ROCHESTER HISTORICAL BOWLING
SOCIETY
CONSTITUTION
AND
BY-LAWS
The Rochester Historical Bowling Society will also be known as RHBS throughout this document. Unless otherwise specified by this RHBS Constitution, all rules and regulations of this bowling league shall conform to the current playing rules as published by the American Bowling Congress and the Women's International Bowling Congress, Inc.
The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Statistician, Social Director, and IGBO Representative. The Executive Board, by majority vote, shall oversee all major league decisions including mediation of ABC/WIBC disputes, approval of presidential appointments to the Board, removal of Board members, approval of banquet theme/location, approval of prize distribution, etc. In the event that a member holds multiple positions, he/she receives a single vote in all decisions.
The President of the
league is responsible for the general direction taken by, and the decisions
made for, the league. The President will act as liaison in all matters
concerning the league.
Specifically:
• Insuring the application of league rules in
accordance with ABC/WIBC rules
• Chairing Executive Board meetings
• Appointing the International Gay Bowling
Organization (IGBO) representative and/or alternate annually
• Appointing league members to Nominating and Prize
Committees and any other ad hoc committees as necessary
• Overseeing the operation and performance of the Nominating Committee for the election of the Executive Board and the Prize Committee
• Appointing nominees to fill any Board vacancies
• Directing/overseeing the financial operations of
the league to conform to ABC bonding rules, including monthly approval of bank
statements
• Initiating lane contract negotiations with final
contract approval by two-thirds (2/3)-majority vote of the Executive Board
The Vice President is
responsible to serve all duties of the President in the event of the
President's absence, resignation, or removal. Responsibilities also include:
• Assisting in the direction of functions such as statistics, fund raising, and social events
• Serving as RHBS liaison to the community
• Appointing and overseeing the Snow Emergency Network in case of cancellation of bowling, and serving as contact for the Lanes
• Overseeing the orientation and induction of new members or new substitutes into the league
• Assisting in the interpretation of the league rules
The Secretary is
responsible for all league documentation, record keeping, and assisting the
President in coordinating Executive Board functions. Specifically:
• Taking minutes at all league meetings
• Arranging for ABC/WIBC sanctioning of all RHBS members and substitutes
• Providing ABC/WIBC with final league averages
• Insuring compliance with all ABC/WIBC requirements
• Coordinating payment of all sanction fees with the RHBS Treasurer
• Maintaining registration lists for all league members
• Assisting in the notification of league members in the event of the cancellation of bowling
• Assisting in the interpretation of the league rules
• Serving as primary RHBS contact for all external communications
• Distributing all ABC/WIBC information to league members
• Obtaining and distributing all ABC/WIBC awards earned by RHBS members
The Treasurer is responsible and accountable for
all league finances. Specifically:
• Establishing/maintaining bank account under the
name Rochester Historical Bowling Society (RHBS)
• Insuring that the signatures of TWO officers
appear on every check written on the RHBS account
• Maintaining financial records in such a manner
that financial reports/audits may be easily furnished to the Board
• Appointing a Board representative as co-signer
who serves as acting Treasurer in the Treasurer's absence
• Collecting weekly bowling dues from team captains
and paying bowling fees to the Lanes Management
• Depositing all league funds within one week of
receipt
• Providing the League President with the monthly
bank statement for review
• Providing each team with a statement showing all
income and disbursements (including detailed prize distribution with a list of
recipients) within 21 days of the final day of bowling within a season
• Relinquishing all financial records to the newly
elected Treasurer by the first day of June
The Statistician is
responsible for maintaining all league statistics in accordance with ABC/WIBC
rules. Specifically:
• Providing the schedule for the league's yearly
calendar
• Calculating bowler handicaps
• Maintaining statistics as necessary for
verification for tournaments
• Maintaining weekly statistics for league members
and team standings
• Providing statistics weekly to league members
• Notifying the League Secretary of any members
earning ABC/WIBC or league awards
• Compiling final statistics for the year-end
banquet
The Social Director is
responsible for the coordination of social events throughout the bowling season
as determined by the league's Executive Board. Specifically:
• Providing a calendar at the beginning of each
season with proposed Social activities
• Arranging for the annual awards banquet
• Appointing any committees necessary to assist in
all social events
• Overseeing banquet attendance process
• Overseeing the execution of any RHBS related
fundraising activities
• Arranging special events as directed by the Board
The International Gay
Bowling Organization (IGBO) Representative is appointed annually by the President
to be a liaison to IGBO. The
representative is required to channel all information regarding IGBO activities
to the Executive Board and to provide information as required to IGBO regarding
league activities. A league
representative may be designated by the President as an alternate IGBO
Representative to perform these duties in the absence of the IGBO
Representative. Specifically:
• Attending IGBO meetings or making arrangements
for league input to IGBO activities whenever possible
• Disseminating IGBO information to the league
members
• Coordinating payment of annual IGBO dues with the
RHBS Treasurer
• Forwarding final RHBS statistics to IGBO at the
end of each bowling season
Each team must designate
a Captain who is willing to accept the responsibility for the actions of the
team and perform the following duties:
• Bowling fees are to be collected by the Captain
each night of play and recorded on the team envelope. It is the Captain's responsibility to see that ALL fees are paid each night of play. In the case of an absent bowler, the
Captain is to insure that his/her fees are current by the next week of
bowling. Each bowler must have
paid for the evening's bowling to be able to bowl in competition that night
unless other arrangements have been agreed to.
