BRUNSWICK HELPING TO GROW THE SPORT
If amateur and youth bowlers want to learn the correct way to bowl the Brunswick PBA "Mini Camp" program is a great opportunity.
This instruction program rolled into Pat Tarsio Lanes in Newburgh April 2 along with professional and PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III and professionals Sean Rash, Jason Sterner, Ryan Ciminelli, Tom Smallwood and Brunswick's PBA Tour Representative and Product Specialist Chuck Gardner.
Twenty-nine youth and adult league amateur bowlers signed up and paid the basic tuition fee of $225 or the ball upgrade package price of $350 where they received their choice of a Brunswick or DV8 bowling bowling ball.
Sponsors of this "Mini Camp" was the Hudson Valley Bowling Supply Pro-Shop owned and managed by Karen and Steve Beam and Pete Garrison.
The camp consisted of a seven-hour program including lane play instruction, video instruction, ball layout information, autographs and pictures with the pros and lunch.
Basics introduced by Parker Bohn III prior to on lane instructions included the importance of before bowling exercise of the wrist and arms, squatting, bending and touching your toes or your knees and leaning against the ball return for stretching out your legs and body.
Additionally bowlers learned how to establish a solid foundation at the foul line, the push away and being on the right step for final delivery.
Brunswick Rep and Product Specialist Chuck Gardner, a former professional bowler, in an exclusive interview with us noted he has been a tour rep since 2002 as that was his last year on tour as a bowler as a result of nine knee surgeries.
Chuck then joined Columbia Industries as a coach and worked with professionals Wes Malott, Chris Barnes and Bill O'Neill.
When Columbia was sold to Ebonite Gardner left and joined the Brunswick staff and has been with them for eight years.
Chuck pointed out that the Brunswick "Mini Camp" program is the "brainchild of Parker Bohn III, Sean Rash and myself."
"We put this together to bring to bowlers the awareness of just getting better because we believe the reason people quit bowling is because they don't improve and get better at this sport," Gardner said.
Chuck pointed out that "if we can touch 600 to 800 people a year doing these camps and if we can make a difference touching that many people it's so worth it for us."
The Brunswick ball rep acknowledged the fact that the bowling industry and league bowling had dropped dramatically and was going in a very bad direction the past several years "but it has now leveled out and in the past two years high performance ball sales are actually up so I think we have seen the worst and I feel bowling is on a tread to get better."
Gardner strongly feels that "if more professional bowlers and people who make a difference in the industry would take a little initiative and start giving back a little bit and doing the right thing I really think we can turn the whole sport around."
"This is what we at Brunswick wants to do.....to give back," Chuck said.
Stressing the fact that what he is doing is not easy, Chuck said he put in 140,000 miles last year flying and slept in a motel 265 nights. He acknowledged he is now 56 and intends to retire at the age of 60 to his home in Charlotte, NC.
When asked where Brunswick stands in sales of equipment Gardner didn't hesitate in saying "we're second to Storm and they are doing a great job selling a lot of bowling balls as they are on TV every week and have the biggest pro staff on tour but we are a little more grass roots oriented whereby we sponsor local tournaments, sponsor leagues and we do these camps so it's just a different way of approaching it."
PHOTOS OF THIS EVENT ARE SEEN AT THE END OF THIS COLUMN.
Ed's Outlook
What a great time we had spending several hours with the Brunswick "Mini Camp" staff at Newburgh last week.
The opportunity we use to have of bowling, chatting or socializing with the PBA professionals at the many tour stops in Latham, Cheektowaga and Long Island in New York and in Norwich, Conn. and at the Carolier Lanes in New Jersey are now just fond memories as the only pro tour stop now in the Northeast is USBC Open at Carolier Lanes and that takes place on alternating years.
We've been friends of Parker and Leslie Bohn for a number of years now and my wife Shirley was the recipient of a nice hug and kiss from Parker at Newburgh last week. The Bohn family are down to earth nice people and Shirley and I and grandson Rodney remember well spending time with them in their travel home parked in back of the Thruway Lanes in Cheektowaga.
