PBA Spare Shots

THURSDAY IS KEY DAY IN SETTING UP 2020 PBA LEAGUE DRAFT POOL

While PBA players continue to earn as many competition points as possible during this week’s Go Bowling Indianapolis Open and Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship, the 2020 PBA League Draft also is looming with next Thursday being a key day in setting up this year’s league draft pool.

Players hoping to become eligible for the 2020 PBA League Draft have this week in Indy and the qualifying rounds of the PBA World Series of Bowling XI to compile points, but Thursday, March 5, is the deadline for the eight existing PBA League managers to decide which of their 2019 rostered players they want to “protect” for 2020. Each manager can retain up to three players from last season’s roster.

The players not protected will be returned to the PBAL draft pool. Assuming each team returns two players to the draft, that will mean 16 spots available to join teams this year. And thanks to the expansion of the PBA League from eight to 10 teams, another 10 players will get a chance to participate when the league’s Elias Cup competition returns to Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine, July 20-23.

After Thursday’s protected players are announced, the draft picture will be a lot clearer. The PBAL Draft will take place on Sunday, March 15 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern/1:30 p.m. Pacific at South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas, the host center for PBA World Series of Bowling XI. The list of eligible players will be published on March 13. Here are the 2019 teams and rosters:

2019 PBA League Final Standings (with team rosters):

1, Portland Lumberjacks (manager Tim Mack; rostered players are Ryan Ciminelli, Wes Malott, Kyle Troup, Kris Prather, Mitch Hupé).

2, L.A. X (manager Andrew Cain; rostered players are Jason Belmonte, Stuart Williams, Jakob Butturff, Dick Allen, Anthony Lavery-Spahr). 

3, Dallas Strikers (player-manager is Norm Duke; rostered players are Tommy Jones, Bill O’Neill, Andrew Anderson, Brad Miller).

4, NYC KingPins (manager is Carolyn Dorin-Ballard; rostered players are Pete Weber, Marshall Kent, BJ Moore, Kyle Sherman, Darren Tang).

5, Silver Lake Atom Splitters (manager is Mark Baker; rostered players are Chris Barnes, Jesper Svensson, Tom Daugherty, DJ Archer, AJ Johnson).

6, Motown Muscle (manager is Del Ballard Jr.; rostered players are EJ Tackett, Anthony Simonsen, Josh Blanchard, AJ Chapman, Mykel Holliman).

7, Brooklyn Styles (manager is Johnny Petraglia; rostered players are Walter Ray Williams Jr., Sean Rash, Rhino Page, Andres Gomez, Brad Angelo). 

8, Philadelphia Hitmen (manager is Jason Couch; rostered players are Dom Barrett, Tom Smallwood, Matt Sanders, Patrick Girard, x-Shawn Maldonado, x-Jake Peters (Peters replaced Maldonado due to injury). 

ALMOST 2 MILLION FOX VIEWERS WATCHED BELMO’S HISTORIC U.S. OPEN WIN

FOX Sports has confirmed that Sunday’s live U.S. Open telecast was watched by an average of 1,146,000 viewers over the two hours of coverage, an impressive 17 percent increase over the February 2019 audience average for FOX Sports/PBA telecasts.

In addition, viewership spiked to 1.97 million during the finals when Australia’s Jason Belmonte made PBA history, defeating top qualifier Anthony Simonsen, 226-201, for his record 12th major championship as well as completing the PBA Triple Crown, Grand Slam and Super Slam.

NO SURPRISE: BELMO JUMPS INTO 2020 PBA PLAYOFFS POINTS LEAD

After top-five finishes in each of the past three tournaments – all Tier 1 major championships in the PBA competition points structure – Jason Belmonte has assumed the lead in the 2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour points race as it heads toward the second annual PBA Playoffs.

Belmonte picked up 7,500 points for his historic U.S. Open win, following a third-place finish in the PBA Players Championship and a fourth-place finish in the PBA Tournament of Champions, to boost his total for the year to 17,195 points, overtaking previous leader Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, Pa. Defending PBA Playoffs champion Kris Prather slipped to third place after six of 13 events.

Belmonte was the points leader for the inaugural PBA Playoffs in 2019, but was eliminated in the “race to two points” quarterfinal round by Prather, 197-165, 224-214.

