The Cornerstone
The Foundation Newsletter
Volume 11, Issue 2 February
"The crisis is upon us, friends. Our sport is in trouble. Many of you, that love the game as we do, will look at the crisis like a friend who is in trouble and needs our help. We must not shrink from the task before us, we should welcome it. It is 'our' generation that has been called to the challenge. If not now, when? If not us, who?"
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Letter from the Editor
Is that a Cam-uh-lon?
So one of the funniest things in bowling to me is probably the Chameleon pattern and not because I actually think the pattern is funny but because I have a funny story to share about it.
Last January in Reno for Team USA Trials, the PBA bowled a tour stop at the National Bowling Stadium just before the start of Team Trials. One of my friends was there during the live telecast and overheard a conversation (or maybe he was actually part of the conversation – I suppose the details don’t matter TOO much). Anyhow, one person was talking about the pattern they were using for the show. A second person said “oh yeah, they are using the cam-uh-lon pattern this week”. My friend and apparently several people around, all stopped dead in their tracks because this person genuinely thought it was pronounced “cam-uh-lon”.
Now while I am not one to usually make a mockery of someone else’s mistakes, this particular mistake just struck my funny bone. And, as I am not a real fan of the chameleon pattern, I find myself referring to it as the “cam-uh-lon” pattern. It has even gotten around to other bowlers in my area as the story has been told on several occasions. The story is one of those priceless things that have generated many good laughs.
While I’m still not a fan of chameleon, and neither are many of my friends, I think in some ways chameleon, errrr cam-uh-lon has become everyone’s favorite pattern. If only for a good chuckle…
RESEARCH COMPLETE ON USBC
BOWLING BALL MOTION STUDY
CONTACT: Patrick Brettingen; USBC Communications
Results expected to be made public next spring
GREENDALE, Wis. - The United States Bowling Congress has completed its pioneering two-year study of bowling ball motion and how advanced, high-tech equipment may influence lane conditions and scoring in the sport.
The USBC Bowling Ball Specifications Task Force - formed in 2005 and comprised of USBC research engineers and technical volunteers from several bowling ball manufacturing companies - is now analyzing the research data results. The task force plans to meet in February 2008 to discuss the data further. USBC expects to release complete research results to the public next spring.
The goal of the study is to better understand the motion of bowling balls using scientific research and data analysis. As the sport's national governing body, USBC undertook the research working cooperatively with bowling manufacturers. One impetus for the study is that over the past 20 years, bowling's credibility has been compromised in part due to technological advancements that have greatly affected scoring in the sport.
"USBC is concerned that technology has overtaken player skill in determining success in the sport of bowling," said USBC Technical Director Neil Stremmel. "Now that the research phase is complete, the task force looks forward to further analysis and discussion prior to releasing the results to the public."
The testing process officially started in summer 2006 after the formation of the USBC Bowling Ball Specifications Task Force. That group has framed the research project, deciding which bowling ball layouts and lane oil patterns are to be used.
A total of 59 particle and reactive resin bowling balls were used for the research study being conducted in the USBC testing center in Greendale, Wis., which includes eight lanes in a climate-controlled building. USBC's robotic ball thrower - nicknamed "Harry" - was used to roll the test balls. The data was measured using "Super C.A.T.S." (Computer Aided Tracking System) to record the velocity of the bowling balls as they were rolled down the lane. The Super C.A.T.S. system is made up of 23 small electronic sensors installed on the lanes.
USBC engineers and technicians have performed more than 150 tests and have conducted several hundred multiple linear regressions to analyze the data.
USBC is committed through that ball research to maintaining the highest standards for credibility and integrity for bowling. In fulfilling that pledge, USBC is launching a re-evaluation of all components of the System of Bowling, which includes lane surfaces, lane conditions, bowling balls and pins. USBC also has formed task forces to deal with issues and standardization of lane surfaces and lane conditioners/cleaners.
