1. The tournament Series will be run by the United States Bowling Academy. Each tournament shall be USBC sanctioned and is open to USBC Youth and Adult (at certain centers) sanctioned bowlers. Non-USBC Youth and Adult members may qualify by paying a sanction fee.
2. Youth and Adults will bowl together but will be in their own flight system.
3. All bowlers will complete an initial four games to determine the flight positioning. Bowlers will be grouped in flights of 10 bowlers with the final flight a minimum of 7 bowlers and a maximum of 16 bowlers. Bowlers will rotate each game to be determined at each event by the tournament director.
4. Once flights are determined, all bowlers will bowl an additional two games to determine final positions within the flight. Bowlers will continue to rotate lanes based on the rotation established by the tournament director. The six-game total will determine the final qualifying scores within each flight.
5. The top three bowlers in each flight will advance to a stepladder finals based on the six games of qualifying. The third place qualifier will bowl a one game match against the second place qualifier with the winner advancing to bowl a one game match against the tournament leader. Matches will be bowled in a match play format alternating frames. The higher qualifier in each match will have choice of starting lane.
6. In the event a tie exists for flight seeding, the bowler with the highest qualifying game will be seeded higher. If a tie still exists, the next highest game will be looked at until the tie is broke.
7. All ties for step ladder qualifications and step ladder matches will be determined by a 9th and 10th frame roll off. In the event of a tie after the 9th and 10th frame roll off, bowlers will do a one ball roll off until the tie is broken (spares will be used if the first ball delivery results in a tie).
8. Flights with higher qualifying scores will be guaranteed higher paybacks. The person finishing fourth in the flight above will receive a higher scholarship than the person finishing first in the flight below.
9. If there is a tie in a place that makes scholarship money, and is not in the step ladder, the money will be split between those that tied.
10. Adult division will be set up the same as the youth divisions.
11. All scoring is done on a scratch (no handicap) basis.
12. Entrants are required to submit their entry fee prior to the tournament. Walk in entries will be accepted, provided there are available spots remaining.
13. Bowlers are required to check in at the tournament desk prior to tournament competition. Each bowler shall draw for his or her lane assignment. Once their lane assignment sheet is drawn, they must immediately sign this sheet at the check in desk. Bowlers must bowl on the assigned unless changed by the tournament director.
14. Check in begins at 9:00 am or at Tournament Directors discretion. Tournament bowling will begin at 10:00 am, or Tournament Directors discretion. Bowlers arriving after the tournament has started will take zero for each frame missed. Tournament Directors may refuse to allow a bowler to enter the event once competition has started.
15. In the event that an entrant becomes injured or ill during a tournament, they must take zero for each frame missed. In the event a competitor must withdraw from competition, they must first notify a tournament director.
16. All scholarship funds shall be returned 100%.
17. All scholarship funds for each event will be deposited in the SMART Fund.
18. Prize ratio shall be at 40% in each flight (fractions .5 and above will be rounded up).
19. The scholarship prize list for each tournament will be the decision of the Tournament Directors.
20. All Adult division prize money will be returned 100% at the end of the tournament.
21. Entry into each tournament shall be $55.00.
22. The United States Bowling Academy Tournament Series annual membership fee shall be $20.00. This must be paid prior to competition in the year’s first tournament. $2.00 from each membership goes into the end of season All Stars prize fund.
23. One lane courtesy will be in effect.
24. ONLY Bowlers, scorekeepers (if designated) and tournament officials will be allowed in the bowling area.
25. Each bowler shall be responsible for his or her own scoresheet. This scoresheet MUST be turned in to tournament officials following completion of each round. Scoresheets not properly completed, or not turned in, MAY result in NO points awarded to the competitor.
26. Any discrepancy in a competitor’s scoresheet during or after the qualifying round MUST be reported to tournament officials prior to the start of the next round (flight competition and each match in the step ladder finals). Each player is responsible for ensuring his or her scoresheet is correct, and is initialed by another player following each game.
27. Unsportsmanlike conduct will be reviewed by the tournament directors, and the bowler may be subject to a warning, or immediate disqualification from the tournament. In severe cases, a bowler may have his or her membership revoked. The tournament director’s decision regarding conduct will be final. Any bowler compromising the integrity of the sport, or the United States Bowling Academy Tournament Series may be subject to disqualification, suspension or expulsion.
28. Tobacco products WILL NOT be permitted at any time during competition by Participants. Violation of this rule may be cause for immediate disqualification from the tournament. Tournament Directors will rule on all protests and complaints. Any protest must be made by participating bowler in writing to the tournament directors on site after bowling is completed. In the event of a protest/complaint, all affected parties will be notified. Any decisions made by the tournament directors will be considered final.
29. Each USBA Tournament Series event through May will conduct Junior Gold qualifying. However; there must be sufficient entries to warrant conducting a qualifier, and there must be available openings at the National Junior Gold Tournament to warrant conducting a qualifier. Cost for entry into junior gold qualifying will be $40 per event (based on entries). Any bowler who enters junior gold qualifying must be a member of Junior Gold. Membership card must be shown at check-in, or you must pay the $30 membership fee and fill out a membership application, which will be submitted by the USBA Tournament Series. There will be separate boys and girls divisions in Junior Gold qualifying. In the event there are not enough entries, entries may be combined to form one (1) division, with the winner advancing in their respective division. Junior Gold qualifying score will be determined by the first four (4) games of qualifying (the final two games during flight play do not count towards Junior Gold). Winners will be announced prior to the start of the step-ladder finals. Any discrepancies in Junior Gold scores must be reported to Tournament Directors at that time. In the event of a tie for a Junior Gold position, a 9thand 10th frame roll off will occur.
30. Any check returned because of non-sufficient funds (NSF) must be paid in cash prior to participation in the next event. Each NSF check will require a $20.00 bank fee, which also must be paid in cash prior to entry into the bowler’s next event. Only one non-sufficient fund (NSF) check per bowler per season will be allowed. After that, cash only will be accepted for that bowler.
31. Bowlers who are unable to attend a tournament for which they have paid in advance must notify Tournament Directors prior to the tournament that they will not be attending. The bowler must also notify Tournament Directors if they would like to have their entry fee held over for the next tournament. This check will be carried over for ONE MONTH ONLY. After that, the check will be destroyed, and a new entry fee check must be submitted. Any bowler who fails to notify Tournament Directors at least 48 hours in advance may forfeit their entry fee. Directors’ decisions regarding forfeiture of entry fees will be final.

Last updated 2/17/2017