This week in Indianapolis, a “doubleheader” program will award points in both the Go Bowling Indianapolis Open (a Tier 2 “standard PBA Tour event”) and the Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship (a Tier 3 limited field/restricted format event). Tier 1 (major championships) award 7,500 points to the winner, Tier 2 events award 5,000 points for first place and Tier 3 events award 2,500 points to the winner(s). All other players in each event get points on of declining value based upon where they finish.

The race to finish within the top 24 in 2020 points will be finalized at the conclusion of the USBC Masters on March 29 in Reno, Nev. The PBA Playoffs will begin on April 6 in Norco, Calif. Below are the top 30 points standings after six of 13 events:

2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour Competition Points Standings

(Top 30 after six of 13 events)

1, Jason Belmonte, 17,195

2, Bill O'Neill, 15,455

3, Kris Prather, 15,070

4, Anthony Simonsen, 10,405

5 (tie), EJ Tackett, and Sean Rash, 10,340

7, Kyle Troup, 8,415

8, Tommy Jones, 7,815

9, Darren Tang, 6,940

10, Dick Allen, 6,523

11, Tom Daugherty, 6,470

12, Francois Lavoie, 6,303

13, Tom Smallwood, 6,100

14, AJ Johnson, 6,040

15, Chris Barnes, 5,950

16, Brad Miller, 5,945

17, Dom Barrett, 5,690

18, Marshall Kent, 5,445

19, Kyle Sherman, 5,430

20, Mitch Hupe, 5,370

21, Norm Duke, 5,268

22, Stuart Williams, 5,080

23, Ryan Ciminelli, 4,883

24, Nicholas Pate, 4,435

25, Jesper Svensson, 4,370

26, Wes Malott, 4,280

27, Zacharay Wilkins, 4,250

28, Josh Blanchard, 4,060

29, Thomas Larsen, 3,840

30, Patrick Girard, 3,750

                                                                                                                                                           

PBA PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE: BELMONTE & O’NEILL TALK ABOUT DOUBLES 2018 TITLE

In 2018, Jason Belmonte and Bill O’Neill won the Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship. Their victory on their fourth try to win the PBA doubles title is the topic of their joint PBA Player’s Perspective that became the PBA’s YouTube channel on Tuesday (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJDxB7EtVdU)

To view the entire series of PBA Player’s Perspective episodes, visit the PBA’s YouTube channel and click on the PBA Player’s Perspective play list. A wide range of Player’s Perspectives currently reside in the archives on YouTube. Among the most recent are:

  • Jakob Butturff’s 2019 USBC Masters win (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cuYcXxfXXs).

  • EJ Tackett’s 2017 DHC PBA Japan Invitational victory. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91yoFd7nd8g).

   • Kris Prather’s 2019 PBA Scorpion Championship win (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aVe_n8uCOM).

  • Bill O’Neill’s 2019 PBA Hall of Fame Classic victory that made him title-eligible for future PBA HOF consideration (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeHXCYxWH4o).

  • Jakob Butturff’s 2019 PBA Oklahoma Open win (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOsC36SxxxA&list=).

  • Sean Rash’s 2012 PBA TOC victory (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkzuCw4Cpqs).

  • Jason Belmonte’s record-tying 10th PBA major championship in the 2019 PBA Tournament of Champions (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Si3d6oPhBo).

  • Anthony Simonsen’s 2019 PBA Players Championship victory (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGLBRvb_T24).

  • Norm Duke’s 39th career title in the 2019 Go Bowling Indianapolis Open (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o02VZegoziY\).

Fans can follow all of the latest video clips and more by enrolling as a subscriber to PBA’s YouTube channel. It’s easy and it’s free. Visit YouTube.com/PBABowling and click on the “subscribe” button.

PBA REGIONAL UPDATE: GARY MORGAN WINS IN SPARTANBURG

Gary Morgan of Henderson, Nev., defeated PBA Hall of Famer Tom Baker of King, N.C., 237-204, in the final match to take the first prize in the PBA50 Dave Edwards Toyota South Open at Paradise Lanes in Spartanburg, S.C., Sunday, improving his all-time PBA titles record to 16.

