R U L E S
IGBO MY 2009: Syracuse
IGBO MID-YEAR 2009 TOURNAMENT RULES


Sanctioning
1. The IGBO Mid-Year Tournament is a USBC-certified tournament and maintains a Moral Support Certification for non-members of USBC. In part, The Moral Support Certification permits the use of FIQ recognized certified league averages and tournament scores to determine a bowlers entering average for the tournament. All participants are subject to the USBC rules and jurisdiction for the event. The tournament is a mixed handicap competition open to men and women by invitation only.

2. All participants must be a member of IGBO or qualify under the Moral Support Certification.  If the participant is not a member of USBC he or she must pay the appropriate membership fee to be eligible for USBC awards.

3. If the participant is not a member of IGBO, in any of its membership classes, he or she must become an IGBO Associate member and pay the appropriate Associate membership fee. The participant shall have the opportunity to apply for Associate Membership at the time of registration.

Event Participation
4. The tournament events shall be handicap events and are as follows: Singles, Doubles and Team.  Optional Individual Scratch Divisions will also be offered.

5. Each participant shall bowl three games per event and must enter all three events.  Teams will consist of four members comprising any combination of men and women.  Men and women will compete on an equal basis.  Doubles partners must come from the same team.

6. Each participant may bowl only once in each event.

7. A professional bowler that is not a current rostered IGBO league or organizational member, with a minimum 21 games, may not bowl the IGBO Mid-Year tournament. Only one professional bowler per team will be allowed. A Professional Bowler is defined as any person who has been a “card-carrying” member of a professional bowling organization within the past twelve months preceding the IGBO Mid-Year Tournament.

8. Employees of bowling centers being used by the Host City who are non-IGBO league members shall not be permitted to participate in the IGBO Mid-Year Tournament.

Optional Scratch Division
9. An Optional Scratch event will be offered to all participants using a minimum of five divisions as determined by entering average (see Rule 17).  Mid-Year 2009 offers an Optional Scratch Event and/or a Scratch Masters Event. 
Optional Scratch Divisions will be:
Division A:  Averages 149 and under
Division B:  Averages 150 to 169
Division C:  Averages 170 to 184
Division D:  Averages 185 to 199
Division E:  Averages 200 and above

a) The Optional Scratch shall use the scratch scores (without handicap) from the handicap portion of the tournament to determine winners.  The optional scratch shall be divided into three separate categories within each division: Highest single scratch game (from any of the events); highest scratch three game series (from any of the events); and highest scratch all events (from the nine game total from all three events). Participants will provide their own transportation to Scratch Masters (at Thunderbird Lanes). All qualifiers are required to check into the lanes at Thunderbird by 8:30 a.m. or will be replaced by alternate(s).

b) The Scratch Masters shall be a round robin format of the highest eight scratch all events bowlers from each division.  In case of a tie for the eighth place, the bowler with the highest three game series from any event will be the eighth bowler.  The round robin format shall consist of seven matches and one position round, with thirty bonus points being awarded to the winner of each match (fifteen for a tie).  There will then be a stepladder final after the round robin and position round, consisting of the highest four bowlers from the eight games with bonus points.  All previous scores are dropped, and the stepladder format will consist of three matches: fourth place bowls third place; the winner advances to bowl second place; and the winner advances to bowl first place for the title.  No bonus points are used, and scores are dropped after each match.  In the event of a tie, a ninth and tenth frame roll-off will take place to determine the winner of each match.

10. Scores used for the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be those Scratch games (without handicap) as bowled in the Handicap Division of the tournament.

Awards and Prizes
11. All cash awards shall be based on the Total Pins PLUS assigned handicap for each event (with exception of the Optional Scratch Divisions).

12. Awards will be given in the Handicap Division for the best Singles, Doubles, Team Individual All Events and Team All Events.  Individual All Events is defined as the nine game total plus handicap of an individual bowler.  Team All Events is defined as the nine game total plus handicap of the four members of the same team who have competed in all
three different events.  In the event that any member of the team does not bowl the nine games, that team will be ineligible for the Team All Events recognition.

13. The award ratio for the Handicap Division shall be at a minimum of at least 1:10.

14. Awards in the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be given for the Best Single Game (from any of the events), Best three Game Series (from any of the events), and Best All Events (nine game total).

15. The award ratio for the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be at a minimum of at least 1:20 per division.

16. Prizes will be distributed via check payable in US currency within 30 days of the completion of the tournament, barring any protests.  A tie in any position will result in the sum of the prizes being aggregated for the tied positions and divided equally by the number of ties for that placing.  Prize funds will be based on 100% participation.

17. 100% of the entry fee from each division in the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be returned to that division and 100% of the entry fee less lineage and trophy expense shall be returned for Scratch Masters.

