Bowling Highlights Column 1-15-10

International Bowling Campus New Facilities

Mike Scroggins

Bowling Industry Under One Roof

For the first time in the 5,000-year history of the sport, the bowling industry will be united under one roof with the grand opening of the International Bowling Campus (IBC) in Arlington, Texas, an unprecedented event in sports history. The IBC, located at 621 Six Flags Drive, is in close proximity to the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the Rangers Ballpark and the Six Flags Over Texas theme park. The 100,000-plus square foot IBC complex will house more than 200 employees. At 2:30 pm on January 25, the campus will open its doors with a historic ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by a star-studded gathering of national and local celebrities.
The campus will serve as home to the new and expanded International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. The state-of-the-art museum will feature interactive displays and exhibits along with rare, one-of-a-kind items from the various eras dating back to 3,200 B.C. The IBC will also house the International Training and Research Center (ITRC) and an expansive pro shop making it the premier pro shop of the bowling industry. Additionally, the IBC will act as the central operating facility for the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) and the United States Bowling Congress (USBC).
“The International Bowling Campus marks a first in sports and its impact on the bowling industry simply cannot be understated. Bringing together all of the leading entities in bowling under a single roof is a tremendous step forward in uniting and strengthening our industry,” said Steve Johnson, executive director of the BPAA. “With already more than 69.3 million bowlers in the U.S. alone, the opening of the IBC sets the stage for a new era of growth for bowling and signifies the incredible worldwide resurgence in popularity that bowling has seen in recent years.”
“The grand opening of the International Bowling Campus is a historic event that ushers in a thrilling new era for bowling. Through the creation of the IBC, which includes the first International Training and Research Center, we have a world-class facility that enables us to offer tremendous resources to help enhance the sport of bowling across all levels of play,” said Stu Upson, executive director of the USBC. “Additionally, working side-by-side with the BPAA will further enable us to enhance and strengthen the sport of bowling on a local level.”
In addition to the BPAA and USBC, the International Bowling Campus will include the:
· International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame – Formerly located in St. Louis, Missouri, the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame collects, preserves and displays the 5,000-year history that has lead to the sport of bowling’s worldwide success. In addition to outlining the history of bowling, the completely interactive 21st century International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame will focus on the contemporary era of the sport, specifically its youth programs and international competition. The museum will also house the Celebrity Hall of Fame exhibit, including inductees Lynn Swann, Jerome Bettis and Tom Candiotti. Custom bowling industry merchandise and branded memorabilia will be available at “Spare Partz,” a unique concept in museum stores.
· International Training and Research Center (ITRC) – A United States Olympic Committee-recognized training center, the ITRC will serve as a world-class training facility for professional and amateur bowlers, and will include 20 lanes for training, research, testing and television broadcasts (of the 20 lanes, six will be used exclusively to test and certify bowling equipment prior to worldwide distribution, replicating all lane conditions). The center’s research area will include cutting-edge tools such as a robotic ball thrower, a computerized ball tracking system and a state-of-the-art biomechanics package designed to analyze actual bowling movements and test equipment. The center will be the training home for Team USA, Junior Team USA, international teams, numerous college and high school teams and elite coaches.
The campus will also be home to the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA), the School for Bowling Center Management, the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America (BBIA), Bowling News Network (BNN), Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), Bowling Writers’ Association of America (BWAA) and The Bowling Foundation (charitable arm of the industry).
The new facility will bring events such as the BPAA Bowling Summit, International Bowl Expo in 2011 and numerous nationally televised bowling competitions.

