USBC's first five years: Youth
December 30, 2009
Youth bowling has always been a major part of USBC, from getting kids introduced to the sport to developing programs at high schools to providing tournaments for all levels of competition. A look at five of the top moments for USBC Youth since 2005:
New youth membership products, benefits and processing option. Starting with the 2009-10 season, USBC added a new Youth Basic membership for $5 available to youth bowlers who compete in short-season leagues. Also, the new, official USBC Youth Jersey, a new benefit to all Youth Standard members, was introduced along with a revamped awards program for youth bowlers. And to make registering youth bowlers in leagues easier, a new Web-based processing system was introduced.
Scholarship opportunities and SMART. More than $8 million in annual scholarships reward academic, leadership and on-lanes performance. USBC offers several scholarships, including the Alberta E. Crowe and Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Awards, and the Dexter/USBC High School All-America Team. The Scholarship Management and Accounting Reports for Tenpins (SMART) program was designed to help associations and organizations manage and disburse youth bowling scholarship funds. SMART oversees 2,700 bowling organizations' scholarship funds, belonging to more than 105,000 individuals who have earned scholarships totaling more than $30 million.
USBC Junior Gold program and Youth Open. Junior Gold, the program for higher-average bowlers, provides a competitive environment and helps to develop the bowler's skills. Bowlers also can earn a berth on Junior Team USA. A little more than 500 athletes participated in the first championships in 1998; more than 1,600 youths participated in the 2009 USBC Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis, which awarded more than $140,000 in scholarships. The USBC Youth Open, the only open national youth bowling event, started in 2007 and brings in bowlers from all around the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The tournament has averaged more than 2,000 individual youth bowlers since it started.
The Bowlopolis program. A joint branding program from USBC and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, Bowlopolis is an imaginary bowling center just for kids. Aimed at youth 12 and under, Bowlopolis currently features characters such as Layne, his dog Reset, and the Evil Kingpin. Contained within the DVD series in which Layne battles the Evil Kingpin to save his dad, Mr. Kegler, kids learn about the sport of bowling, fundamentals and safety. The Bowlopolis brand reaches across an interactive Web site, bowling center party and merchandising materials, special achievement awards, and US Youth Bowler magazine to enhance the bowling experience for younger kids.
Growth of high school bowling. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the number of high school bowlers has more than doubled since the start of the decade. For the 2009-10 season, 19 states will have high school bowling as a varsity sport and 28 states will offer it on the club level.
Notable performances by USBC Youth members
USBC Youth members have had their share of accomplishments on the lanes. A look at some of the notable performances by USBC Youth members since 2005:
2005 – Stefanie Nation of Miami won the title at the USA Junior Gold National Championships to join Shannon Pluhowsky as the only individuals to win three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur titles.
2006 – The records for youngest bowlers to roll a perfect game were established and remain intact. Brandie Reamy of Farmington, Mich., set the mark for youngest female at the age of 12 years, 4 months. Michael Tang of Dale City, Calif., was 10 years, 3 months old when he set the record in March only to have Chaz Dennis of Columbus, Ohio, who was 10 years, 2 months old, roll a perfect game in December.
2009 – Amanda Nardiello, 12, of Lakewood, N.J., became the youngest female bowler with an 800 series when she rolled an 804 in February. Kamron Doyle, 11, of Hermitage, Tenn., set the record for youngest boy with an 802 series in March.
2009 – Lake Central High School rolled a state-record 1,292 in the second game of qualifying en route to its third Indiana girls' state title. The fifth-highest all-time score for a women's team game, it included a 300 game Alyssa Fortner. The other scores were: Leanne Witulski, 192; Kelli Marx, 243; Katie Sexton, 289; and Kaity Galka, 268.
2009 – Rebekah Diers, the 2008 USBC Youth Open all-events winner, was up to the challenge at the USBC Bowling's Clash of Champions. After advancing from the one-ball, sudden-death format, Diers eliminated pro bowler Liz Johnson in the semifinals. In the title match against PBA Tour player Chris Barnes, Diers stayed close before eventually losing, 257-207.
