Rules and Conduct
- All USBC rules are in effect
- Only bowlers and scorekeepers are allowed in the bowling area during tournament play. All score corrections must be made or approved by a tournament director, or individual assigned by a tournament director during the event. Score corrections must be done in the frame they occur, no exceptions. Invalid scores not corrected at the time of occurrence will result in that frame having a score of 0.
- Bowlers in the tournament must be present at all times and ready to bowl. Bowlers who have qualified for the next round and are not present will be replaced by the next qualifying bowler.
- Bowlers are responsible for their own score sheets. All scores must be written down and initialed by an opponent on the same pair of lanes after each game, including the final game.
- Score sheets must be turned into a tournament director after EACH game, you are to remain at the tournament director’s table until scores have been inputted and sheets have been returned.
- Any scores NOT turned in after 2 consecutive games will result in disqualification.
- Scores must be legible, if a tournament director cannot read your writing; you will be given a 0 for that game.
- After the completion of the 5 game qualifier, score sheets must be signed by the bowler. Any score sheets without signatures will not be accepted and will result in tournament forfeiture.
- Electronic devices are not allowed to be used on the approaches at any time. Cell phones and communication devices are not to be used in the bowlers’ area unless keeping scores on a bowling app or viewing tournament standings.
- During practice only – balls may be resurfaced.
- Behavior: ANY DISPLAY OF FOUL LANGUAGE OR ABUSING OF EQUIPMENT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Unsportsmanlike conduct will result in a one-time warning; further conduct will result in disqualification from the tournament. Damage to center equipment will result in forfeiture of tournament, banning from current MYST season events, and further consequences at the discretion of the center.
- Entry into any MYST tournament constitutes acceptance of and adherence to all MYST and USBC rules. Furthermore, unless expressly written, bowlers and parents are permitting MYST to use photos, videos, standings for promotional use.
- Participants shall have a current, and in good standing youth membership for USBC. Participants competing for the Junior Gold portion of our tournament shall also have a current and in good standing Junior Gold membership. Memberships may be purchased during registration the day of a tournament. Standard Youth Membership $4; U12 Junior Gold Membership $10; U15-U20 Junior Gold Membership $30. Memberships are good from Aug 1, 2019 – May 31-2020.
Tournament Format:
Tournament Check in begins at 8:00 am until 8:45 am the day of the tournament
Practice begins at approximately 9:00 am and runs for 15 minutes
Tournament play starts at approximately 9:20 am
- All tournaments are conducted on a sport shot.
- MYST divisions include Male Scratch, Female Scratch, and Handicap
- Handicap divisions is a gender mixed division
- Bowlers who have not bowled in a 2019-20 MYST tournament and have an average of 169 or less may choose to bowl handicap.
- Handicap division is calculated at 90% of 170
- Once a participant bowls as a Scratch player, they must do so for the remainder of the season.
- Each tournament will consist of a 5 game qualifying round, moving lanes after each game. Bowlers starting on odd numbered lanes will more left and bowlers starting on even lanes will move right. (1 pair each time)
- Junior Gold advancement will be awarded after the completion of the initial 5 games to the eligible bowler with the highest scratch score.
Bowlers will compete in a 5 game qualifier, moving 1 pair of lanes after each game. (Bowlers on odd numbered lanes will move 1 pair to the right, and bowlers on even numbered lanes will move 1 pair to the left.)
After 5 games have concluded, Junior Gold winners will be announce. Junior Gold winners are calculated based off the bowler’s total SCRATCH pinfall (regardless if the bowler is participating in the Handicap division) Please see Junior Gold for advancement ratios.
After the Junior Gold winners are announce, the top bowlers in each division will advance to the finals for scholarship awards. Please see Finals for additional information.
Finals
- Bowlers who finish above the announced cut line for male/female scratch and handicap divisions will advance to the final round.
- Top finalists will compete in a double elimination bracket format.
The top 8 bowlers in each division will advance to the double elimination finals round top 6 receiving S.M.A.R.T. scholarships.