Morgan qualified in the number three position for the four-man stepladder finals with an 6-2 match play record and a 16-game total of 3,650 pins, including match play bonus pins. He then won three consecutive matches to earn the $2,000 first prize. Tom Baker, a four-time PBA50 Player of the Year who is still competing at age 65, posted a 6-2 match play record and had 3,752 pins to qualify first, 41 pins ahead of Stoney Baker (no relation) of Canton, Ga., but had to settle for the $1,000 second prize.

In the first stepladder match, Morgan defeated non-PBA member Joseph Boothe of Belvedere, S.C., 226-203. Morgan then disposed of Stoney Baker, 226-198, in the semifinal match.

• Kyle Duster from Scottsdale, Ariz. and amateur partner Matthew Zweig from Phoenix, Ariz., teamed up to win Sunday’s PBA South Point Member/Non-Member Doubles title at South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas after PBA member Derek Acuff of Phoenix, Ariz., won the South Point West Challenge portion of the PBA West Region doubleheader on Friday for his first PBA title.

In the preliminary singles event for players who have never won a PBA event, Acuff defeated 16-year-old two-hander Deo Benard of Henderson, Nev, 266-246, in to earn the $2,300 first prize. Acuff knocked out non-member Jimmy Schmitzer of Las Vegas, 258-249, in the semifinal round while Benard eliminated non-member Michael Hartter of Henderson, Nev., 278-246, to set up the championship match.

In Sunday’s doubles title match, Duster and Zweig defeated Hartter and PBA50 Hall of Famer Ron Mohr of Las Vegas, 556-464, to claim the $4,000 first prize. Duster and Zweig advanced to the title match by eliminating Gary Estep Jr. of Peoria, Ariz. and Brett Wolfe of Mesa, Ariz., 462-443, while Hartter and Mohr ousted Cortez Schenck of Phoenix, Ariz., and Eric Hatchett of Henderson, Nev., 523-435, in the other semifinal match

• Closing out the February regional calendar over the Feb. 28-March 1 “leap year” weekend will be the PBA Plaza Lanes Central/Midwest Open in Crawfordsville, Ind.

• For complete PBA Regional schedules including rules and entry information, visit pba.com, open the “schedules” tab and click on PBA Regional Tours to find the event(s) in your area. Whether you are a competitor or a fan, you can follow “live scoring” for all PBA Regional events on pba.com (easily accessible for Apple and Android device users using the PBA app).

QUICK NOTES

• Australia’s Sam Cooley has returned to PBA Tour competition to fulfill a promise he made to his mother, Donna Cooley, who died of cancer on February 18 in New South Wales. Cooley wrote on Facebook that he is returning to the U.S. to finish the PBA Tour winter schedule, noting “I will be devoting my focus solely on that as I had promised her. Once I return home preparations will resume for her life celebration.”  A South Coast Open regional event to be held at Shellharbour Bowl (Cooley’s home center) in late May will include the renaming of the tournament’s adult division “The Donna Cooley Memorial Open” in his mother’s honor.

• In his fourth television appearance of the 2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour season in the U.S. Open, Australia’s Jason Belmonte added 12 strikes to his ongoing pledge make a donation for each strike thrown on television to his “2HandsHelpingAustralia” fundraiser. His latest donation included $300 for six strikes at $50 each in the semifinal match of the U.S. Open and $100 for six strikes in the title match. Belmonte has now donated $1,800 for 30 strikes in his TV matches this season.

• PBA Hall of Famer Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, became PBA50 eligible on Tuesday, Feb. 25, his 50th birthday. Also reaching PBA50 eligibility in 2020 are fellow PBA Hall of Famer Jason Couch of Clermont, Fla., and PBA Tour title winners Tom Hess of Granger, Iowa, and Brad Angelo of Lockport, N.Y.

O’Neill, Belmonte Team Up to Pace Roth-Holman PBA Doubles Qualifying

2018 champions top field of 16 teams advancing to Friday’s round robin match play

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 27, 2020) – Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and Australian partner Jason Belmonte, averaged 239 as a team Thursday to lead qualifying in the Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship at Royal Pin Woodland by 15 pins over Sweden’s Jesper Svensson and Kyle Troup of Taylorsville, North Carolina.

O’Neill and Belmonte, the 2018 Roth-Holman doubles champions, have arguably been the most successful doubles team over the past five years, have finished no lower than fifth place during that span. Svensson and Troup won the title in 2017.

