2006 MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING  RULES & REGULATIONS 

SECTION 1: DEFINING THE STRUCTURE OF THE MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING PROGRAM

1.01 Management

The management of Minnesota High School Bowling’s conferences shall be vested in the Bowling Proprietors Association of Minnesota (BPAM) and the Triad Commission. The Triad Commission is a group of three volunteers appointed by the BPAM to set forth policy and guidelines, and to make decisions regarding matters not covered in these rules. The Triad Commission for the 2006 season is Tim Chirpich of Mankato, Dean Torvick of New Ulm, and Mike Warring of Isanti. A simple majority of the committee will constitute a quorum. Any questions or problems within or regarding the high school bowling program should be directed to Kenn Rockler or Josh Hodney at the BPAM office. If no rule or precedence exists, BPAM staff will contact the Triad to make a ruling.

1.02 Team Practice

A team may have its first practice no earlier than the second Monday in August. Coaches are allowed to attend and interact with the team.

1.03 Conference Schedules

Each conference will begin its schedule no earlier than the first Friday in September and be completed no later than the second Saturday in November (conferences with ten or more teams can complete its conference schedule by the third Saturday in November). Each team in a conference must compete in at least two matches with every other team in the conference.  Teams will bowl five (5) game matches, regardless of wins and losses (i.e. if a team wins the first three games the last two should still be bowled).  Each conference will determine the length of its season and the day and time of matches.

1.04 Postponements

The host center and the conference coordinator will determine cause to grant postponement.  It is the job of the coordinator to contact all teams involved and reschedule the event in a timely matter.

1.05 Conference make-up

A Minnesota High School Bowling conference is made up of at least four teams representing no less than four high schools (or school districts).  One individual called the conference coordinator will manage each conference. The sponsoring bowling centers and the coaches in each conference are responsible for designating who will be the conference coordinator each year. The conference coordinator shall only be appointed for a term of one season at a time. Each conference must hold a meeting prior to the beginning of each bowling season, either in person or via conference call. It is at this preseason meeting that the conference coordinator for the upcoming season shall be designated.

1.06 Conference Coordinator Duties and Responsibilities

The following is a list of duties and responsibilities for each conference coordinator

1. Report the conference activities to the BPAM state office in Maplewood, MN

2. Report to staff at the BPAM state office if there are any pairings of schools in his/her conference

3. Organize a preseason meeting with all conference coaches and proprietors 

4. Schedule and administer the conference meets

5. Organize and run the conference tournament

6. Keep statistics and report them to staff at the BPAM state office 

7. Make sure each team’s sponsoring bowling center has paid the $200 participation fee

8. Take pictures of each team in the conference (or assign each coach to do so)

9. Communicate information to all coaches in the conference, as well as distribute materials sent by the staff at the BPAM state office

10. Assure that rosters and other paperwork have been filled out and turned into staff at the BPAM state office by the due dates listed on each form

11. Report the detailed results of the conference tournament to the BPAM within 24 hours of completion of the event

12. Make sure that the teams from his/her conference that advance to the MIT & the State Tournament are aware of the uniform requirements.

1.07 Conference Coordinator Compensation

The BPAM state office will pay each conference coordinator $50.00 for each team in his/her conference(s), if they complete the following:

1. Collect a $200 fee for each team (to be paid by sponsoring bowling center) and send it to the BPAM State office by September 15, 2006, or within one week of the conference schedule beginning, whichever is later. Note that the sponsorship fee for a bowling center that is sponsoring a second or third team is $200 for the first team and $175 for all additional teams.

2. Turn all rosters and other required paperwork into the BPAM state office

3. Turn in a photograph of each team to the BPAM state office 

4. Turn statistics into the BPAM state office after each meet so that the website can be updated

5. Submit the final season standings and results, and the conference tournament results to the BPAM state office

 1.08 Coaches

Coaches must be at least 18 years of age and out of high school.  Coaches can coach more than one team in the conference but must appoint another adult to represent one of the teams at matches.  Each team must have an adult representative (coach, parent) at each weekly stop through the season. It is highly recommended that all coaches receive Level II USBC and/or USA Bronze Level Training, as well as ASEP training (American Sport Education Program - http://www.asep.com).
 

