Tournament Rules

TOURNAMENT RULES - SIT 2010

Sanctioning
1)    The S.I.T. 2010 Tournament is an USBC sanctioned tournament.  The tournament is a mixed handicap competition open to men and women by invitation only.
2)    All participants must be a member of USBC and be able to provide proof of membership (current sanction card or bowl.com printout).  If the participant is not a member of USBC, he or she must pay the appropriate participation fee ($5.00 USBC) and become concurrently subject to the USBC rules and jurisdiction for the tournament as described.

Event Participation
3)    If the participant is not a member of IGBO in any of its membership classes, he or she must pay the appropriate associate membership fee of $25.00.  This associate membership fee will be the property of  IGBO.  The membership will be valid for one year.
4)    The tournament events shall be handicapped events and are as follows:  Singles, Doubles and Team.  Optional Individual Scratch and Scratch Masters Divisions will also be offered.
5)    Each participant shall bowl three (3) games per event and must enter all three events.  Teams will consist of four (4) 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.

Optional Scratch Division
6)    Each participant may bowl only once in each event.
7)    Optional Scratch Divisions will be offered to all participants using the six (6) divisions below as determined by entering average (see Rule 29).
8)    The Optional Scratch Divisions and entry fees shall be as follows:

Division A: averages    0 to 139    $20.00
Division B: averages    140 to 159    $20.00
Division C: averages    160 to 179    $20.00
Division D: averages    180 to 194    $20.00
Division E: averages    195 to 209    $20.00
Division F: averages     210 and over    $20.00

9)    Scores used for the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be those Scratch scores (without handicap) as bowled in the Handicap Division of the tournament.
10)    100% of the optional scratch prize fund from each division shall be returned to that division.
11)    The award ratio for the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be 1:6 per division.  Optional Scratch awards are paid out for Game, Series and Individual All Events.

Scratch Masters Rules
12)    The Scratch masters, in conjunction with the Sunshine Invitational Tournament 2010 Annual Tournament, are a mixed competition open to men and women by invitation only.
13)    The Tournament Director(s) may place a bowler in a higher division at their discretion. Any adjustments of this type will be made before the entrant bowls.  The six (6) game combined scratch Singles and Doubles totals will be used to determine the top six (6) qualifiers in each division. Scores do not carry over into the masters.  In case of a tie, a 9th and 10th frame roll-off will determine the 6th place.
14)    Scratch Masters Divisions will be offered to all participants using six (6) divisions as determined by entering average (see Rule 29).
15)    Scratch Masters Divisions and entry fees shall be as follows:

Division A: averages     0 to 139                      $20.00
Division B: averages     140 to 159                  $25.00
Division C: averages     160 to 179                  $30.00
Division D: averages     180 to 194                  $35.00
Division E: averages     195 - 209                 $40.00
Division F: averages      210 and above          $45.00

16)    The top six (6) qualifiers in each division will bowl on a pair of lanes to begin the competition. After each game, remaining bowlers will shift onto a new pair of lanes throughout the elimination process.  No accumulative scores will carry over. It is simply “low game out”.
17)     A lane schedule will be given to each division prior to the start of competition. The bowlers are responsible for checking if they qualified.  Locations of qualification sheets will be announced during singles and doubles competition.  Payout will be 100% payback less lineage.  Payouts are 1:4.
18)    The match game competition will begin at 1:00pm on Sunday, May 2, 2010.
19)    A bowler who is not available to bowl at the scheduled time will be disqualified and the alternate will replace him/her.
20)    Bowlers must check in thirty (30) minutes before the scheduled shift.  If you are not checked in thirty (30) minutes before the scheduled shift, you WILL be replaced.  NO EXCPETIONS.
21)    Bowlers will be allowed two (2) balls per lane of practice before the first match.  No additional practice balls will be allowed.
22)    Any claims of error in the roll-off competition must be submitted before the start of the next match.  In case of an error in the final match, any claims of error must be reported within one (1) hour after the end of the last match

Awards and Prizes
23)    All cash awards shall be based on the Total Pins PLUS assigned handicap for each event (with exception of the Optional Scratch and Scratch Masters Divisions).
24)    Awards will be given, in the Handicap Division, for the top Singles, Doubles, Team, and Individual All Events categories.  Individual All Events is defined as the nine game total plus handicap of an individual bowler.
25)    The award ratio for the Handicap Division shall be 1:8.
26)    Awards in the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be given for the Best Single Game (from any of the events), Best Three (3) Game Series (from any of the events) and Best All Events (nine game total).
27)    The award ratio for the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be 1:6 per division. 100% of the prize fund from each division in the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be returned to that division.
28)    Prizes will be distributed via check payable in US currency within thirty (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 place.  Prize funds will be based on 100% participation.