O’Neill and Belmonte took the lead in the final game, posted a 14 team game/28 individual game total of 6,692 pins. Svensson and Troup had 6,677 pins. Rounding out the top five teams were Kris Prather of Plainfield, Illinois and Andrew Anderson of Holly, Michigan with a 6,490 total; Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Arizona and Osku Palermaa of Finland with 6,435 pins, and Tim Foy Jr. of Seaford, Delaware and Patrick Hanrahan of Wichita, Kansas with a 6,407 total.

Defending champions Matt Ogle of Louisville, Kentucky and Sean Rash of Montgomery, Illinois finished 29th and failed to advance.

Competition continues Friday with two eight-game Baker format match play rounds at noon and 6 p.m. to decide the five teams that will compete for the title Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The doubles finals will be taped to air on FS1 on Sunday, March 8, at noon.

The doubles tournament is being contested on a “dual lane condition” scoring environment in which the 42-foot Mark Roth oiling pattern is applied to the left lane and the Marshall Holman 37 pattern to the right lane. Fridays match play rounds will be livestreamed by FloBowling (subscriptions are available at FloBowling.com).

MARK ROTH-MARSHALL HOLMAN PBA DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP

(a 2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour Tier 3 event)

Royal Pin Woodland, Indianapolis, Thursday

Final Qualifying Standings (after 14 team/28 individual games; top 16 teams advance to Baker format match play Friday)

1, Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa./Jason Belmonte, Australia, 6,692.
2, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C./Jesper Svensson, Sweden, 6,677.
3, Kris Prather, Plainfield, Ill./Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 6,490.
4, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz./Osku Palermaa, Finland, 6,435.
5, Tim Foy Jr., Seaford, Del./Patrick Hanrahan, Wichita, Kan., 6,407.
6, Matt McNiel, Minneapolis/Anthony Pepe, Long Island City, N.Y., 6,405.
7, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash./EJ Tackett, Bluffton, Ind., 6,391.
8, Zach Wilkins, Canada/Patrick Girard, Canada, 6,376.
9, Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Christopher Sloan, Ireland, 6,357.
10, Andrew Cain, Phoenix/Wesley Low Jr., Palmdale, Calif., 6,314.
11, Anthony Simonsen, Little Elm, Texas/Dom Barrett, England, 6,297.
12, Brad Miller, Lee’s Summit, Mo./Kyle Sherman, O'Fallon, Mo., 6,295.
13, Dino Castillo, Highland Village, Texas/Sean Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 6,257.
14, Michael Davidson, Versailles, Ohio/Matt Kuba, Chicago Ridge, Ill., 6,255.
15, Arturo Quintero, Mexico/Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, 6,254.
16, Zac Tackett, Huntington, Ind./Stephen Hahn, Sterling, Va., 6,229.
17, Sam Cooley, Australia/Anthony Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 6,218, $3,100.
18, Darren Tang, Las Vegas/Michael Tang, Johnstown, Ohio, 6,209, $3,060.
19, Nate Garcia, Port St. Lucie, Fla./Matt Russo, Fairview Heights, Ill., 6,194, $3,020.
20, Mykel Holliman, Collierville, Tenn./Keven Williams, Springfield, Mo., 6,183, $3,000.
21, Kim Bolleby-Pontus Andersson, 6,170.
21, Andres Gomez-Josh Blanchard, 6,170.
23, Michael Martell-Kenneth Ryan, 6,153.
24, Nick Kruml-Brandon Novak, 6,134.
25, Rhino Page-Ryan Ciminelli, 6,132.
26, Thomas Larsen-Brad Angelo, 6,114.
27, Tim Pfeifer-Ronnie Russell, 6,070.
28, Jean Perez-Amleto Monacelli, 6,064.
29, Graham Fach-Matt Sanders, 6,060.
30, Matt Ogle-Sean Rash, 6,056.
31, Jake Peters-Richard Teece, 6,050.
32, Tom Daugherty-BJ Moore, 6,049.
33, Norm Duke-Wes Malott, 6,044.
34, Gaetan Mouveroux-Alex Martin, 6,025.
35, Michael Schalbach-Matthew Staninger, 6,007.
36, Francois Lavoie-Stuart Williams, 5,999.
37, David Haynes-Tom Hess, 5,981.
38, Martin Larsen-AJ Chapman, 5,979.
39, DJ Archer-Shawn Maldonado, 5,967.
40, Tommy Jones-Chris Barnes, 5,965.
41, Dick Allen-Zeke Bayt, 5,929.
42, Connor Pickford-Mike Coffey, 5,921.
43, Tim Mack-Chris Via, 5,848.
44, AJ Johnson- Greg Ostrander, 5,825.
45, Brian LeClair-Ryan Shafer, 5,803.
46, Parker Bohn III-Walter Ray Williams Jr., 5,789.
47, Ryan Burks-Brent Boho, 5,778.
48, Jason Sterner-Tom Smallwood, 5,766.
49, Aaron Lorincz-Brian Robinson, 5,721.
50, Kamron Doyle-Greg Young, 5,717.
51, Darryl Bower-Johnathan Bower, 5,716.
52, Nicholas Vanderwende-Michael Ruben, 5,655.
53, Zach Doty-Ryan Lakota, 5,545.
54, Jake Rollins-Andrew Suscreba, 5,517.
55, Noel Vega-Keven Walter, 5,490.
56, Jason VanBelkum-James Johnson, 5,003.