1.09 Proprietors fees, duties and responsibilities

There will be a $200.00 sponsorship fee charged to each team’s sponsoring bowling center.  The sponsorship fee for a bowling center that is sponsoring more than one team is $200 for the first team and $175 for all additional teams. Checks should be made payable to CCM (short for Community Charities of Minnesota), but sent to the BPAM state office by September 15, 2006, or within one week of the conference schedule beginning, whichever is later. The sponsoring bowling center agrees to provide free linage to the teams it sponsors for practice and (in most cases) the opportunity to host a conference meet or meets.   

1.10 Athlete Fees

The sponsoring bowling center may charge each bowler on each of the teams the center sponsors an optional participation fee of up to $40.00. This money should be used to cover the cost of uniforms, lineage, and the team sponsorship fee. 

1.11 Team Rosters

Rosters must be made up of bowlers who are presently attending the school that is represented by the sponsoring center.  Bowlers who are currently in grades 7 thru 12 are eligible.  A roster may have no less than five players. There is no limit to the number of students a team may carry on the roster. Each team is limited to eight (8) bowlers for each match.  Bowlers must not have, or ever had, an ABC, WIBC, or USBC adult sanction card (non-sanctioned bowlers may participate).  There will be no limit to the number of male or female bowlers on a roster.  A roster may be expanded at any time prior to the start of the last week of the conference schedule if written notice to the conference coordinator is made. 

Prior to the start of the conference tournament coaches must designate all players as either varsity bowlers or junior varsity bowlers. Coaches will make these designations using their final roster forms provided by the BPAM. These forms must be turned into the conference coordinator before the conference tournament begins. Bowlers listed on the final varsity roster will be allowed to bowl in the conference tournament, the MIT, and the State Tournament.  Bowlers listed on the final varsity roster will not be allowed to bowl in the JV conference tournament or the JV Invitational State Tournament. Bowlers listed on the final junior varsity roster(s) may bowl in the JV conference tournament (if their conference holds one) and the JV Invitational State Tournament.  Bowlers listed on a final junior varsity roster cannot bowl in the (varsity) conference tournament, the MIT, or the State Tournament.

Coaches may bring players up from or send them down to JV during the regular season, but at the conclusion of the regular season a player must be placed on either of the final rosters. No exceptions will be allowed.

1.12 Bowlers in home school

Bowlers who attend home school may participate in Minnesota High School Bowling, but they must do so with the team that is in the district where the bowler would attend high school. Home-schooled bowlers can be no younger than 12 years of age AND must be scheduled to turn no less than 13 by May 1, 2007. The conference coordinator and Triad Commission have the right to request to see birth certificates for any/all home schooled bowlers.    

1.13 Player age and eligibility

An athlete must be under 20 years of age as of September 3, 2006. A bowler cannot have graduated from high school. In the case of a bowler who has been held back in school one or more years, that bowler’s classmates cannot have graduated. To clarify with an example: A bowler who enters his/her eighth grade year in the fall of 2003 would be on schedule to graduate in the spring of 2008. This bowler could not participate in the high school bowling program past the fall of 2006. If the bowler is held back in school he may not have graduated from high school by the fall of 2008, but because the classmates he was originally scheduled to graduate with have graduated the bowler is ineligible.   

1.14 Team Captains

Each team or coach is encouraged to name a team captain (or co-captains). If so desired the coach may ask for a team vote (using written ballots) to elect a captain. Preferably, the team captain should be one of the older bowlers on the roster. The bowler(s) chosen to be team captain need not be one of the most skilled bowlers on the team. More importantly, this individual(s) should be someone of excellent character with leadership capability; a person the rest of the team looks up to and would feel comfortable confiding in.  

SECTION 2: THE RULES OF THE MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING PROGRAM

2.01 Format

All contests for Minnesota high school bowling will use the baker-system. All conference matches must be the best 3 of 5 games (5 games must be bowled, even if a team wins the first three games). All conference tournaments will be single elimination tournaments, best 3 of 5 games. Teams will be seeded according to their standings after completion of the conference schedule. During conference tournament play 5 games do not need to be bowled (i.e. if a team wins the first three games the match is over).

