Bowling Highlights Column 12-24-10

USBC Extends Tourney Deadline

The United States Bowling Congress Open Championships is the can't-miss event for tens of thousands of bowlers each year, and there's still time to be a part of the historic 2011 tournament.
The entry deadline has been extended to Jan. 15, so teams not yet entered still have a chance to join the 60,000 bowlers who already have their sights set on a share of the $5 million prize fund.
The upcoming event will begin its 122-day run March 4 and is scheduled to conclude July 3. Bowlers from all 50 states and several foreign countries will converge on the one-of-a-kind, 78-lane National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., which has been the site of many memorable tournament moments.
The Open Championships, first contested in 1901, is older than the Rose Bowl and baseball's World Series. It is the world's largest participatory sporting event and gives competitors the chance to display their skills on bowling's biggest stage.
"The Open Championships continues to thrive as the premier bowling event in the world, and we are excited about another memorable tournament in 2011," said Brian Lewis, USBC Managing Director of Tournaments. "Entries have been coming in at a good pace, but we want to give everyone the opportunity to be part of the historic 2011 tournament, so we're allowing more time to enter."
The 2011 event marks the tournament's record 10th trip to Reno and seventh visit to the National Bowling Stadium. It also will be the first time an event has been held in the same city in back-to-back years. The 2010 tournament drew 14,189 teams to "The Biggest Little City in the World."
For bowlers looking for extra opportunities to cash in on the championship lanes, there's always a variety of side events and jackpots available on-site, including traditional brackets, strike jackpots and side pots.
A few enhancements to the brackets menu in 2011 include the availability of $5 brackets and Classified Cash-O-Matic brackets during doubles and singles, while three new products give more bowlers a chance to win:
Off-the-Sheet Jackpot.
Bowlers who go "off the sheet" and finish a game with at least five strikes (frames eight-12) will split the accumulated jackpot at the end of the tournament. For $20, you will have nine opportunities to cash in on this exciting new product.
Senior Side Event.
This is just for senior bowlers, age 50 and older (on day of competition). For a $25 entry fee paid at the brackets window, bowlers will be entered into two special senior-only prize funds (singles and all-events). Both categories will feature a 1:4.5 cash ratio. Singles and all-events totals from the main tournament will be used for this product.
Ultimate Mulligan.
Designed for super seniors (bowlers age 60 and older the day they compete), the Ultimate Mulligan requires entrants to compile their three highest games of the 2011 tournament to arrive at their Ultimate Mulligan series score. Then, they will see how their three-game set holds up for the duration of the tournament. The Ultimate Mulligan features a prize-fund-style payout with a cash ratio of 1:4.5. The entry fee is $20.
There are still prime spots available for 2011. For more information, visit BOWL.com/openchamp or call the tournament entries department at 800-514-2695.
There also are plenty of spots available for bowlers interested in competing in the 2011 USBC Women's Championships in Syracuse, N.Y. More than 6,000 teams are expected to compete in the event, which begins April 7 and runs until July 3. The deadline for the Women's Championships is Jan. 15, 2011. For more information and available times, visit BOWL.com/womenschamp.

Bowling Tip
By Mike Luongo

Bowlers: This weeks tip will help you execute and repeat good shots by having your body set properly so that you can use the laws of physics to roll the ball and eliminate tension in your swing.
As I've mentioned in previous columns, too much upper body movement make it very difficult to repeat shots.
The purpose of the stance is to place the body in an athletic position, eliminate all unnecessary movements during the approach and reduce TENSION.
Resting forearms against the body, in the stance, will help reduce tension in the upper body.
How do we do this?
Here are the four steps in the proper order for setting posture.
1. Set the fee (toward your break point).
2. Set your head (tilted over the ball).
3. Set your posterior (this is your balance point as you are swinging a heavy object).
4. Set the ball position close as noted above.
You are now in position to start a smooth approach. Maintain your body position and let the ball swing under your shoulder. You will find this easy to repeat shot after shot.
Note: Watch the PBA and note the body positions but keep in mind that your exact body position may vary to accommodate different physiology. Also, if your ball does not fit, it will be difficult to eliminate tension from your swing.
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 an Advisor along with being involved with Special Events with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached by telephone at 435-720-7939 or via email at mikel@stormbowling.com

PBA News

Yong-Jin Gu, a slightly-built 48-year-old left-hander from South Korea had never bowled in a Professional Bowlers Association event before the World Series of Bowling, but he pulled off one of the biggest upsets in PBA history when he defeated top qualifier Jun-Yung Kim, 236-224 in the all-South Korea championship match at South Point Bowling Center, Las Vegas last Sunday afternoon on ESPN. The match was taped in September.
The GEICO Shark Championship will air this Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN.
Full coverage of this story is available at http://bght.blogspot.com

This column is written by Ed Townsend, a public relations consultant to the amateur and professional sport of bowling and to several bowling writers associations. If you have a topic that would make good reading or have league and tournament scores and information, Ed can be reached at 845-439-8177, via email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com and by fax at 845-230-8674. For an expanded version of this bowling column please visit our Web Page at http://bght.blogspot.com This column is also available on Facebook.