10 Pin Recreational and Competitive Bowling Program Information

Please read the following carefully before signing up for Fall Recreational Bowling or                  Winter Competitive Bowling Team.

     

      SOMO offers 3 Bowling seasons! We have a recreational bowling program in the Fall and Spring Seasons, and a Competitive Bowling Team Program in the Winter Season that includes a Bowling Qualifier Tournament and culminates in a State Bowling Tournament in early February

      The SOMO bowling programs are very popular and for many of our athletes, it is the only sport that is well-suited to their physical needs and is the only Special Olympic sport that they participate in. We have made every effort to make the sign-up process and eligibility standards as fair to all as possible and to that end have developed an option that offers a regular bowler category and an alternate bowler category. The Bowling Roster is made up according to the following rules: SIGN UP FOR THE FALL RECREATIONAL SEASON BY MAILING IN THE SIGN UP FORM IN THIS ISSUE OR BY CALLING THE HOTLINE. 1) First preference will be given to those athletes who are not participating in another sport in the season. 2) Athletes will be added to the roster in the order that either their mailed sign-up form is post-marked, or by Hotline call-in date order. Hotline call-ins will begin to be taken 4 days after the newsletter is mailed. At the time of this article, that date is scheduled to be August 14. The eligible call in date will be posted on the Hotline message beginning August 10th. NO CALL-IN SIGN-UPS WILL BE CONSIDERED BEFORE THE ELIGIBLE  CALL IN DATE!

      *IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT WINTER BOWLING: Because the Winter newsletter will  arrive  after the start of the Winter Competitive Bowling Season, Sign-up for the Winter Competitive Bowling Team will be by Hotline Call Sign Up ONLY beginning at 9:00 am on Sunday, October 7th.

       The spaces for bowling fill within hours of the arrival of the Special Olympics newsletter. Unfortunately some of the athletes who get on the list of bowlers rarely show up to bowl and this deprives some athletes of the opportunity to participate in the bowling program. We know that  there are good reasons to be absent from time to time, but signing up early and then coming only to 2-3 of the 7-8 practices in really not fair. Athletes who do not plan to bowl on a regular basis should sign up as alternates. After the second absence athletes will be moved to the alternate list.

      Our SOMO Bowling Program is on Saturdays from 1-3 PM at the AMF Shady Grove Bowling Lanes located near the Home Depot on Shady Grove Road. Athletes need to be ready to bowl at 12:50 PM because at that time any open spaces are assigned to alternates. Being ready to bowl means athletes are in their assigned lane, wearing their nametag, shoes and with their bowling ball. Because eating is not allowed during practice, an athlete who is eating at 12:50 will be considered NOT ready to bowl and an alternate will be assigned to bowl in his/her place.

      Fall Recreational Season: begins Saturday August 25th and continues every Saturday through October 13th. When signing up, please indicate whether you are signing up as an alternate or committing to regular attendance. You must either mail in the sign-up form in this issue or call in your registration for Fall Recreational Bowling.

      Winter Competitive Bowling Team: begins October 27th and continues through the end of January. There is no bowling on the Saturdays following  Thanksgiving or preceding Christmas or New Year’s Day. We expect the State Tournament to be in early February. Only a few athletes represent Montgomery County at that Tournament, but everyone who attends a minimum of 8 practices and participates in the qualifier ( held during our regular practice) is eligible for consideration. Athletes who sign up for the Competitive Bowling Team season will not be eligible to compete in another winter sport. Bowlers wishing to participate in another winter sport should sin up as alternates for Competitive Bowling.  

 

Questions should be emailed to Debbie Fickenscher at debbie.fickenscher@verizon.net.