The Bowling Tip
By Mike Luongo

Bowlers: This weeks tip will focus on Bowling Ball Maintenance for all types of bowling balls used in the modern era ......but we must point out that all balls should be cleaned and maintained after each use.
We will start with the plastic balls, used by new and recreational bowlers and also by experienced bowlers to make certain spares. These balls are not porous but due to the high viscosity oils used today, the oil will build up on the balls and eliminate any contact with the lane. You can use any car care product or household cleaner to clean this type of ball very easily.
Plain urethane balls with no additives are somewhat scarce in today's game, but like plastic balls they are porous and will not absorb oil and dirt. You can use the above products to clean the oil and dirt off the ball. However, if you would like to keep the ball dull, use an abrasive pad.
Then we have the urethane based ball with additives commonly known as reactive or particle balls. Many different chemicals are used as reactive additives and particles, but, since every company uses chemicals from different suppliers they must be maintained differently.
High performance balls are very porous and will absorb oil and dirt fast and this will diminish the performance of the ball as soon as thirty games if not maintained. You should towel the ball off after every shot during use and clean the ball as soon as possible at the end of each bowling session.
There are several ways to clean a high performance ball. If your ball is dull and you would like to keep it that way, you can use warm water, dish detergent and a gray or burgundy pad (3M makes them) or the back of a scrubber sponge. The gray pad will leave the ball surface with a 700 matt finish, burgundy at 500. If you ball does not have a dull surface and you would like to keep the surface the same, you can use dish detergent with a rag (no abrasive) or a generic ball cleaner with made for bowling balls and sold in pro shops. If you find that your ball works best when polished, many products are available in many different degrees of polish to give the desired finish on the ball. Several companies sell products to match the out-of-box finish if desired.
As far as long range maintenance, if you have your ball resurfaced and the oil extracted occasionally, your ball will perform for a much longer period of time than if neglected.
Remember, your ball will treat you as well as you treat it and it will continue to perform for many games if properly maintained.
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 a Sales Advisor and Special Events Coordinator 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

PBA News

Mike Scorggins flirted with a perfect game, but settled for an easy victory in winning his seventh career PBA Tour title last Sunday afternoon in the Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by the USBC at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan. He defeated Wayne Garber 278-229.
The tour's next stop is this Sunday and features (live) the Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl in Dublin, Calif. ESPN will televise the finals at 1 p.m. ET.
Complete details are available on our Web Page.

Local Scores

Kiamesha Lanes

Recent highlight scores in the Monday Men's league include a 228, 651 by Dan Ricco, Vinnie Collura 623, Donald Durland 258, 678, James VanAken 242, 623, Josh Strang 236, 658, Tom Belgiovene 234, John Hoffmann 238, 244, 688, William Bartley 225, David Graham 631, Pete Mitro 236, 601, Jo Jo VanKeuren 226, 265, 692, Al Caycho 603, Jon Wilhelm 268, 245, 716, Glenn Fraser 225, Mickey Lake 228, 643, Eddie Lake 226, 654, Rick Lake 246, 245, 713, Niifa Laresko 232, 226, 638, Jack Moylan 626, James Ratner 251, 668, Allan Jones 225, 267, 653, Paul Curry 234, Steven Rivera 279, 697, Timothy Totten 245, 611, Ronnie Totten 225, 660, Jason Jones Jr. 248, 659.
In the Tuesday Mixed Firefighters league Cara Nicholson 196, Carena Collura 202, 517, Pat Mulhern 212, 529, Ronda McClernon 182, Lisa Cartwright 214, Andrea Grossman 190, 182, 511, Russ Keesler 233, 640, Crystal Price 195, 538, Fran Kaiser 199, Allan Jones 238, 648, Tom Cooney 611, Debbie Durland 191, 181, 543, Mal Press 264, 638, Jon Wilhelm 266, 693, Ed Guthrie 226, 654, Mary Lee Williams 512, Joan Lake 191, 194, 554, Dorian Jennings 194, Jack Rustic 225, 615, Shane Cunningham 621, Kevin Stackhouse 237, 233, 672, Roberta Yakin 213, 541, Robert Yakin Sr. 226, John Hoffmann 648, Linda Schaefer 186, 511.
In the Wednesday Men's league Kevin Stackhouse 228, 268, 709, John Lopez 243, 225, 226, 694, Robert Yakin Jr. 225, 610, George Battle Jr. 237, 251, 673, Allan Jones 646, Dean Shattuck 236, 244, 696, Paul Durland 225, 235, 673, Dale Sonnenschein 616, Josh Strang 235, 239, 644, Tom Belgiovene 236, 279, 719, John Hoffmann 238, 257, 657, Rick Lara 242, 647, Tim McIntyre 623, Frank Emmens 246, 611, Michael Travis 265, 663, Troy Morris 636, Wayne Atkins 269, 601, Eddie Lake 246, 256, 696, Gregory Fallon 228, 644, Matt Fallon 246, 233, 695, Richard Bradford 236, 225, 652, Donald Durland 237, 227, 659.
In the Thursday Ladies league Anne Sawyer 205, 531, Joan Lake 189, 184, 530, Christine Schultz 190, Barbara Durbek 194, 218, 202, 614, Mardette Wilcox 200, 550, Debbie Durland 203, 221, 592, Mary Lee Williams 192, 501, Lisa Cartwright 189, 184, 530, Kathy King 184, Bonnie Geraine 181, Kristin Emmett 188, Liz Stubits 182, Cloisa Hopkins 192, Barb Merton 180, Connie McKenley 188.
In the Saturday Morning Youth leagues, in the Pee Wees division, Kaylen Blackford 60, Erin Brawley 69, Jenna Hendricks 67, Renee Schreiber 66, Amelia Edwards 50, Gabriella Goldsmith 68. In the Preps division, Stacey Reuss 73, Shaym Patel 105, 109, Parth Patel 137, Nathaniel Edwards 116, 141, Rupp Patel 131, Tayl'r Porter 78, 111, 91, Rachel Drillings 52, 49,
Shivam Patel 127, 131, Ben Drillings 97, Sierra Barbianti 106, 82, 70, Anthony Pagani 121, Makensie S. 91, 84, Michael Hope 104, 114. In the Jr./Mjrs Shivani Patel 159, Pedro Agapito 214, James Durland 225, 205, Shawn Comfort 116, Kishan Patel 150, Matt Brown 157, 137, Eddie Walsh 223, Shawn Sinistorie 207, Nick Price 197, Jason Moss 187, Amber Bock 118.

