As a USBC Silver Level Bowling Coach, I signed up for the week-long conference. Attendees from all over the world go to learn more about coaching, marketing strategies and workshops for bowling center proprietors, pro shop owners, manufacturers, and others "in the biz".

Personally, I quit bowling in about 1998 because I did not want to expose myself to the dangers of 2nd-hand smoke any longer. I knew that decision would cost me financially, but it also motivated me to do many other things (incl. the formation of Putters From Heaven® in 2001) in an effort to change smoking laws/attitudes, help those who wanted to quit, and more importantly, to protect innocent people. I stayed involved in the sport of bowling by coaching and conduct classes or lessons where smoke is at a minimum or non-existant (thanks to Coast Properties, and the Strike Zone at Sunset Station Casino). I realized that in order to ever bowl again, I would need the smoking laws to be changed. What I didn't know, is that the organization I'm supporting and thought was looking out for us, doesn't really seem to care about us at all.

Upon registration at the Bowl Expo event, I was given a "welcome package". Included in the package was a flyer from the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. with information on obtaining their Smoking Ban Prevention Guide CD. It explains how businesses can fight AGAINST smoking bans by creating petitions, how to contact elected officials, and more. A copy of the flyer can be seen by clicking here. It's really hard to fathom that MY bowling organization is promoting and empowering bowling center operators and proprietors to fight AGAINST smoking bans. Adding to that, what I heard over and over at the conference was an overwhelming desire by the industry to focus and market more to youth bowlers, and other scholastic and childrens programs.

I have had serious concerns in years past regarding why non-smoking laws that were being changed all over the country, often seem to by-pass "bars and bowling alleys". How do these 2 types of establishments get grouped together? For many years, I questioned who was fighting for the welfare of the people of the bowling industry, and also, for the image of bowling. I'm sorry to say I found out some of those answers at the 2006 BPAA, IBPSIA and USBC bowling conference.

Imagine that if just one bowling establishment kept smoking from being banned for a few additional years. How many kids might take up smoking and buy cigarettes for a lifetime? What do you think that flyer is worth to the tobacco industry? I wonder how many people will die or suffer as a result of that flyer. How much did it cost them to get that flyer included in our package? I'm ashamed to be associated with people or organizations that can do things like this.

I think everyone should be aware (and hope that you care), about the decisions the major governing bodies of bowling are making that impact the health and welfare of ALL bowlers and the people who work in the bowling industry.

 
Robert "Duffy" McDonough
USBC Silver Level Coach
duffy@learntobowl.com.
Owner, LearntoBowl.com

 
The CD entitled Smoking Ban Prevention Resource Disc, from the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. arrived immediately by UPS 2nd-day Air and is full of very old information and misleading (written by the best lawyers money can buy) studies and research.