RENO, Nev. - When Danton Gunter of Estero, Fla., made the move from youth bowling leagues to adult leagues, all he talked about was making his first appearance at the USBC Open Championships.

He was counting down the days until his tournament debut this month, but sadly, he never got the opportunity to march down Center Aisle or bowl on the tournament lanes at the National Bowling Stadium.

Gunter, 18, died in an automobile accident near his Florida home Feb. 10, leaving his family and those who knew him, in disbelief.

Although he never was able to bowl at the Stadium, Gunter did spend a lot of time in the stands watching his mother compete at the Women's Championships.

"He's been here several times," said Sonja Gunter, who made her fifth Open Championships appearance. "I remember bowling late shifts at the tournament, and my boys would be asleep in the stands. Danton was looking forward to coming this year because it would be his first time. During the past several years, he watched us through the webcams while he waited for his opportunity."

Danton began bowling when he was just 6 years old, and the bowling center quickly became a comfort zone for him. 

Like many children, he started with bumpers, and his mother wouldn't allow him to leave the bumpers behind until he could consistently keep the ball on the lane. When he was able to average 100, he received a new ball. Those are just a few examples of the goals they set for him along the way.

As he got older, his love for bowling and his outgoing personality spilled onto others, and he constantly coached his fellow youth bowlers. He often was viewed as a role model.

"He was never upset," said Kelly O'Grady, Gunter's girlfriend of three years, who took his spot at the 2011 Open Championships. "He was always so caring and made sure to put me before him. He put everybody before him. When we bowled together, he always made sure I was lined-up first."

O'Grady, who competed at the Open Championships for the first time, was joined on the lanes at the Stadium by Sonja Gunter, Pfeiffer and Gina and Richard Schultz. They combined for a 2,256 total, and Gunter wasn't far from their thoughts.

"It was a little hard today," said O'Grady, who is a student at Edison State College. "Bowling will be hard for me because he was like my coach. It's going to be hard, but he would want us all to keep going. I know he was watching us."

Gunter was a very competitive person in general. He especially enjoyed competing with his older brother, Travis Pfeiffer.

"We made a bet at the beginning of the season," said Pfeiffer, who made his third Open Championships appearance. "Every time we bowled league, whoever had the highest series would owe the other person a dollar. At the end of the season, the one with the highest pinfall total would owe the other person $20. We would text each other our scores and Danton would update his spreadsheet that listed who beat who on what day."

The two brothers often competed against each other in video games, too, and Danton would go to drastic measures.

"I remember we were playing (Nintendo) Wii Bowling," Pfeiffer said. "Danton had to go out of the room for something, but continued to play while not even looking at the screen. He asked me to tell him what pins he left on the screen if he didn't strike, and then would make the spares. We laughed about it, but that's how competitive he was. I miss him."

As much passion as Gunter had for bowling, he felt even stronger about the sport of golf.

Last June, the Gunter family moved from Illinois to Florida, so Danton could pursue his dream of becoming a teaching professional and owning a golf pro shop. He was attending Edison State College and was planning to transfer to Florida Gulf Coast University after two years. At FGCU, he would be able to major in PGA Golf Management.

He was a four-year member of the golf team at Crystal Lake Central High School in Crystal Lake, Ill., including three consecutive years on the varsity squad.

During that span, Gunter helped lead the team to sectional and regional titles in 2007 and a regional title in 2009. The team made trips to the state tournament in 2007 and 2008.

His high school golf coach, Michael Herrman, recalls the impact that Gunter had on the team.

"Danton was a very charismatic individual," Herrman said. "He was a great role model for the program, and his integrity was spot on. He cared about everyone and made a really good first impression. He also left a lasting impression on a first meeting. Danton was a classic example for younger students and athletes to follow."

Although Gunter left his family and friends far too soon, he left them with many memories of his caring heart and great character.

"He was a very happy kid," Sonja Gunter said. "He could walk into an unknown place, and everybody would be his best friend. He was just that type of person. If people didn't know him, they missed being his friend."

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.