Fox Bowling Center

Recent highlight scores in the Wednesday Men's Independent league include a 233, 633 by Tom Anderson, Cody Conway 237, 614, Frank Couse Sr. 268, 258, 698, Frank Couse Jr. 232, 648, Jim Dibble 247, 257, 721, Brandon Drumm 225, Art Gatley 267, 624, Paul Ignatovich 269, 665, Rob Johnson 265, 649, Jerry Kulakosky 244, Donnie Marino 233, 650, Josh Milucky 225, Cory Newman 234, Charlie Reichenbaugh 234, 225, 682, Josh Rice 235, 609, Sam Rowe 613, Jonathon Wayne 263, 230, 243, 736, Zuke Wormuth 235, 615, Jay Wormuth 246, Tony Wright 234, 244, 670.
In the Thursday Men's Deposit National league Al Bullis Sr. 237, 613, Andy Bullis 234, 235, 248, 717, Craig Conklin 614, Jake Curtis 225, Jeff Curtis 622, Bill Gleim 246, 227, 263, 736, John Gurnick 226, Paul Ignatovich 613, Robert Johnson 244, 610, John Lanner 233, 652, Dan Wormuth 243, 632.
In the Sunday Afternoon Mixed Fun league Ray Cornwell 247, 266, 254, 767, Marty Haeussler 234, Don Marino 253, 242, 699, Dave Mills 266, 629, Savanna Mills (youth awards) 165, 148, 129, 442, Chris Wadeson (youth awards) 215, 196, 589.

Beechwood Lanes

Recent highlight scores in the Monday Ladies league include Tracey Puerschner 168, Wendy Finn 196, Diane Staves 170, 158, 183, 511, Barbara Cady 171, 160.
In the Tuesday Ladies league Maureen Schlott 189, 485, Pat Peters 177, 166, 503, Debbie Loughrey 174, Rebecca Rhodes 172.
In the Wednesday Men's league Roger Widmann 210, Hopper Hubert 209.

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 439-8177, vie e-mail at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com and by fax at 230-8674. For a more expanded version of the bowling column, please visit our Web Page at http://bght.blogspot.com

PBA Announces Renewed Bayer®
Aspirin and New One A Day® Association

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and Morristown, N.J.-based Bayer Consumer Care have agreed to a renewed and expanded association. One A Day® Men’s 50+ has become the official multivitamin of the 2010 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour in addition to the already established partnership with Bayer Aspirin as the official pain reliever of the Tour.

The agreement includes title sponsorship of the One A Day Dick Weber Open Jan. 26-31 in Fountain Valley, Calif., plus a package of commercial spots, signage, banner advertising on PBA.com, ESPN Classic re-airs and other promotional opportunities throughout 2010.

