The 2011
NORTHWEST LAW ENFORCEMENT
BOWLING TOURNAMENT

King County, Washington

2011 RULES AND REGULATIONS

(As Amended)

1. This tournament shall be called the NORTHWEST LAW ENFORCEMENT BOWLING TOURNAMENT and shall be an ABC/WIBC sanctioned event.

2. Closing date for entries is to be determined.

3. Entries are limited to Active and Retired Law Enforcement Officers, their immediate family members (over the age of eighteen (18) and Civilian Employees of those agencies located within the Pacific Northwest. However, the Tournament Director, with the authorization of a board member, may allow a civilian "Friend of Law Enforcement" to participate in the current tournament. This civilian participant or family member cannot be or have ever been a PBA card member and must be compatible with current tournament bowlers (AA May 1999). For purposes of this tournament, the Pacific Northwest is defined as the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana (that portion of the state west of the Rocky Mountains), the Canadian Province of British Columbia, and Reno, Nevada (Greater metropolitan area). However, at the discretion of the host agency, other agencies outside the Pacific Northwest Area may be invited to participate in the current tournament (AA 1999).

4. Teams competing in the Men's Division will consist of five (5) members. There must be at least one active or retired officer per team. Teams competing in the Women's Division will consist of four (4) members and have at least one officer or officer family member or an employee of the police department per team. To confirm with USBC rules, a woman bowler may bowl on a men's team or may enter a team of women bowlers in the Men's Division under the following stiuplations: Each bowler must:

   1. Be a member of USBC or CTF (Canadian Tenpin Federation) and CTF members must meet all USBC requirements.
   2. Must meet the other criteria set forth pertaining to eligibility.

   (Women bowling Men's Division must bowl the whole tournament in the Men's Division. Men's and Women's Divisions are two separate tournaments and cannot be combined, you must bowl one or the other, not both.)

5. Bowlers average will be established by:
   
   

   a. The bowler's combined N.W.L.E.B.T. average for the past five years (ie; 2004 through 2008) consisting of at least nine (9) games and up to forty-five (45) games (as amended 2002).
   
   b. If none, then his/her highest book average of twenty-one (21) games of the past season (ie; 2009/2010 season).It shall be each bowler's responsibility to submit a correct average. USBC rule 319-a-3 states that bowlers are responsible for verifying his/her own average at check-in prior to bowling whether submitted by the bowler, team captain or others. If the submitted average is not corrected and is found to be lower than required and results in a higher handicap, the bowler's score will be disqualified. If the submitted average is found to be higher, prize winnings will be based on the submitted average. USBC rule 319c: The average of a bowler may be adjusted upward before participation in any event. If the assigned average is not accepted by the bowler, the entry fee shall be refunded. Average corrections must be requested at the time of check-in/registration.
   
   c. If none, then his/her highest league average of the current seasons of twenty-one (21) or more games as of March 15th of the current year. Same rules apply as in paragraph b, section 5.
   
   

6. Handicap for all bowlers will be based on 90% of the difference between 220 and the bowler's average. Team handicap will be the sum total of the bowlers handicaps at the time of bowling. There is no limit on handicap. There will be NO negative/reverse handicap for bowlers with averages over 220.

7. USBC rule #319-a-2 SHALL NOT APPLY, which states if current average is 10 pins or more higher then that average must be used.

8. All entrants must be members of USBC or CTF (Canadian Tenpin Federation) and CTF member must meet all USBC requirements. If no USBC or CTF card, one must be purchased or participation fee paid to bowl. USBC card must be presented for verification at the check-in registration desk.

9. Prize fund to be returned 100%. Estimated pay back: Team event: 1 in 5; Singles event: 1 in 7; All-events: 1 in 10; Subject to number of entries submitted.

10. ALL ENTRY FEES MUST ACCOMPANY ENTRY FORMS WHEN SUBMITTED. ENTRIES WITH INSUFFICIENT FEES WILL BE RETURNED!

11. Substitutions for the team event must be made in a timely manner and no later than the start of the first game in the team event.

12. Starting lanes will be assigned by the Tournament Committee. In the singles event, team members will be placed on different lanes. Teams from a single agency will be placed on different lanes so that no two teams from the same agency will bowl on the same pair of lanes.

13. The Men's tournament and the Women's tournament will consist of a three (3) game team event and a six (6) game singles event. The singles event will be bowled on two (2) pair of lanes with the change of lanes being made after the third (3rd) game.

14. Each participant may enter the singles event only once. Each participant may enter the team event more than once but must change at least two bowlers from the original team and those bowlers must be already bowling in this tournament this year. Only the first team score will apply toward their all-events. The nine pin no tap event is escluded)**Exception** In the event a team is short a bowler, through no fault of it's own, the tournament Director or his representative may authorize a bowler to bowl with a second team in order for that team to qualify under rule #4. However, the games bowled while subbing for the team event shall not apply towards the bowler's all-events score nor any other special awards of the tournament.

15. Any entrant not appearing at the time scheduled to bowl will forfeit his/her entry fee, UNLESS the team or the individual bowler is held, detained, recalled or otherwise prevented from appearing due to an unusual occurrence and his agency has prevent his appearance. In these cases, the entry fees will be remitted to the bowler/team. Any entrant arriving late to bowl will be penalized the frames missed and start his/her score in the frame during which he/she is ready to bowl.

16. A minimum of five (5) minutes of shadow practice balls on assigned lanes will be allowed prior to the start of each event (as amended 1999).

17. In the event of a tie, USBC rule #326A shall apply. Since a three (3) game roll-off is difficult to arrange, no play-off will be held. Winners will be declared CO-CHAMPIONS and the cash prizes of the position affected will be combined and divided equally. Each will receive a similar trophy.

18. In the event any situation is not covered by preceding rules, then USBC rules shall apply.

19. Trophies will be awarded according to Tournament By-Laws.

20. USBC rule 319d which requires the reporting of prize winnings in a prior tournament, including all events, within the last 12 months period SHALL NOT APPLY

***As amended by the Board of Directors at the May 2009 Board Meeting***

NORTHWEST LAW ENFORCEMENT BOWLING TOURNAMENT