2.02 Legal Line-ups

Only players from a team’s current roster shall count toward a legal line-up. A zero (0) will be used for a missing player’s score if a team does not have five players to participate in a game.  If the missing player arrives late he/she can bowl in the frame that he/she is ready for.  The team will bowl all games for each match on the same pair of lanes.  Teams will then rotate lanes each frame with the team on the right lane starting first.  If the team on the left lane starts first then the ball must be bowled over.

It is recommended that all teams’ complete rosters be introduced prior to the start of all first-round matches.  The roster must be given to the opposing coach prior to the start of each match.  Unlimited substitutions are permitted, however, once a bowler has been removed from a game they may not re-enter that game.  Once a bowler’s name is listed on the official score sheet, and the game has started, that bowler is official whether they have thrown a ball or not. A player’s position in the line-up may not change within a game.  If a player cannot complete a frame they receive zero for the remaining balls.

2.03 Substitutions

The opposing coach must be notified of a substitution before the substitute bowler throws his/her first ball.  Failure to notify the opposing coach of a substitution will result in a zero pin-fall for those balls thrown by the illegal substitute. A substitute bowler cannot enter a game to shoot a spare for any reason. A bowler must bowl a complete frame. 

2.04 Pairing

A paired team consists of two or more high schools joining to become one team.  The only justification for creating a paired team is that a single high school cannot provide enough bowlers to have its own team (at least 5 players).  All teams wishing to be paired must apply for pairing by submitting a written request to the BPAM state office. Teams should use form PA-1 to apply for pairing. Even if two schools have been paired for several years a team cannot legally be paired in 2006 until the Triad Commission has approved of the pairing. All pairings should be reported to the conference coordinator and the BPAM state office no less than 7 days before the season begins. All students from a high school must bowl on the same team. Schools wishing to pair must make a reasonable attempt to pair with a team in a neighboring community. To preclude a state of “competitive disadvantage” the Triad Commission reserves the right to reject and proposed pairing.

A high school with an enrollment of 1000 or more students (grades 9 – 12) cannot pair with another high school that has an enrollment of 300 or more students (grades 9 – 12).  

The combined enrollment of 2 or more high schools wanting to pair cannot exceed 1500 (grades 9 – 12).  

The guide that will be used to determine a high school’s enrollment will be the Minnesota State High School League’s Directory of Member Schools. This season we will be using the 2004-05 guide. Next season we will use the 2005-06 guide, etc.  If the enrollment number listed in the guide is only for grades 10 – 12 then that number will be multiplied by 1.334 to come up with the enrollment number for grades 9 – 12. 

2.05 Grades and attendance

A coach may ask his/her bowlers to provide report cards if he/she so chooses. Because this is a matter of privacy it is up to each bowler or the bowlers’ parents to decide if they wish to provide such information. If a coach becomes aware that a bowler is not sustaining an average grade level of C or higher than it is the coaches duty to suspend that bowler until that bowler’s grade average has risen to a level of C or higher. Coaches, at their discretion, may request that athletes participate in study groups. Attendance at study groups may not be required. It is up to the bowler and/or the parents if they choose to participate in such an activity.    Students are eligible for participation if enrolled in the high school from the beginning of the semester.  Students enrolled after the beginning of the semester will gain eligibility at the start of the third week or on the 15^th calendar day after enrollment.  Students must be properly registered, attending school and classes regularly, and enrolled in the required number of credits.

2.06 The settee area and coaches position

During match or tournament play, coaches must remain behind their settee area and stay out of the field of play. If it is unclear where the settee area begins and ends then the area known as the settee area will be defined by the conference coordinator. Coaches may enter the settee area in between games and matches.

