Team USA's Street, Stretch prepared to compete at 2024 Youth World Cup in Peru
January 12, 2024
ARLINGTON, Texas – In July, Carter Street of Dublin, Ohio, and Jenna Stretch of Auburn Township, Ohio, captured the under-20 division titles at the 2023 Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis.
In doing so, they guaranteed themselves spots on Junior Team USA 2024, but at that time there was no telling when either one would actually have the opportunity to compete.
Thankfully, the wait wasn’t long as Street and Stretch were notified in the fall that the United States Bowling Congress Team USA Athlete Advisory Council had approved their selections – as reigning Junior Gold U20 champions – to represent Junior Team USA at the 2024 Youth World Cup in Lima, Peru.
The 2024 Youth World Cup will run from Jan. 21-26 at VIDENA Bowling Center of La Villa Deportiva Nacional (VIDENA), the same center that hosted the PANAM Bowling Youth Championship 2023 and 2019 Pan American Games and will host the PANAM Champion of Champions in October.
Action kicks off at the 2024 Youth World Cup on Jan. 21 with the tournament’s official practice sessions and opening ceremony.
Things ramp up from there as competitors in both the boys’ and girls’ division will bowl one six-game block of singles qualifying each day from Jan. 22-24.
After those 18 games have been completed, each field will be cut to the top 16 players who will advance to round-robin match play on Jan. 25.
Only eight boys and eight girls will survive round-robin play and remain in medal contention when best-of-three-game matches are contested during the quarterfinal, semifinal and final rounds on Jan. 26, which will be the final day of competition at the 2024 Youth World Cup.
Quarterfinal-round matchups will see the No. 1 seed facing the No. 8 seed, the No. 2 seed battling the No. 7 seed and so on.
The four quarterfinal winners will advance to the semifinal round while those that fall will be eliminated.
Once the semifinals are completed, the two winners in each division will advance to bowl for gold and silver. The bowlers who come up short during the semis will square off to decide who takes home the boys’ and girls’ bronze medals.
After all medals have been conferred, the day will end with athletes and coaches taking part in the closing ceremonies and banquet to officially bring the 2024 Youth World Cup to a close.
The event will mark the first chance that both Street and Stretch have had to compete for Team USA; not surprisingly, each bowler is hoping to make the most of the opportunity.
“Winning an international competition would be atop my list of accomplishments, so that’s really what I have my eyes set on,” Street said.
Stretch would certainly love to do the same, but winning an international gold medal is a concept she’s still having a hard time wrapping her mind around at this point.
“I never want to get ahead of myself, but to even think of the possibility of standing on the podium, hearing the National Anthem and getting a medal is literally breathtaking to me,” Stretch said. “I’ve always watched the amazing professionals and Team USA bowlers out there winning titles and medals, and to even consider the fact that it could be me is almost unfathomable.”
Most international tournaments feature several events such as singles, doubles, trios and team, which is why multiple Team USA bowlers are selected to compete.
However, the 2024 Youth World Cup is strictly a singles competition, and each nation is only allowed to send one boy and one girl to compete. As such, Street and Stretch will be the only American athletes in attendance.
That means that instead of getting a fresh start with each new event and being able to draw upon the wisdom and experience of multiple teammates, Street and Stretch will each get one shot to succeed, and they will only be able rely upon one another and Junior Team USA Head Coach Kelly Kulick.
For Street, the situation comes with both pros and cons.
“In some regards it’s easier, and in some regards it’s harder because all of the pressure is just on you; it’s not on a team,” Street said. “The good side to it though is that if you bowl good, it’s just you, and if you bowl bad, you’re not letting your teammates down.”
Stretch’s thoughts on the matter were similar.
“It was a little bit difficult hearing that I wouldn’t be able to travel with more teammates because it’s even more exciting when you get to compete together, but I’m excited to get to share this experience with Carter (Street) because we’re both from Ohio and have known one another for a few years,” Stretch said. “I’m just really grateful to have this opportunity, especially so early during my Team USA career. It proves that the hard work you put in really does pay off and that anything is possible.”