Entering Averages
29)    Any bowler entering the S.I.T. 2010 Tournament must establish an acceptable ten-pin average.  The following rules shall be used to assign your determined entering average:
The highest league average with one of the following dates in 2010:  3/1, 3/2, 3/3, 3/4, 3/5, 3/6 or 3/7, minimum of 21 games.  NO OTHER DATES on the average verification sheets will be accepted.  If competing in more than one league, the bowler MUST submit the highest average of all leagues bowled.
If no league average as stated in item a) is available, then the highest year book 2008-2009 average (minimum 21 games) of any league bowled will be used.
If neither is available, then entering average shall be 225.
If a bowler’s tournament average (see rule 31) of at least 21 games (certified IGBO or USBC) is 10 or more pins higher than their determined entering average, the bowlers entering average will be adjusted to the difference between determined entering average and tournament average, divided by 2 and added to the determined entering average.  For example; determined entering average is 180, tournament average is 194, difference is 14 (194 - 180), difference divided by 2 is 7 (14 / 2); therefore adjusted entering average is 187 (180 determined entering average + 7 adjustment factor)
USBC rule 319e is waived and does not apply.
The above averages MUST be verified by the use of:
(1)    League standing sheet, signed and dated by League Officer, dated on one of the following dates in 2010: 3/1, 3/2, 3/3, 3/4, 3/5, 3/6 or 3/7.
(2)    Photocopy of book average (with year noted), signed and dated by League Officer from the 2008-2009 USBC yearbook.
30)    The handicap for the tournament shall be based on 90% of the difference between the bowler’s entering average as determined above and a scratch score of 225.  For averages over 225, a negative handicap will be used with the same criteria stated in the prior sentence.
31)    As of the beginning date of the S.I.T. 2010 Tournament (04/30/2010), any bowler who has bowled 21 or more tournament games MUST report any non IGBO tournament averages for tournaments bowled in the previous 12 month period of the S.I.T. 2010 Tournament with a start date (bowling start date) between 04/29/2009 - 04/30/2010.  Such re-rating must be done before the entrant bowls.  Failure to report this information shall result in AUTOMATIC disqualification and loss of all winnings and no refund of entry.  S.I.T. 2009 scores will be included in calculation of S.I.T. 2010 tournament average.
32)    The tournament director(s) have the authority to adjust the entering average of any bowler.   All average adjustments will be completed prior to the start of the tournament.  A bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a full refund.

Attendance and Substitutes
33)    It is solely and entirely the bowler’s responsibility to be present at the assigned lanes at the time of bowling.  Mechanical failures, transportation irregularities, improper directions and related reasons DO NOT alter the application of Rules 36 and 37 below.
34)    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 36).  If no substitute is available, a zero score will be used for the missing bowler or bowlers.
35)    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 to late bowlers.
36)    Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the tournament director(s).  Their entering averages must comply with the rules previously stated.  Substitutes must complete an entry form.  Substitutes who pay the entry fee prior to their first ball thrown for score are eligible for cash prizes and trophies. Non-paying substitutes are not eligible for cash prizes but can receive trophies.  Rule 37 shall apply for substitutes and the bowler the substitute is replacing.
37)    Any fee adjustments or refunds are at the discretion of the tournament director(s).
38)    Bowlers will be allowed ten (10) minutes of practice per event.

Entry Requirements
39)    The entry fee is payable by MONEY ORDER or CERTIFIED CHECK only and should be made payable to S.I.T. 2010 TOURNAMENT. You may also pay online through PAYPAL at the S.I.T. website (www.sitorlando.org).  An additional fee is required to enter the Optional Scratch and Scratch Masters Divisions.  Entries are to be mailed to the S.I. T. 2010 Tournament Address:

Entries shall be limited to a maximum of 288 bowlers.  Once sold out, no more entries will be accepted.  Entries will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis.  Entry dead line will be 04/07/2010.  Entrants’ acceptance will be based on the order in which received using the postmark date.  Once an entry has been accepted, NO REFUNDS will be issued, except as stated above in Rules 32 and 37.  If the tournament is not full as of 04/07/2010, then late entries will be accepted and must include a $10 late entry fee.
40)    Single bowler and partial team entries will be accepted and the registration committee will make every effort to fill vacancies.
41)    Entry Fee for S.I.T. 2010 will be $99.00.  $50.00 Prize fund, $22.50 Lineage, $17.50 Banquet, $3.00 IGBO/Misc. Expenses and $6.00 Trophies.

Protests
42)    Any claims of errors or disputes must be submitted in writing to the tournament director(s) or their appointed representative(s) and the protesting bowler(s) or team if applicable. The tournament director(s) shall settle the dispute in accordance with S.I.T. 2010 Tournament rules. Any disputes not covered in the S.I.T. 2010 Tournament rules, will default to USBC rules.
43)    Any person attending and requiring special needs MUST notify the tournament director(s) in writing at a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the start of the tournament.  This will allow the committee ample time to make accommodations for any special needs.
44)    The team captain MUST sign the entry form acknowledging he/she has read and accepts the S.I.T. 2010 Tournament rules.
45)    ANY ITEMS NOT COVERED WILL DEFAULT TO USBC RULES.