2.07 Penalties for misconduct

No un-sportsman like conduct will be permitted.  No abusive language or harassment will be permitted.  The conference coordinator will deal with each incident on a case-by-case basis. Athletes, coaches, and fans can all be penalized for un-sportsman like conduct. A conference coordinator can decide whether a team or an individual is guilty of misconduct. Should the conference coordinator feel that un-sportsman like conduct has taken place the penalties for each offense are as follows:

Team offenses                                                        Individual offenses

1^st OFFENSE:  Verbal Warning                                                 1^st OFFENSE:      Verbal Warning

2^nd OFFENSE: Team forfeits game                                            2^nd OFFENSE:    Individual is disqualified for the match in progress (if         

3^rd OFFENSE: Team forfeits one match                                                                applicable) plus the next three matches. Must total 4.

4^th OFFENSE: Team forfeits two matches                                 3^rd OFFENSE:     Individual is expelled for the remainder of the season 

                                                                                                                                      and all post-season play

NOTE: For post-season play, there are no verbal warnings. All misconduct will be penalized after one offense.

2.08 Penalties for severe misconduct (alcohol, tobacco, violent behavior)

The BPAM recognizes the use of mood altering chemicals as a significant health problem for many adolescents, resulting in negative effects of behavior, learning, and total development of each individual.  The misuse and abuse of mood altering chemicals for some adolescents affects extra curricular participation and development of related skills. Others are affected by the misuse and abuse of family, team members or other significant persons in their lives. During the school year, regardless of the quantity, a student shall not:  (1) use a beverage containing alcohol; (2) use tobacco; or (3) use or consume, have in possession, buy, sell, or give away any other controlled substance.

Moreover, no alcoholic beverages, smoking or chewing tobacco will be permitted (by an athlete, coach or spectator) on the concourse area of the lanes in use while any conference practices, matches or tournaments are taking place. There will be no verbal warnings for coaches or athletes regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages or the use of tobacco. For a coach or athlete found to be guilty of such matters the penalties are as follows:

                                 1st OFFENSE: Player or coach is suspended for the next four consecutive matches

                              2nd OFFENSE: Player or coach is expelled for the remainder of the season and all post-season play

2.09 Penalties for severe misconduct (bowling for rewards)

From the day a bowler joins Minnesota high school bowling to the day he/her no longer wishes to participate in the program (i.e. if a bowler participates from 7^th – 12^th grade than it is a period of over 2000 consecutive days) he/she is not allowed to bowl in any league, tournament or open-event (including, but not limited to moonlight bowling) where prizes are awarded. Whether prizes are accepted or declined the bowler is guilty of misconduct and will be excused from Minnesota high school bowling indefinitely. There will be no warnings and no exceptions to this rule and this penalty.    

2.10 Malicious behavior

A bowler or team that commits an especially heinous act could be subject to season or lifetime expulsion from the high school bowling program. The Triad Commission will make rulings regarding malicious behavior.

2.11 Suspension or expulsion

A bowler/student that is suspended or expelled from school is ineligible to practice or compete in any contest as long as they are not attending school.

2.12 Amateur status

A student/bowler must be an amateur. A student may not receive cash or merchandise for athletic participation.  A student does not lose their amateur status because of reimbursement for officiating, instructing, teaching or coaching a sport.

2.13 Uniforms for conference play

Uniforms are to be shirts with collars (often called “polo” or “golf” shirts). The name of the high school(s) being represented must appear on the back of the shirt. Uniform numbers must be placed on the back of the upper left shoulder of each uniform. The only print allowed to appear on the front of a uniform is the name of the sponsoring bowling center (may also appear on the back of the uniform).
 

2.14 Sponsor’s names on uniforms

Only the name of the high school(s) being represented and the name of the sponsoring bowling center may be printed on the uniform. No other sponsors will be permitted to appear on any uniform. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

2.15 Dress code for conference competition

All bowlers must wear their uniform (team shirt) during conference competitions.  Anyone not in uniform will not be allowed to bowl. Jeans and slacks are the only leg-wear that an athlete may wear. Bowlers are strongly encouraged to wear slacks during conference play. Pants cannot be cut-off, torn, ripped, tattered or torn. Pants should come down to the top of a bowler’s shoes. Capri’s are not allowed. No hats can be worn. During conference matches the conference coordinator is responsible for deciding which uniforms are acceptable.

