cause. I would go as far to say that ALL games bowled in registered centres should attract a TBA fee. This is quite common in other sports and is part of the fee for hiring a venue. AMF hasn't done bowling many favours either, however there have been glimpses of what can be achieved from time to time. The 'dumbing' down of house shots and a lack of understand the effect this has had on the game have also lead to a large down turn in numbers, particularly those bowlers who want to move beyond just the once a week social league experience.

I have no issue with someone having a beef with the TBA, but to have a valid argument you should offer an alternative and provide details on how it would work better than the current system. All new ideas should be considered by all parties involved if bowling is to progress. After all, you can't make progress without movement and a direction to head in.

 

[Scotty R]

Hi Docta (it's me again)

felt this was the right place to place a response to your last post in the 8 pin advantage thread. It sounds like the AMF cantre you bowl at is more at fault on the lack of information of membership benefits rather than the TBA as they send flyer out to centres etc. But could things be better, the answer in my opinion is yes. If you go back to the national training squad thread I raised my concern with the lack of flexibility in the stucture of it all as did some others.

I don't know anything about how they run things from the top but have certainly seen efforts probably below what we would expect from a business trying to improve our sport at different levels withing the TBA. I know for some committees time is an issue as most of us lead busy lifestyles but ppl who do have the time and passion are the ones who need to put their hand up and take on a little more responsibility. I'm now at a stage where I'm looking at contributing more in my local bowling alley and even stateI have the time to contribute.

I think that if we are truely passionate about seeing our sport progress we have to put in the hard yards. I just hope they are already doing that at the top cause that's where it starts.

 

[CHIN]

Hi Docta (it's me again)

felt this was the right place to place a response to your last post in the 8 pin advantage thread. It sounds like the AMF cantre you bowl at is more at fault on the lack of information of membership benefits rather than the TBA as they send flyer out to centres etc. But could things be better, the answer in my opinion is yes. If you go back to the national training squad thread I raised my concern with the lack of flexibility in the stucture of it all as did some others.

I don't know anything about how they run things from the top but have certainly seen efforts probably below what we would expect from a business trying to improve our sport at different levels withing the TBA. I know for some committees time is an issue as most of us lead busy lifestyles but ppl who do have the time and passion are the ones who need to put their hand up and take on a little more responsibility. I'm now at a stage where I'm looking at contributing more in my local bowling alley and even stateI have the time to contribute.

I think that if we are truely passionate about seeing our sport progress we have to put in the hard yards. I just hope they are already doing that at the top cause that's where it starts.

I think your stalking him

 

[Docta]

I agree we need at governing body. Im just not sold on the TBA being that body. Can anybody tell me in basic point form what they are doing to further the sport. I would also like to know where the registration money goes..Are the pays of the employees made public? where can i find this info? How do the people that are running the TBA get there jobs. Are the jobs advertised nationally or is it a case of jobs for mates? What Im getting at is are they best possible people in charge or is there no accountability.

 

[Docta]

I just read the TBA websites info on social networks and from what i can understand it basically stated that if you are a member you cant talk about them. Am I wrong?

 

[CHIN]

Sorry, cant comment

 

[nev25]

How do the people that are running the TBA get there jobs. .

They are usally advertised on the TBA website and here

 

[Docta]

Very funny Chin

 

[CHIN]

thought youd like that one.

 

[RobbieB]

I agree we need at governing body. Im just not sold on the TBA being that body. Can anybody tell me in basic point form what they are doing to further the sport. I would also like to know where the registration money goes..Are the pays of the employees made public? where can i find this info? How do the people that are running the TBA get there jobs. Are the jobs advertised nationally or is it a case of jobs for mates? What Im getting at is are they best possible people in charge or is there no accountability.

Probably took longer to write your post than to find the info yourself.
http://www.tenpin.org.au/index.php?id=897

 

[Docta]

Thanks RobbieB

 

[Docta]

very interesting reading

 

[Mistagear]

The sport's Governing body is between a rock and a hard place. The rock is the Federal Gov's Sports Commission which long ago dangled the cash bait in return for our sport's soul and the hard places are the Bowling Centres.
The Sports Commission lures the Sporting Bodies into focusing their attention towards sporting pathways towards international competition, coaching accreditation and generally a cookie cuter template where every sport uses the funds of the majority to pay for the pointy end of the pyramid called the "elite" sports people.
This focus on elite international participation is exactly why the Sports Commission was formed after a less than extraordinary result at an Olympic Games.
I can appreciate how easily the elected officials are quickly persuaded to "look over here" when someone keeps waving a pile of cash and saying "Look what we can do for your sport", "how important will you be in the eyes of your members when they see what you have done for your sport.
Next minute, all of the waved cash and much of the sports own funds are doing the bidding of the Commission whilst the general membership receive very little for what they contribute.
I do not blame TBA, this is happening all over Australia in many sports, why it is exacerbated in Bowling's case is the fact that the actual running of the sport at grass roots level is not done by the sport, it's done by private and public businesses who are rightly focused on business profits, not the welfare of TBA or it's members.
TBA needs the Sports Commission and the Commission cant exist without the sports, like Bowling.
TBA needs to come up with a reason why the Bowling Centres need TBA because currently the Bowl's are the ones which have the lanes and they already have the bowler by time TBA are introduced into the equation.
They own the game, they have the players, they organize 99% of the competitions, not TBA.
The only asset controlled by TBA is State and Australian Championships and the pathway to international competition.
Unless TBA finds a way to be essential to the Bowling Centres, they will never prosper.

 

[becka_girl]

I think TBA is doing a lot more for the sport then bowling centres! I have lost count of how many times I have gone to practice at one of my local centres and been turned away because they would prefer social play. If most bowling centres had it their way, there wouldnt be any leagues or tournaments, just social play.

If you want to know what TBA are doing for our sport, give the office a call, I am sure Kelly or Cara would be more then happy to explain to you everything they are doing.

 

[CHIN]

That would take effort Bec and they may get answers they weren't expecting. Easier to blindly vent on here where they know TBA personell don't come to.

 

[Geoff300]

There are TBA personell and Board members on here

 

[Drumo]

If most bowling centres had it their way, there wouldnt be any leagues or tournaments, just social play.

Bec,

I agree with you about the TBA doing more for the sport but I think centres rely on leagues as much as they do the social side. Leagues provide the centres with a dollar value each week which the centres know they will get... The social side is the unknown variable... Given that you can't guarantee how many social bowlers will walk through the doors...

The one thing that TBA could do better is promote the sport outside of bowling alleys... TBA also need the support of bowling centres as well encouraging bowlers to become registered and not have unsanctioned leagues...