Branka to make PWBA TV debut at QubicaAMF PWBA Sonoma County Open
June 05, 2017
ARLINGTON, Texas - When Brandi Branka of Fairview Heights, Illinois, makes her Professional Women's Bowling Association television debut Tuesday night, there will be many people rooting for her to walk away with her first PWBA title. But more than likely, none will be rooting more than her father, Bob.
Branka will be the No. 2 seed for the QubicaAMF PWBA Sonoma County Open, which airs Tuesday, June 6, at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network.
Bob Branka could be described as Brandi's biggest fan and it wouldn't be facetious to say. After all, it was Bob Branka who started Brandi down the path.
Bowling always has been a part of the Branka family, with Bob often competing in several events, and Brandi's mom, Pam, bowling recreationally. It didn't take long for dad to pass along his bowling prowess to his daughter, as Branka's parents signed her up for Saturday leagues and even added a weekday league to her schedule.
At Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee, Illinois, Brandi competed in basketball, volleyball and track, but was unable to compete in bowling as the school didn't offer the sport. That didn't stop Brandi because Bob could see the talent in his daughter.
"My dad is probably my biggest fan," said Brandi, the head women's bowling coach at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri. "My dad would put all my accomplishments in the paper. He pushed me. He put me in everything. If there was a new bowling ball out, I got it. If there was a tournament nearby, I was in it. If there was a league close, I was there. He wanted to make sure I was always on top of my game. I never really had a personal coach, it was just me and my dad until college. He's been there the whole time."
As Brandi improved, she bowled every youth event she could while continuing her busy high school athletic career. Her schedule eventually would include the nation's largest youth bowling event, the Junior Gold Championships.
"I was at a youth event and someone came up to my dad and suggested I bowl Junior Gold (Championships)," said Branka, who helped lead the Bishop McNamara girls' basketball team to the Illinois High School Athletic Association 2A Final Four in 2008. "We had no idea what Junior Gold was at the time, so I decided to bowl and finished fifth one year (2009)."
Brandi also finished 10th at Junior Gold in 2010, but it was her early years at the event, along with her father's love of the sport, that helped shape Brandi's future. Well before her high school graduation, she knew bowling would be her calling in collegiate athletics, so with the help of her father and her high school guidance counselor, the trio began to consider institutions that offered bowling. Eventually, she settled on McKendree.
In 2011, Brandi was named a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics First Team All-American while helping lead the McKendree women's team to the NAIA National Championship, and she was named the NAIA Most Valuable Player at the event.
Brandi appeared on national television in 2010 as McKendree finished second at the Intercollegiate Team Championships, and she also was a two-time National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association First Team All-American.
When Brandi hits the lanes on Tuesday, she has a pretty good idea of how her dad will react to seeing his daughter once again under the bright lights of national television.
"I can see him smiling, crying and probably criticizing a few of my shots, too," Brandi said with a laugh. Her previous highest PWBA finish was ninth at the 2016 PWBA Greater Detroit Open. "I can see him saying, 'Brandi, what are you doing?' But, he'll be happy to see I did it and I finally made it.
"I can just picture it now... He's big on spares. Whenever I used to leave spares, he would always close his eyes because he would be nervous. Even though he knows I'm a good spare shooter, he would still do it only because missing spares is his pet peeve. I think he'll be happy with my performance."
The qualifying, match play and group stepladder rounds of the QubicaAMF PWBA Sonoma County Open took place April 27-29 at Double Decker Lanes in Rohnert Park, California, and were broadcast live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel of the Professional Bowlers Association.
Visit PWBA.com for more information on the PWBA, including news, player bios and much more.
Branka will be the No. 2 seed for the QubicaAMF PWBA Sonoma County Open, which airs Tuesday, June 6, at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network.
Bob Branka could be described as Brandi's biggest fan and it wouldn't be facetious to say. After all, it was Bob Branka who started Brandi down the path.
Bowling always has been a part of the Branka family, with Bob often competing in several events, and Brandi's mom, Pam, bowling recreationally. It didn't take long for dad to pass along his bowling prowess to his daughter, as Branka's parents signed her up for Saturday leagues and even added a weekday league to her schedule.
At Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee, Illinois, Brandi competed in basketball, volleyball and track, but was unable to compete in bowling as the school didn't offer the sport. That didn't stop Brandi because Bob could see the talent in his daughter.
"My dad is probably my biggest fan," said Brandi, the head women's bowling coach at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri. "My dad would put all my accomplishments in the paper. He pushed me. He put me in everything. If there was a new bowling ball out, I got it. If there was a tournament nearby, I was in it. If there was a league close, I was there. He wanted to make sure I was always on top of my game. I never really had a personal coach, it was just me and my dad until college. He's been there the whole time."
As Brandi improved, she bowled every youth event she could while continuing her busy high school athletic career. Her schedule eventually would include the nation's largest youth bowling event, the Junior Gold Championships.
"I was at a youth event and someone came up to my dad and suggested I bowl Junior Gold (Championships)," said Branka, who helped lead the Bishop McNamara girls' basketball team to the Illinois High School Athletic Association 2A Final Four in 2008. "We had no idea what Junior Gold was at the time, so I decided to bowl and finished fifth one year (2009)."
Brandi also finished 10th at Junior Gold in 2010, but it was her early years at the event, along with her father's love of the sport, that helped shape Brandi's future. Well before her high school graduation, she knew bowling would be her calling in collegiate athletics, so with the help of her father and her high school guidance counselor, the trio began to consider institutions that offered bowling. Eventually, she settled on McKendree.
In 2011, Brandi was named a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics First Team All-American while helping lead the McKendree women's team to the NAIA National Championship, and she was named the NAIA Most Valuable Player at the event.
Brandi appeared on national television in 2010 as McKendree finished second at the Intercollegiate Team Championships, and she also was a two-time National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association First Team All-American.
When Brandi hits the lanes on Tuesday, she has a pretty good idea of how her dad will react to seeing his daughter once again under the bright lights of national television.
"I can see him smiling, crying and probably criticizing a few of my shots, too," Brandi said with a laugh. Her previous highest PWBA finish was ninth at the 2016 PWBA Greater Detroit Open. "I can see him saying, 'Brandi, what are you doing?' But, he'll be happy to see I did it and I finally made it.
"I can just picture it now... He's big on spares. Whenever I used to leave spares, he would always close his eyes because he would be nervous. Even though he knows I'm a good spare shooter, he would still do it only because missing spares is his pet peeve. I think he'll be happy with my performance."
The qualifying, match play and group stepladder rounds of the QubicaAMF PWBA Sonoma County Open took place April 27-29 at Double Decker Lanes in Rohnert Park, California, and were broadcast live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel of the Professional Bowlers Association.
Visit PWBA.com for more information on the PWBA, including news, player bios and much more.