Bowl Sydney Tournament Restart
The following has just been sent to each team captain:
Further to our previous communication, we have been advised by TBA that we are ready to re-commence bowling with the Bowl Sydney Tournament subject to the Government COVID restrictions and TBA guidelines from the 4 July.
By starting from this date, we will be able to complete 4 rounds in Division 1 and 3 rounds in Divisions 2 and 3, instead of 3 and 2 respectively, greatly increasing the pri ze fund from our previous best estimates starting on 1 August.
As well as a set of rules laid down by these guidelines, the following will be necessary to be implemented:
- All divisions will be bowling at separate centres each week. There will be no scheduling of two divisions at the same centre for social distancing reasons. Due to this, we will need to re-allocate the weeks in our previous schedule to different centres where two division shared a centre, so the existing schedule will be replaced with a new schedule. This schedule is still being worked on and will be available on 4th July.
- Due to Social restrictions, there will be no formal presentation night for the Tournament. Instead the social fund will be given to each team captain, to allow them to hold a socially distanced function for the team, or simply to distribute the funds between the team members. This is based on the social money collected from the teams. For Division 1 this will be $343 per team based on 28 weeks, while division 2 & 3 will receive $330.75 per team based on 27 weeks.
- The restarted season will commence on 4th July and continue to 28th November. Div 2 & 3 will not bowl on the October long weekend, but Division 1 will, to include the extra week required for the completion of the round. We will be bowling on the school holidays in July in order to achieve these numbers.
By starting in July instead of August we will be adding $4,046 to Division 1, $5,780 to Div 2 and $5,202 to Div 3 prize funds.
The following restrictions have been added to our entry form to comply with the TBA guidelines:
- The current TBA guidelines restrict players to three persons per lane. Therefore, for a 5-person team, this will occupy a single pair of lanes. In our tournament, eac h team will therefore compete on a single pair of lanes, with their opponents playing on the adjacent pair of lanes. The team line-up will be posted on a single lane but will bowl alternately on each lane of that pair. EG. Team 1 will bowl on lanes 1 & 2, while their opponents Team 2 will bowl on lanes 3 & 4.
- Social distancing rules as determined by the NSW Government are to be observed at all times. This will govern the number of people in a centre at a given time and the distance between each player at all times.
- There should be no access to the centre until 1:30pm on the day of play and all attendees will need to comply with the centre’s COVID directions, including signing in with full contact details.
- No high fives, handshakes or team huddles are to be allowed at any time until restrictions are lifted
- No spectators are permitted unless they are dependants of bowlers who have no other options for care. All dependants must stay by the lanes where their parent/guardian is bowling and not move around the centre. Any non-bowlers attending can be refused entry by the centre management and children running around the centre will not be tolerated and may be subject to expulsion by the centre management.
- Raffles will not be held as this will breach social distancing while tickets are sold and distributed.
These restrictions are part of the terms and conditions of the tournament allowing us to restart the tournament in 2020 to complete the season.
The first week of bowling on July 4, will be a continuation of the existing competition so will be round 7 in our draw and will commence as follows:
- Division 1 - Wetherill Park
- Division 2 – South Strathfield
- Division 3 – Tenpin City
Please confirm that you have received these instructions and are happy to comply by return email to myself.
These restrictions are onerous, but they are the only way for us to restart the competition this year. If the restrictions are modified, or the guidelines change, we will work with the TBA to implement any changes, but we must comply with the restrictions or we risk the centres being closed down, and our competition being scrapped.
Best regards
Derek Kellard
Tournament Secretary.
