Youth
Have questions about Youth Membership, SMART? Please keep scrolling.
Effective August 1, 2020 - USBC has lowered the MAXIMUM age for USBC Youth membership.
Announced by USBC on July 25, 2019, the decision to lower the maximum youth age from 20 to 18 (with agreement from the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America and the International Bowling Campus Youth Committee) aligns bowling with other youth sports. For the 2020-2021 season, this change directly impacts approximately 4,000 youth bowlers or 3.3% of the total youth membership. Approximately 10,000 youth bowlers, or 8.2% of the total youth membership, will turn 18 during the bowling season. They will then be required to take the free online training through the U.S. Center for SafeSport in order to continue to bowl in a USBC youth league.Currently, the Association has 2 centers that have a Youth Bowling Program
Surf Bowl (760 722-1371 in Oceanside, and
Fantasy Lanes (800 827-2946 or 760 238-5700) in Indio.
Please contact Ms. Adella Myers for information on the league/program at Surf.
Contact Mrs. Jessica Jesson regarding the Youth league/program at Fantasy Lanes.
Scholarships and the SMART Program
The Scholarship Management and Account Reporting for Tenpins (SMART) ProgramAll USBC certified events that provide scholarship money must submit the scholarship money to USBC SMART to be managed. They (USBC SMART) will hold and manage the funds for Recipients. USBC provides all the information you need regarding the SMART program. You can read all about it, HERE.
YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS
Every Youth bowling tournament awards scholarships. Most Youth leagues offer them at the end of the season as awards. And scholarship money is awarded in other ways too. However you earn them, make sure that you keep diligent/accurate records of what you have earned. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY of the bowler to do so. So, make sure you keep your records straight! And make a backup of that record as well, just in case.
Many youth bowlers start earning scholarships at age 5! That’s a long time before starting college and a long time to accumulate it.
There are numerous scholarships and awards available, at multiple levels (Local, State and National).
Locally: The Billy Meyer Memorial Scholarship and the North County USBC Association Scholarship can be applied for.
California State USBC has three (3) scholarships that can be applied for.
The $2500 Star of Tomorrow Scholarship, the California USBC $1000 Youth Scholarship, and they have the $1000 Braheme Fmaily Memorial Youth Scholarship Award.
California State USBC also has a California State Youth Honor Awards form for Honor Scores.
More information on California State USBC Youth Scholarships, awards and tournaments can be found HERE.
USBC also has SEVERAL scholarships available. Information on all of them can be found HERE.
USBC Youth tournaments can be found Here.
As noted on the California State USBC web site, all youth bowling tournaments are scholarship events. All USBC certified tournaments require participants to have current USBC membership. With this membership, they are eligible for USBC awards and recognition, at the local, state and national levels. When entering a tournament, make sure to keep good records of how much scholarship money is won and who the tournament director in charge of that event is/was. All USBC certified events are required to have all scholarship funds processed through the USBC SMART program, in which case the participant will receive a receipt of the award from USBC. In the event you do not get a receipt from USBC, that is why you want to keep good records. Tournaments that are not USBC certified may offer scholarships, but again, be sure to note the date, location, tournament name and who the tournament director was. Maybe even keep a copy (paper/photo) of the entry form and results.
USBC Youth Eligibility
USBC youth membership is open to those who have NOT reached their 18th birthday as of August 1, of the current bowling season and have maintained compliance withUSBC Youth Rule 400.
Youth may bowl in SINGLES competition (including sidepots/brackets) PROVIDED - PRIOR TO BOWLING,
- The youth signs the USBC Consent Form
- The competition agrees to award the youth's prize in the form of a scholarship.
- "This form must be given to EACH competition official prior to bowling, substituting or pacing in any USBC Adult/Youth SINGLES competition where any prizes, other than scholarships or trophies, are being awarded to any participant. (The form is not necessary for youth competitions.)"
- "The Consent Form is only good for the duration of that specific event and must be given to the league secretary or tournament manager prior to participation. Failure to file the Consent Form will cause the player to be ineligible and subject games bowled to forfeiture or disqualification. (See USBC Rules 119 for leagues and 329 for tournaments.)"
USBC Youth Membership
Information regarding USBC Youth Membership.USBC Youth bowling is a unique opportunity to get involved with a lifetime sport.
USBC Youth bowling has membership options designed to meet the needs of all youth bowlers. More than $6 million in annual scholarships are awarded to youth bowlers each season based on academic, leadership and on-lane performances. USBC Youth provides opportunities for coaching and instruction, fun and friendly competition, fair play, teamwork, and leadership development.
If you or your child would like to get involved with a cool sport that anyone can play, and one that helps build their future, join USBC Youth bowling today!
Membership
USBC Youth STANDARD membership is $4. State and Local associations are not permitted to charge Youth any additional DUES. As provided by USBC, this Association (NC USBC) is permitted to assess a $7 fee that helps cover some of the costs associated with the local awards program for the youth - We have to buy the awards (local & State), process the awards and get them out.
To be clear... "USBC Membership dues for Youth is $4.00. NC USBC has a $7.00 fee (NOT DUES) for Youth members.
Two other types of Youth membership are also available - Special Olympics and Collegiate. Youth membership also has an upgrade option to Junior Gold (U12, U14, U16 & U18).
Please see the current USBC Playing Rules for exact information or contact USBC's Rules or Youth departments.
Membership Processing
The USBC offers several ways to process a Youth membership. Online, and through your local association. Please reach out to the Youth league coordinator, center representative or your local association for assistance.
General USBC Youth inquiries:
Contact USBC via email or call then at 817.385.8426
I'm working on more, as things often change EVERY year.