Entering Averages
18. Any bowler entering the IGBO Mid-Year Tournament must establish a ten-pin average acceptable to USBC.  The following rules shall be used to determine the entering average:
a) The highest 2008-2009 book average with a minimum of 21 games.  If competing in
    more than one league, the bowler MUST submit the HIGHEST AVERAGE of all leagues
    bowled.
b)  If none of the above is available, use the highest 2009 final summer league average
    with a minimum of 21 games.  If competing in more than one league, the bowler MUST
    submit the HIGHEST summer league average of all leagues bowled.
c)  If none of the above is available, use the highest book average from 2007-2008, with
    minimum 21 games.
d)  If none of the above is available, a current season average (minimum 21 games), as of
    October 28, 2009 for accepting entries will be accepted.
e)  Non-certified bowlers shall use a minimum of 130 and shall be required to submit all
    league averages and tournament scores for possible average adjustment.
f)   If none of the above is available, then the entering average shall be 225.  USBC Rule
    319a(2) does not apply.
g)  The above averages MUST be verified by the use of:
1) League standing sheet, signed and dated by League Officer, or
2) Letter from League President or Secretary, or
3) Photocopy of book average (with year noted) signed and dated by League Officer.
h)  Averages from “Sports Condition” leagues are not acceptable at any time.

19. The handicap for the tournament shall be based at 90% of the difference between the bowler’s entering average (as determined above) and a scratch score of 225.  Negative handicaps shall not apply.

20. The tournament management has the authority to adjust the entering average of any bowler.  Average adjustments will be applied as set forth under USBC rules.  All average adjustments will be completed prior to the start of each event.  A bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a full refund.

21. USBC rules regarding the BOWLER’S responsibility to verify the accuracy of his/her entering average, whether submitted by the bowler, the team captain, or other, applies to all bowlers.  Failure to use proper average shall disqualify scores if the submitted average is lower than the actual average, thereby resulting in a lower classification or more handicap.  Prize winnings shall be based on the higher average if it is higher than the entering average.

Average Adjustment
22. If a bowler has a minimum 21 game tournament average that is one or more pins higher than their entering average for this tournament, they must use the higher tournament average.

Attendance and Substitutes
23. It is solely and entirely the bowler’s responsibility to be present at the assigned lanes at the time of bowling.  Each bowler shall have the total responsibility to arrive in time to bowl.  Mechanical failures, transportation irregularities, improper directions and related reasons DO NOT alter the application of Rules 24 and 25 below (USBC rules will apply).

24. Complete doubles and team entrants must be present for bowling each event.  If a team member is not present the team may use an authorized substitute (Rule 26).  If no substitute is available, a zero score will be used for the missing bowler or bowlers.

25. Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready, with prior frames being scored as zero.  No practice balls will be allowed late bowlers.

26. Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the tournament management.  Their entering averages must comply with the rules previously stated.  Substitutes must complete an entry form.

27. Bowlers will be allowed ten minutes of practice at the start of each event.


Entry Requirements
28. The entry fee is payable in US funds only BY MONEY ORDER or CERTIFIED CHECK, made payable to IGBO MIDYEAR 2009.  An additional fee is required to enter the Optional Scratch Divisions.  All entries are to be mailed “CERTIFIED, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED”, or comparable international postage regulations.  Entries are to be mailed to:
IGBO MIDYEAR 2009
P.O. Box 142
East Syracuse, New York, 13057

ALL PRINTED/MANUAL ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN the entry deadline (10/23/09). ALL ONLINE ENTRIES MUS BE SUBMITTED AND PAID IN FULL VIA CREDIT CARD NO LATER THAN the entry deadline (Midnight, 10/23/09). 

29. Entries shall be limited to a maximum of 88 teams (352 individuals).  Once this maximum has been reached, no more entries can be accepted.  Entrants’ acceptance will be based on the order in which received.  Once an entry has been accepted, refunds will only be issued at the Host Committee’s discretion.

30. Partial team entries will be accepted and the tournament director(s) will make every effort to fill vacancies.

Scoring Errors
31. After a score has been recorded, it cannot be changed unless there has been an obvious error in scoring or calculation. Obvious errors must be corrected by a tournament official immediately upon discovery. Questionable errors must be reported to a tournament official within two (2) hours of the error, and will be decided by tournament management (USBC rule 328).

Protests
32. Protest and appeals must be in writing, stating the grounds for the protest or appeal..
a)  A protest involving eligibility or playing rules must be filed with the tournament
    management before tournament prizes are paid.
b)  The decision of the tournament management shall be final unless a written appeal is
    filed with the local association or USBC headquarters prior to tournament prizes being
    paid.  Upon notification of a protest or appeal, tournament management must withhold
    all affected prizes until the protest or appeal is resolved.

33. All other USBC rules will apply.

34. Any person attending and requiring special needs MUST notify the tournament director(s) in writing.

35. The team captain MUST sign the entry form acknowledging he/she has read the rules