This selection policy has been agreed upon by the USA Deaf Bowling (USADB) and the USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF). It provides details regarding the process by which USADB will arrive at athlete nominations. These nominations will be submitted to USADSF for consideration and for final selection to the USA Deaf Bowling Team for the World Deaf Bowling Championships in Munich, Germany (hereinafter called the "Games").
1. SELECTION SYSTEM
1.1 Minimum eligibility requirements for athletes to be considered for selection to the Team:
1.1.1 Nationality/Passport requirements:
1.1.1.1 Athlete must be a national of the United States at the time of nomination.
1.1.1.2 Athlete must hold a valid U.S. passport that will not expire for six months after the conclusion of the Games and 6 months prior to the Games. Except for USA-hosted Games, the staff must possess a valid government-issue identity card.
1.1.2 Have a hearing loss of at least 55db (3-tone frequency average at 500, 1000 and 2000 Hertz, ISO 1964 Standard) in the better unaided ear, as documented on a recent audiologist-certified audiogram. See audiogram regulations at http://www.deaflympics.com/pdf/AudiogramRegulations.pdf
1.1.3 Minimum International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) standards for participation:
1.1.3.1 Any competitor in the World Deaf Bowling Championships must be a national of the country of the National Deaf Sports Federation (NDSF) which is entering such competitor.
1.1.3.2 For additional information regarding an athlete who is a national of two or more countries, has changed their nationality or acquired a new nationality, refer to the ICSD Regulations at http://deaflympics.com/icsd/icsd-athlete-nationality-policy
1.1.4 Minimum International Sports Federation - World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) - standards and/or ICSD Entry Standards for participation: See the entry standard at http://www.deaflympics.com/pdf/AudiogramRegulations.pdf
1.1.5 Commit to participation in mandatory training and competitions.
1.1.6 Complete the USA Deaf Sports Federation National Team application packet.
1.1.7 Can not participate as a team official - coach, trainer, medic, etc.
1.1.8 Other requirements: Specific Gender Criteria :
• Men- have a book average of 190 or better in two (2) of the last 3 years as evidenced by the USBC
• Women- have a book average of 170 or better in two (2) of the last 3 years as evidenced by the USBC
The USA Deaf Bowling NSO Representative reserves the right to appoint USA Deaf Bowlers to the USA Deaf Bowling National Team in special circumstances
1.2 Tryout Events: There will be no tryouts at this time due to facility and scheduling conflicts. Athletes shall be selected according to criteria outlined in 1.1.8.
1.3 Selection process for athletes to become National Team nominees:
1.3.1 The following criteria was kept in mind when making the selection for this years team:
- Past USADSF Member
- Past USADSF Competition
- Past USADSF International Results
- Past & Current National / State Deaf Tournament results
- Past & Current National / State Deaf Tournament participation
- USBC Tournament Results
- USBC Tournament participation
- USBC Past & Current League Averages
- Sport Averages if Applicable
- Bowling IQ & Current Knowledge
- World Competition Rules, Policies, & Procedure awareness
- Status of Individuals Health (Mental & Physical)
- Ability to perform over a long event
- Eye Test of ability, Discipline, & Effort
- Communication with NSO & USADSF Committee
- Team Player
1.4 Selection Committee:
1.4.1 The USA Deaf Bowling Selection Committee is comprised of the following members: • John Wukasch Jr - Team Leader - Men
• Brad Hagen- Coach - Men
• Kim Wrolden -coach - Women
• Lindy Decker-Heliman -
1.4.2 Any member of the selection committee that has a possible conflict of interest must disclose it. If such conflict exists, the selection committee member must recuse themselves from the committee discussions and voting. Further, the committee member shall not otherwise influence other members of the committee in the selection process.
2. REMOVAL OF ATHLETES
2.1 Prior to entry by name to USA Deaf Sports Federation, USA Deaf Bowling has jurisdiction over potential nominees.
2.1.1 Voluntary withdrawal. Athlete must submit a written letter to the USA Deaf Bowling Executive Director.
2.1.2 Injury or illness as certified by a physician (or medical staff) approved by USA Deaf Bowling. If an athlete refuses verification of their illness or injury by a physician (or medical staff) approved by USA Deaf Bowling, their injury will be assumed to be disabling and they may be removed.
2.1.3 Failure to participate in mandatory training and/or competitions.
2.1.4 Violation of USA Deaf Bowling Code of Conduct - MISSING FILE.
2.1.5 If for any reason, USA Deaf Bowling believes that it may not be safe for athletes or other coaches to have this individual on the team between the time of appointment and the event, USA Deaf Bowling retains the right to remove the athlete.
2.2 Once athlete entries have been submitted to the USA Deaf Sports Federation, the USADSF has jurisdiction over the Team rosters.
2.2.1 Voluntary withdrawal. Athlete must submit a written letter to the USADSF Team Leader.
2.2.2 Injury or illness as certified by a physician (or medical staff) approved by USADSF. If an athlete refuses verification of their illness or injury by a physician (or medical staff) approved by USADSF, their injury will be assumed to be disabling and they may be removed.
