IGBO Tournament Bowling and You
By Donald Beach
Like so many of you, I told myself tournament bowling is not for me. I thought tournament bowling was for high-average awesome bowlers who rolled high scores every time. I thought tournament bowling was out of my reach and just knew I was out of my mind for even contemplating it. Well, I could not have been thinking any further from reality. Tournament bowling is for everyone no matter your average. Tournaments in IGBO are multi-faceted and generally have many purposes as well. Yes, bowling is the second biggest part of a tournament, though timewise it is almost always the biggest part. However, the true largest part of a tournament is everything beyond the actual bowling. Before I get into all that, I’ll go ahead and address the bowling aspect of the tournament.
Yes, IGBO tournament bowling is for everyone. The only difference between bowling in a league and bowling in a tournament is you bowl more games in a shorter period of time. Generally, most tournaments consist of 9 games which include 3 singles, 3 doubles and 3 team, and generally take place over a two-day period except for the IGBO Annual tournament, which can be longer due to the higher number of participants. Over the normal two-day period, 6 games are bowled on one day and 3 on the other. Tournaments can often start with registration on Friday night with bowling two sets of 3 games on Saturday and one set of 3 games on Sunday followed by the banquet on Sunday evening. Different tournaments set up the three sets of three games in varying ways. Singles and Doubles on Saturday with Team on Sunday is one way. The part of the tournament that makes it for everyone is that most IGBO tournaments, if not all, are generally handicap tournaments. This means everyone starts on an even playing field (or lane, so to speak). Some tournaments also offer divisions such as A, B, C, D and E. These divisions even the playing field even more so as they represent those with similar averages for those who choose to add this option. For instance, Division A may be averages from 125 to 150 with Division B averages from 151 to 170, while Division C is 171 to 190 and Divisions D and E follow with similar average representation. Some tournaments also have side pots, side brackets and so many more ways your bowling could bring one a trophy or prize money.
With all these bowling tournament enhancements and opportunities, tournaments offer so much more than spares, strikes and gutter balls. And yes, gutter balls happen even in tournaments. Winning can come in other forms as well. There are almost always raffles of multiple types from basket raffles and 50/50 cash raffles, ball and other tournament entry raffles and more. These raffles and tournament entries combined make everyone a winner. This happens as givers are winners and when a bowler enters a tournament, buys raffle tickets and supports these tournaments, they reach into communities they might never have reached before. The monies from these entries and raffle tickets go to support the local charities of these tournaments. With the support of bowlers in tournaments, local charities are able to reach their helping hands and arms to embrace more people and animals in need in their communities. These charities are different in each community and the needs of those they help vary tremendously. Though the needs of those they help vary so much, the needs of the charities themselves vary ever so slightly as there are basically two needs they have to meet: money and volunteers. With donations from tournaments, the money needs are helped, and the charity may see a rise in volunteerism from the community seeing and learning of the charity’s existence.
Yes, tournaments are for you, as the final chance for winning is always guaranteed. Signing up and registering for a tournament is signing up for a weekend of fun, fellowship, and friends both new and old. Through your tournament fees and raffle buying and so much more, you also sign up for a weekend of volunteering without even lifting a finger through charities in great need, thus raising the hearts of so many in need. Tournaments are not just for high averages, but for everyone, by giving bowlers of all levels an even chance to win both through handicaps and through charities. Let other bowlers be winners also, by entering tournaments and making new friends. Here’s to finding a tournament in your future and a winning weekend in more ways than can be imagined.