Tournament of the Americas begins Monday

ARLINGTON, Texas - A total of 20 bowlers will represent the United States next week when the 50th Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas takes place in Tamarac, Fla.

The U.S. squad, which will include members of Team USA and Junior Team USA, will battle players from across the American Zone for medals in singles, doubles, mixed doubles, mixed team and all-events.

The week-long competition begins Monday at Sawgrass Lanes and features Adult, Senior (ages 50-plus for men, 45-plus for women), Super Senior (ages 60-plus for men, 55-plus for women), Junior A (ages 16-19) and Junior B (ages 12-15) divisions.

AJ JohnsonThe United States will be represented in the adult division by Team USA's AJ Johnson (pictured) of Oswego, Ill., Jarret Mizo of Honolulu, Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, N.Y., and by Junior Team USA member Addileen Pointer of Highland, Mich. Earlier this month, Johnson won the North Pointe Junior Gold Championships.

In the Junior A division, four Junior Team USA members will take to the lanes - Elise Bolton of Merritt Island, Fla., Holly Harris of Long Prairie, Minn., AJ Chapman of Manchester, Iowa, and Tyler Cruz of Tacoma, Wash.

Among the bowlers in the Junior B division is Junior Team USA member Kamron Doyle of Brentwood, Tenn. He will be joined by Wesley Low of Palmdale, Calf., Kaitlyn Eder of Lithia, Fla., and Ashley Dunn of Palmdale, Calif.

The Senior team is made up of Brian Brazeau of Ocala, Fla., Steve Kiss of Clackamas, Ore., Pam Sprow of Lakeland, Fla., and reigning USBC Senior Queens champion Paula Vidad of Sun City, Calif. In the Super Senior division, Lucy Sandelin of Tampa, Fla., Carol Teel of The Villages, Fla., Ed Roberts of Braintree, Mass., and Jerry Teel of The Villages, Fla.

The Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas is the oldest annual international tournament in the American Zone. The invitational competition for countries of PABCON (Pan American Bowling Confederation - the American Zone of World Tenpin Bowling Association) has four divisions for men and women.

In each division, one team comprised of two men and two women compete in singles, doubles, mixed doubles and mixed team event throughout the week-long tournament. After 36 games, individual all-events and national all-events champions are recognized.