Stonewall Sports Charlotte: Bowling League
In 2015 Stonewall Sports Charlotte added Bowling to it’s line up of leagues. Our inaugural season registered over 25 players, resulting in 7 teams. Since our first season, we have expanded the bowling league to two seasons per year – Fall, and Spring season on Monday evenings with an average of 80-104 players per season. Our Bowling league is a very laid back, low cost, no equipment needed, no athletic skills needed sport that connects all demographics from all age ranges in a non-competitive sport!
Spring – Registration is open December 11 – January 7, 2024 (or until filled). Season is played February – April.
Fall – Registration is open July 15 – August 11 (or until filled). Season is played September – November.
- Season Format - 10 Weeks + roll off night
- Date/Time - Thursdays 7:00 - 9:00 PM
- Team Size - 4 bowlers per team
- Cost - $155 Registration Fee includes league shirt, lineage fees, and shoes (if needed)
- AMF University Lanes – 5900 N Tryon St. Charlotte, NC 28213
Cost: $155 per player, which includes your Stonewall Bowling Charlotte T-Shirt (see registration information section below) required liability insurance, and registration into the Unites States Bowling Congress (U.S.B.C) as a standard annual member ($20.00).
Registration Information:
A team is formed when 4 players register and pay. Each team may have up to 4 players. Any teams that have not met the required 4 registered players when registration closes will revert to free agents and will be assigned to the formed teams. We will do our best to keep groups together.
I plan to create a team: If you plan to create a team you will need to register as a team captain. Then you can tell your other participants to register as a team player and join your team. To become one of the official new teams, you must register 4 players.
I plan to join a team: If you already know the team you are going to play on, you will need to register as a team player. Keep in mind you cannot randomly select any team; captains may ask that a player be removed from their team prior to the close of registration. Captains can email the bowling officer to move a player from their team but, only after the captain has communicated with the player and explained why.
I want to play but don’t have a team: That’s fantastic! Stonewall Sports is about making new friends. Register as a Free Agent. We will host a Free Agent Social where you can meet the players, teams, and captains. If you find a team you like you can request to be place on that team.
Game Location: AMF University Lanes — 5900 N Tryon St. Charlotte, NC 28213
After Game Activities: Sidelines Sports Bar is the place to be after games! After the matches,
teams head to Sidelines to socialize about their weekend or bowling skills. Note: Sidelines Sports Bar is a Stonewall Sports Charlotte Sponsor, please support our great partners!
Fundraising: Monies raised throughout the Stonewall Bowling Charlotte season will be distributed back into the community to local 501c3’s.
Zero Tolerance Policy: Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc. has zero tolerance of any bullying or harassment of any kind and for any reason of any player, captain, referee, official, participant, sponsor, director, officer or spectator. Harassment can be verbal, physical or visual, and includes all unwelcome conduct that affects someone else. The Stonewall Sports Charlotte Board of Directors has an open-door policy and welcomes you to report any conduct by any player, captain, referee, official, participant, sponsor, director, officer, or spectator that makes you feel uncomfortable. The Board of Directors takes all allegations and reports seriously and will thoroughly investigate all claims, and if warranted, will take all appropriate action.
Bowling League Basics:
This league is all about having fun! If you are not familiar with some of the “lingo” below, don’t worry! There will be league leadership available to answer any questions you may have!
● Bowlers will establish average after the first 3 games. The average will be used for handicap purposes. Handicap will be 90% of difference between the bowler’s average and 200.
● Subs will NOT be allowed to bowl in place of an absent bowler.
● At least 2 members of the team must be present by the end of the 3 rd frame of a game, or the game could be forfeited. End of 3 rd frame is defined when the anchorman of each team has bowled. If a bowler is late, but arrives before the end of the 3 rd frame, he/she will be allowed to make up the frames missed. League leadership can make exceptions for hardship reasons.
● When a game is forfeited, the team bowling must bowl as if there is a contest. The bowling team must bowl within 40 pins of the current team average. If this is not achieved, no points will be awarded to either team for that game.
● If a bowler is absent, they will have an average for that night of 10 pins less than the actual average.
● Vacancy scores will be allowed when a team does not have enough players to fill the 4-man roster. The score of 120 and a handicap of 72 will be used. If a team is bowling a vacant team, they must bowl within 40 pins of the team’s average.
● Prebowling must be done the week before the scheduled match. An individual can prebowl and the entire team is not required to. Scores will be verified with a printout from the house. There will be no prebowling for position round, or roll off. There will be no post bowling unless the facility / lanes prohibited an entire team(s) from bowling the assigned night.
● Points will be awarded nightly, 2 points for each game won, and 2 points for total pins, for a total of 8 points awarded weekly.
Prebowling:
How to Prebowl:
1. You must call AMF Centennial lanes and make an appointment to prebowl. Call 704-264-3538 and ask what day / time you can come to prebowl. Normally, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (Mornings), and Sundays are the best days to prebowl. It normally takes about 30-45 mins to finish 3 games alone. Prebowling is not allowed on Friday, Saturday, or Mondays. Do not ask or expect an exception. The entire team does not have to prebowl, only bowlers that have to miss that night.
