On the Lanes with Ronnie Sparks Jr.
June 06, 2013
In the coming months, we'll talk with some of the best-known bowlers at the USBC Open Championships and get their thoughts on their time at the tournament and what it takes to succeed on the championship lanes.
This week, we heard from former Team USA and Junior Team USA standout Ronnie Sparks Jr., who helped Team USA capture a team gold medal at the 2006 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Men's Championships in Busan, Korea. It was the first team gold medal for Team USA since 1971, and the first of three consecutive wins.
Sparks also succeeded in team play at Wichita State University, helping the Shockers to the 2010 Intercollegiate Team Championships title.
This year, he shot 750 in singles, 697 in team and 621 in doubles for a 2,068 all-events total, the highest in his Open Championships career. But, it sounds like getting married to Sara Litteral, a 2010 NCAA national champion at Fairleigh Dickinson University, was the highlight of this year's trip to Reno.
Now, Sparks answers 12 questions about bowling and the USBC Open Championships.
HOMETOWN: Westland, Mich.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS APPEARANCES: Five
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLES: 0
BOWLING BALL WEIGHT: 15
FAVORITE BRAND OF BOWLING BALLS: Brunswick
ONE all-time favorite host city: Reno, Nev.
TWO best Open Championships memories: 1, getting married; 2, walking down Center Aisle for the first time
THREE keys to success at the Open Championships: 1, trust in teammates; 2, patience; 3, preparation
FOURgettable Open Championships moment: putting too much pressure on yourself to succeed just because you only get one shot at it a year
FIVE bowlers in history on your Open Championships fantasy all-star team: Clay Herrbach, P.J. Haggerty, Shawn Ryan, David O'Sullivan and Shawn Naumann
SIX bowling balls currently in your Open Championships arsenal: All Brunswick - C (System) Versa Max, Meanstreak Brawler (2), Aura, Ringer
SEVEN cities you'd like to see the Open Championships go to/return to: Las Vegas, Corpus Christi, Texas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Reno, anywhere in Florida, Wichita, Kan.
EIGHT favorite bowling balls ever: Brunswick Zone Classic, Monster Bruiser, Storm Fired Up, Ebonite Vortex, Track 505t, Brunswick Aura, Ebonite Whirlwind, Columbia Messenger Ti
NINE other current/eligible bowlers you would choose to join you on your ideal pair of companion teams at the Open Championships: Clay Herrbach, P.J. Haggerty, Shawn Ryan, David O'Sullivan, Shawn Naumann, Josh Blanchard, John Szczerbinski, Jake Peters, Josh McBride
TEN seconds or less, who is your favorite bowler of all-time?: Chris Barnes
ELEVEN strikes in a row to start a game at the Open Championships, what's going through your head?: I'm 100 percent confident that I'm going to be 100 percent committed.
TWELVE years from now, where do you hope to be in your bowling career?: A PBA (Professional Bowlers Association Tour) titlist and a college coach
This week, we heard from former Team USA and Junior Team USA standout Ronnie Sparks Jr., who helped Team USA capture a team gold medal at the 2006 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Men's Championships in Busan, Korea. It was the first team gold medal for Team USA since 1971, and the first of three consecutive wins.
Sparks also succeeded in team play at Wichita State University, helping the Shockers to the 2010 Intercollegiate Team Championships title.
This year, he shot 750 in singles, 697 in team and 621 in doubles for a 2,068 all-events total, the highest in his Open Championships career. But, it sounds like getting married to Sara Litteral, a 2010 NCAA national champion at Fairleigh Dickinson University, was the highlight of this year's trip to Reno.
Now, Sparks answers 12 questions about bowling and the USBC Open Championships.
HOMETOWN: Westland, Mich.OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS APPEARANCES: Five
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLES: 0
BOWLING BALL WEIGHT: 15
FAVORITE BRAND OF BOWLING BALLS: Brunswick
ONE all-time favorite host city: Reno, Nev.
TWO best Open Championships memories: 1, getting married; 2, walking down Center Aisle for the first time
THREE keys to success at the Open Championships: 1, trust in teammates; 2, patience; 3, preparation
FOURgettable Open Championships moment: putting too much pressure on yourself to succeed just because you only get one shot at it a year
FIVE bowlers in history on your Open Championships fantasy all-star team: Clay Herrbach, P.J. Haggerty, Shawn Ryan, David O'Sullivan and Shawn Naumann
SIX bowling balls currently in your Open Championships arsenal: All Brunswick - C (System) Versa Max, Meanstreak Brawler (2), Aura, Ringer
SEVEN cities you'd like to see the Open Championships go to/return to: Las Vegas, Corpus Christi, Texas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Reno, anywhere in Florida, Wichita, Kan.
EIGHT favorite bowling balls ever: Brunswick Zone Classic, Monster Bruiser, Storm Fired Up, Ebonite Vortex, Track 505t, Brunswick Aura, Ebonite Whirlwind, Columbia Messenger Ti
NINE other current/eligible bowlers you would choose to join you on your ideal pair of companion teams at the Open Championships: Clay Herrbach, P.J. Haggerty, Shawn Ryan, David O'Sullivan, Shawn Naumann, Josh Blanchard, John Szczerbinski, Jake Peters, Josh McBride
TEN seconds or less, who is your favorite bowler of all-time?: Chris Barnes
ELEVEN strikes in a row to start a game at the Open Championships, what's going through your head?: I'm 100 percent confident that I'm going to be 100 percent committed.
TWELVE years from now, where do you hope to be in your bowling career?: A PBA (Professional Bowlers Association Tour) titlist and a college coach