300 Games: Jesper Svensson, Kris Prather, EJ Tackett.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre announces 2020 giveaway schedule

15 additional giveaway dates added to Bobblehead Series to build packed promo schedule

MOOSIC, PA (February 27, 2020) – With single-game tickets going on sale tomorrow at 10 AM, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders have announced their giveaway schedule for the upcoming 2020 season. All major giveaways fall on Saturdays this season, with select dates featuring special, limited quantity giveaways.

“Every season is special,” said Katie Beekman, the General Manager of the RailRiders, “and our giveaway plans are always a major part of that. Our giveaways are designed to be fun or something you can use and certainly are meant to help represent the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in the area or across the country.”

The 2020 season begins on April 9 against the Buffalo Bisons at PNC Field. Gates open at 6 PM with a fleece headband giveaway presented by the Times-Shamrock. Over opening weekend, fans will receive a magnetic schedule, courtesy of Highmark, while supplies last.

Celebrate the start of the I-81 Series in late April when the RailRiders host the Syracuse Mets from April 24-26. On Saturday, April 25, be among the first fans to strut through the gates and get a pair of I-81 Series socks, perfect for broadway leg kicks or a night on the town after the series that never sleeps.

Join us at PNC Field on May 9 for a custom RailRiders growler giveaway. On May 23, MetLife presents a digital camo hat giveaway and FOX 56 helps keep you covered with an umbrella giveaway on May 30. May 31 is our first of four kids-only giveaways in 2020. The first 500 children will receive a RailRiders autograph book presented by Hyundai; the perfect idea for a summer full of stars and signatures.

June 10 is a Waggin’ Wednesday and the first 300 dogs through the gates (well... their owners) will receive a RailRiders dog bowl. Additional Waggin’ Wednesday giveaways are scheduled for July 8 (waste bag dispenser) and August 19 (a dog collar tag).

June 13 is Youth Baseball and Softball Night at PNC Field and the first 2,500 fans get a RailRiders insulated lunch bag.

Join us on June 27 for our first of two Legends Racers Bobblehead Giveaways this season; Munson and Mantle start the sprint on this collectible dual bobblehead presented by PNC Bank. The second of three kids-only giveaways is June 28 when Great Wolf Lodge presents a set of shoe lights for the first 500 children 12 and younger.

On July 21, the RailRiders transform into the Vejigantes, their Copa de la Diversion identity, and will give out drawstring bags to the first 500 kids 12 and younger, courtesy of La Tolteca.

As part of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s tribute to “The Captain,” the last weekend of July is packed with fun and memories. On July 24, the RailRiders will wear 2013 throwback vests with a patch to honor the 2020 Hall of Famer, which will be auctioned after the final out. July 25 is the Derek Jeter bobblehead giveaway, presented by Casey Dental. On Sunday, July 26, the first 500 kids will receive an arm sleeve commemorating the career of the Yankees legendary shortstop, courtesy of Great Wolf Lodge.

