Jan 3-SW - The Bowling News

My view on
Competitive Bowling
By Xeno Garcia
Competitive bowling. Where
has it gone? It’s been a question
I’ve asked myself for several
months now. I started bowling
competitively in a time when
bowling was still considered
bowling. A crowded bowling
alley went quiet when someone
had the first 11 hits. Scratch
tournaments were alive and
well. The best players from all
across the country, traveling
by plane or packing themselves
into a tiny sedan. Tournaments
in Texas paying $3000, $5000,
$10,000, and even $50,000 to
first place. It was a good time.
Billy Cathey captured highseries
honors for the week at
Red Bird Lanes after pounding
out potent 234-240-265 = 739
numbers in Tuesday Men’s
Commercial league play.
Lauren Daniel’s solid 193-234-
191 = 618 Career Girls set paced
the lady bowlers.
HONOR ROLL
Jane Davis 213-554, Jose Jimenez
246-667, Don Wrightsil 246-654, Mary
Edgett 186-521, Carolyn Large 197-536,
Alex Galeti 218-615, Deanna Hoffman
215-586, Rich Carlson 244-670.
Joel Hunter 225-638, Vernon
Underwood 220-524, Deborah Hodge
170-509, Paul Grody 231-657, Karen
Strang 202-539, Larry Martin 225-651,
Brittany Pope 213-580, Ivan Martinez
228-617.
Linda Martinez 233-545, Pete
Silva 212-590, Creeper Perry 169-473,
Terry Harris 214-569, Sandra Hawkins
Henry Johnson nailed down
a first-rate 236-269-278 = 783
Crusaders league session to head
the leader boards for the week at
Forum Bowl.
Dorothea Wilson, Johnson’s
league mate, paced the lady
bowlers with a smooth 257-234-
245 = 736 set.
James Bridges and Jabari
Thomas shared high-game
honors with award-winning
12-baggers.
HONOR ROLL
Sam Traylor224-641, Michelle
Anderson 191-546, Joe Roberts (9
pin) 300-787, Dottie Robbins (9 pin)
264-685, Joyce Johnson 185-543, Holly
Ginn 220-584, Eddie Murillio 257-715,
Marissa Neville 202-563. Frank Mills
Unfortunately,
it was the
beginning of
the end.
The bowlers of my generation
and those following have
nowhere to compete anymore.
I found myself asking why.
Everyone’s number one answer
is the economy. Probably
right, of course the economy
is a factor in the decline of the
bowling industry in general
and its really unfortunate that
our generation is seeing the
worst of it. Costs are going up,
payouts are staying the same
across the board. Some days
At Red Bird Lanes
Cathey produces 739,
Daniel peppers 618
147-410, Rich Carlson 237-691, Lauren
Daniel 226-606, Maizie Baker 185-479.
Cindy Howell 186-512, Ted Shaffer
220-531, Carolyn Shaffer 164-478,
Dorothy Jones, 202-507, Lauren Daniel
236-572, Len Cline 223-604, Julie
Sellers 173-508, Dorothy Jones 181-536.
Rodney Brooks 202-587, Jennifer
Farrell 200-532, Josh Hansen 232-
663, Joel Hunter 259-633, Vernon
Underwood 181-488, Jimmie Parrish
178-486, Paul Grody 246-717, Cindy
Howell 177-508.
Larry Martin 245-656, Makensie
Martin 219-547, Tim McGlothin
267-641, Creeper Perry 204-531,
Dura Wilson 204-565, Yvette Jackson
220-513, Terry Harris 202-527, Brenda
James 143-402.
Arthur Stangl 235-645, Lauren
Daniel 213-542, Dorothy Jones 169-467,
Janie McClain 190-513, Gary Spurlock
222-616, Carolyn Large 212-524.
At Forum Bowl
Johnson handles 783,
Wilson delivers 736
Bridges and Thomas add 300’s
(9 pin, 4 games) 300-1041, Sharon
Thorwald (9 pin, 4 games) 266-854, Joe
Lee 213-567, Teresa Castillo 125-333,
Ken Degner 202-588, Jenny Hartwig
158-456, Blaine Borcherding 254-691.
Donna Pulice 244-648, Marvin Sitts,
Jr. 225-649, Lisa Girton 225-647, Rich
Van 245-656, Sandy Loyd 165-434, Carl
Wilson 265-724, Dena Buffington 223-
605, Bobby Galan (4 games) 279-966.
Brandy Silva (4 games) 279-929,
Joseph Henson 235-680, Annie Akanni
224-655, Steve Gray 244-672, Karen
Hoyle 226-605, Chuck Pauley 267-
635, Robbi Pauley 174-499, Tommy
Robinson 248-696.
Jodie Rogers 202-525, Dre Sisvath
232-684, Chris Osornio 258-674,
Dimmie Keys 202-578, Hung Le 277-
670, Renea Powell 180-520.
I wonder why I continue to
compete at this level. Where
is the payoff? It’s beginning
to get harder and harder for
me to see. I bowl to win first
and foremost, but money is
important! Very important.
It’s impossible to live unless
there is some type of financial
benefit to it all.
I’ve had to make every
tournament a business decision.
Possible payout minus the
expenses. Seems easy enough
on paper but there’s always
more to it. As a general rule I
like first place to pay 10 times
my entry fee. For instance if
the entry fee is $100, I would
like to see first pay $1000.
But there are other factors
which make it appealing to me
as well, the cash ratio being
one of them. Most events are
1:5 or 1:6 ratios. Some tournaments
with qualifying squads
are 1:8 or 1:10. Those that pay
1:3 or 1:4 will usually pay less
to first place (unless sponsors
are used). I like the idea of
paying more spots because
it lets bowlers live to fight
another day. These things can
get expensive!
I always question the payout
of the tournament, where are
my entry fees going? I research
the payout history for each
tournament, event, or tournament
club. Most tournaments
have a history of results I can
look at for quick reference. I
consider lineage as being $4
per game (which is a pretty
high estimate but that’s the
number I use). Multiply the lineage
by the number of games
bowled by the players; including
the qualifying, semis, and
finals. This total gives me a
general idea of the tournament
directors costs for running the
event. Once I have that number,
I start adding up the total
payout of their last tournament.
Now I should have an idea of
what the tournament director
is making at the event. I bowl
them all regardless of format,
cost, or location, as long as the
numbers make sense to me.
Directing a tournament is
no easy task and I wouldn’t
wish it upon anybody. If
things don’t run perfectly,
people complain, there’s always
someone that isn’t happy and
on occasion, a mistake is made
that costs someone a lot of
money. It’s not something I
wish to ever do myself. For that
reason, I’m extremely grateful
to all the tournament directors
in the southwest region; Donna
Conners, Terry Taylor, Tina
Taylor, Jim King, Kathy King,
Paul Henderson, Charlie Natal,
Duane Bates, Steven Hauk,
Greg Oneal, Pete McCordic,
just to name a few. Most of
their work is behind the scenes
and I’m sure they rarely get
the Thank You’s they deserve.
They do all the hard work to
get these events so we can still
bowl competitively, whether
it be a handicap or scratch
tournament. Be sure and thank
the tournament directors in
your area, without them,
competitive bowling would be
long gone by now.
THE BOWLING NEWS | Thursday, January 3, 2013 | Page 9
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