Iowa bowler celebrates 50th Women's Championships by helping team take lead
April 25, 2017
By Scott Simon and Aaron Smith
USBC Communications
BATON ROUGE, La. - Christina Polinski of Carter Lake, Iowa, celebrated twice Monday at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships, first for making her 50th tournament appearance, then later as she helped her team move into first place in Ruby Team.
Those on hand at the Raising Cane's River Center were surprised to learn Polinski started her USBC Women's Championships career at the 1955 event in Omaha, Nebraska, at the age of 12. She was the oldest member of the team that competed in 1955, and the combined age of the five participants added up to 54 years.
"I had no idea then I'd be bowling this long," said Polinski, who received a plaque, chevron and necklace to commemorate the milestone. "My mother put me with my two sisters, a cousin and a friend on a team to compete just for the fun of it."
The 74-year-old right-hander said her scores definitely were higher in the 2017 Women's Championships than what she rolled as a 12-year-old.
"Back then, we barely got over 100 per game," laughed Polinski, who shot sets of 509 in team, 480 in singles and 441 in doubles for a 1,430 all-events total in 2017.
Polinski has bowled in 35 cities and 24 states during her Women's Championship career, and her dedication to the sport has helped her into the Nebraska USBC, Greater Omaha Area USBC and Council Bluffs USBC Halls of Fame.
Polinski joined her teammates on the lanes after her award presentation and helped Tom Kelley's Pro Shop of Boys Town, Nebraska, into the Ruby lead with games of 648, 659 and 697 for a 2,004 total.
The 2017 event kicked off Sunday in Baton Rouge and will continue until July 10. During that time, more than 4,500 four-player teams will make their way to Red Stick to compete.
Polinski was joined in the performance by Tracey Worrall (541), Joan Welsh (501) and Beverly Steward (453).
Polinski knows her participation milestone honors a lifetime achievement, but a high score in a tournament can be fleeting. The team also made a run at the Ruby lead at the 2016 event in Las Vegas, ultimately finishing in seventh place.
"Even if it means being in first place for just one day, we're ecstatic," Polinski said. "We bowled good but didn't quite bowl our average, but we're happy with our result."
Polinski was the first of nine bowlers scheduled to reach the 50-year milestone in 2017. The list includes Marilyn Davidson of Sunset Beach, North Carolina; Jo Anne Elischer of Portage, Indiana; Lillie Mae Holman of Bloomfield, New Jersey; Greta Kozar of Chamblee, Georgia; Lorie Perry of Tucson, Arizona; Elaine Rebatzke of Milwaukee; Marion Saunders of Waynesville, Missouri; and Hope Williams of Tucson, Arizona.
The Ruby Division features four-player teams with combined entering averages of 650-724.
The Women's Championships is the world's largest participatory sporting event for women and includes four average-based divisions in the team event and six for doubles, singles and all-events.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
BATON ROUGE, La. - Christina Polinski of Carter Lake, Iowa, celebrated twice Monday at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships, first for making her 50th tournament appearance, then later as she helped her team move into first place in Ruby Team.
Those on hand at the Raising Cane's River Center were surprised to learn Polinski started her USBC Women's Championships career at the 1955 event in Omaha, Nebraska, at the age of 12. She was the oldest member of the team that competed in 1955, and the combined age of the five participants added up to 54 years.
"I had no idea then I'd be bowling this long," said Polinski, who received a plaque, chevron and necklace to commemorate the milestone. "My mother put me with my two sisters, a cousin and a friend on a team to compete just for the fun of it."
The 74-year-old right-hander said her scores definitely were higher in the 2017 Women's Championships than what she rolled as a 12-year-old.
"Back then, we barely got over 100 per game," laughed Polinski, who shot sets of 509 in team, 480 in singles and 441 in doubles for a 1,430 all-events total in 2017.
Polinski has bowled in 35 cities and 24 states during her Women's Championship career, and her dedication to the sport has helped her into the Nebraska USBC, Greater Omaha Area USBC and Council Bluffs USBC Halls of Fame.
Polinski joined her teammates on the lanes after her award presentation and helped Tom Kelley's Pro Shop of Boys Town, Nebraska, into the Ruby lead with games of 648, 659 and 697 for a 2,004 total. The 2017 event kicked off Sunday in Baton Rouge and will continue until July 10. During that time, more than 4,500 four-player teams will make their way to Red Stick to compete.
Polinski was joined in the performance by Tracey Worrall (541), Joan Welsh (501) and Beverly Steward (453).
Polinski knows her participation milestone honors a lifetime achievement, but a high score in a tournament can be fleeting. The team also made a run at the Ruby lead at the 2016 event in Las Vegas, ultimately finishing in seventh place.
"Even if it means being in first place for just one day, we're ecstatic," Polinski said. "We bowled good but didn't quite bowl our average, but we're happy with our result."
Polinski was the first of nine bowlers scheduled to reach the 50-year milestone in 2017. The list includes Marilyn Davidson of Sunset Beach, North Carolina; Jo Anne Elischer of Portage, Indiana; Lillie Mae Holman of Bloomfield, New Jersey; Greta Kozar of Chamblee, Georgia; Lorie Perry of Tucson, Arizona; Elaine Rebatzke of Milwaukee; Marion Saunders of Waynesville, Missouri; and Hope Williams of Tucson, Arizona.
The Ruby Division features four-player teams with combined entering averages of 650-724.
The Women's Championships is the world's largest participatory sporting event for women and includes four average-based divisions in the team event and six for doubles, singles and all-events.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.