1.                  Overview:  The 3 Rivers Junior Tour is a scratch based, USBC Certified tournament organization which stages monthly tournaments throughout Pennsylvania.

2.                  Tournament Management:    Executive Director:  Kristin Mitchell

Assistant Director:  Steve Mahony

3.                  Contact Information:               Mailing Address:

1007 Linden Lane

Oakdale, PA 15071

Phone: (412) 760-6557

Website:  TBD

Email:  ThreeRiversJuniorTour@hotmail.com

4.                  Eligibility:  The 3 Rivers Junior Tour is open to any USBC Youth member in good standing.  No present or past members of the ABC, WIBC, USBC Open, PBA, or PWBA may participate.  Bowlers must be aged 21 or younger as of August 1, 2007.  Tournament Management reserves the right to reject any entry.

5.                  Tournaments:  The 2007-2008 3 Rivers Junior Tour season will consist of 11 events and 1 3 Rivers Junior Tour Championship Tournament.  Each tournament listed on the schedule is a separate event.  Bowlers may elect to participate in any number of tournaments throughout the season.

6.                  Divisions:  The 3 Rivers Junior Tour will consist of 6 divisions.

College Boys (18-21)

Open Girls (15-21)

Major Boys (15-17)

Junior Boys (12-14)

Junior Girls (12-14)

Prep Boys/Girls (11 & under)

7.                  Entry Information:  All entries are to be registered the day of the event.  Registration will open 1 hour before the scheduled start time at each event, and registration will close 15 minutes before the start.  All events fill on a first come first serve basis.  There will be no more than 8 bowlers per pair of lanes.  Executive Director holds the right to decline any bowler after registration has closed.

8.                  Returned Checks:  All returned checks will be charged a $30 dollar service charge, unless a bank error is proven.  The 3 Rivers Junior Tour reserves the right to reject this form of payment in the future for anyone who has had a returned check.

9.                  Conduct:  No smoking, consumption of alcoholic beverages (regardless of age), chewing of tobacco, or using any non-prescription controlled substances is prohibited at all times while competition is taking place for both bowlers and spectators.  Bowlers in violation of this shall be disqualified and any spectators in violation will result in having their representative youth disqualified.  All bowlers must remain poised during competition.  Improper language, obscene gestures, and any other disruptive behavior will be punishable with a $5 fine for the first offense, and $10 for the following offense.  Disqualification will result from any further actions.  Any damage to bowling center equipment by a 3 Rivers Junior Tour player will result in a $50 fine, disqualification from the event, and a one tournament suspension.  The bowler will also be responsible for paying the establishment for any damages caused.  No use of electronics during competition.  This includes walkmans, CD players, MP3 players (iPods included), cell phones, as well as hand held video games.  A warning will be given after first offense, followed by $5 fine for each occurring offense.

10.             Lane Courtesy:  The 3 Rivers Junior Tour will maintain a policy of one lane courtesy at all times.

11.             Reracks:  Each player is allowed two reracks per game.

12.             Dress Code:  All bowlers must wear a collared, sleeved shirt.  Pants must be worn at waist level and not touch the floor.  Skirts/walking shorts (at least fingertip length), or skorts, are allowed for girls only, provided they have no outside pockets.  No jeans, sweats, hats, denim, or headgear.  Bowling shoes must be worn.  No references to illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or other distasteful/offensive apparel or decorations may be worn.  Bowlers are expected to be professional in appearance reflecting the high caliber of scratch tournament bowling anticipated.  Dress code will be enforced after your first tournament participation.  Failure to adhere to the dress code for 3 Rivers Junior Tour events will result in a $5 fine for each offense.

13.             Registration:  All bowlers must be present and registered within 30 minutes prior to the start of the event.  Bowlers must be dressed and prepared to bowl at the time of registration.  USBC membership cards may be checked at any event.  Failure to present one will result in a $3 fine.  All bowlers are required to show proof of USBC membership by the October event on the schedule.

14.             Practice:  All bowlers are given a 10 minute practice period prior to the start of competition.  Practice will begin 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.  Athletes may practice on any lane in play for the event.  These lanes will be announced prior to the start of the practice session.

15.             Competition Hand/Withdraws:  All players must finish the event with the hand they begin practice with.  Any injuries will be permitted to withdraw at no additional cost, under the Executive Directors’ discretion.  No entry fees will be refunded for withdrawing players after the tournament has begun.

16.             Spectator Conduct:  All spectators will be permitted to smoke only in designated areas announced by the host center.  No smoking in the bowling area during competition.  No alcohol consumption by spectators in the bowling center during competition by anyone.