We miss those days of being able to get close to the bowlers.....like the night we spent socializing with Norm Duke at Cheektowaga..... but according to the pros attending the Newburgh "Mini Camp" some changes might be coming down the pike as a result of the PBA League competition that took place in a small 12-lane bowling center in Portland, Maine.
The atmosphere in Maine was unique, with fans cheering loudly and music blaring in the background throughout the competition and the pros loved the high level of enthusiasm.
"Great and we want to do this more often," the pros last week told us. Parker Bohn III said, "it was electrifying to the max...we use to bowl in an arena in Erie, Pa. with 4,000 noisy fans but that was nothing compared to this,"Bohn said.
The 12-lane Maine bowling center might signal a change in attitude by the Professional Bowlers Association with this center being converted into a two-lane arena for the PBA league team competition and the pros we talked with last week said they loved "the fun-loving crowd of bowling fans who cheered non-stop throughout the team matches."
Wes Malott and his teammates also embraced the non-stop roar of the crowd, saying, "who wouldn't like it...it's a little different kind of atmosphere but we could get used to it."
It would do the sport well to see some PBA events scheduled in small bowling centers...let's cross our fingers on this one.
Pittsburgh & LA X
Win Team Events
The HotelPlanner.com Pittsburgh Jack Rabbits and Wheaties L.A. X won semifinal matches in the PBA League Elias Cup playoffs seen on ESPN last Sunday afternoon and bowled at Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine.
With their victories they will join the Brooklyn Styles and the Silver Lake Atom Splitters in the semifinal round this Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPN.
Both of these best of two-game matches ended in 1-1 ties, forcing the one-ball roll-offs which were both decided by a single pin.
Team bowlers on the Pittsburgh Jack Rabbits include Wes Malott, Dan MacLelland, Ryan Ciminelli, Walter Ray Williams and Bryon Smith.
L.A. X bowlers include Jason Belmonte, Stuart Williams, Martin Larsen, Patrick Allen and Andres Gomez.
Ed Townsend, a PR consultant to the sport of bowling, writes and compiles the information for this column. If you have league scores, tournament information, score a 300 game or 800 series or even score your age, call Ed at 845-439-8177, 845-866-0333, email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax at 845-205-4474. View this column at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.
Bowling Tip
By Mike Luongo
Due to the length of our feature story and pictures Mike Luongo's bowling tip was held over for next week's column.
Local Scores
(compiled by Ed Townsend)
Beechwood Lanes
Monday Ladies
Diane Staves 172, Diane Conroy 158, Barbara Cady 166, Nicole Herbert 150, Janet Bertholf 156, 215, 507, Trish Ellmauer 152.
Callicoon Kristal Lanes
Mon. Hortonville Ladies
The Affordable Home Improvement team are the 2014-15 league champions. Team members include Heidi Schick, Dawn Roemer, Kim Doty and Mardette Wilcox.
Individual league scores include Jane Benson 154, 194, Pat Peters 165, 179, Opal Hocker 166, Barbara Pingel 157, Judy Mohn 180, 163, Dawn Roemer 156, 162, Mardette Wilcox 201, 233, 566, Marty Bogdanowitz 156, Joann Bowers 156, 162, Kirsten Sherwood 159, 168, 172, Charlene Meola 163, 162, Sue Naughton 192, 172, 510, Kelly Gombita 165, 194, Lillian Zieres 188, 164, 176, 528, Debbie Loughrey 165, 169, 152.
Tues. Del. Valley Men's
League champions for the 2014-15 league season is the Lawn Dr team consisting of Roy Holmquist, Chris Berner, Bob Cady, Dean Shattuck and Dave Graham.