SECTION 3: GUIDELINES, RECOMMENDATIONS & FURTHER INFORMATION

3.01 Conference Standings

Standings will be determined by each team’s record. The principal statistic that will determine standings within a conference will be matches won and lost.  If two teams have the same number of matches won and loss then the following statistics, in the order stated, will be used to determine which team will finish higher in the standings:

1. Games won and lost

2. Total pin-fall (throughout the season)

3. Head to head competition

Matches can only be won or lost. There should not be any ties for matches. Total pins for five games should be used to determine the winner of a tied match. If two teams have the same total pin-fall then the conference coordinator will determine a tiebreaker.  

3.02 Post Season Tournaments – The MIT

The 2006 Minnesota Invitational Tournament (MIT) will be held at a location to be determined on Saturday, November 18, 2006. The team in each conference that finished in first place according to the standings after regular season play will receive and automatic entry into the Minnesota Invitational Tournament (MIT). If the team that wins the regular season conference championship also wins the conference tournament then that team will advance directly to the State Tournament and the conference tournament runner-up with advance to the MIT.

At the MIT, each team will bowl 10 games. The team with the highest pin-fall after10 games will be seeded #1 in a double elimination bracket tournament. The team with the second highest pin-fall will be seeded #2, so on and so forth until all teams have been seeded. No more than sixteen teams will advance to the double-elimination bracket tournament. All matches in the tournament play will be best 2 out of 3 games.  The top two or three (**) placers at the MIT will earn the right to advance to the State Tournament.  ** If there are seventeen or nineteen conferences in 2006 then three teams will advance from the MIT to the State Tournament. If there are eighteen or twenty conferences then two teams will advance from the MIT to the State Tournament.

3.03 Post Season Tournaments - State Tournament

The Minnesota high school bowling program State Tournament is for the champions in each conference tournament and the top two or three teams from the MIT. The 2006 State Tournament will be held at a location TBD on Saturday, December 2, 2006.

First, each team will bowl 10 games. The team with the highest pin-fall after10 games will be seeded #1 in a double elimination bracket tournament. The team with the second highest pin-fall will be seeded #2, so on and so forth, until 16 teams have been seeded. The teams with the lowest pin-falls, who do not qualify for a 1-16 seed, will not advance to the double-elimination bracket tournament. All matches in the tournament play will be best 2 out of 3 games.

3.04 Post Season Tournaments – The All-Conference Tournament

The eight or nine players that are elected to a conference’s all-conference team will be eligible to compete in the 2006 All-Conference Tournament. The tournament will be held on November 25, 2006 at Apple Place Bowl in Apple Valley, MN. Bill Schwirtz is the tournament’s director, but will be receiving assistance from Josh Hodney and members of the Triad Commission. The cost for each team to participate is $50.00. This fee will cover the cost of linage and awards. Each conference should select one or two head coaches to coach their all-conference team. The format for the 2006 All-Conference Tournament will be finalized by November 25, 2006.  The dress code for the All-Conference Tournament will be same as for conference play.

3.05 Dress code for MIT and State Tournament play

The MIT and State Tournament are prestigious events that draw a lot of fans, as well as media coverage. The dress code for the MIT and State Tournament is the same as for conference play. However, jeans are not allowed and slacks must be worn. During postseason competition members of the Triad Commission will be responsible for deciding what uniforms are acceptable and unacceptable.

3.06 Post Season Tournaments - Rosters

No more than eight players are allowed in the settee area during any part of competition. Any player listed on a team’s final varsity roster may compete in the 10-game qualifier. Once a team advances past the 10-game qualifier its roster must be trimmed to no more than eight players. The names of these eight bowlers must be turned into a tournament director prior to the start of the double-elimination tournament. This same roster, of no more than eight bowlers, should be given to the opposing coach prior to each match throughout the tournament. The eight bowlers that are selected after the 10-game qualifier are the only eight bowlers that may bowl through the duration of the double elimination tournament. Rules for substituting are the same as for regular season play. 

3.07 Transfer Students

A student of any grade level who un-enrolls from one high school and enrolls in another high school shall be ineligible to compete in any varsity sport for a period of ninety school calendar days from the date of the transfer unless the student’s family (household) has moved to a new residence in the new school district. The Triad will make a ruling on any other situations on a case-by-case basis.

