Suspended member (alleged)

[Frank Goebel]

Long post to follow.

I was bowling tonight; this league isn't the one where I'm secretary. Someone called asking for the secretary of my main league (not me by name) and I was given the phone, and I took the call between frames. It turned out to be what may have been a secretary or representative of another league in which one of my members (and his girlfriend) bowled.

This rep asked if my league was done; we were, and had already distributed prizes and are all done until August. She was disappointed; she told me that she got an e-mail recently (perhaps just today) that this member (and his girlfriend) had been suspended by the league - when I asked for clarification, it was USBC suspensions for failure to pay dues. I got a dollar figure which I won't share here.

I suppose she would have liked my league to hold prize funds to go back to her league. Naturally I'd have to have all of that documented, but I still believe strongly in dues payment and my own league processed a suspension for a walked-off member a few years ago (on my own team).

Since my association's office won't be staffed until after the weekend, I won't be able to confirm the suspension until Monday. It won't retroactively affect the season's outcome; the suspension wasn't in effect during the season proper as far as I know. But I will see that team's captain in a third league this weekend, and one teammate in that league is this same bowler's son (who himself is in my league; and the son had stiffed this same other league in the past, according to this rep).

I also believe in privacy and confidentiality, but I just wonder what my responsibility would be once a suspension takes effect. That is, if a bowler is suspended on the first of a month, and then continues to bowl three days later in a different house: That would create an unknown forfeit situation (I already know how to process that).

I'm conflicted on how to process this, since I'm still bowling a couple more weeks in my third league on a team with the son on my own team and the captain within my own league on another team there - who do I approach, if anyone? do I ask if the son is up on his dues? (I am not the captain) Do I mention it to my main league's captain (the son also bowled on that team)? Do I remain silent about everything?

Part of me would like to at least be aware, even if in confidence (restrained to not discuss), of a pending suspension of one of my bowlers, so that I would automatically be informed of such a decision and would be able to act, thereby possibly avoiding an unknown forfeit. The aforementioned confidentiality, I would respect, would forego that.

The only person I've talked to at all so far is the secretary of tonight's league; he too is in my main league and it was more for me to vent rather than anything else. He's a confidante in many respects.

Any thoughts?

[Larry Zaideman]

As a Association Manager this is the place you should go first. He'll be able conform this suspended member though (association ) link in bowl.com and the money due to this bowler should pass the manager only if ok by USBC.

[Frank Goebel]

Understood. Bear in mind that the prizes were already paid from my main league, but is/has there ever been a situation where what I guess would be equivalent to a lien against prizes in one league be placed based on dues owed to another league?

[Chery Cooper]

My tcw...

Frank, I'm no expert, but have been a league secretary for many years so I thought I'd just share my thoughts.

First, personal considerations...
I have had to go through the process to suspend a bowler for non-payment of fees in the past. It is not a pleasant (or easy) task, but in egregious cases it must be done. There are, of course, always extenuating circumstances that might argue for charity and I've been known to absorb minor losses myself out of the secretary fee. Just easier all the way around, especially when you know the arrears is the result of unfortunate and/or unforeseen economic problems for the bowler. It seems that the exercise of judgment may sometimes call for acknowledgement of those extenuating circumstances. However, if someone appears to be trying to "game" the system just to get out of paying, that's another story.

Second, status of a league...
It has always been my impression that each league is an entity unto itself for all purposes (averages, financial, etc.), hence the individual sanctioning (certification) numbers. If your league had not completed and money been paid out, then MAYBE official notification from USBC (not another league secretary) that a bowler was suspended by USBC and authorizing you to withhold that bowler's funds to pay another league might be in order. Absent that, I don't see how it would be proper to withhold a bowler's funds in one league to pay arrears in another.

Third, who should be approached...
As for other family members with histories of similar actions, "innocent until proven guilty" should, IMHO, be your stance in the current situation. Even if the father is in arrears in the other league, it's not the son's issue to resolve or comment on and I, personally, would not approach any other family member. The person in arrears is the one who must answer for his/her actions. If he wasn't in arrears in your league, I see nothing that you can or should do. It is the responsibility of the sec'y in the league he IS in arrears in to handle it.

Those are just my thoughts. It would be interesting to know how this turns out and what USBC has to say.

[Frank Goebel]

This is a delayed revisit; I spoke with my association manager and was able to later confirm the suspension in the form of the letter in the association's files. The date of the letter was two days after our prizes were paid, also the same night we held our end-of-season doubles. All of his bowling in my league was in good standing.

I was told that a league does not have the authority to withhold prize money to pay another. Especially at this point: Now that the suspension is in force, the only way for this bowler to become reinstated is to pay through USBC itself and then request reinstatement. Were we to withhold then pay the other league, USBC wouldn't know about (nor therefore recognize) it and the suspension would continue.

As of now, I will have contact with that bowler's captain one last time this week, so I will notify him of the situation. That bowler could be reinstated in time for next season, but since I'm aware of it, I will investigate it prior to the start of the season. The captain may not want to use this bowler anyway given what has happened but I will let him decide that on his own. And no, I will not mention anything to the officers of the third league, through which I bowl with the captain as well as the suspended bowler's son (I won't involve him either).What I could safely do would be to ask how his father is doing (the son is my teammate there) and see what kind of answer I get but I won't press for anything.