Bacoccini, who is legally blind, bravely made her tournament debut this week with her friends, family and guide dog, Tundra, by her side.

"It was very exciting," said Bacoccini, who has been an avid bowler since she was 8 years old, despite her deteriorating eyesight. "I was a little nervous walking down Center Aisle because Tundra tends to get excited when she sees a crowd, and she likes to go around the crowd when she can, but everything went well, and I had a lot of fun."

While it takes a great deal of accuracy and hand-eye coordination to consistently hit a target on the lane, Bacoccini relies on muscle memory to be successful, and she wows spectators every time she steps foot on the lanes.

When she was 11 months old, Bacoccini was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an inherited disorder characterized by progressive peripheral vision loss and night-vision difficulties that can lead to central vision loss. In some cases, individuals with RP can become legally blind by the end of childhood. Despite ongoing research, there is no cure for the disorder at this time.

Bacoccini was born with 20 percent vision and no night or dim vision. The vision that she was left with has gradually deteriorated as she has gotten older. Now 22, she is at five percent, and according to her doctors, it is equivalent to looking through a straw.

Her mother, Eve Skidmore, remembers the day she first was diagnosed with RP and how difficult it was to cope with. Through the years, though, Eve has never held her daughter back from doing anything, and she has watched her handle her disorder with grace.

"She has made it easy for me," Skidmore said. "She was diagnosed at 11 months, and the doctors told me that she probably would end up completely blind. I remember how devastated I was and how hard it was going to be to help her. She has handled everything with such grace, and has made it so easy for me. She has never said she can't do something, and she has always tried her hardest. I am extremely proud of her."

Bacoccini, who at one time was a competitive soccer player, has used bowling as a tool to continue competing in athletics.

"I have been bowling since I was 8 years old," Bacoccini said. "It is a sport that lets you know that no matter what your disability is, you can compete in whatever you want. Although, it's not as fun as soccer because you can't throw people down." 

Bacoccini can't see the dots, arrows or boards on the lanes and only knows if a full rack of pins is standing because she can distinguish the white color. However, she can't see single pins by themselves, therefore making spare shooting tough.

She usually gets help on the lanes from her best friend and roommate, Sam Smith. Smith helps her line-up and tells her where she is on the approach. From that point forward, it is all muscle memory.

"Sam is my best friend," said Bacoccini, whose average is 134. "He convinced me to go back to bowling league because I was having difficulty with the fact that I wasn't able to compete at the level I wanted to. Sam takes me where I need to go all the time and has always been there for me."

Throughout her childhood, Bacoccini always was ready for an adventure.

She first learned to play soccer in elementary school, and since there wasn't a girl's team, she was forced to play with the boys, which allowed her to gain the fearless attitude she has today. In high school, she was a member of the second-ranked soccer team in the state of New Mexico, but as her vision continued to leave her, she was forced to stop playing because she was unable to see the ball well enough to compete.

Bacoccini also was involved in show choir in high school, and during her senior year, she helped her school win the state competition.

Although Skidmore allowed Bacoccini to enjoy normal childhood experiences, it didn't mean that sometimes she wasn't nervous for her daughter.

"There were a lot of nail-biting moments," said Skidmore, who owns Holiday Bowl in Albuquerque along with her husband, Gary. "I remember watching her climb around in various jungle gyms and hoping that she wouldn't fall. She does a lot of visual things, and many times, there is no one there to help her."

Bacoccini now has Tundra there to help her through life's twists and turns, and the partnership has turned into a very special bond.

The two were paired together at the Guide Dogs for the Blind in Boring, Ore., one of the organizations two campuses, which both include dormitory facilities. Each dormitory is equipped with dining rooms, exercise rooms, libraries, computer rooms and social areas. Only Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, and Labrador retriever/golden retriever crosses are used.

"Having a service dog is more like a friendship," Bacoccini said. "Tundra and I have a bond and a friendship. She is with me all the time, perhaps more than some kids are with their parents. Tundra gives me a sense of independence, and she builds my confidence."

Gary Skidmore also understands how special Bacoccini is, and he has been an active force in her life.

"She is such a good kid," said Gary Skidmore, who owns six Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour titles. "When you see people complain about different things, I just think of Alisha and all that she has been through and how she continues to persevere. No matter what happens she will always fight and give all she has. She is fearless."

Bacoccini definitely has lived a successful and productive life so far. She has been a freelance massage therapist for four years, and medically licensed for two years. She also is engaged to her high-school sweetheart, Mick Hahn, and the wedding is tentatively scheduled for next summer.

"I also have future goals of attending law school or physical therapy school," Bacoccini said. "Mick and I are planning on moving in two to three years, so he can pursue his doctorate degree in engineering. I would love to move to Ireland. I really think it would be a great experience."

Bacoccini completed her Open Championships debut with a 432 series in team, 318 in doubles and 300 in singles for a 1,050 all-events total.

Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, 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.