New youth membership products, benefits and processing option. Starting with the 2009-10 season, USBC added a new Youth Basic membership for $5 available to youth bowlers who compete in short-season leagues. Also, the new, official USBC Youth Jersey, a new benefit to all Youth Standard members, was introduced along with a revamped awards program for youth bowlers. And to make registering youth bowlers in leagues easier, a new Web-based processing system was introduced.
Scholarship opportunities and SMART. More than $8 million in annual scholarships reward academic, leadership and on-lanes performance. USBC offers several scholarships, including the Alberta E. Crowe and Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Awards, and the Dexter/USBC High School All-America Team. The Scholarship Management and Accounting Reports for Tenpins (SMART) program was designed to help associations and organizations manage and disburse youth bowling scholarship funds. SMART oversees 2,700 bowling organizations' scholarship funds, belonging to more than 105,000 individuals who have earned scholarships totaling more than $30 million.
USBC Junior Gold program and Youth Open. Junior Gold, the program for higher-average bowlers, provides a competitive environment and helps to develop the bowler's skills. Bowlers also can earn a berth on Junior Team USA. A little more than 500 athletes participated in the first championships in 1998; more than 1,600 youths participated in the 2009 USBC Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis, which awarded more than $140,000 in scholarships. The USBC Youth Open, the only open national youth bowling event, started in 2007 and brings in bowlers from all around the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The tournament has averaged more than 2,000 individual youth bowlers since it started.
The Bowlopolis program. A joint branding program from USBC and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, Bowlopolis is an imaginary bowling center just for kids. Aimed at youth 12 and under, Bowlopolis currently features characters such as Layne, his dog Reset, and the Evil Kingpin. Contained within the DVD series in which Layne battles the Evil Kingpin to save his dad, Mr. Kegler, kids learn about the sport of bowling, fundamentals and safety. The Bowlopolis brand reaches across an interactive Web site, bowling center party and merchandising materials, special achievement awards, and US Youth Bowler magazine to enhance the bowling experience for younger kids.
Growth of high school bowling. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the number of high school bowlers has more than doubled since the start of the decade. For the 2009-10 season, 19 states will have high school bowling as a varsity sport and 28 states will offer it on the club level.
Notable performances by USBC Youth members
USBC Youth members have had their share of accomplishments on the lanes. A look at some of the notable performances by USBC Youth members since 2005:
2005 – Stefanie Nation of Miami won the title at the USA Junior Gold National Championships to join Shannon Pluhowsky as the only individuals to win three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur titles.
2006 – The records for youngest bowlers to roll a perfect game were established and remain intact. Brandie Reamy of Farmington, Mich., set the mark for youngest female at the age of 12 years, 4 months. Michael Tang of Dale City, Calif., was 10 years, 3 months old when he set the record in March only to have Chaz Dennis of Columbus, Ohio, who was 10 years, 2 months old, roll a perfect game in December.
2009 – Amanda Nardiello, 12, of Lakewood, N.J., became the youngest female bowler with an 800 series when she rolled an 804 in February. Kamron Doyle, 11, of Hermitage, Tenn., set the record for youngest boy with an 802 series in March.
2009 – Lake Central High School rolled a state-record 1,292 in the second game of qualifying en route to its third Indiana girls' state title. The fifth-highest all-time score for a women's team game, it included a 300 game Alyssa Fortner. The other scores were: Leanne Witulski, 192; Kelli Marx, 243; Katie Sexton, 289; and Kaity Galka, 268.
2009 – Rebekah Diers, the 2008 USBC Youth Open all-events winner, was up to the challenge at the USBC Bowling's Clash of Champions. After advancing from the one-ball, sudden-death format, Diers eliminated pro bowler Liz Johnson in the semifinals. In the title match against PBA Tour player Chris Barnes, Diers stayed close before eventually losing, 257-207.