Fair warning: this is the longest email you'll get from me this season and you should hang on to it. Because you'll have all sorts of questions as we move forward, and those answers will most likely be here.
If you didn't bowl last season and have not already done so, please e-mail me a photo of your vaccination card. If I do not see your vaccination card before we start Sunday night, you will not bowl with us. No exceptions.
What to expect on Week 1:
Please show up at AMF Durham Lanes a bit early (6pm). This way, we can fill out paperwork, make sure everyone is on the right lanes and teams are assigned correctly.
I have a few spots available on various teams, so if you have friends who still want to bowl, ask them to sign up or bring them along (they can pay me directly). See below re: team sizes
If you're new to our league, look for me on arrival at the lanes, I'll help you get set up on your lane/with your team. We play on the end near the main entrance (lanes 22-32-ish). Or check at the desk and let them know you're with Pindependent.
Week 1 will not count for points toward the season, it's the week we establish our averages for handicapping purposes going forward. So don't worry if you're rusty, we're all a little rusty.
We will most likely be playing 4 player teams this season, but that means a few teams will have “blank” players, and some of you in 3 player teams will likely have a free agent assigned to your team. Be nice, make them feel welcome. If we get the right numbers, we could go to 3 player teams, we'll know better after week 1. (If you're on a 3 player team and can recruit someone last minute, let me know!)
SHOES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN LEAGUE COST. If you don't have your own shoes, be sure to rent them when you arrive.
If you have a league card from previous seasons, it should be good after this week. No need for a new one.
What to expect this season:
We bowl Sunday nights at 6:15pm: That means that practice will start at 6:15 and competitive bowling will start at 6:30pm sharp. If you don't want 15 minutes of practice time, show up at 6:30. But we're trying to be done by 9ish every week, so please be on time so we can start on time.
There will be no post-bowling: if you miss a week, you may pre-bowl in advance. This is for any week other than playoff and championship weeks (if your team is in the playoffs or championship). Details on practice games and pre-bowling are below.
We will NOT bowl on April 17th (Easter Sunday). Use the time to practice and eat jelly beans or something.
Number of playoff weeks will depend on the final number of teams (doing it a little differently this season, more on that when I have our final numbers).
Final night of the season is Sunday, May 22nd. Then we'll break for summer and start again in the fall.
Masking: Durham County will drop their indoor mask mandate on 3/7/2022. For week 1, I expect you all to mask up. After that, it's up to you, but keep in mind that Durham is a high transmission area, and I'd strongly recommend that you continue to mask for the time being (Orange County is still requiring masks indoors). Remember, the damn thing goes over your nose.
I will send my usual weekly updates, generally on Saturdays. So please register with an email that you can access/will check on the weekends (work emails aren't ideal).
How scoring works:
Your team will play 3 competitive games each week against another league team (or a “blank team” if needed). Each win counts as a point.
In the event of a tie, total pins (raw + handicap) will be used. In the case of a pin # tie, then raw pins will be used.
During playoffs, teams face off for 3 games. Best 2 of 3 games wins and moves on to the next round. Playoffs will be a bracket system, I'll send more details as we move into the season.
Key things to remember:
Show up on time. We start competitive play at 6:30 pm. If you are late, you're making your fellow bowlers wait on you and that's just not cool.
Every league bowler will have 2 free practice games per week. These games can be played Monday through Saturday until 7pm or any time on Sundays. Check in at the desk and let them know that you are here for practice games, not pre-bowling. You should NOT be given a score card for practice games, and you only get 2.
If you are going to miss a week, you can pre-bowl prior to Sunday night's start. If you prebowl, please let me know!! Again, you can pre-bowl until 7pm M-Sa or any time on Sundays. Make sure you let the staff at AMF know that you are PREBOWLING (not practicing) so that they have you sign in and give you a score card. Take a picture of the completed score card and send it to me. Make sure the score card has your name, your league/team name and the date you are pre-bowling for. If there is no date on the card, it cannot be used, so DATE YOUR SCORECARD.
Bowling etiquette (yes you should read this part too):
Be ready to bowl when it's your turn. I know the snack bar lines can be slow, but try to be aware of your turn to bowl and be ready.
Be aware of other bowlers: if 2 bowlers make the approach side by side, the bowler on the right has the right of way. LOOK AROUND. Make sure that when it's your turn, you're not bowling at the same time as the bowlers in the lanes next to you.
Once your turn is done, finish up and get out of the way. Again, we're trying to keep things moving, so once your roll is complete, do your happy dance and let the next bowler approach.
Wear bowling shoes. This should go without saying, but street shoes can damage the approach and lead to falls. Shoes are NOT included in the price of your season, so make sure to rent your shoes when you arrive if you need to.
Keep an eye on food and drink: don't spill near the approach, wet shoes cause falls (trust me on this one). If you're a sloppy eater, then eat at the table behind the benches on the lanes.
Don't be a jerk. No, seriously. We're all here to have fun. Don't be a jerk.
Questions? Comments? Send them my way! keely@pindependentbowling.com I will post each week's updates on the website blog as well, so if you miss the emails, check there. www.pindependentbowling.com That should be most of the information you'll need to know for week 1. Again, please keep this email handy if you need information regarding pre-bowling or practice. It'll come in handy. Or you can check the blog site. -k-
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