Bowling Highights Column 3-4-11

Syracuse Hosting USBC
Women's Championships

During the next month, The Oncenter Convention Center in Syracuse, N.Y., will be transformed into a state-of-the-art 48-lane bowling facility that will be the home of the 2011 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships.
The tournament brings an economic boost to the Syracuse area and New York State.
Crews started Feb. 21 bringing in more than 30 truckloads of materials needed to construct the venue, which also includes vendor and office space, a squad room, a locker area and spectator seating.
The finished product will be the biggest stage in women’s bowling, and the 2011 Women’s Championships is expected to bring more than 30,000 bowlers to Syracuse during its 88-day run from April 7-July 3.
The amount of lumber required for the venue is enough to construct at least five three-bedroom homes, and more than six miles of wiring is required to handle the tournament’s electrical needs.
The first piece of the installation process was the tournament’s custom scoreboards. The scoreboards are comparable to the over sized screens often found in sports venues and arenas across the country, but offer a clearer picture thanks to the latest technology. They feature enhanced graphics with 4.4 trillion colors and streaming video capabilities and make up the world’s largest mobile scoreboard of its kind.
The setup also includes a 12 feet by 9 feet, high-definition video display screen over the tournament’s traditional Center Aisle.
Construction on the 48 championship lanes started on Feb. 28.
The 2011 event marks the second time the tournament will be held in a convention-center setting. Prior to last year’s event in El Paso, Texas, the tournament was contested in traditional bowling centers when not held at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. (every third year since 1997). The tournament first was held in 1916, and 2011 will be the 92nd year of competition.
“The move to the convention-center setting helped boost the prestige and excitement that surrounds the Women’s Championships and really gave the event a championship feel,” said Brian Lewis, USBC Managing Director of Tournaments. “Participants enjoyed the new look in 2010, and we hope to make this year even more memorable.”
The Women’s Championships returns to New York state for the first time since 1996. It previously was held in Syracuse in 1940 and 1954 with 1,185 and 4,538 five-player teams, respectively.
“On behalf of the Greater Syracuse community, we are thrilled that the event we’ve been preparing for, for the past five years, is just about here,” said Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau President David Holder. “All of our industry partners, ranging from our hotels and restaurants to our attractions and taxicab drivers, are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 30,000 bowlers and their friends and family.”
There still are plenty of prime bowling times available for the 2011 tournament, but the March 1 entry deadline is quickly approaching. So far, 5,660 five-player teams are scheduled to compete in 2011.
For more information, visit BOWL.com/tournaments or call the tournament entries department at 800-514-2695.

The Bowling Tip
By Mike Luongo

This week's tip will help you understand correct shoulder alignment when throwing your strike ball and making spares.
When throwing a bowling ball, the shoulders should not necessarily be straight (perpendicular) in relation to the lane.
Instead, they should be aligned straight to the target mark you are trying to hit. This is called pro setting the angle of the shoulders.
There are three rules regarding shoulder alignment.
1. When playing straight down the boards, your shoulders should be straight in relation to the lane.
2. When making shots to the right of the head pin, open your shoulders in relation to the lane.
3. When making shots to the left of the head pin, close your shoulders in relation to the lane.
Doing this is easy in your imagine that there is a three-foot arrow poised on your right shoulder (or left shoulder) if you are left handed). Simply point the arrow at the target and the angle will automatically be correct.
Note: Your arm swing should never change, instead, adjust the angle of the shoulders so that your arm swing is in line with the target,
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

Norm Duke won his 34th Professional Bowlers Tour title in the 68th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open at Brunswick Zone-Carolier last Sunday afternoon with a stunning 225-216 victory over Mika Koivuniemi when Mika missed a 10-pin spare in the 10th frame.
The PBA's next stop is the Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship at Cheektowaga this week and the TV finals are Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN.
Full coverage of these stories are available at http://bght.blogspot.com

Tournament
Dates

March 4-6-11-12-13 Tri-County NY USBC Association Open (Men's) and Women's Tournament at Liberty Lanes.
March 5-12th Annual Monticello Elks Scotch Doubles Tournament at Kiamesha Lanes. Contact Dean Shattack 794-1172.
March 26-May 1- The 59th Annual Handicap Tournament, Men, Women, Mixed, Flox Bowling Center, Hancock, NY Information 607-637-4401.
April 30-May 22- The 30th Annual South Side Bowl, Scranton, Pa. No-Tap Tournament. Team and Doubles--Information 570-961-5213.
April 30-May 15- The 60th Annual Idle Hour Lanes, Scranton, Pa.Tournament-Team and Doubles. --Information 570-489-7526.
May 1--40th Annual Eddie Beebe-Julia Maney Memorial Senior Tournament, Liberty Lanes.
Information on all Tri-County USBC Tournaments is available at 845-784-6630.

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 by telephone at 845-439-8177, via email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com, by fax at 845-230-8674. For an expanded version of this column visit our Web Page at http://bght.blogspot.com This column is also available on Facebook.

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