Gleybermania returns to PNC Field on August 8 in emoji form with the Gleyber Torres Emojihead, presented by Dickson City Hyundai.

Our Legends Racers hit the finish line on August 22 as the DiMaggio and Martin dual bobblehead complete the jaunt home.

On September 4, the 2020 regular season comes to a close with Fan Appreciation Night, including an Aaron Judge Nutcracker-styled ornament courtesy of Geisinger. Once the NYY’s star is done patrolling the outfield during the season, he can stand watch over your holidays as well.

All major giveaways will be handed out to the first 2,500 fans. Kid’s only giveaways are for the first 500 children aged 12 and younger. The select 2020 Waggin’ Wednesdays with giveaways are for the first 300 dog owners.

Season ticket memberships and partial plans are on sale now, including the Bobblehead Series that features a Nick Swisher bobblehead as an additional, exclusive gift, the fireworks mini-plans and three-game plans for each of our Rivalry Series.

The All-Star mini-plan is also available now, garnering tickets to five regular season RailRiders games, special gifts and a ticket to the 2020 Triple-A All-Star Game on July 15, presented by the Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau. The Keystone Mid Summer Classic, presented by Norwegian Cruise Line, is July 14 and 15 at PNC Field and ticket bundles are available now.

All promotional giveaways, nights and times remain subject to change and some restrictions apply. For more information, visit swbrailriders.com or call (570) 969-2255.

2020 Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Giveaway Schedule

Date                            Giveaway Item                                                                      Presented By

Opening Day               Fleece Headband                                                                    Times-Shamrock

April 10-11                 Magnet Schedules                                                                   Highmark

April 25                       I-81 Series Socks

May 9                          RailRiders Growler    

May 23                        Digital Camo Hat                                                                   MetLife

May 30                        SWB Umbrella                                                                        FOX 56

May 31                        Kid’s Autograph Book                                                           Hyundai

June 10                        Waggin’ Wednesday- Dog Bowl

June 13                        RailRiders Insulated Jersey Lunch Bag

June 27                        Legends Racers Dual Bobblehead- Munson & Mantle          PNC Bank

June 28                        Kid’s Shoe Lights                                                                   Great Wolf Lodge

July 8                          Waggin’ Wednesday- Waste Bag Dispenser

July 21                        Copa de la Diversion- Kid’s Vejigantes Drawstring Bag      La Tolteca

July 25                        Derek Jeter Bobblehead                                                          Casey Dental

July 26                        Kid’s Armsleeve                                                                     Great Wolf Lodge

August 8                      Gleyber Torres Emojihead                                                      Dickson City Hyundai

August 19                    Waggin’ Wednesday- Dog Collar Tag

August 22                    Legends Racers Dual Bobblehead- Munson & Mantle

September 4                Aaron Judge Nutcracker Ornament                                        Geisinger

IBC YOUTH PROVIDES 16 SCHOOLS, ORGANIZATIONS WITH BOWLER’S ED KITS

ARLINGTON, Texas – A school district in Illinois, a United States Bowling Congress association in Nebraska, and 14 schools were selected by International Bowling Campus Youth Development to receive Bowler’s Ed kits.

Each of the recipients were selected based on submitted applications. The Bowler’s Ed kits provide teachers, and those who organize youth activities, the tools needed to engage children in a true bowling experience.

With the easy-to-use bowling equipment, along with a curriculum designed to introduce students to the lifetime sport of bowling, teachers are able to bring the experience of a bowling center to their classroom or gymnasium.

For teachers, the program conforms with all five National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) standards for physical education. For the students, the kits provide activities to enhance cardiovascular health, coordination and endurance while learning about the sport.

“With the Bowler’s Ed kits, we are able to introduce so many children to bowling, and show them how much fun they can have by knocking down pins,” IBC Youth Committee chair Melissa McDaniel said. “It’s great to see these schools and organizations understand the value of these kits, and took the initiative to apply for the grants. We know the teachers will enjoy the program as much as the students.”

