End of Season Honor Scores and Final Averages
An excellent question came across the desk recently.
"If the averages are cut off at the end of a season, can a bowler bowl an honor score and will it count?
This question has one simple answer and brings to light another issue.
The short answer is yes. Honor scores count on any night the league is certified, presuming all other rules are followed. For example, if you have a natural 300 game on 9-pin tap fun night - it counts. If you earn a 600 magnet in the championship match, it counts.
But what about these "cut-off" averages?
Averages should not end just because your league engages in multi-week "playoff" systems. This is a misinterpretation of USBC Rule 113, 'Playoffs/Special Contests'. The USBC definition of a playoff is applicable to a specific circumstance - not "playoffs" in general.
The USBC rule book defines a playoff as a separate competition conducted to determine league champions and/or break ties in the league standings.
What this is intended to mean is if there is a split season, or if there is a tie that needs broken, then some method of determining a winner must be conducted.
A good example was illustrated in a local league on a couple occasions. This league has utilized a three week playoff system for a number of years. The 16 team league has two divisions and two halves. The four division winners are seeded with four wild card teams to form an eight team bracket. This bracket is played out over the final three weeks of the season. Meanwhile, teams not in the bracket (or knocked out of the bracket) compete in team, singles, and hi-lo doubles over average competitions.
The league calls the final three weeks the "playoffs", which is fine, but this does not fall into the USBC definition of playoffs.
On two occasions, the last night of bowling resulted in a 15-15 tie between the two remaining teams in the bracket. As a result a playoff was needed to determine a champion. In this league, the rule was to bowl another game.
This extra game is the USBC defined playoff and the games do not count toward individual averages or special league prizes.
All the games bowled the final three weeks of the season leading up to the playoff are considered to be part of a Special Contest as defined by USBC Rule 113c. All scores count towards final averages, are eligible for USBC awards, and (unless league rules state otherwise) are eligible for special league awards.
Remember, USBC Rule 118 states that "A bowling average is determined by dividing the total number of pins credited to a bowler in one USBC league by the number of games bowled in that league in a season." If a bowler is competing in league standings competition, end of year playoff brackets, or other special contests that comply with USBC Rule 2a, the bowlers should be credited with his or her pinfall.
Please make sure YOUR league rules are properly defined.
- Be sure your final averages include all weeks of standard bowling competition.
- Be sure your league rules reflect whether you want individuals to earn special league prizes during Special Contests.
- Be sure to report award scores bowled during Special Contests.
- Direct all questions to the Madison USBC Bowling Association office.