Committee Charge as described in the BLBC Roster & Handbook:

“The Tournament Committee is responsible for scheduling and running all BLBC intra-club and invitational tournaments, as well as arranging inter-club challenge matches with other willing clubs within PIMD. The Tournament Committee chair also liaises with the PIMD Tournament Committee regarding the PIMD Tournament Calendar and other matters relating to tournament arrangements.”

Organizing tournaments—whether intra-club, inter-club, or as part of the PIMD calendar—requires careful planning and timely communication. Managing entries, assembling balanced teams, and responding to evolving circumstances are ongoing challenges that rely on both committee effort and member cooperation.

Calls for Tournament Participants & Expression of Interest:

When a tournament is announced, members will be asked to indicate their interest and availability as soon as possible—and no later than a specified cut-off date. Please rate your interest using the scale provided in the communication (e.g., very interested, moderately interested, available only if needed but willing to serve as a backup). Note that while entries may be accepted up to the specified cut-off date, in most cases preference will be assigned to bowlers who respond promptly and in the order of signing up

In the case of intra-club tournaments, the number of participants may be limited by the availability of rinks. In that case, selection will follow participants’ stated levels of interest, followed by timeliness of submission (first come – first served.) There may be exceptions to this if there is an imbalance in participants (e.g. skips vs. leads, novices vs. vets). Furthermore, the selection of bowlers in inter-club tournaments (e.g. Meat Axe, Bay Bridge, and Tunnel Challenge) may be further shaped by the number of teams/bowlers the opposing club can field as well as the desire to assemble strong, competitive teams. Note that last-minute developments (e.g., having a participant drop out, having an odd number of teams) can lead to the recruitment of backup players and/or the rearrangement of team rosters. 

The Tournament Committee may also assign handicaps for certain tournaments in the interest of fairness and competitiveness.

Selection Process & Guiding Principles:

• Prompt responses to sign-up requests are essential for planning and team assignment.
• Roles and team assignments are determined with the goals of balance and fairness, while occasionally requiring committee discretion to field competitive teams for certain events.
• History of reliability, including honoring commitments and providing early notification of changes, may influence participant selection and team assignment.

Supporting the Committee’s Work – What Helps:

• Sign up early.
• Honor your commitment to play.
• Be flexible about the position you may play or the team to which you are assigned.
• Maintain a positive attitude—pleasantness counts!

What to Avoid:

• Last-minute requests to join the tournament roster or switch teams.
• No-shows or withdrawing after committing to play

These practices help us run successful, enjoyable tournaments for all BLBC members. Thank you for your continued cooperation and enthusiasm!

If you have questions about the process, please reach out to any Tournament Committee member. If you wish to volunteer for the committee, please reach out to the Tournament Committee Chair.