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Author Topic: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult  (Read 4858 times)

ShermDawg

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Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« on: January 23, 2005, 01:28:57 PM »
i figured a new post needed to be made since no one has been on or posted in the last couple of days... i was just wondering who thinks that being a junior now just isnt worth it anymore and going adult is looking better and better as the days of being a junior goes on... i personally am waiting for Junior gold and thats it... i am done after that and its time to venture on new horizons.... as when i talked with Robert Smith... theres only so much you ccan do as a junior and i know i haven't odne it all... but damn... cna only stayb a junior so long.... i personally have one year left after this year (if i want) and i just dont see it being worth it... but anyways i was just wondering what is everyone take on this and if anyone wants to give out some pros and cons ofr being a junior and being an adult.... one thing bout being adult would be good is that when you put money into a tourrnament and place... you actually get a check in your hands rather than jump through hoops to get money out of a scholarship account.... but ya.. just wanted to start a new topic because the other ones are kinda old... and thats that....
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mumzie

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #16 on: January 24, 2005, 11:25:16 AM »
One of the things you are missing - it costs you $35/week for 3 leagues.
As an adult, it costs me $44 for TWO of those scratch leagues. And - one of them, with 22 teams - the total prize fund looks huge, but ending up in the top three is challenging, to say the least.
I've done ok, but I've also not done well.

One scratch league I bowled in for 2 years - Paid $22/night, for 34 weeks, ended up either 3rd or 4th overall, got back $460.00. They don't cut a break for lineage to the adults, like they often do to juniors.

also - no fundraisers to help pay for tournament entries, shirts, etc. Everything like that comes out of your own pocket in one way or another.

Yeah, you might get money back at the end of the season - but the center is taking their cut first with lineage, and if you don't have one of the best teams, you won't MAKE a dime.
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Hammer3003

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #17 on: January 24, 2005, 12:42:10 PM »
I agree with you totaly. After JOunior Gold I am going adult. Just to much money to be made. There are alot of 12 game sweepers in my area and you just have to avg. 200 to 250 up to cash. Ton of brackets.  I can get into the lower end of cashing and win some brackets and big boards I will be good.
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B-Mac

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #18 on: January 24, 2005, 02:11:11 PM »
I'm gon after JOG too. I am tired of all the sh*t in the NW JR program.
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TheBowlingKid25

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #19 on: January 24, 2005, 02:19:01 PM »
I stay junior for a few reasons. One, being the PJBTs that I do, and that I love bowling in. Another is bowling with friends. I would hate not bowling with my friends in league anymore. Eventually I do want to go in to scratch devision, and go to Jr. Gold, and JOG and such, just not good enough yet.
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Sean John 369

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #20 on: January 24, 2005, 03:51:21 PM »
i think it all depends on what u want out of the game..some just bowl jr's because they enjoy being around their peers and traveling..others want a shot at junior team usa..others find it cheaper to stay jr..some utilize their scholarship..it just all depends..i think that if u no longer find it worth it that u should go up..i personally stay jr because jrs bowl a lot more for cheaper..i enjoy the traveling with peers(hotel parties)and i do intend on using my scholarship..i have 2 seasons left and i intend on staying for both..people have been trying to get to go up since i was like 15..
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CB

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #21 on: January 24, 2005, 04:24:37 PM »
You feel you can make more money as an adult, so no one here is going to persuade you otherwise.  I have bowled adult scratch leagues which cost as much as $32/week.  Yes we got back about $350 a bowler for finishing around the middle of the pack, but we paid in $32/week for 32 weeks.  

Adult leagues generally require a longer committment for the winter season, at least in my area.  Youth leagues split the season into 3 seasons fall/winter/summer while adult only 2 with winter being about double summer.  

The bottom line is, you need to do what is best for you.  Make a list of thepros and cons of going adult and seriously consider each one.  Then go for it and good luck.




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awesomenessLE

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2005, 04:49:15 PM »
I know I have a good two(+) more years for sure in juniors just because im so younger, but mason going adult is better for multiple reason, because I was around when juniors were awesome like 5 years ago and watched it deteriorate from there, prime example would be stars huhhh. I think junior bowling is just going thru a stage of where teenagers are getting to old so all the youngins are coming in (a new era)so its going kinda slow right now.

stanski

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #23 on: January 24, 2005, 04:54:40 PM »
quote:
Stanski
To go adult before you are 18 requires a parental consent form.  Basically your parent acknowledges that you are forfeiting the right to bowl junior again and my be putting amatue status at risk according to high school and college definitions.  

As for tournament entries vs prize funds adult city tournament costs $60, state $70, nationals $120 for singles/doubles/team/all events.  If you place in the top few, the payout is good, but most don't break even.  Especially when you add in travel expenses.  Most of the people I know make their money in sidepots or brackets rather then the tournament prize fund.


