Bowling Season Will Start 2014-15 School Year
Beginning in 2015-16, bowling will be a sanctioned championship sport offered during the winter. We are excited about the opportunities this addition will bring to unlimited numbers of students and schools. We hope you will consider making this opportunity available at your school.
During the 2014-15 school year bowling will be an emerging sport, which means it is not a championship sport. The guidelines for emerging sports are found on pages 77-78 of the AHSAA Handbook. Championship play may only be set by the Central Board of Control and will not be set until after this first year.
As an emerging sport, this year will be a time of establishing and finalizing what works and what may need changing in regard to bowling. Some of the particulars you may be interested in knowing at this time are:
Season:
First allowed practice date: October 27, 2014
First allowed contest date: November 17, 2014
End of season: January 31, 2015 (2014-2015 year only. Addition of championship play will dictate an earlier ending to regular season)
Regular season contests allowed: 12
Team Size: Team size will be determined by the coach or local school policy. However, only eight (five bowlers and three substitutes) will be allowed in the pit for competitions. Other components, such as number of tournaments and dates for region and state events will determined by the Central Board of Control once bowling is established as a championship sport.
Bowling centers throughout the state have been working closely with us to bring this opportunity to our state. The bowling centers have generously offered two practice sessions per week until contests begin and then one practice and one competition per week. Practices must be completed by 5:30 p.m. The centers have also promised the use of free shoes and house bowling balls for the first two years of this program. After the initial two years, the centers will have an option of charging a nominal fee but may choose to continue with the free shoes and balls. The generosity and flexibility of the bowling centers throughout our state is admirable and appreciated.
We have had several calls about the cost of adding bowling and it is minimal. The cost for uniforms for a bowling team would simply be the cost of matching collared shirts and matching pants. The cost of transportation and coaching supplements would vary depending upon location and board policy. We believe there will be opportunities for fundraisers and tournaments within the local bowling centers and ask that you visit with your local center to seek their advice. The generosity of the bowling centers has created a minimal cost for the start of this new sport.
To declare bowling for the 2014-15 season, please declare as you have with other sports in your C2C program. There is no deadline for declaring during this first year since it is not a championship sport, but for scheduling we would suggest declaring before Aug. 1, 2014.
We will be offering a mini-clinic for bowling to help our new coaches. Once a date has been confirmed we will notify you via email.
This sport has a lot of interest and it provides another opportunity for scholarship money for the students in our state. It encourages participation and ensures that more students reap the benefits of participating in education-based athletics. We encourage your participation and ask that you call our office with any questions.