2. Once they have you scheduled, show up at your scheduled time and tell them you are on the board in the back scheduled to come.
3. Retrieve your shoes if needed for $6.50 rental.
4. Get a league scorecard and fill it out with your scores from all 3 games. Your team name, your name and the date you are bowling for.
5. Ask them to print the scores from the system to verify and attach to your score sheet.
6. Take your copy for your records and sign the pre-bowl book.
7. The lane staff will place the score sheet in a binder until Monday night and enter your scores then.
If you have issues or questions, please contact Bowling Officer.
Rules:
Stonewall Sports Charlotte is an LGBTQ and Ally, 501c3 not-for-profit, sports league. We strive to develop a well-connected and diverse community through organized competition and social or fundraising events. Our Vision is that every person should have the ability to feel comfortable playing organized sports and that we have the responsibility to give back to our community.
Our Mission is to provide an inclusive, low cost, high FUN sports league that is managed as a non-profit with a philanthropic heart.
General
1. Stonewall Sports Charlotte – Bowling is a fun, charity, fundraising league with no prize fund payable to teams or individual bowlers. Prize monies will be paid to charities at the end of the season at the amounts decided by Stonewall Sports Charlotte Inc. Leadership. Team Captains from the winning 2 teams (1st and 2nd place teams) will decide which Charlotte Area 501c3 will receive the funds.
2. Official Bowling shirts must be worn to bowl, without alteration to any logos, or print and must be the current season shirt. Failure to wear the shirt appropriately will result in a donation of $20.00 to a charity of the league’s choosing. Donation must be paid before the next bowling night to the League Finance Officer.
3. Bowling starts at 7:10, practice starts at 7:00, please be on time.
4. Beginning Fall 2017, Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc will register our bowlers with the United States Bowling Congress (U.S.B.C) to be able to attend sanctioned league tournaments and events.
5. The Stonewall Sports Charlotte – Bowling registration fees include an annual “Standard” membership fee to the Unites States Bowling Congress (U.S.B.C) in the amount of $20.00. This fee is sent in with your U.S.B.C registration cards on an annual basis ending on August 1st of the following year. The fee is allocated to National U.S.B.C ($13.00), State ($1.00) and Local – Greater Charlotte USBC
Association ($6.00).
6. U.S.B.C registration cards or a printed spreadsheet of your data will be sent to USBC. All Data must match Stonewall Sports Charlotte Inc registration demographic data. Demographic Data including full name, address, sex, date of birth, USBC Number, Phone numbers, and email address will be exported to U.S.B.C Local Association for record keeping and to mail a U.S.B.C membership card to all members. Members must verify their data each season!
7.When members receive the U.S.B.C cards, they will need to update their member profile at www.stonewallcharlotte.org with the new numbers issued by U.S.B.C.
8.The Bowling periods for the official Stonewall Sports Charlotte – Bowling league will begin in Fall and go through Summer of the following year. There will be 2 separate seasons including Fall/Winter and Spring. The Fall and Spring seasons will be 10 weeks.
Game Rules – Handicap / Standard / Adult-Mixed
9.Bowlers will establish average after the first 3 games. The average will be used for handicap purposes. Handicap will be 90% of difference between the bowler’s average and 200 (Rule 100g). Averages will go forward to the next season if the bowler registers for that season.
-Beginning Fall 2017, averages will be recorded at the end of the season and sent to U.S.B.C at the end of the season.
– Averages from prior seasons will not go forward and everyone will start over with no average at the beginning of every season.
10.Teams must consist of 4 players.
11.Subs will NOT be allowed to bowl in place of an absent bowler.
12.Beginning Fall 2018, Only League Bowlers or League Officials are allowed in the Settee Area between the upper seating area and the approach. League Officials may ask these individuals to vacate the area. Non-compliance may result in the Bowling Alley removing the individuals from the alley and the responsible party losing points for the game.
13.At least 2 members of the team must be present by the end of the 3rd frame of a game, or the game could be forfeited. End of 3rd frame is defined when the anchorman of each team has bowled. If a bowler is late, but arrives before the end of the 3rd frame, he/she will be allowed to make up the frames missed. League Leadership will review exceptions to this rule on a case-by-case basis and make a ruling onsite. Pre-bowlers are not considered absent!
14.When a game is forfeited, the team bowling must bowl as if there is a contest. The bowling team must bowl within 40 pins of the current team average. If this is not achieved, no points will be awarded to either team for that game.
15.Absent Scores – If a bowler is absent, they will have scores of 10 pins less than the actual average of that bowler. (Rule 105). This is after their first game where an average is established. Bowlers would be entered as a Vacant until that point.
16.Vacancy scores will be allowed when a team does not have enough players to fill the 4-man roster. The score of 120 and a handicap of 72 will be used. If a team is bowling a vacant team, they must bowl within 40 pins of the team’s average. If the team has a full roster and members are just absent any night after the first night of bowling without pre-bowling , their average will be used instead of the
120 / 72 statement above.
