About Minnesota High School Bowling
· Minnesota High School Bowling is very similar to high school football, basketball, baseball, and other popular high school athletics. A group of students from a high school unite to make a team that will represent their school and their community. The main difference between those sports and bowling is that the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) is not the governing body for high school bowling. Minnesota High School Bowling is a club sport administered by the Bowling Proprietors Association of Minnesota. It is the opinion of many that Minnesota High School Bowling is the best-organized club program in the state.
· 52+ high schools now recognize bowling as an official club activity, with most of them awarding letters to the athletes
· In 2008, 135 varsity and 104 junior varsity teams participated in Minnesota High School Bowling. More than 1650 students participated in the league last year. In 2009 there could be as many as 145 varsity and 130 JV teams.
· Minnesota High School Bowling is a co-ed sport. Boys and girls bowl together on the same team. Bowlers in grades 7 – 12 are eligible to participate.
· Minnesota High School Bowling uses the baker-system. Five bowlers each bowl two frames to complete a single game. It is a very exciting format for both players and spectators.
· A team's sponsoring bowling center will provide free lanes for practices and conference competition. During a single season high school bowlers will receive literally hundreds of dollars of bowling and instruction for a nominal fee. The most any high school bowler will be asked to pay is $75.00.
· League play and the conference tournament determine the participants in post-season play. Teams that win their conference tournament advance directly to the State Tournament. The league’s 1st place finisher earns a spot in the MQT (Minnesota Qualifying Tournament), which is a way for two more teams to go through a “back door” to the State Tournament.
· Minnesota High School Bowling is administered by the Bowling Proprietors Association (BPAM) and is governed by a set of rules that have been modeled after those of the MSHSL. Three volunteers appointed by the BPAM, known as the triad commission, uphold the rules of the program and make judgments on matters the rules do not cover.