"The ultimate goal of USBC research is to strike a better balance between player skill and technology," Stremmel said.
CHANGES MADE TO JUNIOR TEAM USA SELECTION PROCESS
CONTACT: Kevin Hazaert; USBC Communications
Team expands to 20 players in 2009 as players may also qualify through Team USA Trials
GREENDALE, Wis. - Junior Team USA, the U.S. national junior bowling team and feeder program for Team USA, will expand to 20 players in 2009 - allowing more elite youth bowlers the opportunity to further develop their skills and represent their country.
The majority of Junior Team USA (comprised of 10 males and 10 females) will continue to be established at the previous year's United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships, which brings together over 1,500 of the country's best youth bowlers vying for scholarships and
U.S. Junior Amateur titles.
However, new for 2009, additional players will be selected through the USBC Team USA Trials (beginning with the 2009 event), which is held annually in January to help determine Team USA.
"Expanding Junior Team USA will give more of the top young athletes in our sport exposure to the elite coaching and training they will receive in the program," USBC Team USA High-Performance Director David Garber said. "By adding individuals from the USBC Team USA Trials as well, we will be able to strengthen Junior Team USA with even more promising talent."
Selection process for Junior Team USA 2009:
● Top four male and top four female finishers at the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships, which will be held July 5-11 in Detroit
● Two males and two females, chosen by the National Selection Committee, from the pool of remaining match play advancers at the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships
● Top two males and top two females who are age 20 or under as of Jan. 1, 2009, at the 2009 USBC Team USA Trials (dates and location TBD), provided they are not already on Junior Team USA 2009. These four athletes can be either USBC Youth or Adult members as long as they meet the age requirement.
● Two males and two females, chosen by the National Selection Committee, from a pool of athletes that were either match play finalists at the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships or who are age 20 or under as of Jan. 1, 2009, and competed at the 2009 USBC Team USA Trials (dates and location TBD). These four athletes can be either USBC Youth or Adult members as long as they meet the age requirement.
Also beginning in 2009, the Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON) Youth Championships (formerly American Zone Youth Championships) will be held on odd-numbered years.
"Previously, Junior Team USA members in odd-numbered years didn't have the chance to bowl in either the World or PABCON Youth Championships since they were held in the same calendar year," Garber said. "Now athletes on Junior Team USA will have a competition to strive for each year."
The 2008 PABCON Youth Championships is tentatively scheduled to be held next September in Lima, Peru.
By: Brandy Padilla
It has been an interesting turn of events for Team USA over the past several months. As many may know, the
World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) voted to allow pros to be on the national team which should
help bowling’s bid to become an Olympic sport.
Because of this vote, Team USA leaders selected some pros to join the team from a pool or PBA players for
the men and former PWBA players for the women. In all, six men and seven women were selected to join
Team USA 2008. The remaining players to make the team had to earn one of two available spots (two each
for the men and the women) or hope for one of the two selection spots (two each for the men and the women)
given by the National Selection Committee after Team USA Trials in January.
It was no real surprise that entries for Team USA were low. With so few spots available, and with so few
tournaments for the team to attend, many felt that it would not be advantageous for them to tryout. That said
more than 60 men and more than 30 women made the trip to Sunset Station in Las Vegas to try for the few
remaining spots.
Thirty-six games over four days before the new team members were announced.
Day one, bowlers faced the PBA Shark pattern. On the men’s side, JR Raymond of Lebanon, MI took the
early lead shooting 1989, a narrow 49 pin lead over second place Steven Villanueva of North Las Vegas. On
the women’s side, Team USA member and former junior standout Stefanie Nation of Orlando, FL took the
lead shooting 1890. Only 25 pins back was Brenda Viator of laceType w:st="on">LakelaceType> laceName w:st="on">WaleslaceName>, FL.