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I was calculating the prize funds of tournaments based on the expenses that I also have to pay for junior tournaments. For mjma here in michigan, You have to pay $40 dollars a year to be a member, and $45 per tournament, for a prize fund that usually only pays the top 4 out of 90. Now, the money that those top 4 win is pretty nice, but I would rather make my money back as one of those 1 in 4 entries that cash at the hamtramck open (large adult tournament here in michigan). Michigan has some of the best adult tournaments around, and many of the tournaments cost very close to the same/if not less as mjma tournaments do.

And for those who say you are getting a better experience by bowling 8 games on a pba shot, i say bull. The reason for this is that by the 4th or 5th game, the shot has broken down to the point where it again becomes a contest of who can carry. If you want the experience of bowling a sport shot, you should find a league that puts out a sport shot, because 8 games every month is not a whole lot of experience in my book, especially when most of the tournaments are very far away/half the people don't go to most of them. The mjma is a great program here in michigan, but i really do not like the way the payouts work at all.

I think i might have a different view than many of you, mainly because i live in an area where it is very easy to make good money bowling. My father has averaged less then me for the last 2 years, yet has come out even and/or better with all his expenses from leagues the last 3 years (including equipment purchases). I don't even want to know how much money i've lost for such little scholarship gains ($26 a week for 3 leagues, plus tournaments and equipment) in the last 2 years
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Edited on 1/24/2005 5:55 PM

ShermDawg

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #24 on: January 25, 2005, 01:26:26 AM »
junior bowling just isnt what it used to be... adult looks better and better as the days go on... im counting down until Team challenge and JOG... after that its time to hit up some adult leagues, some regionals, and some high rollers and mini-eliminator....
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C300_Rye

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #25 on: January 25, 2005, 01:30:08 AM »
is it possible to bowl for a college team when you are a sanctioned adult
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Platinum Bowler

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #26 on: January 26, 2005, 12:04:05 AM »
I am going to stay junior through my entire term. Reasons are because I figure I got the rest of my life for the adult ranks, so I mine as well stay junior for as long as I can. I still find it fun, and love traveling. Also I have no idea what I want to do once I go adult...not sure about going pro, will probably try some regionals, but do not really see it worth going out full time, but who knows? Dont know if I want to be a major amateur player either...just not sure what I want to do with bowling...Also I plan on really going to college soon, not just the few classes I have taken at some crappy CC, so I will need more scholarship. Make more money as adult? Suuuuuuuuure...not too much adult tournaments by me, just stupid 4-8 gamers, and the always lame ABTs.
Also I have bee through this whole drop in junior bowlers lately, and see it is getting bad. I think it is just for the time, and like everything else, a new generation will evolve.
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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #27 on: January 26, 2005, 12:05:16 AM »
Oh yee, I forgot....  
quote:
is it possible to bowl for a college team when you are a sanctioned adult
Yee.
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stanski

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #28 on: January 26, 2005, 09:48:10 AM »
Kind of funny that one of the guys who just made a show on the pba tour could still be a junior bowler, isn't it? Just found it kind of interesting and something for people to think about.

I always talk about going adult, but I probably won't for a while. I've got another year or 2 (by the time i'm 18, i'd like to go adult) before I actually make the switch.
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OGrady

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #29 on: January 26, 2005, 10:25:51 AM »
i love junior bowling....i wouldnt trade it for anything else...i got 3 years left until yaba gives me the boot....some parts of the country have very week junior programs and touring associations.....the Junior Bowlers Tour (JBT) is the most successful junior tournament series ever awarding over 1.4 million dollers in its history....many bowlers have stayed junior till they were 21 because of the competition, travel, friends, and fun that the tournaments have instore for us....the JBT exists in conneticut, new york(long island), new jersey, pennslyvania, and delaware....a maryland conference has existed but was deceased due to low entries.....

the national tournaments are the best....JOG, JBT Las Vegas, Teen Masters, and all the other tournaments that require long distance traveling......

unlike a few other imcompedent youth bowlers I know, I actually use my scholarship earnings towards college, books, and this laptop im typing on right now was paid for by my earnings in junior bowling.....

cash is nice, but your only young once....enjoy it while it lasts.....

hey mason, only if ur trying to pay for school.... stay junior.....if u got all those expenses covered...go kick sum geasers ass's
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dragonlady

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Re: Staying Junior Vs. Going Adult
« Reply #30 on: February 01, 2005, 06:09:29 PM »
But the problem is will you actually use the money for school if you get the check?  too easyto spend otherwise.  Also entry fees are higher.  I guess a lot depends on whether or not there are enough tournaments in your area to keep you challenged.  (but for those who throw sapphires they have there own problems)
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