Separating offensive and defensive responsibilities is an important strategy in MassBowling. Players standing nearest their own pin should concentrate on trying to stop their opponents from scoring. Conversely, players who are standing nearest to their opponents pin should be primarily concerned with the offensive attack. As players become more familiar with the game, more complex offensive and defensive strategies will develop. When playing more than one game, it is good to rotate the sideline and endline people to give all players a chance to play offense and defense.
The role of the ball retriver is an important one. Not only is this person responsible for resetting the pin and retrieving the loose balls, the ball retriever should be instructed to distribute balls primarily to the offensive players on the sidelines as most of the balls rolled at the pin go directly to the defensive players standing behind the endlines. Additionally, the ball retriever should not linger near the pin area. This action may obstruct the vision of teammates or inadvertently deflect balls rolling towards the pin. The ball retriever must also be aware of the danger of being struck by the pin as his own team may accidently knock down their own pin in their attempt to play defense.
Pin Placement and Handicapping
Placement of the pin can dictate the flow of the game. Moving the pin closer to the endline makes it easier to play defense. Moving it farther away is to the advantage of the offensive attack. Therefore, a standard fifteen point game may last three minutes or thirty minutes depending on where the pins are placed. Pin placement is normally six or seven feet away from the midpoint of each endline. If the group playing the game has lower physical ability, moving the pin closer to the endline will help to equalize offensive and defensive opportunities. The opposite is true when the players are highly skilled.
The handicapping system utilizing pin placement can be very effective. If one team has an obvious edge in ability, moving the weaker teams pin closer to the endline will help equalize play. For example, an eighth grade team could compete against a sixth grade team equally by moving the sixth grade team's pin one or two feet closer to their endline. A piece of tape works well in marking the spot for pin placement. An indoor throw down base or a poly spot marker works as well and allows for easy adjustment when handicapping is desired. Refer to the section titled "Your Team's Handicap" for more information on the handicapping system.
Ball Retrievers - Using One or Two
The Ball Retrievers work very hard during the game and should be watched for fatigue and replaced when appropriate. When there are more than 24 players in the game, a second Ball Retriever may be used. Place one Retriever near the center court to retrieve balls in that area. The second Retriever should be near the pin and made responsible for resetting the pin when it is knocked down.
Adding Another Pin to Each Team
When playing MassBowling with more than 36 players, you may consider using a second bowling pin for each team. Place the pins 6 or 7 feet from the endline about 12 feet apart. This forces the larger number of defenders to cover two targets.
One of the few hazards in this game is when a team strikes their own pin when trying to deflect an offensive attack sending it forward with considerable force. It is very important to enforce the rule restricting Ball Retrievers from the basketball key area while the pin is standing to protect them from being struck by the pin in this situation. When using two pins with larger groups, the basketball key area rule becomes ineffective. In this situation, it is safer to tell the Ball Retrievers to stay away from the pins and have the defenders cross the endlines to reset the pins.
Using Balls of Different Size or Color
Designating a different size or color of ball as a "bonus" ball can allow for the use of more complex strategies. The MassBowling set offered by Sportime includes 6 yellow and 6 violet Handgrip bowling balls. If the yellow team knocks down the violet team's pin with a yellow ball, they would receive two points instead of one point. A ball of a different size could be used as the "bonus" ball. Try throwing a four foot cage ball into the game as a "bonus" ball. You can imagine how the focus of offense and defense would change in these situations creating a need for new strategies.