Here we go again: It’s the start of the 2008-2009 season, and I have the honor again to head this association that represents USBC-certified tenpin bowlers in the Nation’s Capital Area.
This season, we will continue to require that all games bowled be reported at the end of the year by the league secretaries. This will be the standard practice from now on.
Also in that vein, league officers will need to know what duties they must perform, how to perform these duties—and then do them. This past season, we unfortunately had a league secretary who did not submit the certification application and membership dues within the required 42-day time limit (30 days for summer leagues), and then there some financial shenanigans combined with a league president who did not check the funds monthly as required.
Needless to say, the league was not able to get all the money returned via the bonding process because the officers did not do their duties. Secretaries must read all the messages they receive in their league kits and from the association throughout the season.
This season, the NCAUSBCA Annual Meeting will be held February 22, 2009—the last Sunday of the month—at the Holiday Inn Eisenhower Metro Center in Alexandria. It is very important for each league to have a representative at this meeting.
Many secretaries and presidents did not do their jobs last year, and we did not get information that is needed to run your association as well as it could be run. At the beginning of last season, Association Manager Ray Brothers issued a warning about filing charges against league secretaries who fail to submit final averages; this season, it will be a policy that will be enforced.
Now on the positive side, your association continues to contribute more money than any other local association for the BVL. I had the honor of representing the association at the national convention a couple of years ago to accept the award for top honors, and earlier this year in Kansas City, Mo., NCAUSBCA again received recognition for being first in the nation in contributions.
The association is now accepting nominations through next April 30 for our Hall of Fame Class of 2009. If you know of someone you believe is worthy of this honor, please submit a one-page résumé of this individual’s bowling career to the association office.
NCAUSBCA will conduct several tournaments this season, including two 600-700 Scratch Mixed Doubles events—one in September at Bowl America Gaithersburg and another in February. The Senior Tournament will take place in October also at Bowl America Gaithersburg, as will our Youth Championship Tournament in late February and early March.
Meanwhile, Bowl America Shirley will host the Women’s Championship Tournament in March, and the Open Championship Tournament will occur in April at Bowl America Burke and Bowl America Chantilly.
I hope all of you have a very productive season. Good luck and high scores!