I. SUNDAY NIGHT OUT LEAGUE 

Sunday Night Out (SNO) Bowling League is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer, +, and Straight Allies bowling league. We welcome all bowlers. We do require that you are an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and/or are open minded to all sexual orientations. We enjoy the socialization, fun, and mild competition that bowling brings to the community.  

II. UNITED STATES BOWLING CONGRESS 

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) through the Central New Mexico USBC Association (CNM-USBC) shall sanction this league. The USBC Book of Playing Rules shall apply to all rules not covered under the SNO league rules. The USBC Book of Playing Rules is available at bowl.com/rules.

All bowlers are required to have a membership/sanction with USBC the first night of bowling if you do not already have membership.  Membership will need to be renewed yearly (August 1-July 31).   

USBC sanction fee total is $34.00 per year and includes national, state, and local fees. Bowlers can pay online at www.bowl.com or make a check payable to Sunday Night Out (per the request of our local association) and we will pay your membership on your behalf.   

If you pay USBC online, please send proof of membership (copy of new card or a screenshot) via email (preferred – SNOPresident1@gmail.com) or text to secretary/treasurer(s).

If you bowl in another league, and have already sanctioned with them, you will still need to complete the membership form for SNO to turn into CNM-USBC. Please check the option for sanctioned in another league and write the name of your league. Please write legibly to ensure your membership can be verified.

If you are transferring your membership to SNO mid-season, you will only pay either a local membership or state transfer fee, depending on the situation.

III. INTERNATIONAL GAY BOWLING ORGANIZATION  

SNO is a member of the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO). IGBO’s mission is to “aim to foster a safe and inclusive environment for the entire LGBTQ+ community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and their allies) as the bowling organization of choice for the international community”. 

IGBO’s Non-Discrimination & Participation Statement:

“IGBO recognizes access to sport as a human right. Community is a primary pillar of IGBO and cannot be fulfilled if any member of our community is intentionally or unintentionally excluded. We strive to continually listen, learn, and adapt to ensure every member of IGBO has a sense of belonging in our community. IGBO promotes gender inclusion by recognizing an individual player’s self-identified gender; and avoiding gender-based distinctions or divisions in sporting activities, while considering member countries’ cultures. IGBO is committed to celebrating each athlete’s accomplishments and skill, regardless of gender identity.”

For more information on the International Gay Bowling Organization please visit www.igbo.org

IV. GENERAL INFORMATION 

The purpose of this league is to convene weekly in the pursuit of socialization, friendship, and a safe space for our community and allies. SNO will foster and maintain the spirit of fellowship and true sportsmanship within the league. There will be zero tolerance of any violence, whether verbal or physical, while the league is in session. This includes bowlers, staff, bystanders, and physical equipment, whether your own, or that belonging to the bowling lanes. 

A. We are a mixed/handicap league who bowls on Sunday evenings at Silva Lanes, with a practice start time of 5:45pm and league bowling start time at 6:00pm. 
B. The league can consist of up to 34 (four-person) teams with a maximum of six bowlers on each team roster. 
C. Standings are based on a seven (7) point system. Two (2) points for each game and one (1) point for total pins. 
D. The management of the SNO League will be vested in the Board of Directors, whose membership shall consist of the League Officers and Team Captains. 

1. League Officer may not be a team captain. 
2. Board of Director positions are a one-year commitment, January – December.

a. Board of Director positions will be voted on at the awards night in December.
b. Open nominations: the nominee must be present to accept the nomination.  The majority shall win the election. 
c. The Team Captain of each team will vote on behalf of their team.
d. In case of a voting tie, the deciding vote will be cast by the President of the league.

V. LEAGUE SCHEDULE  

The league bowls two separate, un-related sixteen (16) week halves to allow multiple teams the ability to bowl throughout the bowling year. The halves are as follows:

A. Fall/Winter schedule: August – December. 

1. No bowling on Labor Day Weekend or Thanksgiving Weekend

B. Winter/Spring schedule: January – May. 

1. No bowling on Super Bowl Sunday or Easter weekend. 

C. No bowling during the summer months of June and July.

VI. AVERAGES

All entering averages will be established in the following order: 

A. New bowlers to the league will establish averages the first night and must bowl all three (3) games TO establish their average. 
B. Returning league bowlers will utilize last season’s average the first night of bowling, if 21 games were bowled the previous half.
C. The most current book average will be used if the bowler did not bowl the previous half.
D. The vacancy score is 120 with a handicap of 105. 
E. The absentee bowler score is the absent bowlers average minus 10 pins.
F. Handicap to be used is 100% of 225. 