The schools and organizations receiving grants are:

• Ave Maria Catholic School, Parker, Colo.
• Blackhawk Christian School, Fort Wayne, Ind.
• Bowen High School, Chicago
• Frank J. Dugan Elementary, Marlboro, N.J.
• Grand Island Cairo Area USBC, Grand Island, Neb.
• Grove Elementary, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
• Hancock College Prep, Chicago
• Harwood Career Preparatory High School, Evansville, Ind.
• James Stephens Montessori, Ville Platte, La.
• Jefferson Elementary School, Stevens Point, Wis.
• Lincoln Elementary, Franklin, Ky.
• Magnolia West High School, Magnolia, Texas
• Scott City Middle School, Scott City, Kan.
• Shiloh Community Unit School District 1, Hume, Ill.
• Summit Academy North High School, Romulus, Mich.
• Vail Pittman Elementary, Las Vegas

Since 2016, IBC Youth Development has awarded 214 Bowler’s Ed kits to schools and organizations across the country. The Bowler’s Ed program, supported by the bowling industry, provides children the opportunity to acquire skills toward the lifelong sport of bowling that builds strong bones, burns calories, promotes balance and coordination and develops sportsmanship.

IBC Youth Development is supported by the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America and the United States Bowling Congress.

Visit BOWL.com/BowlersEd to learn more about the great benefits of the program.

About International Bowling Campus
The International Bowling Campus (IBC) is the headquarters for the bowling industry and directly serves the more than 69 million bowlers in the United States. The IBC houses the resources of the United States Bowling Congress, the governing body and membership organization for the sport; the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, representing the business interests of bowling centers; IBC Youth Development; Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm for the industry; the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame; the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association; the International Bowling Media Association; the Bowling News Network; the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America; and the International Training and Research Center.

Jesper Svensson Earns Top Berth for Go Bowling Indianapolis Open Finals

Swedish two-hander will try for eighth career title live on FS1 Saturday at 8:30 p.m. EST

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 26, 2020) – Sweden’s Jesper Svensson, a 25-year-old lefthanded two-hander, averaged 238.77 while winning 11 of his 16 matches Wednesday to earn the top berth for Saturday’s stepladder finals in the Go Bowling PBA Indianapolis Open at Royal Pin Woodland by 24 pins over Shawn Maldonado of Houston, Texas.

Svensson, who will be bowling for his eighth career title, posted a 30-game total of 7,493 pins to top a field of five finalists that includes two players vying for their first title: Maldonado and Nick Pate of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. Qualifying third was Anthony Simonsen of Little Elm, Texas, and claiming the fifth berth in the finals was 42-year-old Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, Michigan, who fired a 287 final game to advance from 10th place into the championship round.

Saturday’s stepladder finals will air live on FS1 at 8:30 p.m. EST. The Indianapolis Open is included in the 2020 “million dollar 300 bonus” incentive program that will pay the tournament champion a $1 million bonus if he bowls a 300 game in Saturday’s championship match.

Competition in Indianapolis continues Thursday with two seven-game qualifying rounds in the Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The top 16 teams will advance to two Baker format match play rounds Friday at noon and 6 p.m. to decide the five teams that will compete for the title Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The doubles finals will be taped to air on FS1 on Sunday, March 8, at noon.

Both tournaments are being contested on a “dual lane condition” scoring environment in which the 42-foot Mark Roth oiling pattern is applied to the left lane and the Marshall Holman 37 pattern to the right lane. All qualifying and match play rounds of both tournaments are being livestreamed by FloBowling (subscriptions are available at FloBowling.com).

GO BOWLING PBA INDIANAPOLIS OPEN

(a 2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour Tier 2 event)

Royal Pin Woodland, Indianapolis, Wednesday

Final Match Play Standings (after 30 games; top five advance to stepladder finals live on FS1 Saturday at 8:30 p.m. EST)

1, Jesper Svensson, Sweden, 11-5, 7,493.
2, Shawn Maldonado, Houston, 11-5, 7,469.
3, Anthony Simonsen, Little Elm, Texas, 10-6, 7,350.
4, Nicholas Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 9-6-1, 7,288.
5, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 8-8, 7,192.
6, Anthony Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 11-5, 7,143, $5,000.
7, EJ Tackett, Bluffton, Ind., 7-8-1, 7,142, $4,500.
8, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 6-10, 7,099, $4,100.
9, Matt Russo, Fairview Heights, Ill., 8-8, 7,094, $3,700.
10, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 7-9, 7,087, $3,500.
11, Greg Ostrander, Brick, N.J., 8-8, 7,064, $3,300.
12, Francois Lavoie, Canada, 6-10, 7,027, $3,100.
13, Brandon Novak, Chillicothe, Ohio, 7-8-1, 6,973, $3,000.
14, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 4-11-1, 6,934, $2,700.
15, Tom Daugherty, Riverview, Fla., 6-10, 6,924, $2,600.
16, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 7-9, 6,876, $2,500.