• Weekly bowling fees are to be collected and given
to the Treasurer (or designated officer) by the end of the FIRST game.
• Team Captains are to insure the league Secretary
has current information for all team members.
• Team Captains insure all team registration sheets
are updated and current.
• Captains insure all substitute bowlers have paid
their sanction fees by the second night they bowl.
• Insure the statistics sheet is properly completed
at the end of each game and that it is turned into the Statistician at the end
of nightly play (after having been signed by BOTH team captains).
• Notify the team in the event that an officer of
the league has canceled a night's bowling. If there is a question as to the possibility of a cancellation,
the Captain is responsible to contact the Lanes and obtain verification.
• Insure all team members are conducting themselves
in an acceptable manner in accordance with established rules of bowling
etiquette. The Captain is
responsible to request ejection of any team member who is not abiding by these
guidelines.
• A Captain can refuse to accept an opposing team's
substitute if it can be cited that the substitute is not qualified to
bowl. Objections to a sub's
bowling must be brought to the attention of the President or Vice President
prior to bowling and verified by the Secretary. If refusal of a sub is verified, the Captain can opt to use
an absentee (blind) score, but this cannot be based on the average or handicap
of the potential substitute.
• Arrangements to bowl an opposing team on any
night other than an official league night is the responsibility of the Team
Captain. All such matches MUST be bowled prior to the next normally scheduled
night and the league Statistician and one other officer MUST be notified of such arrangements prior to the
match occurring.
• All bowlers are expected to be present at the
lanes and ready to bowl by 7:15pm each night of play.
• If a bowler arrives late, he/she may bowl in the
game underway providing play has not exceeded the fifth frame. If play is beyond the fifth frame, the
bowler may only participate in any succeeding games. The missing bowler's absentee score (blind) should be
used. If a bowler arrives late and
did not notify the Captain and a substitute bowler has commenced bowling, it is
the Captain's decision to allow the late bowler to bowl providing play has not
exceeded 5 frames. Once beyond the
fifth frame, any substitute must complete that game.
• There is an annual sanction fee for each league
bowler, which MUST be paid by
the second week of play. It is the
responsibility of the league Secretary to insure that all bowlers and
substitutes are sanctioned in accordance with ABC/WIBC rules. A bowler cannot bowl in competition
unless duly sanctioned. If anyone
has bowled and has not been sanctioned by the end of their second week of play,
their score will not be used in that night's results. A blind score will be substituted.
• All substitutes must be sanctioned through RHBS
and have an established average through RHBS by Week 23 or the week prior to
the third position round. Anyone
not meeting these criteria will not be allowed to bowl after this time.
• A substitute will NOT be eligible to bowl during a position week.
• There will be an annual general league meeting
held at the beginning of each bowling season to be attended by all League
Officers, Team Captains and members.
This is to allow each team to receive information as to league rules,
procedures, and operation. Should
all team members not be able to attend, a representative should be designated
for the team. It is the attendee's
responsibility to insure that the team is made aware of any information
imparted at the meeting.
Additional league meetings may be scheduled at the discretion of the
Executive Board.
• Three regulation games will be bowled per bowler
for each night of league competition.
There will be eight (8) points awarded per nightly play, composed of two
(2) points per game and two (2) points for total pins. In the event of a tie, each team will
receive one (1) point.
• On the first night of bowling each season, "book
averages" will be used for handicap calculation. Anyone who bowled at least 21 games in RHBS the previous
year (regular or sub) will use a handicap the first night of the new season
based on his/her final "book average" last season. Those without a "book average" will have their handicap
determined at the end of the evening's bowling. Regardless of the existence of "book averages", ALL averages will be calculated for Week Two (2)
based solely on the results of Week One (1) bowling.
• The team with the most points at the end of the
season shall be the league champion.
In the event of a tie, ABC/WIBC Playoff rules will be followed. Awarding the higher position to the
team with higher total pins will break any tie (other than for league
champion).
• Handicaps will be computed on the basis of 90% of the difference between 225 points and the bowler's average at the beginning
of each night of league play. A
bowler with an average of 225
or above will be assigned a scratch handicap of ZERO (0).
ABC methodology will be used in the actual handicap calculation.