VII. TEAM INFORMATION 

A. A full team is four (4) full time members, plus 2 optional alternate bowlers.
B. A minimum legal lineup consists of two (2) eligible team members from the team’s full current four (4) person roster. When a team has two (2) full roster members only, one (1) member needs to be present for a legal lineup. This would apply until a third member is added to the teams roster.
C. A legal lineup must be present before the start of the first frame of any game, or the game is forfeited.
D. A player who arrives late (tardy) is permitted to bowl, provided the first bowler of the opposing team has not yet bowled the third frame in any game. 
E. A team intentionally delaying the game to wait for a late player will forfeit the game. League Officers will determine the validity of delay concern. Should the third frame be complete, the tardy bowler may not bowl until the start of the next game; however, an absent score is still used for the missed game. 
F. Absentee score is to be recorded as the bowler’s average minus ten (10) pins. 
G. Any team bowling unopposed (bowling a “ghost team”), or if an opposing team forfeits, must bowl at least their team average minus forty (40) pins per game to win the points. 
H. Any bowler or team withdrawing from the league must give a two-week notice to the team captain and/or league secretary/treasurer.  The resigning member(s) must pay league fees for two weeks if the bowler(s) are not replaced within that period.

VIII. SUBSTITUTES 

A. Substitutes may be used in league play in place of an absent bowler. 

1. Substitutes must be sanctioned by USBC, and the Secretary/Treasurer must be notified if subs are going to be used during league play.  
2. Substitutes are not eligible for team and/or individual awards. 
3. Substitutes may not bowl in the last two weeks of league bowling/position rounds.
4. The absent league bowler is responsible for the substitute bowler fee.

a. If a substitute bowler chooses to bowl in a vacant team spot, the substitute bowler will be responsible for the full nightly league fee ($19.00).

IX. FEES

A. The weekly league fee is $19.00 per week and each team member is responsible for this fee. If paying by check, please make the check payable to Sunday Night Out or SNO. 

1. TEAM CAPTAINS are responsible for collecting fees from each team member, placing them into the pay envelope, completing the carbon payment sheet (in full, including signature), and turning it into the Secretary/Treasurer by the end of the first game every week. 
2. PLEASE DO NOT WRITE ON THE ENVELOPE ITSELF. This is for the Secretary/Treasurer use only.  
3. No person can be more than two weeks in arrears at any one time or that person shall forfeit all games bowled during the period of arrears until brought current. A score of 120 with no handicap will be used in place of bowler’s score until brought current.
4. Breakdown of $19.00 League fee:

        • Lineage: $14.40
        • Prize Fund: $3.70
        • Secretary/Treasurer: $0.50 
        • IGBO Fund: $0.10
        • Contingency: $0.10 
        • Rocky Mountain Regional: $0.05  
        • IGBO Rep Travel Assistance: $0.05  

5. IMPORTANT NOTE: The last two weeks of each half must be paid by the sixth (6th) week of each season. This may not be in arrears. Section 9.A.c. will apply. 

X. PRIZE FUND 

A. The weekly league fee is $19 per week and each team member is responsible for this fee. If paying by check, make payable to Sunday Night Out or SNO.
B. Position standings are based upon total points. All team positions will receive a payout based on an approved prize fund. 
C. The prize fund is based on the number of teams bowling each season half.

1. Awards to be distributed as follows:

      • Team Handicap Series
      • Team Handicap Game
      • Individual Average Divisions – six divisions (as follows):

DIVISION

AVERAGE

A

200-300

B

180-199

C

148-179

D

131-147

E

116-130

F

65-115

2. Most Improved Bowler will be awarded to the top three bowlers. If there is a tie, both will receive an award.
3. High Average Bowler will be awarded to the top three bowlers.

