Q: How does the entry fee work again?

A: For the $33 'basic entry' in a standard format event ($31 if you prepay), a bowler is playing for the plaques and the points we offer.   Points are important because the top point scorers at the end of the season get to bowl in our year end Invitationals and Touring Players' Championship, which have enormous prize funds and help determine our year-end awards.  More on points below.  There are also four 'optional scholarship programs' that give you ways to earn scholarship money with us that day: 

-Position scholarship- $7:  Based on your final standings in that event.  If  you win the event AND enter this optional,   you'd receive the top prize, which is guaranteed at $200 minimum.  1 out of 6 entrants receive a prize.

-High games- FREE: The top 5 games of the day will receive extra points!

- 50 Clean Jackpot- FREE:  Stay clean (no opens) through the first 5 games of any JBT event and become eligible for the 50-clean Finals held at the 2009 TPC!

-Brackets- $2 each: Brackets work just like brackets in adult  bowling.   8 person brackets run games 2-4 in the qualifying round, with each bracket winner receiving a $15 scholarship.

Prepaying bowlers receive a $2 discount per event.  

1) To bowl a JBT event, you must have a collared shirt or bowling related t-shirt (like a league t-shirt).  You can wear shorts or long pants, but if you wear shorts, they can't be denim or basketball-type shorts.  No hats or tank tops either.  if you're not sure, don't wear it.  If you're not in dress code, you can't bowl the semifinal round.

2) If you're in PBA-compliant dress, meaning a collared (or mock turtleneck) shirt with your name on it, and long slacks (or 'nice' skirts, shorts, capris, whatever for the girls), you get an extra 10 points on your season point total.  This can add up if you bowl with us a lot, so it pays to look your best!

Each of our five conferences maintains its own point list, which you can check on at the "Stats & Scholarships" section of this website. The top point scorers at the end of the season (varying by Conference and division from 15 to 48) qualify for each Conference's Invitational tournament.  Plus, the top 5 point scorers in each division receive a bye into the finals of the Invitationals, which is a huge bonus and a guaranteed scholarship.   The Invitationals have a big prize fund, so they're not to be missed.  

We also keep a combined All-Conference point list for bowlers that travel to bowl JBT events the most often. The top 60 bowlers in combined all-conference points, plus anyone finishing in the top 20 in a division's final point list, qualify for the season-ending Touring Players' Championship, our most prestigious and elite event.  Watch for details on the 2009 TPC as the season develops. 

Also, the points lists are major factors in determining our year-end awards such as Bowler of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and All-Star team. 

Q: Am I good enough for the JBT?

Q: Explain the formats again?

A: Our regular season tournaments run under a few different formats to keep things fresh for our regulars.  They use the 'standard format' unless otherwise noted.  Here's a breakdown of our formats:

Standard Format: There are 2 divisions, scratch and handicap.  Bowlers choose to enter one or the other.  In each division, bowlers roll 5 games across ten lanes.  The top 50% of each division advance to the semifinals.  The semis consist of three additional games, with the scratch bowlers doing match play.  After the 8th game, the top 5 bowlers in each division advance to a stepladder finals.  If there are more than 50 entries in a division, the top 8 bowlers will advance to the stepladder finals.

'PBA' Format: The handicap division remains the same as standard fomat.  In scratch, you bowl the same 5 game qualifying round, then cut to the top 16 bowlers regardless of entries (8 if 20 or less entries).  Then, bowlers compete in best 2-of-3 head-to head matchplay, with the #1 seed playing the #16 seed, #2 playing #15, etc.  The winners play in another best 2-of-3 round.  The winners then play a one game match, and those 2 winners play a one game title match.

Survivor Format:   In this format, 'you don't have to be the best, you just have to not be the worst'.  Both divisions bowl the 5 game qualifier, and the cut is to the top 50%.  The top qualifiers receive byes through early Survivor round(s), so you can't be eliminated right away.   In the survivor rounds, an equal number of bowlers are put on each pair.  You then bowl one game.  The LOWEST score on each pair is eliminated.  Surviving bowlers are then reshuffled, and another game is bowled, again with the LOWEST score on the pair eliminated.  Play continues until there is only one survivor- the champion!

Drop-or-Not Format: A new format for 08-09, this format is the same as our standard format, except it is a six-game qualifier, and you may DROP any one game you wish from that round to form a 5-game total.  The gimmick is that you have to state at the time you bowl the game you wish to drop that you want to drop it!  So, strategy and luck will figure in here.  If you don't drop any of the first 5 games, you don't bowl game six.  Round by round point bonuses will not be given.  All other details remain the same as standard format.

Mega-matchplay Format: The handicap division format is unchanged from the standard format.  In scratch, you still bowl the 5 game qualifier and cut to the top 50%.  However, in your 3-game semifinals, you bowl EVERY other semifinalist in a match EVERY game.  So, if 20 people make the cut, you bowl all 19 of them every game.  Thus, if you have the high game in the semifinals, you'd go 19-0 in your matches that game and receive 19x10 bonus pins.  This is a super-exciting take on our normal match play!

Mulligan Format: The format is the same as Standard Format, except that in the scratch division, every bowler gets 3 'Mulligans', literally a do-over.  Make the cut and get an extra one, and making the finals gives you one more.  As bowlers, we always say 'man, I wish I had that shot over'-- now you do!

Nerve-wracker format: This format is just like the PBA format, except in the matchplay portion, if the match is tied 1-1 after two games, you go immediately to a one-shot rolloff-- thus the wracked nerves!!

Scratchplay format: We use this format where possible at scratch-only events.  The format is just like PBA format, except each game in the qualifying round is also a head-to-head match with 30 bonus pins for a win.  Exciting!     

We're always keeping things lively with new formats, so be ready!

We also have a few events each year with still more different  formats, such as our Doubles Classic, Pro-Ams, our Invitationals, the TPC, and more.  These formats are always explained on separate entry blanks.

Q: What average is good enough for the scratch division?

Q: Do I have to bowl all the tournaments?

Q: How do I know what place I'm in?

A: We keep track of the standings after every game- you'll quickly see that we're very into our stats!  Scoreboards are usually located near the tournament desk, as well as bracket standings, high game standings, and all sorts of other information.  A tournament official will be happy to help you read the scoreboard, or fill out your scorecard.