300 Games: Nick Pate, Matt Russo.

NormaTec Signs as Official Recovery System of Symetra Tour

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NormaTec and the Symetra Tour have announced a new partnership for the 2020 season naming NormaTec the official recovery system of the Symetra Tour. The revolutionary compression therapy company will supply the official qualifying tour of the LPGA with products for its professionals including PULSE PRO 2.0 Recovery Systems.

“This is a relationship that will pay immediate and long-term dividends for our athletes over the course of a physically grueling season,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief Business Officer for the Symetra Tour. “It is an exciting time welcoming NormaTec to the LPGA and Symetra Tour family, as well as the world of golf in general.”

The NormaTec PULSE Series is currently relied on by more than 97 percent of professional sports teams in the United States. That list includes organizations such as the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays of MLB, the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, who have all incorporated Recovery Rooms powered by NormaTec in their training facilities. Several elite and Olympic athletes also use NormaTec to help them perform at the highest level.

Joining forces with the Symetra Tour marks the first official golf partnership for NormaTec. 
 

“We are thrilled to partner with the Symetra Tour this year,” said Gilad Jacobs, CEO of NormaTec. “These tournaments are monumental in the development of top golf talent. We look forward to helping the athletes play their best and recover right with NormaTec’s world-class technology.”

NormaTec Recovery Systems use patented compression technology to increase circulation to the limbs, helping athletes to recover faster while also reducing pain and soreness. The system is utilized for both pre-training as a high tech warm up, and post-training as a comprehensive athlete recovery modality.

“NormaTec is one of the leaders in sports recovery and their addition is invaluable to keeping all players healthy and limiting time missed due to injury, as they aim to play their best,” said Dr. Alex Herzlin, DPT, the lead physical therapist for the Symetra Tour. “Many of our golfers are competing year-round and to add a challenging travel schedule on top of that makes quality recovery even more necessary. When looking at different recovery systems, the portability NormaTec features was key since we don’t have a traditional treatment room like most sports. To step off the driving range and start the recovery process without having to go inside gives NormaTec equipment a leg up on the competition.”
 

ABOUT NORMATEC

The NormaTec PULSE 2.0 Series is next-level athlete recovery. These cutting-edge compression systems help athletes warm up pre-workout, and recover quickly post training and competition. Using NormaTec’s full-length compression leg, arm, or hip attachments rejuvenates muscle tissue and reduces tightness and soreness. The PULSE 2.0 Series is also the first connected recovery system, featuring a Bluetooth® enabled app. Invented by an M.D., Ph.D. and perfected by professional athletes, NormaTec Recovery Systems are the go-to equipment for the world’s best. For more information, visit www.NormaTecRecovery.com.

ABOUT THE SYMETRA TOUR

The Symetra Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour and enters its 40th competitive season in 2020. With the support of entitlement partner Symetra, the Tour’s mission is to prepare the world’s best young women professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. Since Symetra’s inaugural sponsorship year in 2012, the Symetra Tour has grown from 16 tournaments and $1.7 million in prize money to a record $4.0 million in prize money awarded in 2019. With more than 600 alumnae moving on to the LPGA, former Symetra Tour players have won a total of 445 LPGA titles. Follow the Symetra Tour on the web at www.SymetraTour.com, as well as Facebook.com/Road2LPGA, Twitter.com/Road2LPGA and Instagram @road2lpga.

ABOUT SYMETRA 

Symetra Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation, a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Washington. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions and independent agents and advisors. Symetra began its partnership with the Road to the LPGA in 2010 as the title sponsor of the Symetra Classic. It secured naming rights for the Symetra Tour in November 2011. In addition to its title sponsorship of the Tour, which runs through 2021, Symetra sponsors two events on the tournament schedule—the Symetra Classic and the season-ending Symetra Tour Championship. For more information about Symetra, visit www.symetra.com.