Ball Reps Are Professional Consultants

Professional bowlers have a great amount of respect for their "ball reps" who follow them from tour stop to tour stop offering highly technical advise on what ball or balls works best of the condition the PBA members are shooting on.
Since we cover a number of the PBA tour stops on the East Coast we have become very familiar as to what these "ball reps" or tour consultants do and so we sat down with Chris Schlemer, pro-tour technical consultant for Storm and Roto-Grip when the tour stopped in Cheektowaga several weeks ago.
When I used the term "ball rep" Chris handed me his business card which clearly said he was a "Technical Consultant and Pro Tour Consultant."
Schlemer, originally from Troy, Ill. near St. Louis came on board with Storm in the spring of 2001 and previously was a tour rep for Visionary on the former Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) tour.
While with the women's tour Chris drilled bowling balls and assisted giving the lady bowlers advise on the Visionary bowling products.
Some 12 years ago at about the age of 20 and 21 Chris was an active league bowler and became an accomplished bowler from both the right and left side. He kept a 230 average bowling right handed and a 200 average bowling left handed.
His college education produced a degree in computers and graphics which has proved to be a great benefit in him becoming an accomplished Technical Pro Tour Consultant.
Schlemer pointed out that he has to know the Radium of Gyration (RG) of each of the Storm and Roto-Grip bowling balls and the differential of the bowling shot laid down. He noted that the Professional Bowling Association (PBA) tweaks (changes) their shots so that they are new each bowling season.
Bowling balls have a RD converted to a scale of 1-10. RG numbers range from 2.430 to 2.800, but some companies have converted them to a 1-10 scale to help give the consumer a better frame of reference. Mass distribution numbers describe the distribution of mass in the bowling ball. High RG numbers indicate that the balls mass is distributed more towards the cover (cover heavy) which promotes length through the heads of the bowling lane. Low RG numbers indicate that the balls mass is distributed more towards the center (center heavy) which promotes an earlier roll through the front part of the lane.
Chris pointed out that the difference between the maximum and minimum Radius of Gyration is that the RG-differential indicates the bowing ball's track flare potential and the higher the number the greater the track flare potential.
In talking with Chris it became very clear that the technical consultant has to know his stuff which includes the knowledge of his company's bowling balls on all PBA shot conditions. He also has to know his bowlers well and that includes their timing, releases and their personalities (which he calls a key factor.)
"We've done well on the tour so far this season," Schlemer said, we have had 5 out of 8
winners including the win in Baltimore last Sunday.
PBA members representing Storm on the tour include Norm Duke, Pete Weber, Ryan Shafer, Rhino Page and Jeff Carter. Roto-Grip is represented by Brian Kretzer and Wes Malott. Women PBA members representing Storm include Brenda Mack, Shannon O'Keefe and Shalin Zulkifli.

Bowling Tip
By Mike Luongo

Bowlers: This week's tip applies mostly to those bowlers who are using modern bowling balls.
You may not know that the modern bowling ball is porous with several different densities and has numerous chemicals in the cover stock. As these balls change temperature, the cover and core will expand and contract. Due to the different materials used for the core, inner core and cover, this fluctuation occurs at different rates.
Leaving the ball in a car when temperatures are severe, very hot or very cold, the expansion and contraction causes severe stress on the cover. This stress is even greater when a cold ball is used to bowl while it is still cold.
This may cause your ball to crack. So this tip is not only educational but let it serve as a reminder to take care of your bowling ball investment--avoid the experience that some bowlers are going through--and if you carry your balls to and from the center, don't leave them in your car.
Mike Luongo is technically certified through IBPSIA as a Pro Shop Operator and Master Instructor. He is also a Silver Level Coach with the USBC and is also the Northeast Regional Sales Manager with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 341-1694 or via e-mail at mikespro@warwick.net