The agreement also includes sponsorship of the on-air fan player question feature during ESPN telecasts which will be called “More of What Matters to You” presented by One A Day.

“Not only are we excited to continue Bayer Aspirin’s relationship with the Professional Bowlers Association as the official pain reliever but also the opportunity to add One A Day Men’s 50+ as PBA’s official multivitamin,” said Bayer HealthCare Vice President of Marketing and New Business Barton Warner. “We want to take advantage of this opportunity to expand our relationship with the PBA given the value of how effective the organization has been in connecting with its fan base over the years.”

One A Day Men’s will sponsor three bowlers—reigning PBA Player of the Year Wes Malott, two-handed star Jason Belmonte and reigning U.S. Open champion and recent Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open winner Mike Scroggins. The competitors will wear the One A Day logo on their shirt backs and right sleeves and throw specially-made spare balls emblazoned with the One A Day logo.

“We are very excited to join with Bayer in expanding our partnership to include the One A Day brand,” said PBA Commissioner and CEO Fred Schreyer. “This is an example of how PBA strives to bring the best possible marketing value to its sponsors.”

2010 LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR SCHEDULE
(All ESPN telecast times are Eastern)


Jan. 12-17 PBA Earl Anthony Memorial and PBA Women’s Series Earl
Anthony Memorial, Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl, Dublin, Calif.,
(ESPN telecast Jan. 17, 1 p.m.)

Jan. 19-24 PBA Tournament of Champions, Red Rock Lanes, Red Rock
Casino, Las Vegas, Nev. (ESPN telecast Jan. 24, 1 p.m.)

Jan. 26-31 One A Day® Dick Weber Open, Fountain Bowl, Fountain Valley, Calif.,
(ESPN2 telecast Jan. 31, 1 p.m.)

Feb. 7 Chris Paul Celebrity Invitational
(ESPN telecast Feb. 7, 2 p.m.)

Feb. 9-14 USBC Masters, National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nev. (ESPN
telecast Feb. 14, 1 p.m.)

Feb. 16-21 Bayer® Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles, Brunswick Zone-Wheat Ridge,
Wheat Ridge, Colo. (ESPN telecast Feb. 21, 1 p.m.)

Feb. 22-28 67th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open, Woodland Bowl,
Indianapolis (ESPN telecast Feb. 28, 12:30 p.m.)

March 2-7 Etonic Don Johnson Eliminator, Sequoia Lanes, Columbus, Ohio
(ESPN telecast March 7, 2 p.m.)

March 16-21 Go RVing Match Play Championship, Norwich Bowling Center,
Norwich, Conn. (ESPN telecast March 21, 1 p.m.)

March 23-28 GEICO Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship, AMF Babylon Lanes,
West Babylon, N.Y. (ESPN telecast March 28, 2 p.m.)

March 29-April 4 Lumber Liquidators Marathon Open, AMF Country Club Lanes,
Baltimore, Md. (ESPN telecast April 4, 1 p.m.)

April 6-8 PBA Experience Showdown presented by BOWL.COM (Special
Event), USBC International Training Center, Arlington, Texas (ESPN
telecast April 11, 1 p.m.)

April 6-8 PBA Women’s Series Showdown presented by BOWL.COM
(Special Event), USBC International Training Center, Arlington, Texas
(ESPN telecast April 18, 1 p.m.)

ANNIKA ACADEMY BECOMES CERTIFIED
CALLAWAY PERFORMANCE CENTER


Since 2007, Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam has shared her passion for golf and fitness along with her own personal coaches with guests at the ANNIKA Academy. The 5,400 square foot state-of-the-art teaching facility is modeled after the process used to mold Annika into one of the most dominant forces in the history of golf. Now, the academy will increase its offerings by becoming one of few certified Callaway Performance Centers (CPC).

As a CPC, the ANNIKA Academy will feature the Callaway Performance Analysis System (CPAS) which is a dual camera based 3D launch monitor system that will measure the club head and golf ball speeds, launch angle, back-spin, side angle, club path and attack angles. CPAS is the same technology that Callaway Golf utilizes for research and development testing as well as club fitting for their PGA TOUR and LPGA professionals. Academy team members Charlotta Sorenstam and Mark Bereza are certified Callaway Golf trained Club Specialists who are trained to analyze and interpret CPAS numbers and select the appropriate Callaway golf equipment to match and ultimately maximize each golfer’s potential.