• A "legal lineup" consists of at least TWO (2) regular members from a team. If fewer than two are present, the team
will receive ZERO (0) points
for the evening, regardless of any substitute bowlers being used. All absent bowlers will receive the
"Absentee" score of "average minus 10 pins, plus handicap". Any substitutes bowling for the team
will receive their full score. The
opposing team must still outscore the Ôdefaulting' team's game and/or series
totals in order to receive any points.
LEAGUE
RULES, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES (continued)
• To be eligible to win prize money at the end of
the season's play, a bowler must be sanctioned, registered in the league, an
official team member, and have bowled a minimum of 21 weeks of play in the
current season. It is up to the
Executive Board to determine the dispensing of team position prize money when
there are members who have not bowled a complete season. This can be a member who has started
after the season has begun or who has left the league before the season has
finished.
• Scores for individual handicap game and series
end of season prizes will be based on the prior RHBS season's book average,
until a 21 game average for the current season has been established. If a prior
RHBS book average is not available, a 21 game average for the current season
needs to be established to calculate individual award scores. Scores for team handicap game
and series end of season prizes will be calculated with the completion of Week 7.
• A single position on any one team cannot be "split" between more than one
individual. Teams will be limited
to four regular members. Anyone
not listed as a regular member on the team's roster is considered a substitute
bowler.
• If a bowler leaves a team, the team is
responsible for the lineage fee for the vacated position. The Team Captain must notify the league
Secretary or Statistician of the vacancy.
Every effort should be made by the team to fill the vacancy as quickly
as possible to avoid incurring this cost.
If the team cannot find a replacement, the League Officers will attempt
to fill the position. Until such
time, a "vacancy" score and handicap must be used for the unfilled
position. The payment of the
vacant lineage fee will be reviewed on an individual basis, if the position has
not been filled within a reasonable time and all efforts have been made to fill
it.
• A bowler/team is eligible to win only ONE prize per scratch/handicap categoryÉi.e. One
"game" prize, one "series" prize, etc.
If qualifying for the same prize in the scratch and handicap categories,
the award with the greater dollar amount will take precedence. If the prize amounts are of equal
value, the scratch prize will take precedence.
• The composition of the league as to the number of
teams, number of team members, and the scheduling of league play are at the
discretion of the Executive Board at the beginning of each season.
• Substitute bowlers will be allowed to bowl with ANY team. If a sub is used in any game beyond the fifth frame, the sub must finish that game. If the regular bowler arrives and decides to bowl in his/her regular slot, the sub can bowl with another team providing bowling starts prior to the fifth frame of any given game.
• Substitutes are NOT eligible for end-of-season prizes. Should a substitute bowler become a permanent member on any team, any scores bowled prior to this will not qualify for individual high game or series end of season prizes.
• Election of the Executive Board must be complete prior to the end of the bowling season to provide for a smooth transition between seasons. May 31 marks the close of the fiscal year. The new Board commences on the first day of the new fiscal year, June 1.
• Nominations for league officers shall be open for at least four (4) weeks and secured at least two (2) weeks prior to the end of the bowling season. Each nominee must be a sanctioned bowler willing to commit and serve. A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the league President and will be responsible to secure eligible nominees and submit a slate of candidates to the President for the purpose of general election. The President shall oversee the operation of the Nominating Committee.
LEAGUE
RULES, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES (continued)
• Ballots shall be submitted to the general membership for a vote at least two (2) weeks prior to season's end. Team Captains are to ensure that all eligible members vote. The Nominating Committee will compile, tabulate, and submit the results to the current President for review by the Executive Board. A minimum two-thirds (2/3) vote by the membership is required for a legal vote.
• The Nominating Committee is responsible for all balloting, which will be held by secret vote. No nominee may serve on the committee. In the event of a tie, a re-vote for that position should be held. In the event of a second tie, the current President shall vote to break the tie. If the vote involves the current President, the current Vice President shall vote to break the tie. If both are involved, the current Secretary shall vote to break the tie.
• In the event of a resignation from the Board, the current President shall appoint a replacement with approval of the Executive Board. The appointee shall fill the office for the remainder of the current season. If the vacated position is that of the President, the current Vice President assumes the office and subsequently appoints a replacement for Vice President.
• An officer can be removed for just cause by a two-thirds (2/3)-majority vote of the Executive Board, providing discussion and debate is held on such actions. The open position will be treated as a resignation (see above).
• The RHBS Sportsmanship Award will be determined by a membership write-in vote on the final Board ballot. The winner of the award will be announced at the end-of-season banquet by one of the league's officers.
• The Executive Board positions of Treasurer, Statistician and Secretary will receive an annual stipend for their services. The amounts will be approved annually by (2/3)-majority vote of the Executive Board. Compensation for the IGBO Representative will be the entry fees for the annual, mid-year and the two regional meeting tournaments when they are not hosted by the local GREAT tournament. If a meeting is not attended, no compensation will be given for that individual tournament entry fee.