If less than 8 bowlers are in a division, MYST reserves the right to alter the finals format.
Divisions may be flighted for scholarship awards at the directors’ decision when a division has more than 24 participants. Should a flight(s) be created, it will be announced prior to the start of tournament play.
Ties for qualifying scratch positions going into elimination play will be broken by a 9th and 10th frame roll off with sudden death ball by ball continuation until there is a winner.
Ties for qualifying handicap positions will be broken by a 9th and 10th frame roll off with sudden death ball by ball continuation, granting 1/10th of their handicap per frame, until there is a winner.
Junior Gold Advancement Ratios
Each MYST tournament includes entry into the Junior Gold qualifying event at no additional fee, to be eligible for advancement, a bowler must be a current Junior Gold member and in good standing PRIOR to the start of each tournament. *If a bowler is a current Junior Gold member, they are required to provide tournament directors their current card, either in physically or electronically, no exceptions. Bowlers may reprint a lost card or provide a digital card by going to www.bowl.com.
Junior Gold memberships may be purchased through MYST during registration, memberships are processed by USBC.. For youth bowlers born on or before 8/1/2007, the fee is $10, for all others born between 08/01/1999 – 07/31/2007, the fee is $30. Memberships are valid from Aug 1 – July 31 of the following year.
Junior Gold Advancements are a hard ratio, as follows:
U12 Division: 1:4 (DOB 08/1/2007 or later)
U15 Division: 1:5 (DOB 08/01/2004-07/31/2007)
U17 Division: 1:6 (DOB 08/01/2002-07/31/2004)
U20 Division: 1:6 (DOB 08/01/1999 – 07/31/2002)
MYST director may choose to make an onsite change to the ratios or combining divisions should there not be enough participants for a division. Ratio changes may not exceed the published hard ratios, but may be changed to a lower ratio.
MYST will offer the Enhanced Advancement Ratio Policy (EARP) per division, should the division meet the published ratios.
EARP as outlined by USBC/JG is as followed:
‘Once an event has met their initial ratio and has additional entries in excess of that ratio, the next player in line will have the option to claim that spot by paying any remaining shortfall between the monies collected and the entry fee for the Junior Gold Championships. This option is available only to the next player in line. If that player declines to exercise this option, it ceases at that point and the option is not available to other finishers down the line in the standings.’
If a division ratio is lowered below the publish ratio for the event, EARP will not be in effect.
Any changes to ratios will be announced after the practice session has concluded and prior to the start of tournament play.
EARP bowlers will be notified after tournament results have been made official.
Average Calculations
Bowler averages will be calculated in the following order:
1. 2019-2020 MYST combined tournaments or;;
2. Total pinfall during the 2019 Junior Gold event (if they participated), or;
3. Highest current average of 12 games or more from a sanctioned league if participation was between
May 15, 2019 and 8/1/2019; or
4. Previous season MYST average of 12 or more games;
5. Highest current average from Junior High or High School bowling teams or;
6. Bowlers who do not meet the previous average requirements may choose to enter the Handicapped
division with a starting average of 169.
It is recommended that average verification be submitted 48 hours prior to the start of a tournament for new MYST bowlers, please email documentation to mystbowlingtour@gmail.com. If unable to email verification, it may be submitted during registration. Any bowler who does not provide average verification will have the option to bowl in the handicap division with an average of 169 or Scratch based off gender.
Handicap averages will be calculated prior to each event based off the total of all current season MYST tournament participation and will be available on Tournament Bowl. Please see Tournament Registration and Payment for additional information
Attire
Permissible attire includes collared shirts or bowling related jerseys (including mock collars).
All players are required to wear dress pants/slacks/skorts/dress shorts/golf shorts (approved shorts are permissible when accompanied by a belt). Skorts and shorts must be no shorter than the tips of the participants fingertips when in a relaxed position. T-shirts/non-dress shorts/jeans – denim of any color/yoga pants/ cargo shorts/clothing with holes/etc, are not permitted.
