Families find success at 2018 USBC Women's Championships
April 30, 2018
By Tony Contini and Aaron Smith
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - A pair of mother-daughter tandems joined together Saturday to raise the bar in Sapphire Team at the 2018 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships with a 1,802 total.
Docu-Shred 2 of Gering, Nebraska, featuring Linda Harris and her mother, Cherie Olsen, and Heather Emerson-Phillips and her mother, Diann Emerson, used games of 569, 624 and 609 to surpass 4 for Fun of Bloomfield, New Mexico, which previously held the lead with 1,772.
Emerson led the effort for Docu-Shred 2 at the National Bowling Stadium with a 490 series and was followed by Emerson-Phillips (462), Olsen (445) and Harris (405).
The four bowled together for the first time at the 2017 event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Both pairs thought they only would be competing in doubles and singles competition, but they then found each other.
"We were put together by the USBC," said Harris, who made her ninth USBC Women's Championships appearance this year in Reno. "They asked if we wanted to bowl team with them, and we immediately accepted."
Harris shares the sentiment of many Women's Championships bowlers - enjoying yourself is of utmost importance.
"I don't just come to bowl," Harris said. "I think we were relaxed and having a good time during the team event."
When Harris started bowling at the age of 10, her mother was her coach. After college, she returned home with her husband and started bowling with her mother in leagues. Harris said she still tries to coach her at times.
"You can see the dynamics," Harris said. "Sometimes, moms and daughters get a little crabby, but it's always fun."
Both families grew up around the ranching industry. Emerson-Phillips still works in that field as a livestock supplier. She didn't play sports growing up. Instead, she participated in 4H and showing cows.
"My dad and I had the cows," said Emerson-Phillips, who made her third Women's Championships appearance. "Bowling is something I share with my mom."
Emerson-Phillips grew up at the bowling center with her mother, but she didn't join a league until finishing college.
"I watched my entire life but never really did it," Emerson-Phillips said. "The first few years, I was just learning what to do."
She loves being able to compete with her mother. They push themselves to include daytrips on each of their bowling excursions.
"It's neat to be able to share this dynamic with another pair," Emerson-Phillips said. "We get to see each other once a year, and it's great."
After the initial shock of seeing their team name at the top of the leaderboard wears off, they plan on signing up for the 2019 Women's Championships in Wichita, Kansas, to compete together again.
"I'm not going to split up our team," Harris said. "As long as they're available to go, and we're available to go, we're doing it."
Sapphire Team includes four-player teams with combined entering averages of 574 and below.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - A pair of mother-daughter tandems joined together Saturday to raise the bar in Sapphire Team at the 2018 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships with a 1,802 total.
Docu-Shred 2 of Gering, Nebraska, featuring Linda Harris and her mother, Cherie Olsen, and Heather Emerson-Phillips and her mother, Diann Emerson, used games of 569, 624 and 609 to surpass 4 for Fun of Bloomfield, New Mexico, which previously held the lead with 1,772.
Emerson led the effort for Docu-Shred 2 at the National Bowling Stadium with a 490 series and was followed by Emerson-Phillips (462), Olsen (445) and Harris (405).
The four bowled together for the first time at the 2017 event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Both pairs thought they only would be competing in doubles and singles competition, but they then found each other.
"We were put together by the USBC," said Harris, who made her ninth USBC Women's Championships appearance this year in Reno. "They asked if we wanted to bowl team with them, and we immediately accepted."
Harris shares the sentiment of many Women's Championships bowlers - enjoying yourself is of utmost importance.
"I don't just come to bowl," Harris said. "I think we were relaxed and having a good time during the team event."
When Harris started bowling at the age of 10, her mother was her coach. After college, she returned home with her husband and started bowling with her mother in leagues. Harris said she still tries to coach her at times.
"You can see the dynamics," Harris said. "Sometimes, moms and daughters get a little crabby, but it's always fun."
Both families grew up around the ranching industry. Emerson-Phillips still works in that field as a livestock supplier. She didn't play sports growing up. Instead, she participated in 4H and showing cows.
"My dad and I had the cows," said Emerson-Phillips, who made her third Women's Championships appearance. "Bowling is something I share with my mom."
Emerson-Phillips grew up at the bowling center with her mother, but she didn't join a league until finishing college.
"I watched my entire life but never really did it," Emerson-Phillips said. "The first few years, I was just learning what to do."
She loves being able to compete with her mother. They push themselves to include daytrips on each of their bowling excursions.
"It's neat to be able to share this dynamic with another pair," Emerson-Phillips said. "We get to see each other once a year, and it's great."
After the initial shock of seeing their team name at the top of the leaderboard wears off, they plan on signing up for the 2019 Women's Championships in Wichita, Kansas, to compete together again.
"I'm not going to split up our team," Harris said. "As long as they're available to go, and we're available to go, we're doing it."
Sapphire Team includes four-player teams with combined entering averages of 574 and below.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.