17.             Bowlers Area:  Only bowlers who are still bowling and tournament officials are permitted in the bowling area.  No parents or coaches may enter this area at any time.

18.             Tournament Format:  All bowlers will bowl a single four (4) game qualifying round on four (4) different pair of lanes.  Skipping one (1) pair of lanes each game.  The top five (5) bowlers in each division will advance to the stepladder finals.  All ties for advancement into the stepladder will be determined by a 9^th and 10^th frame roll-off immediately following the completion of the qualifying block, and after all scores have been tabulated.  Bowlers not present for roll-off will forfeit roll-off to opponent.  All other ties for stepladder seeding will be determined by the high single game score during qualifying.  Each division’s stepladder will be completed in one game matches as follows:  5^th place will bowl 4^th place, winner will bowl 3^rd place, winner will bowl 2^nd place, winner will bowl 1^st place for the title.  The higher seed in each match has choice of starting lane.  Each match must be started on the left lane and proceed as TV format.

19.             Championship Tournament Format:  The 3 Rivers Junior Tour Championship Format will be a 2 day event beginning on Saturday.  Saturday will consist of 2 qualifying rounds to move on to Sunday’s finals.  The bowlers who place in the top 10 in points in each division are exempt from bowling the first qualifying block.  Those bowlers who are not in the top 10 in their division must bowl the first block which will consist of 6 games.  The top 50% of the first qualifying block will advance and join the top 10 points qualifiers to qualifying block 2.  Block 2 will also consist of 6 games where the top 50% in each division will advance to Sunday (minimum of 5 bowlers in each division are guaranteed to make Sunday).  The finals on Sunday will consist of a final block of 6 games to determine the top 5 bowlers who will make the stepladder finals.  Each division will then complete their stepladder finals to determine the champions.

20.             Scorecards:  Bowlers are required to report scorecards to the tournament directors after the completion of every game.  After all games have been completed, bowlers are required to sign their scorecard and turn in the white copy to the tournament directors.  If you give yourself too many pins, you can be disqualified.  If you deprive yourself of pins, the score may stand.  In either case, if your score is misadded, you will be fined $5.  All bowlers on the pair are responsible for each other’s scorecards.  Penalty for not turning in a scorecard is a $10 fine.  Intentional defacing of the scorecard, such as but not limited to tearing, wadding up, signing incorrect name, obscene language or pictures, is a $10 fine.

21.             SMART Scholarship Awards:  3 Rivers Junior Tour will deposit 100% of all collected scholarship funds in the SMART Program for disbursement (Acct. #).  SMART is the bonded, scholarship management service of the USBC.  SMART provides professional accounting, management, and dispersal of scholarship monies.  Information about the SMART Program is available by writing to SMART, c/o Bowling Headquarters, 5301 South 76^th Street, Greendale, Wisconsin 53129.

22.             Awards:  At each tournament, scholarships will be awarded to the first place winner in each division.  A points system will also be used to distribute points to everyone who participated in each event.  The point system is as follows:

1^st place – 15 pts

2^nd place – 12 pts

3^rd place – 10 pts

4^th place – 8 pts

5^th place – 6 pts

6^th – 10^th – 4 pts

11^th – lower – 2 pts

5 points will be awarded for registering

3 points will be awarded to each division’s qualifying leader.

23.             Entry Fee Breakdown:

$8.00 cost of bowling

$8.00 Championship Tournament scholarships

$3.00 tournament scholarships

$1.00 tournament expenses

$20.00 Total

Any of the costs listed above could change based upon price of bowling and tournament expenses.

24.             Disputes:  All disputes must be raised by the participants.  Disputes from parents, coaches and guests will not be heard at any time.

25.             Fines:  All fines may be appealed.  An appeal hearing with the board of directors will be held prior to the start of the next event.  Failure to appear at an appeal hearing shall result in doubling of the fine.  All fine revenue will be used as scholarship funds for the Championship Tournament.  Fines will be doubled at the Championship Tournament.  All fines must be paid before bowling another 3 Rivers Junior Tour event.  Anyone with outstanding 3 Rivers Junior Tour fines will not be permitted to participate in future events until fines are paid.

26.             Empowerment:  The Executive Director and/or the Assistant Director have the right to refuse any entry.  The bowler, by voluntary participation in this tournament, acquiesces to the final authority of the Directors to interpret and enforce all tournament rules, regulations, and procedures.  Any unforeseen or not described situation(s) will be regulated by USBC rules with interpretive judgment guided by the best interests of youth bowling and the 3 Rivers Junior Tour.

27.             USBC Rules:  All 3 Rivers Junior Tour events are USBC youth certified therefore all rules from USBC publication USBC Playing Rules will be in effect at all times.  These rules are available online at www.bowl.com.