Clothing that promotes alcohol, cigarettes, foul language or other adult related images will not be permitted.
Attire infractions will result in a bowler not being permitted to participate.
In the event a bowler does not conform to MYST dress code requirements AND is discovered after the start of the tournament, that bowler will not be able to continue to participate. (If in doubt, either change prior to the event or ensure you have a change of clothes with you)
Tournament Cancellation Policy
MYST tournaments will only be canceled at the request of the center or due to inclement weather, notifications will be posted on our Facebook page and website. Any bowler who has prepaid will have the option to roll over their fee as a credit for a future tournament or request a refund. (Entry fees paid by credit card will be returned less the processing fee)
In the event a tournament has a participation level below Junior Gold advancement ratios, the event will continue only as a scholarship tournament and will not award a Junior Gold advancement.
Player Cancellation Policy
Bowlers who preregister and cannot attend must provide 24 hour notice (emergency exceptions apply). Any bowler who has preregistered and does not attend will be required to pre-pay for future events. If that bowler does not prepay, they will be subject to lane availability limits. To remove a player from the roster up to 24 hours prior to an event, please email the player’s name and USBC number to mystbowlingtour@gmail.com
Disqualification Policy
Bowlers who have completed the 5 game requirements for a tournament or the additional finals games will be disqualified if they NOT are not a current USBC or Junior Gold member at the start of the applicable tournament.
To avoid disqualifications, MYST requires that each bowler provide a physical or digital copy of their Junior Gold card at each event. In addition, MYST will also verify eligibility prior to the official results being posted. In the event that a bowler has completed and paid for their Junior Gold/USBC cards through USBC or another tour, please provide a receipt of purchase if possible.
Disqualifications related to not having a membership at the start of the applicable tournament may take effect even after results are posted/announced.
In the event that a bowler was awarded scholarships or Junior Gold advancement without having a current Junior Gold membership, the bowler/guardian will be notified and have 7 days from notification to challenge the decision.
If a bowler is disqualified and has earned a scholarship and/or Junior Gold advancements, the awards will be revoked.
Revoked awards will then be given to the next eligible bowler and that bowler/guardian will be notified.
Tournament Registration and Payment
Bowlers may register through the following avenues:
1. www.tournamentbowl.com – This is the preferred method. Please see Tournament Bowl information and
directions for more information.
2. Submit an entry via email to mystbowlingtour@gmail.com. Please include the bowler’s name, current
USBC number, gender, date of birth, last 4 digits of their SSN, Handicap or Scratch division, if they will be
competing for a Junior Gold advancement or if they have previously earned the current season Junior Gold
advancement.
3. Contact Trayc Foutz at 618-719-1153. please include the bowler’s name, current
USBC number, gender, date of birth, last 4 digits of their SSN, Handicap or Scratch division, and if they will
be competing for a Junior Gold advancement or if they have previously earned the current season Junior
Gold advancement.
4. Preregistration closes at 12 pm of the day prior to the tournament. Walk-ins are welcome the day of the
event and a $5 late entry fee will be applied.
Bowlers may preregister for events (excluding the MYST invitational) up to 24 hours prior to the start of the tournament. *New bowlers without average verification may preregister up to 48 hours prior to the start of the event.
Should an event be limited or meet capacity, the order of registrations will be followed:
1. Preresigeted MYST members
2. Preregistered non-members
3. MYST member walk-ins
4. Non-members walk-ins
Check-in begins at 8:00 am the day of the event and closes at 8:45. Every bowler must check-in when they arrive, regardless if they have preregistered.
MYST recognizes that there are tournaments that are being held within a 24 hour period prior to our events, where a bowler may or may not qualify for advancement in that tournament. The $5 walk-in fee will be waived for MYST members who provide their score sheet from the previous day’s tournament. MYST requests that bowlers NOT preregister for an event when circumstances such as this arise.
Entry fees may be paid the day of the event by cash, check, or credit card. If using a credit card, a $3 processing fee will be charged.
