Butler County bowling is undergoing some change, courtesy of the U.S. Bowling Congress.

The American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress and Young American Bowling Alliance have merged to form the U.S. Bowling Congress.

All local ABC affiliations now must re-form under the USBC. The 1,798-member Butler County Bowling Association is in the process of doing so.

An Oct. 2 meeting was held to review and approve new bylaws stipulated by the USBC.

"We did that and sent our bylaws in to be approved," said association secretary-treasurer Jim Bowser said. "We accepted what they recommended, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Few immediate changes will be felt in how Butler County bowling is run. The county's men, women and youth associations decided not to merge and will continue to operate as separate entities.

"At the national level, I think it (merging) is a good idea," said BCBA president Larry Parenti said. "Before, we had three organizations driving the car.

"Now, we have a standardized national dues structure and ,hopefully, services will be better."

Female bowlers are permitted to bowl in men's tournaments, provided they are sanctioned through the men's association.

"There are six women who have gone through that process," Bowser said.

Men are not permitted to enter women's tournaments.

The Butler County Bowling Association will officially be renamed the Butler County BA, USBC. The approximate 1,500-member Butler County Women's Association will be renamed the Butler County WB, USBC.

All association officers will remain in those positions until July 31, 2006. Butler County men's association officers are president Parenti, first vice president Jim Hepler, second vice president Brian Marcellus and third vice president Dalton "Skip" Weyand.

Bowser remains secretary-treasurer, though that volunteer position will become a paid position Aug. 1, 2006.

Those same officers will remain in place for the 2006-07 season, as voted upon at the Oct. 2 meeting.

Association officers are not permitted to hold the same office for more than two consecutive two-year terms.

"We also have to hire an association manager by that time (Aug. 1)," Bowser said. "That person will run the organization and will delegate a secretary-treasurer."

A nominating committee will be formed to accept applications for that position.

All local associations must re-certify through the USBC and re-incorporate in Pennsylvania.

"That's pretty much what's going on now," Bowser said.

Parenti said that the county's men's, women's and youth associations likely will merge at some point.

"No one's ready to jump into that now because once we do, there's no turning back," he said. "A lot of thought and preparation have to go into this.

"It may be five years from now, or 10 years from now, but once the merger is done, it will be done right. It will benefit all bowlers in Butler County."