XI. ACCOUNTING OF FEES

A. All monies collected each week will be deposited into the league bank account by Thursday of each week.  

1. Cash or check is accepted for league fees. Checks are to be made payable to: Sunday Night Out or SNO.
2. Any non-sufficient funds check will be assessed a fee of $25.00 in addition to the recovery of the original amount of the check. The $25.00 fee covers the bank cost of the returned check. The balance will be put into SNO’s bank account to cover yearly expenses. 

B. Secretary/Treasurer fee to be paid at the end of each half. 

C. Rocky Mountain Regional fee is to be paid at the end of each half. 

D. IGBO yearly association fee will be paid out at time of renewal in October.  The fee is based on the number of bowlers in our league at that time.

E. IGBO Representative Travel Assistance fund will be paid out at the end of every half if IGBO Rep traveled.

1. Receipts or proof of travel to be provided to the Secretary/Treasurer.

XII. PRE-BOWLING & POST-BOWLING

A. TEAMS MUST NOTIFY LEAGUE SECRETARY/TREASURER IF YOU WILL NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE ON LEAGUE NIGHT and ALSO complete the pre/post form online (abq-sno.org/pre-post-bowl). 

1. If your absence is last minute, on Sunday league night, please notify Wendy or Gina (or both) via text, so that we know right away and will not assume you forfeit. As long as the text is received (time stamped) by 6:00pm, your team will be considered as given notice to the secretary and you can schedule your post-bowl.

B. Pre-Bowling is permitted up to two (2) weeks in advance of an absence.

C. Pre-Bowling is allowed prior to the start of the bowling league, one week in advance, AS LONG AS YOU PROVIDE the Secretary/Treasurer(s) with proof of all USBC paid memberships PRIOR to pre-bowling.

D. Pre- and post-bowling for position round is not allowed. 

E. Three (3) Post-Bowls are allowed per each half.   

F. Teams have one (1) week, Sunday to Sunday, to make up the games. 

1. If games are not completed in that time frame, points are forfeited, unless pre-approved through the league secretary/treasurer due to lack of availability by Silva Lanes.

G. To plan for pre- or post-bowling:  

1. Are you within the guidelines above?
2. Does Silva lanes have availability? Call ASAP @ 505-298-5583

a. You must plan with Silva and schedule your own lanes.

3. You must have a minimum of two legal bowlers from your team to pre/post-bowl. 
4. You must notify the league secretary of the date and time scheduled via website form (preferred), email (2nd preferred) or text.

REVISION HISTORY:
*As of the 2012/2013 season, these league rules have been permanently adopted.
*August 4, 2013: Approved by Executive Committee and returning team captains.
*August 4, 2014: Revisions approved by Executive Committee and returning team captains.
*August 2017:  Revisions approved by Executive Committee and returning team captains.
*August 2018: Revisions to reflect new bowling house, Silva Lanes.
*August 8, 2021: Revisions to include lineage increase to $14.10, and weekly fee increase to $18, and election of Justin Schultz to Secretary/Treasurer.
*December 2021: Updated to reflect election of Vickie Creek to League President.
*July 31, 2022: Updated to reflect USBC sanction fee increase to $34.
*August 8, 2022: Updated to reflect election of Wendy Crismore and Gina Belluso to co-Secretary/Treasurers, and Karen Coffey to Sergeant of Arms.
*December 2022: Correction to Section IV. Averages, previously voted on in Winter half but rules were not physically updated.  Added: Section I. B. a & b; Section III – added additional verbiage to include weekends not bowled; Section VI. F, IGBO Awards. 
*August 13, 2023: League approved changes from gender-based awards to divisional-based awards. Approved changes to league fees from $18.00 to $19.00. Change to lineage fee $14.10 to $14.40; secretary fee from $0.40 to $0.50; IGBO fee from $0.10 to $0.20.  

CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT USBC PLAYING RULES/RULEBOOK

2023 Officers and Administration

  • President: Vickie Creek
  • Vice President: Scott Till
  • Secretary/Treasurer: Wendy Crismore & Gina Belluso
  • Sergeant of Arms: Karyn Coffey
  • IGBO Rep: Sandy Roberts
  • Web/Social Media: Wendy Crismore

Please send all emails to: snopresident1@gmail.com.