Individual league scores include Samii Markao 191, Bob Head 184, 183, Joey Gager 183, 214, Gregg Burton 213, 190, Erik Burton 212, Eric Kubenick 190, Mark Yewchuck 222, 184, Bruce Rutledge 201, Jonathan Heinle 186, 225, Gary Maas 196, Jamie Grier 181, Bill Meyer 184, 192, Chris Marston 186, 255, 210, 651, Kurt Buddenhagen 186, 180, Joe Meyer 189, 199, Troy Paruki 189, Mike Sorge 182, Eugene Fulton 185, Jim Kautz 194, 211, Chris Berner 244, 190, Bob Cady 187, 224, 220, 631, Dean Shattuck 223, 224, 224, 671, Ed Leroy 180, 210, Kris Rasmussen 183, 213, Kory Keesler 192, 206, Cima Bue 194, 233, Wally Warren 191, 200, Albert Tyles 200, 212, Jackie Brockner 196.
Kiamesha Lanes
Monday Men's
Rob Sez 226, 254, 658, Matt Fallon 639, Kyle Mathews 235, 243, 672, Eddie Lake 246, 225, 664, Rick Lake 258, 642, Jaryl Scott 232, 632, Vinny Collura 235, 257, 709, Donny Durland 252, 699, John Fischer 247, 227, 687, Jon Wilhelm 247, 225, 682, Tim Minton 226, 235, 672, Lloyd Bridges 249, 256, 268, 773, George Baggatta 634, Kenny Atkins 227, 263, 704, Michael Amore 601, John Hoffmann 259, 235, 709, John Lopez 233, 230, 642, Shane Conner 280, 702, Mike Weiner 235, 612, Jason Jones Sr. 227, Pedro Agapito III a 259, 267, 268, 794, Kevin Stackhouse 246, 634, Walt Edwards 235, 225, 666, Michael Scuderi 624, Michael Travis 249, 264, 700, Vincent DeGraw 236, 226, 644, Jim Piontek 256, 656, Gary North 651, Charlie Tuttle 236, 238, 643, Keith Smith 243, 659, Larry Berens 234, 633, Francisco Martinez 238, 603, Jody Farquhar 233, Al Caycho 236, 606.
Tues. Mixed Firefighters
Trasey Barres 221, 204, 207, 632, Mary Lee Williams 181, 182, 185, 548, Wendy Swan 180, 192, 534, Karen Martin 193, 182, 531, Carena Collura 516, Joan Lake 180, 183, 502, Heather Dobell 185, Regina Minena 203, John Hoffmann 279, 268, 245, 792, Jaryl Scott 235, 279, 227, 741, Laresko Niifa 256, 246, 670, Russ Keesler 234, 669, Pedro Agapito III a 240, 226, 651, George Baggatta 632, Edward Walsh 242, 614, George Kelley 606, Frank Amore 605.
Thursday Ladies
Joan Lake 191, 200, Liz Stubits 180, 190, Sherry Larid 190, 202, Lisa Cartwright 193, 182, Lynn Winters 189, Connie Beach 193, Maureen Hopper 248, Karen Martin 206, Valerie Fersch 204, Barbara Merton 194, Liz Burgio 184, Trasey Barres 201, 195, Debbie Polin 224, 213, 184, 621, Audrey Woolard 181, Cindy Short 195, T. Tuttle 182, Cara Nicholson 204, 183, Monica Lane 204.
PHOTOS TAKEN AT THE BRUNSWICK "MINI CAMP" AT PAT TARSIO LANES IN NEWBURGH APRIL 2.
Professional PBA tour players and Hudson Valley Bowling Supply Pro Shop Staff owners taking part in the April 2 Brunswick "Mini Camp" program at Pat Tarsio Lanes included, from the left, PBA player Sean Rash, Pro-Shop owner Karen Beam. Pro-Shop owner Pete Garrison, PBA player Jason Sterner, PBA player Ryan Ciminelli, PBA Tour Rep and former professional bowler Chuck Gardner, Pro-Shop owner Steve Beam, PBA player Tom Smallwood, PBA player and Hall of Fame member Parker Bohn III and Pro-Shop staff member Steve Marsh.
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PBA Professional and Hall of Fame member Parker Bohn III along with Brunswick PBA Tour Rep Chuck Gardner shows bowlers some of the exercise methods that should be performed before starting to bowl.
Brunswick PBA Tour Rep and Product Specialist Chuck Gardner examines a bowling ball for ball layout information.
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