Local Scores

Kiamesha Lanes

Recent highlights scores in the Monday Men's league include a 276, 737 by Mark Wegener, Jack Moylan 259, Angel Rodriguez 258, Keith Smith 691 and Jaryl Scott 690. The team of Monticello Greenhouses scores the high scratch game of 877 and the team high scratch series of 2576.
In the Tuesday Mixed Firefighters league Carol MacAdam scored a 208, 533, Rob Keesler 218, Ed Guthrie 215, 238, 649, John Cascone 203, Mary Lee Williams 183, Dorian Jennings 190, 181, 525, Eddie Lake 254, 236, 674, George Kelley 251, Jim Gerrard 203, Russ Keesler 225, 236, 657, Tom Hickman 204, 200, Lisa Cartwright 195, 501, Larry Berens 214, Debbie Durland 202, 226, 604, John Fischer 239, 246, 668, John Hoffmann 244, 633, Robert Yakin Sr. 224, Kris Gwiozdowski 201, Charles Blackburn 243, Dale Sonnenschein 213, 244, 217, 674 and Linda Schaefer 181, 180, 539.
In the Wednesday Men's league Shane Conner scored a 236, 212, 645, Donald Durland 231, 232, 646, Matthew Fallon 233, Richard Bradford 236, Jon Wilheim 236, 212, 642, Frank Scuderi 200, Roy Sweeney 236, Tim McIntyre 255, 204, 650, Rick Lara 216, 223, 607, Josh Strang 242, 256, 224, 722, Vincent Scuderi 210, Charles McAllister 225, George Battle Jr. 204, 200, Allan Jones 217, 205, Larry Berens 222 and Dean Shattuck 258, 229, 668, Paul Durland 230, Art Eggleton 240, John Hoffmann 266, 204, 657, Tom Belgiovene 205, Vinnie Collura 205, 201, Richard Hendricks 225, Al Caycho 214, Mike Weiner 207, 203, Kenny Atkins 206, Tim Minton 247, 608, Wayne Atkins 257, 213, 640, Eddie Lake 269, 225, 213, 707, Frank DiCostanzo 221, 242, 651, Chris Magie 270, 222, 678 and David Porter Jr. 221.
In the Saturday Morning Youth leagues, in the Pee Wees division R. Schreiber scored a 78, T. Porter 110. In the Bantams division N. Edwards 101. In the Jr./Mjrs. S. Patel 160,
C. Israel 166, S. Comfort 88, 83, J. Moss 188, Shawn Sinistorie 225, J. Durland 229, 226, T. Foxwell 140, K. Gessman 137, T. McCormack 120, M. Brown 131, M. Scuderi 181, P. Agapito 208, 224, N. Price 176 and C. Ciliberto 107, 119.
In the Sunday Thunder 102 Mixed Fun league Pedro Agapito scored a 204, Mal Press 220, Eddie Walsh 213, James Durland 238, 606, Mike Mahusky 235, Charlie Meier 202 and John Hoffmann 268, 236, 237, 741.

Fox Bowling Center

Recent highlight scores in the Tuesday Ladies Early Birds league includes a 218, 185, 212, 615 by Anne Couse, Sally Ballard 206, 181, 545, Kathleen Maltese 182, 517, Laura Ballard 184, 502, Jo Ann Thomas 199, Kathleen Stanton 193, Jennifer Raymond 186 and Carol Dailey 182.
In the Wednesday Men's Independent league Donald Marino scored a 244, 233, 235, 712, James Dibble 233, 258, 681, Tony Wright 224, 225, 211, 660, Allen Bullis Sr. 243, 211, 202, 656, Andrew Bullis 211, 221, 223, 655, Daniel Wormuth 206, 259, 650, Neil Mosher 225, 239, 642, Lee Stanton 267, 641, Shawn Tracy 255, 205, 638, Robert Johnson 201, 226, 624, Robert McNaught 221, 200, 201, 622, Howie Couse 221, 212, 614, David Benedict 211, 209, 601, Charlie Reichenbaugh 219, Carl Davis 236 and Matt Conklin 229.
In the Thursday Men's Deposit National league Bill Gleim scored a 235, 234, 225, 694, Matt Johnson 221, 216, 255, 692, Rick Mills 223, 234, 637, Jeff Curtis 202, 236, 630, Andrew Bullis 203, 215, 606, Steve Hopkins 203, 207, 601, Al Bullis Jr. 215, Jim Valentine 211, Harry Triebe Sr. 215 and Harold Morgan 212.
In the Friday Mixed Couples league Howard Couse scored 226, 223, 263, 712, Rick Mills 218, 257, 659, Daniel Wormuth 224, 214, Scott Ellis 211, Mike Horton 222, James Dibble 209, Carl Davis 237, Anne Couse 201, 539, Norm Stanton 204, Tracy Resti 192, 505 and Hope Jones 182.
In the Sunday Afternoon Mixed Fun league Don Marino scored a 268, 238, 215, 721, Ray Cornwell 255, 642, Dave Mills 247 and Fred Shakelton 203.

Callicoon Lanes

Recent highlight scores in the Monday Hontonville Ladies league includes a 201 by Debra Loughrey, Joyce Brooks 222, 512, Debbie Schick 209, 190, 556, Dee Dee Schrader 201, Donna Dubois 182 and Lil Zieres 224, 190, 585.
In the Tuesday Delaware Valley Men's league Mark Hawley scored a 202, Bob Cady 202, Mark Schriber 211, Kory Keesler 208, Ed LeRoy 200, Steve Lagoda 212, Tad Doscher 210 and Ken Darling 200.
In the Wednesday Mixed Businessmen league Hack Masters won the first half and second place went to Callicoon Lanes. Individual scores finds Alan Rutledge with a 208, Mark Hawley 201, 204, Roger Widmann 234, Frank Emmens 225 and Damien Vanleuven 202, 222.

This column is written by Ed Townsend, who is a consultant to the professional sport of bowling. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Tri-County NY United States Bowling Congress (USBC) where he serves as Publicity Director. If you have a topic that you believe would make good reading or have league scores or tournament information, Ed can be reached at 845-439-8177 or by sending an e-mail to bowlgolfect1@yahoo.com For a much more expanded version of our bowling column visit our Web site at http://bght.blogspot.com