17.Points will be awarded nightly, 2 points for each game won, and 2 points for total pins, for a total of 8 points awarded weekly.
18.Pre-bowling must be done before the scheduled match. An individual can pre-bowl and the entire team is not required to. Scores will be verified with a printout from the house and must be attached to the scoring sheet left at the lanes. There will be no Pre-bowling for position round, or roll off. Pre-bowl days allowed by the lanes are designated each season and its required to call ahead to confirm your spot. Pre-bowling during a Black-out night or when all the normal lights are off is not allowed by the league, plan accordingly. Pre-bowling scores will be on the screen when the lanes are turned on the day of the match.
19.There will be no post bowling unless the facility deems the lanes unsafe, at capacity, or other conditions that would prevent an entire team from bowling. If this occurs, an entire team must return on another night, with options given by the Bowling Alley Management.
20.Arriving Late – Bowlers arriving after the 1st frame has started will be placed in the system as Blind. Once they arrive, the blind can be removed and the bowler will be allowed to bowl with team. Arriving after the entire 1st game, a score of 10pins less than their average will be recorded. Bowlers can then bowl their 2 and 3rd games without having to take a “absent score”.
21.Scores and Weekly standings will be uploaded to leaguepals.com every week by Thursday of that week. Bowling Averages will be transmitted to the Local Association at the end of each season.
22.A Season Roll off (playoffs) will occur at the end of the regular Bowling Season.
The top eight (8) teams of the season will compete in the roll off in the Fall (Winter) and Spring Season. All 8 teams will bowl 3 games and the top two teams with the highest number of Pins including handicap will be our 1st, 2nd place teams. 1st and 2nd place teams will be given the opportunity to donate prize money selected by leadership to the charity of their choice. The charity must be in the Charlotte area and must be a 501c3 tax-exempt organization.
23.Zero Tolerance Policy – Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc. has zero tolerance of any bullying or harassment of any kind and for any reason of any player, captain, referee, official, participant, sponsor, director, officer or spectator. Harassment can be verbal, physical or visual, and includes all unwelcome conduct that affects someone else. The Stonewall Sports Charlotte Board of Directors has an open-
door policy and welcomes you to report any conduct by any player, captain, referee, official, participant, sponsor, director, officer, or spectator that makes you feel uncomfortable. The Board of Directors takes all allegations and reports seriously and will thoroughly investigate all claims, and if warranted, will take all appropriate action.
a. Any allegations of violation of this policy will be investigated by the Bowling Leadership Team and /or The Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc –Board of Directors. If the bowler is in violation, he/she will be discharged from the league for one season. Bullying will not be tolerated by Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc. Returning after discharge will require Board approval and vote, pending apologies and assurances the behavior has been corrected. Discharged bowlers will not be allowed to enter any lanes secured by Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc.
24.Bowling Alley Rules – Beginning Fall 2019 – No outside Food or drink is allowed inside any AMF Bowling Center. Stonewall Sports Charlotte will be penalized if any of our bowlers are caught. SSC Bowling Officer and AMF Staff will be watching for this and asking you to leave the facility and finish your beverage or food before returning. No Exceptions!
Organization
25.U.S.B.C terms referencing League President, Secretary, League Treasurer, and League Official are explained below:
a. The Bowling League President is the President & Founder of Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc. according to by-laws of the organization adopted May 2016.
b. The Bowling League Secretary is the City Commissioner of Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc. according to by-laws of the organization adopted May 2016.
c. The Bowling League Treasurer is the League Treasurer of Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc. according to by-laws of the organization adopted May 2016.
d. The Bowling League Official is the Bowling Officer of Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc. according to by-laws of the organization adopted May 2016.
The Bowling Officer is responsible for appointing a Bowling Finance Officer and an Administration Officer to fulfill the duties of the Bowling League regarding collecting monies, scoring, rules, membership applications, etc.
e. In the event the Bowling Officer position is vacant, the City Commissioner shall fulfill those duties as outlined in the By-laws of the organization adopted on May 2016 and can appoint a committee to assist with those duties.
Disclaimer – Any rule not referenced in this document shall be addressed in the official U.S.B.C 2019/2020 Playing rules document located at www.Bowl.com/rules . Rules referenced in the document override any rule in the U.S.B.C rulebook if there is a conflict of rule clarity. Rules of the organization, its governing body, finances, and processes are determined by the Board of Directors of Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc. By-laws for this organization can be requested from the Leadership Team.
Rules adopted by: Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc – Board of Directors
Adopted Date: 9/18/2017, updated 01/18/2023
Weekly score sheets are uploaded to League Pals for our players.
Meet Our Bowling Sport Officer
Stonewall Sports Charlotte Officers are 100% volunteers committed to a smooth operating sports season. They work with sponsors, schedules, rules, officials, and much more. If you have any questions related to Bowling please contact them below via email.
Shaun Schoonhoven