“I’m happy to continue my relationship with Callaway Golf beyond my playing days,” Annika said. “By becoming a Callaway Performance Center, we get to share the latest fitting technology that the best players in the world use with our guests. Being custom fitted by our team for Callaway’s latest equipment will certainly help golfers improve their game.”

The ANNIKA Academy staff includes Annika’s only ever swing coach Henri Reis, and longtime personal trainer Kai Fusser. Their simple techniques inspire players of all skill levels to reach their potential by transferring more energy and power from the gym to the golf course. The Academy has two spacious hitting booths that offer custom club fitting and video swing analysis. Complete with a modern fitness room, conference room, and full-service locker rooms, the Academy provides individualized golf instruction, personalized fitness and nutrition programs, and custom corporate packages. Guests can play with Annika or benefit from the proven methods of the coaches who guided her illustrious career. With the guest to instructor ratio guaranteed to be no more than four to one, guests are assured an incredible amount of individual attention.

NFL LEGENDS BLITZ BOWLING
PINS FOR CHARITY

For the fifth year in a row, more than 30 NFL legends will hit the lanes at the NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic, presented by NFL Charities and Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), the marketing arm of the bowling industry. Super Bowl legend, MVP of Super Bowl X and dual-sport's Hall of Famer (both football and bowling), Lynn Swann, will return for a third straight year to serve as event host. This year's event, which is open to the public, will be held at 7 pm on Thursday, February 4 at Spare-Z Lanes, located in Davie, FL, just minutes from Dolphin Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XLIV.

Here & There Column 1-12-10

Alternatives To Price Increases

Every time we turn around we see price increases to things we do and items we use on a daily basis.
If it isn't increases in the cost of newsstand prices for daily newspapers it's the increase in tolls on the New York State Thruway and we're willing to bet that the recent cable TV standoffs definitely will threaten our viewing costs.
As one state legislator said recently, we need to "get a grasp of reality."
With the economic challenges we now face we just can't have increases in taxes and spending and many folks also cannot afford probable increases in their cable or satellite television rates.
But those cable and satellite television rate increases are most likely to be seen in the near future now that Fox and Time Warner Cable settled their dispute which refocused attention on the law that allowed broadcasters the right to charge fees to cable and satellite operators for their programs.
An organization known as The Utility Reform Network, a consumer advocacy group, is calling for some sort of government oversight over the cable industry but many say government has their hands in too many of our pockets already.
It's really not right that consumers are put right on the firing line when it comes to cable operators and broadcasters which forces us consumers to bite the bullet with the price increases because its a habit most of us enjoy using on a daily basis.
While visiting with a local businessman recently we noticed a very large computer screen in his office on which he was watching a baseball game. He indicated that this could be the economical future for all television viewers.
I've noticed for some time now various e-mail advertising suggesting that that we can turn our computer PC into a super TV. These e-mail ads say that we can watch Satellite TV on our computer without paying high monthly fees and that its 100 % legal.
We viewed some of the many PC-TV offers that are available and can see that this might be the new standard for television.
One of the PC television advertisements we viewed offered over 3,500 channels with a low one time fee only, no subscriptions or monthly fees, no hardware to install and one of the most interesting aspects of this program is that "you can watch TV right from your laptop or desktop computer anytime or anywhere in the world or connect your computer directly to your TV set."
Sometimes we just have to look at alternatives in life. Finding way's to save money is second nature......it's interesting whats out there.

