RENO, Nev. - When Joe Leonard of Omaha, Neb., heard the round of applause and began receiving congratulatory high-fives, he still was unaware of why he was receiving such praise as he made his 21st consecutive USBC Open Championships appearance Wednesday.

Leonard was selected as the fourth and final winner of a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck through the USBC Eagle's Nest, a club formed by USBC and the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority to recognize team captains who fielded teams in 2010 and 2011.

Open Championships Tournament Manager Duane Hagen and RSVCA Communications Manager Ben McDonald were on hand to make the announcement and presentation.

"I just couldn't believe I won," said Leonard, who is a co-owner of Omaha's Western Bowl. "I didn't even really know what was going on. I didn't know there was a prize giveaway. I was just really, really surprised. I'm on cloud nine."

The 45-year-old right-hander has been a team captain since the 1999 event in Syracuse, N.Y. While being a captain usually comes with extreme responsibility, Leonard feels the exact opposite.

"Really, it hasn't been a lot of responsibility," said Leonard, who is a member of the Greater Omaha Bowling Association Hall of Fame. "I've got five guys who always want to go with me, and another team that always wants to go. I bowl with some great guys."

Leonard loves the game of bowling and has for quite some time. It's no coincidence why he has made 21 consecutive appearances at the event.

"I like going to the different cities," Leonard said. "But, I also like bowling for the fun of it. I like bowling with my teammates, and I like bowling with my brother. There is nothing like sharing this with my teammates and friends."

The excitement didn't affect Leonard's performance, as he started his 2011 tournament campaign with a 201 game. He added 171 and 164 for a 536 team series at the National Bowling Stadium on Wednesday.



The Eagle's Nest was created in conjunction with the RSCVA as a way to recognize captains for their hard work and to celebrate the return of the Open Championships to Reno for an unprecedented second-consecutive year.

The response to the Eagle's Nest was overwhelming, and the club includes more than 5,900 captains. In addition, nearly 200 captains earned Super-Captain status with four or more teams.

As Eagle's Nest members, captains receive the USBC 'E-Nest' Newsletter - a monthly e-newsletter, featuring tournament tips, the latest bowling trends and special offers from Reno sponsors, USBC Travel and the RSCVA. They also have the opportunity to enter captain-only brackets and are eligible to win one of the high-performance Storm bowling balls being given away each day at this year's event.

Click here to watch video highlights from the 2011 Open Championships.

Presenting sponsors for the 2011 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Humana, official registration sponsor, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.