MDHHS Covid Requirements & Youth City Tournament

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Dear Coaches and Youth City Tournament Bowlers,
If you are scheduled to bowl the 2021 Grand Rapids Youth City Tournament April 10-11 and/or April 17-18, you must follow this mandate from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
MDHHS is requiring negative COVID tests for all 13-19 year old athletes. After many phone calls to government officials, we are asking this of you. Get a test from your school or local pharmacy early in the week and bring your test results with you. Tests will not be administered at the bowling center. If you do not have your negative test results with you, you will not be allowed to compete during this time frame (April 10-11 and/or April 17-18).
This does not apply to the 12 and younger bowlers.
If any of the bowlers or parents are hesitant to come to this event, please contact your Youth Coach or the Association Office (616-530-8195). Every effort will be made to re-schedule bowlers as needed, based on lane availability.
Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Greater Grand Rapids USBC

Mixed Double’s unofficial Results are available

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The preliminary results are posted for the Mixed Double’s Tournament. We’d like to thank Westgate Bowl for hosting this year’s tournament.  Bid letters will be going out to proprietors for hosting next year’s tournament shortly. Be sure to return the letter to not miss out on hosting one of Grand Rapid’s most popular tournaments.

Congratulations to our winners!

Unofficial Results

Greater Grand Rapids USBC has a new President

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The Board of Directors of the Greater Grand Rapids USBC has appointed Ron King to the office of President to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Patrick Cross. Ron will complete the remainder of this term which is due to end July 31, 2021.

A little history about Pat Cross. Pat was appointed a Director to the Greater Grand Rapids Bowling Association in the 1990’s. Pat served as a Director until he was elected 4th Vice President in 1998. He was elected 3rd Vice President in 1999 and remained in that position until 2002. Pat was hired by the Greater Grand Rapids Bowling Association Board of Directors to serve as Secretary/Treasurer in 2002 and remained in that position until 2006 when the Men’s, Women’s and Youth Associations merged to form the Greater Grand Rapids USBC. In 2006 Pat was elected by the Grand Rapids membership to serve as a Director on the newly created GGRUSBC Board. He held that position until 2011.

In August 2011 the Board of Greater Grand Rapids USBC elected Pat to the office of President to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Bob Dunlap.

Pat has been a steadfast and working member for Grand Rapids bowlers for many, many years. Pat’s ability to get along with bowlers of all averages, league secretaries, and the Grand Rapids Proprietors has been an invaluable asset to the Association. Has he bumped heads with a few bowlers? Absolutely.

Pat, with sincere gratitude and appreciation, thank you, thank you for your commitment to the Grand Rapids bowling community.

City Tournament Reservations

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City Tournament Bowlers,
Due to the challenges of this bowling season, we were not able to get the 2021 City Tournament entries out to you in the time frame we had hoped. You are still encouraged to reserve your preferred dates and squads for this year. The entry says you must have reservations paid for by March 10, 2021. We will work with you on this. You cannot be asked to do something that is practically impossible.
This has been a challenging year for everyone — professionally and personally. If we work together we can still have a successful City Tournament.
Thanks for your understanding.

Schedule for the 2021 City Tournament

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The city tournament is quickly approaching. This year’s tournament will be held at Fairlanes. The available dates are listed below. NOTE!!! Opening Day March 21, will only have 1 time available at noon.

1. Currently we are asking that the bowlers not bring spectators so as to stay within the current capacity limits.
2. Bowlers will be expected to wear their masks at all times — unless drinking and/or eating.
3. We are not able to offer any evening squads this year to allow the leagues at Fairlanes to complete their seasons.
4. Printed entries will be mailed to last year’s Team Captains as soon as we have them.

Mixed Doubles Postponed

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The Mixed Doubles Tournament originally scheduled for January 16-17 and 23-24, 2021 is being postponed. We are working with Westgate Bowl to come up with alternate dates.
 
We are also working with Park Center with regards to the Seniors Tournament that was scheduled for December 2020.
 
If and when we have confirmed dates for these tournaments, as well as the Open, Women’s, and Youth City Tournaments, we will make that announcement.
 
We know that you understand how difficult it is to make plans when rules, mandates, and restrictions are ever-changing.

Adult/Youth & Seniors Tournament Cancelation

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2020 Adult/Youth Doubles Tournament (Nov. 21-22, 2020)

2020 Seniors Tournament (Dec. 5, 6, 11 & 12, 2020)

Due to the restrictions put into place by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, these tournaments have been cancelled.

We are hoping to re-schedule these tournaments if dates can be worked out with the Proprietors.

Any entry fees that have been submitted for these tournaments will be refunded.

New Balance Hole Rules Now In Effect

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As this bowling season is getting underway, along with it comes the new regulations on balance holes.  Starting now all holes placed into a bowling ball need to be used for gripping purposes.  Any hole not used to deliver the ball will need to be plugged before it can be used in any certified play.

Per the documentation posted by the National USBC:

The specification eliminating the use of balance holes will go into effect Aug. 1, 2020. Balance holes, also known as weight holes, are meant to correct static imbalance in bowling balls, but more recently have been used to change the design intent of balls. By allowing bowling balls (for balls weighing more than 10 pounds) to have up to three ounces of static side, thumb and finger weight – which is up from one ounce – and up to three ounces of top weight, there no longer will be the need for a balance hole to correct static imbalance in the typical ball layout.

The specification increases in static weights take effect Jan. 1, 2020, which will allow bowlers the opportunity to plug balance holes prior to the elimination of balance holes starting Aug. 1, 2020.

With the elimination of balance holes, bowlers may have up to five holes for gripping purposes and all gripping holes must be used on every delivery.

 

You can find this information along with a full write up in the link to the initial rule changes below.

https://www.bowl.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?id=23622331019

May 2020 Letter to Members

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GrGrUSBC Bowlers,

Due to our extended “Stay at Home” orders the board of directors has decided to cancel this year’s city tournaments.  This will include the Open, Women, and Youth.  We also have some updates on our banquets, scholarships, and annual meeting.  Please read the attached letter for all of the updates on the remainder of the 2019-2020 season.

May 2020 COVID-19 letter to members

2020 Nomination Form