3.08 All-Conference Teams and Voting

Each conference must vote for an All-Conference team, comprised of players from the conference.

·         Players should be nominated and voted for on the following criteria: attendance (participation), sportsmanship, leadership and performance throughout the 2006 high school bowling season.

·         Each coach will nominate up to five eligible bowlers from his/her own team.  Then anytime within one week of the conference tournament all head coaches will vote for five bowlers. Head coaches are encouraged to get input from assistant coaches and players from his/her own team.          

·         A coach may not vote for any bowler on his/her own team(s).

·         A first place vote receives 10 points. A second place vote receives 8 points. A third place vote receives 6 points, etc.  The bowlers with the eight highest point totals will be named to the All-Conference team. The player receiving the highest number of points will be named the conference MVP (most valuable player). If there is a tie for 8^th place on the All-Conference team then a 9^th player shall be named to the team. No more than nine players can be on an All-Conference team. The choice of tiebreaker is at the discretion of each individual conference coordinator.   

·         The announcement of the All-Conference team must not be made until the completion of the conference tournament.

·        Results of the conference tournament and All-Conference voting must be turned into the BPAM state office the day after completion of the conference tournament.

3.09 Junior Varsity Teams

The formation of JV teams is strongly encouraged. It is up to each conference and coach to create its practice and meet schedule for JV bowling. JV bowlers must abide by all other rules and regulations of Minnesota High School Bowling.  A JV team should only be formed when a school as ten or more bowlers involved in the high school bowling program.

3.10 Post Season Tournaments – Junior Varsity Tournament

A post-season junior varsity tournament will be held in 2006. Details of the event will be made available at www.bpam.org.

3.11 Use of electronic devices during bowling

The use of CD players, iPods, and cellular phones by bowlers or coaches is not allowed during warm-ups or competition.

3.12 Switching hands during competition

A bowler is not allowed to switch bowling hands in the middle of a frame, even if injured. A bowler is allowed to switch hands from frame to frame.

3.13 Changing the surface of the ball

Once a ball has been put into competition its surface cannot be altered. A bowler can alter the surface of a ball (using steel wool, sandpaper, or rubbing alcohol) before a match begins or in between matches. A bowler may not alter the surface of the ball during or between games. A ball that is rolled that has been altered during a match will be counted as a 0.

3.14 Timeouts

There are no timeouts in Minnesota High School Bowling. A stoppage in play should only occur when a player is injured and cannot leave the approach by his or her own power, or when a coach believes that a mistake or foul has been committed.

3.15 All matters not covered by these rules

The state laws in Minnesota, the general rules of bowling, the use of common sense, and the Triad commission of Minnesota high school bowling shall govern all matters not covered by these rules.

3.16 Statistics

Each conference coordinator should track the statistics of teams and bowler’s within his/her conference. Statistics should be mailed (or preferably) emailed to Josh at the BPAM state office. Statistics will be published on the BPAM website (www.bpam.org). Minnesota High School Bowling recognizes only one way of keeping statistics. A bowler / team either fills a frame or leaves it open. Strikes and spares are worth equal amounts. Although a coach may wish to keep track of such statistics as “strike percentage” or “spare percentage”, the BPAM is only concerned with “fill percentage” and total pin-fall. You will see in Chart 3.16A a bowler’s fill percentage (column F) is established by adding a bowler’s strikes and spares (columns B & C) and dividing the sum of those columns by the total number of frames the bowler has bowled (column E).  

Chart 3.16A

The tenth frame could be counted as 1, 2 or 3 frames (in terms of statistics), depending on what occurs in that frame. In order for the chance to be counted as a frame (and a chance to achieve a fill) a bowler must have the opportunity to fill the frame. If a bowler knocks down seven pins, but does not have the opportunity to pick up the spare because that was his/her third ball then the 7-pin knockdown will not go into the books as a frame and the bowler will not be penalized (for not achieving a fill). For further clarification, please refer to Chart 3.16B.

Chart 3.16B