Hi all,

I'll be bowling the nationals this year in Reno at the bowling stadium. Does anyone have a good idea what kind of conditions I can expect? Extreme oil or dry? I haven't been to the stadium yet, but I hear it's pretty [censored] nice, and I really am looking forward to bowling there. Thanks guys.

The Stadium is a place every bowler should experience at least once in their life. The entire building is awsome. Get to your squad about 1/2 hour early so you can get your balls checked in. Make sure you adhere to the dress code. Get something to eat prior to your squad because as we discussed on another thread, there is no eating or drinking allowed, plus you are not allowed to leave the bowling area without permission (bathroom breaks). There's water, but only available in pointy paper cups that you cannot set down. Just drink what you need at the time and throw the cup away.

Bring an assortment of equipment. No telling what's going to work for you and your style. But often the most aggressive snappiest ball you like in league will not work here. its a flat pattern. Don't count of playing anywhere from 5 to 10 board, that area is not available for most bowlers. Bring a spare ball. If you do not have a spare ball, get one and get used to it before this competition.

Enjoy.

Erin

There Probally put a sport pattern down. Good Luck though and HAve Fun. I never bowled there but have visited the Stadium looks awesome.

Hey thanks for the info. The way I've been bowling recently I'm gonna need all the help I can get! No eating! That sucks; I guess I'll have to do the whole candy bar in the bag thing again. That's too bad that 5 to 10 is out of bounds. Honestly I'm getting tired of centers creating a huge out of bounds area just to make the shot harder. I mean what's next? Lanes that are 10 boards skinnier!!? Oh well, it will definitely prove to be a good challenge. Thanks again guys.

I never eat during bowling anyway. So the no food rule is not a problem for me. There's also no break between doubles and singles. You also get two practise balls on each lane, that's it. No more no less. You get one rack worth of pins. No reracking and once the pins are gone you are practising true shadow practise. No smoke breaks either.

There is a concession stand in the bowling alley and a sports bar. If they are open then food is availble to you right there before and after bowling. If your squad is real early or real late then of course they will be closed. Luckily Reno is pretty much a 24 hour town, so you can find food any time of the day or night.

If you have a medical condition that might make you break the rules make sure you tell the lane moniters.

Erin

They Get real strick. I can see the no eating. I dont eat either while bowling. But Bathroom breaks i guess if you dont eeat or drink you can survive with out them.

You can get permission to go to the bathroom. But they have a lot of squads each day and a lot of people bowling, so its important to not lag behind. There are also brackets available. If you think you are not good enough to participate in brackets think again. This oil pattern is so tricky that its not unusual to win your bracket with a sub 150 game.

Erin

Why is Reno so much stricter than Corpus Christi? There was a break between singles and doubles, for a snack, rest room use, or smoke break for many. Can you chew gum?

I've never had a problem with people needing to go to the bathroom being told no in Reno or anywhere else. And I've bowled quite a few events in Reno from ABC, WIBC, Mixed Doubles, and now USBC. Certainly in team event, with five on a lane, it's not going to be a problem to time it so as not to hold anyone up.

And in doubles/singles, with four people bowling per pair, you're supposed to let the scorekeeper folks know you are leaving your pair so they don't give you a zero for disappearing. But I've never seen anyone told they couldn't go. Often they will suggest you wait until the switch between d/s. If your pair is slightly ahead, there is plenty of time to do just about anything. If your pair is slightly behind, they'll ask you to wait until the switch to keep you from holding the other pair up even further.

Also, please note, the no food issue is NOT nearly as strict as some will claim. I have had doctor's notes some years and other years I just warn my scorekeeper that if I start to feel dizzy I have something in my bag. One year, I did bowl with an actual doctor, and he took care of everything for all the folks in our group (Hi Doc!). You can't pound food while bowling, and I disagree with the rule just on its face (and successfully had it removed at the local youth tournaments), but they're trying to keep people from tracking strange things onto the approach rather than trying to see how many diabetics, hypoglycemics and others they can get to pass out from sugar issues.

Hi Angel, thanks for the info. When we bowled in Corpus Christi last March, our set actually got a break between doubles and singles, for whatever their needs were. Just thought that would be the same. It sounded too restrictive in the discussion.

I am looking forward to Reno. I've never been there. Don't want to go with a pre- concieved negative feeling.

I'm usually one who fights the majority on behalf of the minority, whether I am one of them or not. I have been shot leading the charge many times.