On day two, the bowlers faced the short pattern. Scores were significantly higher on this pattern with the
men’s squad leader, Nathan Bohr of Wichita, KS, shooting 2332; nearly 200 pins over second place squad
leader Del Ballard Jr. Bohr’s top score for the day was enough to catapult him into the overall lead with an 18
game total of 4157. On the women’s side, former PWBA star Tish Johnson claimed the squad high score of
2171 including a 300 game. Her squad score was more than 150 pins greater than second place squad finisher
Amanda Burgoyne. Johnson’s score was also high enough to push her into the overall lead knocking first day
leader Stefanie Nation into second place.
The third day the bowlers once again faced a long pattern. First time Team USA members John Janawicz of
Winter Haven, FL and Derek Eoff of Greenfield, WI took first and second squad honors respectively.
Janawicz posted the squad best 2097 only six pins over Eoff. Janawicz’s performance was enough to slide
him into third place overall while Eoff’s performance pushed him into second place overall. In the lead for the
men, also with a solid performance on the long pattern, was Del Ballard Jr. His total of 6047 was only 11 pins
over Eoff’s total and 18 pins over Janawicz’s total. Shannon O’Keefe, who subsequently did not have to bowl
Trials because of the two year exemption she earned at Team Trials in 2007, used an 822 series for her last
three games to catapult herself into a ten pin victory for squad leader over Team USA member Tina Stickney.
O’Keefe’s 2052 was also enough to give her the overall lead heading into the last day of competition.
Stckney’s performance on day three secured her the second place spot heading into the final day of
competition.
On the final day, bowlers faced the USBC Master’s lane pattern. Nathan Bohr once again made a run at the
top squad spot having a low game of 211 and shooting 2048 for the day. Vince Biondo was second for the
squad. Unfortunately, Bohr’s score wasn’t enough to push him into the overall lead. Instead, Derek Eoff
claimed the Men’s National Amateur title averaging 222.14 for 36 games and posting a score of 7997. His
win insured him one of the guaranteed spots on the 2008 team. In an exciting race for the second spot, John
Janawicz and Nathan Bohr tied for second overall with 7988 which forced a one game roll off. Janawicz
secured the second place spot during the roll off shooting 231 to Bohr’s 210.
On the women’s side, Samantha Jimenez claimed the squad lead shooting 2004; 100 pins over second place
Anne Marie Duggan. But those scores weren’t enough to oust day three leader Shannon O’Keefe from the
overall top spot. O’Keefe posted 7730 for 36 games and an average of 214.72. While this earned O’Keefe the
Women’s National Amateur title, she already had a guaranteed spot on the 2008 team because of her two year
exemption from 2007. The automatic spots therefore went to second place Tina Stickney and third place
Stefanie Nation.
With bowling complete, four spots remained; two men’s selections and two women’s selections. Given the
pool of talent, the National Selection Committee selected for the men’s team, Nathan Bohr and Del Ballard Jr.
For the women’s team, the NSC selected Tish Johnson and Brenda Viator.
These four men join four men who earned two year exemptions at the 2007 Trials; David O’Sullivan, Bill
Hoffman, Rhino Page and David Haynes. They also join six previously selected PBA players; Walter Ray
Williams Jr., Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones, Patrick Allen, Sean Rash and Parker Bohn III.
The four women join Shannon O’Keefe, Lynda Barnes, Tennelle Milligan and Shannon Pluhowsky who
earned selections at the 2007 Trials. They also join seven women who were selected from former PWBA
standouts; Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Wnedy Macpherson, Liz Johnson, Kelly Kulick, Kim Terrell, Missy
Bellinder and Diandra Asbaty.
The men are heading into a World Championship year as the Men’s World Championships are scheduled to
be held at the end of August in Bangkok, Thailand. The women are scheduled to participate in the Women’s
American Zone Championships. Additionally for selected members of both teams are the QubicAMF World
Cup, the Tournament of the America’s and the World Ranking Masters. With the large pool of players to
select from, it will be interesting (in this writer’s opinion) to see how players will be chosen and to see who
will get to represent the USA during these competitions.
