Midweek Rules

[gazduke]

Bryan - Could someone please clarify the rules regarding clubs playing Senior players in the midweek when the club/s in question HAVE a Junior team ? and what these days constitutes a senior/junior player.

[thegovner]

I think there was a post last season regarding this issue and as far as I can remember the rules changed so ANY paying member of a club can play in any team be it senior junior midweek etc this is to make it easier to field a team all be it on some occasions unfair !
But it is down to the club to pick their team as they see fit.

[gazduke]

I know that if a club has NO Junior team they are supposedly restricted to 6 or 8 senior players but I am interested to know if a club has a junior team can they still play senior players on their midweek team.

[bri]

Gazduke the rules governing Midweek League are on page 90 of the 2014 IBA Yearbook.

There are no restrictions on the amount of Senior players in a Midweek team under the current rules. That's the same for both clubs with only Senior team and both a Senior and Junior team. This means under the current rules a full Senior team can play in the Midweek.

There are however restrictions on Junior players. Only 8 permitted to play in the Midweek.

This strange situation came about a couple of AGMs ago because some clubs wished to re-introduce restrictions. Clubs with only Senior teams voted against Senior restrictions which then failed and abstained from the Junior vote which then passed. The situation is clearly ludicrous however there were no notices of motion to address this at the 2013 AGM. The league sub-committee is meeting this Wednesday primarily to discuss the outcome of the Midweek consultation and come up with a recommendation for the GP committee that should result in notice(s) to change the rules governing Midweek going forward at the 2014 AGM.

Hope this helps

[gazduke]

Seems ridiculous that Juniors are restricted whilst seniors are not, but if that's how it is. Hopefully it will be sorted out at some stage in the not too distant future.
Thanks for the clarification

[winkers]

A farce Gazduke that if had happened in Sen 1 would have been sorted out by the GP Committee in an instant. Indeed if it hadnt been for Brian Ms articulate and timely intervention in AOB at the last AGM the Sub Committee wouldnt be looking at it now.

[Bryan]

Thanks Winkers!

What is worrying me is IF as I suspect most of the Clubs WHO RETURNED THEIR MIDWEEK FORMS, are saying "no change to the 16 man format".... WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE!?

We have tried just about every conceivable combo of eligibility criteria. The MINIMUM now acceptable in the last couple of AGM's has been SIX Junior players (or Senior players with Clubs who only have a Senior team). If we go there again.... well.. wasnt that REJECTED last time for this "anyone who wants can play" format? It now seems that is unpopular - so where DO WE GO FROM HERE? So many matches this year have been played with LESS than 16 players.... does that not suggest 16 is TOO MANY!!??

1. Keep things as they are.... seems very unpopular and it APPEARS there is a feeling to turn away from this. However, some SENIOR only Clubs will be hit big style if we change and may not be able to field 16 players (or even 12!)
2. Go back to say 6 or 8 (up to half the team!!??) JUNIOR and/or SENIOR players depending on whether the Club has a Junior team or not? Been here, done that... it didn't work..... and then we get into bickering about how many "non midweek" players are allowed.
3. Change the format. The 2 rink (8 player) format to try to just put out MIDWEEK bowlers with maybe ONE sub allowed per rink... seems to have little backing. It's a proven format that works for vets.. so why couldnt it work in Midweek... Clubs could put out as many teams as they wanted.. and perhaps some Clubs who COULDNT get 16 players for Midweek before COULD put out a Midweek team?
4. The only other suggestion I can see that hasnt really been talked through... a 2 TIER system.... those "better off" Clubs can put out their 4 rinks... and another division/divisions of teams who put out 3 OR 4 rinks instead.. A 2 TIER system?

Look ... I care passionaterly about PGL bowls ... that's why I took on the PGL PRO role and try in my wee POV's to give EVERY Club their place (IF I get results from them!!) ..... I have been in the PGL all my playing "career".... I maybe havent done very much in that time, I seem to have been too strong and vocal in my opinions to get very far in the PGL....I am just an "ordinary" bowler like 95% of the PGL players so I empathise with the "grass roots" views... but I DO have a passion for my organisation and hate to see Clubs falling by the wayside and teams dropping off the map. I also DO hear from "ground level" a deep dissatisfaction with the Midweek setup which no one seems to acknowledge online.... if you read most of the posts on here I'm picking up a "just leave Midweek be, Bryan" attitude...... well if YOU have any suggestions for the sub committee to consider on WED... PLEASE post them here and they will at least be discussed... SILENCE from Midweek bowlers and I'm sorry.. if that's the case your League is going to hit VERY serious problems very shortly!!!