For more information on Junior Team USA, visit BOWL.com/JuniorTeamUSA.
In doing so, they guaranteed themselves spots on Junior Team USA 2024, but at that time there was no telling when either one would actually have the opportunity to compete.
Thankfully, the wait wasn’t long as Street and Stretch were notified in the fall that the United States Bowling Congress Team USA Athlete Advisory Council had approved their selections – as reigning Junior Gold U20 champions – to represent Junior Team USA at the 2024 Youth World Cup in Lima, Peru.
The 2024 Youth World Cup will run from Jan. 21-26 at VIDENA Bowling Center of La Villa Deportiva Nacional (VIDENA), the same center that hosted the PANAM Bowling Youth Championship 2023 and 2019 Pan American Games and will host the PANAM Champion of Champions in October.
Action kicks off at the 2024 Youth World Cup on Jan. 21 with the tournament’s official practice sessions and opening ceremony.
Things ramp up from there as competitors in both the boys’ and girls’ division will bowl one six-game block of singles qualifying each day from Jan. 22-24.
After those 18 games have been completed, each field will be cut to the top 16 players who will advance to round-robin match play on Jan. 25.
Only eight boys and eight girls will survive round-robin play and remain in medal contention when best-of-three-game matches are contested during the quarterfinal, semifinal and final rounds on Jan. 26, which will be the final day of competition at the 2024 Youth World Cup.
Quarterfinal-round matchups will see the No. 1 seed facing the No. 8 seed, the No. 2 seed battling the No. 7 seed and so on.
The four quarterfinal winners will advance to the semifinal round while those that fall will be eliminated.
Once the semifinals are completed, the two winners in each division will advance to bowl for gold and silver. The bowlers who come up short during the semis will square off to decide who takes home the boys’ and girls’ bronze medals.
After all medals have been conferred, the day will end with athletes and coaches taking part in the closing ceremonies and banquet to officially bring the 2024 Youth World Cup to a close.
The event will mark the first chance that both Street and Stretch have had to compete for Team USA; not surprisingly, each bowler is hoping to make the most of the opportunity.
“Winning an international competition would be atop my list of accomplishments, so that’s really what I have my eyes set on,” Street said.
Stretch would certainly love to do the same, but winning an international gold medal is a concept she’s still having a hard time wrapping her mind around at this point.
“I never want to get ahead of myself, but to even think of the possibility of standing on the podium, hearing the National Anthem and getting a medal is literally breathtaking to me,” Stretch said. “I’ve always watched the amazing professionals and Team USA bowlers out there winning titles and medals, and to even consider the fact that it could be me is almost unfathomable.”
Most international tournaments feature several events such as singles, doubles, trios and team, which is why multiple Team USA bowlers are selected to compete.
However, the 2024 Youth World Cup is strictly a singles competition, and each nation is only allowed to send one boy and one girl to compete. As such, Street and Stretch will be the only American athletes in attendance.
That means that instead of getting a fresh start with each new event and being able to draw upon the wisdom and experience of multiple teammates, Street and Stretch will each get one shot to succeed, and they will only be able rely upon one another and Junior Team USA Head Coach Kelly Kulick.
For Street, the situation comes with both pros and cons.
“In some regards it’s easier, and in some regards it’s harder because all of the pressure is just on you; it’s not on a team,” Street said. “The good side to it though is that if you bowl good, it’s just you, and if you bowl bad, you’re not letting your teammates down.”
Stretch’s thoughts on the matter were similar.
“It was a little bit difficult hearing that I wouldn’t be able to travel with more teammates because it’s even more exciting when you get to compete together, but I’m excited to get to share this experience with Carter (Street) because we’re both from Ohio and have known one another for a few years,” Stretch said. “I’m just really grateful to have this opportunity, especially so early during my Team USA career. It proves that the hard work you put in really does pay off and that anything is possible.”
For more information on Junior Team USA, visit BOWL.com/JuniorTeamUSA.