2008 Teen Masters is Back with Long Term Sponsors
11th annual event kicks off in March; National Finals in Las Vegas in July
America’s best youth tournament, the Teen Masters, is back and better than ever due to new long-term sponsorship from some of the industry’s top companies. Three major bowling brands, Dexter Shoes, Ebonite International, and Kegel have all made multi-year, major commitments to the Teen Masters for the 2008 event and beyond.
After 50 TM Qualifying events across the nation, the top 480 athletes will advance to the Teen Masters National Finals July 19-26 at Michael Gaughan’s beautiful South Point Resort on the famous Las Vegas Boulevard. Over 2000 youth bowlers are expected to enter again this year, and those who make the finals are in for the experience of their lives.
In addition to thousands in Smart Scholarship awards, the finalists will get red carpet treatment, made possible by generous sponsorship support. Here are a few things on the agenda:
The Dexter Leaders Challenge – winners of local and regional qualifiers will be upgraded to VIP status at the national finals if they win wearing Dexter shoes. They will have exclusive access to the Dexter Den, with their own private ball paddock, Wii video games, an I-pod docking station, internet access, and free refreshments between rounds.
The Ebonite ‘Bowl to Win’ Package – Athletes who opt for this special entry package will be eligible for the new Ebonite Bowl to Win competition at the national finals. All who enter will have a new Ebonite ball shipped directly to their home, and they will be eligible to win another ball during the finals. Those winners will have identical Ebonite balls drilled on-site by Ebonite’ expert technicians. They will then compete on two different oil patterns where the question “Is it the bowler or the ball?” will be answered.
The Kegel Kup – The world’s leader in lane technology, Kegel, will present a new TM Team event to determine which bowling center has the best high school team. All 50 TM Qualifiers will advance one team to the national finals where they will compete for both team and singles titles. Special surprises are also in store for these players – they will be announced by March 1.
To hear more about these exciting new concepts and others – like the TM Training Camps, TM Team Works, Dexter After Dark, and TM Rock Star, tune into The Phantom Radio Show January 9-15 to hear Killer ‘B’ President Gary Beck reveal all of the latest news about America’s best youth tournament, the 2008 Teen Masters. It’s playing 24/7 on a computer near you – www.phamtomradioshow.com.
USBC sets specification for Lane Conditioners
Lane Oil must now meet FDA safety guidelines
By: Patrick Brettingen, USBC Communications
The United States Bowling Congress will now require that all lane conditioners meet federal safety guidelines before they can be considered for approval and use in USBC-certified competitions.
The new USBC specification requires that manufacturers of lane conditioners confirm with USBC that their products meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) standards under the Code of Federal Regulations.
The FDA uses GRAS guidelines to test substances such as food additives and chemicals for safe human use or to ensure no ill effects occur if there is human contact with certain chemicals.
"USBC is going the extra mile to protect its bowlers by making certain that the oils used in USBC leagues and tournaments meet strict federal governmental standards," said USBC Technical Director Neil Stremmel. "In this case we want to do our part to help ensure that bowlers are safe if they happen to come in contact with lane oil."
Manufacturers will be responsible for keeping data that shows that their lane conditioners have met GRAS regulations. Only after that requirement has been met can a lane conditioner be tested and approved by USBC for use in its certified leagues and tournaments. This is the first time USBC or its predecessor organizations have created and implemented a specification requiring lane conditioners to meet federal guidelines for safety.
Conditioner, which is commonly referred to as "lane oil," is the clear liquid substance applied by machine to bowling lanes in various patterns to influence the level of challenge in the sport and protect the lane surface.