2.2.3 Failure to participate in mandatory training and/or competitions.
2.2.4 Violation of USADSF Code of Conduct.
2.3 An athlete may be removed as a nominee to the Team or from the Team for an adjudicated violation of ICSD, WADA, WTBA, USADA and/or USADSF anti-doping protocol, policies and procedures, as well as the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code and USA Deaf Bowling SafeSport policies, as applicable.
3. REPLACEMENT OF ATHLETES
3.1 Prior to entry by name to the USA Deaf Sports Federation, USA Deaf Bowling has jurisdiction over potential nominees.
3.1.1 Should a vacancy occur at this time the USADSF Mens team has two alternates of interest who qualify under the current policies. If one of the selected 6 is unable to attend for ay reason, the first alternate will be contacted immediately by the NSO offering the opportunity to attend and if needed the second individual will be offered the opportunity to go keeping in mind time, logistics, and finances.
3.2 Once athlete entries have been submitted to USA Deaf Sports Federation, the USADSF has jurisdiction over the Team.
3.2.1 In the event a qualified Team loses one of its athletes due to illness, injury or "force majeure" then the USA Deaf Bowling Team Leader, in consultation with the USADSF Executive Director, shall propose a replacement athlete. The replacement athlete shall be the most qualified candidate that meets the aforementioned criteria.
If the ICSD, USADSF or Games Organizing Committee (hereinafter "GOC") requires different replacement procedures within a certain time period before the Games or after official nomination of the Final Roster to the USADSF, such procedures for replacement shall be followed.
4. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
4.1 USA Deaf Bowling will retain the approved Selection Procedures and all supporting documents, including scouting or evaluation forms, and all data from the selection process for six months past the date of the Closing Ceremony of the Games.
5. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
5.1 In addition to the USADSF Code of Conduct, the following documents are required to be signed by an athlete as a condition for nomination to the World Deaf Bowling Championships and are included as attachments:
6. PUBLICITY/DISTRIBUTION OF PROCEDURES
6.1 The USADSF approved Selection Procedures (complete and unaltered) will be posted/published within ten (10) days of approval by the USA Deaf Sports Federation Board of Directors.
6.2 Information shall be published:
6.2.1 on the USADSF website (http://www.usdeafsports.org/sports/BW/criteria-athlete).
7. DATE OF NOMINATION
7.1 The Nomination of Athletes form, including replacements, will be submitted to USADSF on or before 05 Apr 2023.
7.2 The list of athletes on the Team are to be announced publicly only after USADSF approves the rosters.
8. MANDATORY TRAINING AND/OR COMPETITIONS
At this time the plan is to have a formal training session and mandatory training session for all selected individuals who will be partaking in the 5th Annual Deaf World Bowling Championships. The plan and opportunity at Sam Houston State Universities training facility will offer the athlete an opportunity to train in a state of art facility with the resources needed to prepare the athletes for competition in Munich.
The training will take place sometime between May & June depending on the availability of the facility, scheduling, and final costs to the athletes.
The plan is to get the athletes at least 1-2 months of notice so to have an optimal time to plan their arrival.
9. ANTI-DOPING REQUIREMENTS
9.1 Athletes must adhere to all ICSD, WADA, IF, USADA and USADSF anti-doping protocols, policies and procedures, as applicable. This includes participation in Out-of-Competition Testing as required by the ICSD, WADA, IF, USADA and USADSF Rules, as applicable.
10. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
10.1 All athletes have a right to obtain due process. Refer to USA Deaf Bowling's procedures below:
Upon any grievances, comments, or concerns the individual should write a formal document stating objectively his or her's grievance to be reviewed and submitted by the NSO and USADSF Office representatives for immediate review ideally with in 7 business days of the date of concern.
The NSO & USADSF will look over everything accordingly and give a response with in 14-days.
10.2 If the selection criteria and the grievance procedures were not followed properly, see ATHLETE GRIEVANCES AND COMPLAINTS.
11. INTERNATIONAL DISCLAIMER
11.1 These procedures are based on ICSD, as applicable, and/or WTBA rules and regulations as presently known and understood. Any change in the selection procedures caused by a change in ICSD, as applicable, and/or WTBA rules and regulations will be distributed to the affected athletes immediately. The selection criteria are based on the latest information available to USA Deaf Bowling. However, the selections are always subject to unforeseen, intervening circumstances, and realistically may not have accounted for every possible contingency.
If any force of nature, or force majeure, should cause the altercation or cancellation of any of the selection events listed in this document, these selection procedures will be revised, pursuant to their resubmission to the USADSF.
12. ATHLETE GRIEVANCES AND COMPLAINTS
12.1 If an athlete has questions regarding their opportunity to compete that are not answered by USA Deaf Bowling, they may contact the USADSF Executive Director, . If the Executive Director does not respond within 3 business days, the complaint may then contact the USADSF President, Jeffrey Mansfield at mansfield@usdeafsports.org.
13. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
13.1 This document certifies that USADB individuals on the Selection Committee understand the standards/criteria set by ICSD, IF, and/or USADSF and have incorporated those standards/criteria into the Selection Procedures. These individuals certify that the information provided herein regarding Athlete Selection Procedures represents the method approved by USA Deaf Bowling.