Entry may be paid prior to an event by mailing an entry form and payment to:
MYST
c/o Trayc Foutz
3944 Appaloosa Dr.
Swansea, IL 62226
Should a bowler prepay for an event and unable to attend, as subject to above requirements, a credit will be provided for a future tournament.
Entrants after the close of registration will be accepted through the 3rd frame of the 1st game, resulting in zeros for each frame they missed. If a bowler will be late, please contact the center as soon as possible.
TournamentBowl.com instructions
MYST is excited to partner with www.tournamentbowl.com!
Tournament Bowl provides online registration prior to an event and real-time results during the tournament.
Direction on how to Register
View Standings
Directions for registering a bowler on Tournament Bowl
1. Go to www.tournamentbowl.com
2. Click the ‘Upcoming Tournaments’ link
3. Click the ‘MYST dd/mm/yy *Junior Gold Qualifier’ event that you would like to register for.
*Forms, Schedules, Rules, and other information is available at the bottom of this screen as ‘Downloadable Forms’ *Bowlers who have participated in at least 1 MYST event during the current season should download the average sheet, find their name and average, and provide this information as their average when signing up.
4. Click the ‘Entry Form’ link
There are 3 steps necessary to complete to enter a bowler online.
Step 1:
1. Enter the Guardian’s first name, last name, email, and phone number if the bowler is under 18. (Bowlers who are 18+, please enter your information)
2. New MYST bowlers, please enter in the special notes section: Date of Birth and Gender. *Please remember to submit your average sheets to mystbowlingtour@gmail.com or bring it with you at registration.
3. Answer the challenge question
4. Click ‘Submit’
Step 2:
Select the appropriate MYST division – Handicap, Male Scratch, Female Scratch
Step 3:
1. Enter the bowler’s USBC number
2. Enter the bowler’s last name (if it is blank or needs correction)
3. Enter the bowler’s first name (if it is blank or needs correction)
4. Average:
A. If a returning current season MYST member,, use the average from the excel document
B. New bowlers, please enter 1.
5. Select the ‘Squad’ from the drop down box. All MYST tournaments hold only 1 squad per tournament.
6. Click ‘Submit’
Step 4:
If all information is correct, click ‘GO’ at the bottom of the screen where it says ‘are you ready to GO to the last step?’
Step 5:
1. Review the information
2. It is not necessary to make a note about payment
3. Click the ‘Submit’ button
Congratulations, you have completed your entry. *Bowlers will not be able to enter into alibi events, directors will update this information every 3 days leading up to the week before the tournament, and every day the week prior to the tournament.
Leading up to the day of the tournament, you can view the current roster by selecting ‘Roster’ for that tournament.
View Standings
To view real-time results during a tournament, using a smart phone, tablet, or computer, go to www.tournamentbowl.com.
Select the link ‘Upcoming Tournaments’ and find the current MYST tournament in the list. MYST tournament names are structured as ‘MYST mm/dd/yy *JG Qualifier.
Select the link ‘Standings’
Initial 5 game standings are available for MS Qualifying (Male Scratch), FS Qualifying(Female Scratch), and H Qualifying (Handicap).
Each division will show a cut line after the 2nd game, bowlers who are above the cut line after 5 games will advance to the finals round.
Junior Gold competition will also be available by selecting the appropriate age / gender division. Bowlers whose names appear in RED are not eligible for Junior Gold advancement either because they have already earned their spot or are not competing for it.
The bowler in the top position, who’s name is not in red, will be awarded their Junior Gold advancement after results are final.
If you have questions or difficulty accessing this information during a tournament, please let a director know.
Tournament Fees and Breakdown:
U12 Entry fee $35/$45 (member/nonmember)
$20 applied towards awards
$12 applied towards expenses
($10 non-member fee is applied towards expenses)
$3 applied towards year end invitational.
U15-U20 Entry fee $45/$55 (member/nonmember)
$20 applied towards awards
$12 applied towards expenses
($10 non-member fee is applied towards expenses)
$3 applied towards year end invitational
$5 late entry fee for all age divisions is applied towards expenses