Former Team USA member leads singles at 2015 USBC Open
May 02, 2015
EL PASO, Texas - One of the most iconic advertising slogans of all-time encouraged people to "Say It with Flowers," but Ronnie Sparks Jr. of Redford, Michigan, thought saying it with strikes might be a more appropriate way for a bowler to surprise his father on his birthday.
The 27-year-old right-hander threw 29 strikes on the way to games of 278, 246 and 269 at the El Paso Convention Center on Saturday, including a clutch 10th-frame strike that locked up the Regular Singles lead at 2015 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Although a stubborn 7 pin on his second shot in the final frame denied him the first 800 series of this year's event, the former Team USA member's 793 effort was enough to edge past Scott Endersbe of Waite Park, Minnesota, who previously held the lead with 785.
"It was so cool to come out with the 278," said Sparks, who made his seventh consecutive tournament appearance. "I felt like I was going to have a good game, just by how my look was after doubles. Then, for it to just match up, was great. The lanes change so fast here, so you may think you have an idea, but then the next game, you never know what could happen."
After striking on seven of his first eight shots the second game of singles, Sparks' momentum was derailed by a 7-10 split. Rather than get rattled, he used that moment as motivation and calmly struck on this next 11 shots.
"I caught a good rhythm, and then every small adjustment I made worked, so it helped build my confidence, and I knew I had a good idea what the lane was doing," Sparks said. "When that 7-10 came, I'm not going to lie, it definitely almost brought down a tear, but it was cool because it still let me know I was close."
Sparks also was close to finding similar success in Regular All-Events as he added 679 in team and 646 in doubles for a career-best 2,118 all-events total, which is third overall this year. Former Team USA member Rob Gotchall of Clarksville, Tennessee, leads with 2,181.
During his career, Sparks has excelled at nearly every level of the game, often in the team environment, including a team gold medal while representing Team USA at the 2006 World Bowling Men's Championships and a win with Wichita State at the 2010 XBowling Intercollegiate Team Championships, also held inside the El Paso Convention Center.
But, even with those irreplaceable memories, there's a certain pride and confidence in knowing you can excel on your own, too, and throw big shots when the situation requires it.
"This is pretty high up there," said Sparks, a member of Junior Team USA in 2005 and Team USA in 2006. "Like I said, today is my Dad's birthday, and I've got my baby girl, and there's so much more behind it now. But it's hard to judge. A lot of my success has come in team stuff, and when you work so hard with your teammates, it's hard to beat those accomplishments because it's not only you working hard, you're out there working hard with 10-12 other guys. This is definitely up there, though."
The Open Championships already created one special memory for Sparks, who married his wife Sara, while in Reno, Nevada, for the 2013 edition of the event.
Now, after calling his father to share the good news and birthday wishes, he can return home to Michigan and tell his wife and 1-month-old daughter, Braelynn, about how he stepped up on bowling's biggest stage and struck under pressure.
"I showed up when I knew what was on the table, and that's the best feeling for any athlete in any sport, or anybody in any situation, just to know that you knew what was going on, and you stepped up," said Sparks, who plans to join the professional ranks, beginning with next week's Grand Casino Hotel & Resort PBA Summer Swing in Shawnee, Oklahoma. "The feeling is hard to describe."
The 2015 Open Championships kicked off March 7, and nearly 40,000 bowlers will compete before the event concludes its 128-day run on July 12.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.
The 27-year-old right-hander threw 29 strikes on the way to games of 278, 246 and 269 at the El Paso Convention Center on Saturday, including a clutch 10th-frame strike that locked up the Regular Singles lead at 2015 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Although a stubborn 7 pin on his second shot in the final frame denied him the first 800 series of this year's event, the former Team USA member's 793 effort was enough to edge past Scott Endersbe of Waite Park, Minnesota, who previously held the lead with 785.
"It was so cool to come out with the 278," said Sparks, who made his seventh consecutive tournament appearance. "I felt like I was going to have a good game, just by how my look was after doubles. Then, for it to just match up, was great. The lanes change so fast here, so you may think you have an idea, but then the next game, you never know what could happen."
After striking on seven of his first eight shots the second game of singles, Sparks' momentum was derailed by a 7-10 split. Rather than get rattled, he used that moment as motivation and calmly struck on this next 11 shots.
"I caught a good rhythm, and then every small adjustment I made worked, so it helped build my confidence, and I knew I had a good idea what the lane was doing," Sparks said. "When that 7-10 came, I'm not going to lie, it definitely almost brought down a tear, but it was cool because it still let me know I was close."
Sparks also was close to finding similar success in Regular All-Events as he added 679 in team and 646 in doubles for a career-best 2,118 all-events total, which is third overall this year. Former Team USA member Rob Gotchall of Clarksville, Tennessee, leads with 2,181.
During his career, Sparks has excelled at nearly every level of the game, often in the team environment, including a team gold medal while representing Team USA at the 2006 World Bowling Men's Championships and a win with Wichita State at the 2010 XBowling Intercollegiate Team Championships, also held inside the El Paso Convention Center.
But, even with those irreplaceable memories, there's a certain pride and confidence in knowing you can excel on your own, too, and throw big shots when the situation requires it.
"This is pretty high up there," said Sparks, a member of Junior Team USA in 2005 and Team USA in 2006. "Like I said, today is my Dad's birthday, and I've got my baby girl, and there's so much more behind it now. But it's hard to judge. A lot of my success has come in team stuff, and when you work so hard with your teammates, it's hard to beat those accomplishments because it's not only you working hard, you're out there working hard with 10-12 other guys. This is definitely up there, though."
The Open Championships already created one special memory for Sparks, who married his wife Sara, while in Reno, Nevada, for the 2013 edition of the event.
Now, after calling his father to share the good news and birthday wishes, he can return home to Michigan and tell his wife and 1-month-old daughter, Braelynn, about how he stepped up on bowling's biggest stage and struck under pressure.
"I showed up when I knew what was on the table, and that's the best feeling for any athlete in any sport, or anybody in any situation, just to know that you knew what was going on, and you stepped up," said Sparks, who plans to join the professional ranks, beginning with next week's Grand Casino Hotel & Resort PBA Summer Swing in Shawnee, Oklahoma. "The feeling is hard to describe."
The 2015 Open Championships kicked off March 7, and nearly 40,000 bowlers will compete before the event concludes its 128-day run on July 12.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.