The GRAS specification comes on the heels of a new specification for the viscosity of lane conditioners that USBC set last fall. Working with the Manufacturer Lane Conditioner/Cleaner Task Force, USBC set a specification requiring that lane conditioners used during USBC competition read between 12 and 81 centipoises (the standard unit of measurement for fluids) at 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Recent Phantom Radio Trivia Contest Winners
Phantom Radio’s monthly Trivia Contests continue to be popular with the listeners and the list of Phantom Phans continues to grow. The contests are sponsored by Storm Bowling and you must be a “Phantom Phan Club Member” to be eligible to win. It’s easy to join, just go to our website, at: www.foundation300.com and look for: How to join The Phantom Phan Club.
Listed below are the most recent Phan Club winners. Sign-up today and you could win, too!!
NOVEMBER – 2007
1. Joan Schliewenz: Wins a bowling-ball bag from Storm. Joan, please contact me so that I can put you in touch with our sponsor Storm, in order for you to get this nice prize.
2. Doug Chase: Wins a “Carry Bag” from 2007 Bowl Expo. A BIG THANKS goes out to Wes Pye and Strike Ten for their prize donations to Phantom Radio.
3. Kathy Scoppettuolo: Wins a very popular Pete Weber “Bobble-Head Doll “. This is another great prize donated by Wes Pye and the fine folks from Strike Ten.
4. Rafel Cons: Wins a USBC “cap”, and a Brake Max Ball Point Pen and Letter Opener.
DECEMBER – 2007
1. Doug Chase: Wins a brand new Storm Bowling ball. Doug, please contact me so that I may put you in contact with the great people at Storm Bowling. THANKS, STORM!!
2. Tom Smith: Wins a Storm Accessory Item from Storm Bowling. Tom, please contact me so I may put you in touch with Storm in order for you to get this nice prize.
3. Jon Wolfe: Wins a very popular Pete Weber “Bobble-Head Doll “. This is another great prize donated by Wes Pye and the fine folks from Strike Ten Entertainment.
4. Dale Diamond: Wins a “Carry Bag” from 2007 Bowl Expo. A BIG THANKS goes out to Wes Pye and Strike Ten for their many prize donations to Phantom Radio.
5. Allen Wallace: Wins a premium ball point Kegel Pen, a mouse pad from Strike Ten Entertainment and a Souvenir Program from this years (2007) World Ranking Masters.
6. Keith Frye: Wins an autographed Foundation Logo Shirt signed by PBA Star Jason Couch. This will make a great holiday gift for a Junior Bowler.
For a complete list of all of the past winners (and their prizes) go to: www.foundation300.com
Once you are there, scroll down and click-on: Phantom Phan Club, then go to: Storm Bowling Trivia Contest Winners. If you don’t see your name, it’s because you are NOT a Member !!!!
Join today and start taking advantage of all of the great monthly prizes that are given away.
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Membership Report
We have members in all 50 states,
and the District of Columbia
We have members in 49 countries, including the United States:
Argentina Australia Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada China Columbia Costa Rica Denmark Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Great Britain Greece Guam Guatemala Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Latvia Malaysia Mexico The Netherlands N. Ireland Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand Panama Philippines Puerto Rico Peru Qatar Scotland Singapore Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey U.A.E. Ukraine Venezuela
Corporate Sponsors
The problems that exist in our Sport are “industry-wide” problems that must be addressed by the entire Industry. The Foundation does all that they can to help, but we can NOT do it alone.
The Foundation has well over 1000-Members who have joined-in to assist. Some Members (Founding and Charter) have paid to show their support. Some Members (Associates) have just lent their “voice”. ALL of the members are important.
Even though The Foundation has NOT actively solicited bowling-related companies for help, some realize the importance of our “Mission” and have come forward with donations. We recognize the following companies for their loyalty and support to bowling.
KEGEL
KAT Travel
I.B.P.S.I.A.
EBN Services
Storm Bowling
Classic Products
Bobs’ Business, Inc.
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BowlersParadise.com
Virtualtournaments.com
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David Driscoll & Associates
International Bowling Industry Magazine
Stars and Strikes Bowling Newsmagazine
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