Bowling Highlights Column 1-8-10

USBC To Roll Our 3 New Oil Patterns

For the past several months, the United States Bowling Congress Equipment Specifications and Certifications team has been testing the new USBC Red, White and Blue patterns, newly created “house” oil patterns designed to present bowlers with conditions of varying difficulty as they progress from beginning bowlers to USBC Sport Bowling members.
To date, the results of all field tests have fallen in line with USBC’s intended and predicted ranges regarding scoring pace and equity to bowlers of all styles; nevertheless, USBC was looking for a higher level of affirmation regarding the Red, White and Blue patterns. That’s just what it got during the Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by the USBC, which was held Dec. 7-13 at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan.
During that event, USBC analyzed the scores of the 24 bowlers that advanced to match play because those players rolled 16 games on each of the three oil patterns, Red, White and Blue. This group, which featured both right-handed and left-handed bowlers of varying bowling styles, was tracked in order to determine whether the Red, White and Blue patterns displayed the same difficulty typical league bowlers experienced – Red being the least challenging, Blue being the most challenging – and whether or not that difficulty was distributed equitably.
“Interestingly, the PBA players scored higher on the White pattern than on the Red,” said Neil Stremmel, USBC Vice President – National Governing Body. “This was not a surprise because the extreme wall on the Red pattern that helps average bowlers can actually hurt elite players by causing their balls to over- and under-react. Still, in a typical league setting, our data shows Red will be the highest scoring of the three patterns.
“But what was truly encouraging about this event was the fairness the three patterns showed to all bowlers. Just look at the TV finalists. You have two lefties (Patrick Allen and Mike Scroggins) and four righties (Walter Ray Williams Jr., Mike Machuga, Michael Fagan and Wayne Garber) that represent every style – straight players, high-rev players and everything in between. That just goes to show that nobody is shut out on these patterns. Players of all styles can succeed, and that is exactly what we expected to see.”
The USBC Equipment Specifications and Certifications team also expected high scores, which it got as the five-day tournament featured several bowlers averaging in excess of 240 as well as a Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour-record 31 perfect games.
“The scores were very high, but people need to realize the Red, White and Blue patterns are house patterns, not USBC Sport Bowling or PBA patterns,” USBC Technical Director Steve Kloempken said. “Even the USBC Blue pattern, which is the hardest of the three, is a great deal less challenging than what the PBA pros bowl on week in and week out. Remember, these are the best bowlers in the world. They routinely average 220 or better on most of their patterns, so it really isn’t surprising to see them average 10-20 pins higher on the Red, White and Blue house patterns.”
If the results of current tests continue to fall in line, USBC will finalize the initial testing process and move forward by gathering data at select city and state tournaments this spring. Currently, USBC is still on track for a Fall 2010 roll out of these new patterns.

The Bowling Tip
By Mike Luongo

Bowlers: This week the tip if for all bowlers to truly assist you on how to b est use the dots and arrows on the approach as target aids.
When preparing to execute a bowling shot, whether it is a strike or spare, you must be prepared to understand the path down the lane you intend your bowling ball to take. With this in mind, when stepping on the approach you should have a focal point, simply the point from which the ball will roll off your hand in the direction you intend it to go, picked out.
If you throw a hook ball, you will be rolling the ball toward the intended break point....the spot on the lane you expect your ball to change direction.
If you are rolling the ball straight, the pocket or the pin/pins will be your intended target.
The tip: Look at your intended target and bring your eyes back so the spot on the lane that you are most comfortable looking at....whether it be the dots or an arrow.
To play the modern game, the sooner the ball comes off your hand the better. If you are looking at an arrow and tend to throw or hit up on the ball instead of rolling it off your hand, bring your eyes more toward the dots.
If you are a bowler that tends to play more across the boards with a lot of traction, your focal point should be as far right (or left) as in between the lanes to get the ball to the correct break point.
If you play a straighter game with a small hook, your correct focal point may be toward the 3-pin.
Remember, there is no substitute for making a good shot. If you combine good shots with good thinking, your scores will increase.
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 a Sales Advisor and Special Events Coordinator 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 vie e-mail at mikespro@warwick.net

PBA

The Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by the United States Bowling Congress will be this Sunday's (January 10) PBA event.
This tournament was previously taped on December 13 at Northrock Lanes, Wichita, Kan. and will air on ESPN at 1 p.m. ET.

Local Scores

Kiamesha Lanes

Recent highlight scores in the Monday Men's league include a 279, 268, 768 by Jaryl Scott, Vinnie Collura 257, 234, 692, Donald Durland 265, 226, 704, James VanAken 236, 232, 685, John Hoffmann 225, 258, 705, John Fischer 226, Jo Jo VanKeuren 232, 268, 667, Jon Wilhelm 622, Frank Scuderi 243, 623, Roy Sweeney 226, 611, Eddie Lake 266, 670, Rick Lake 622, Lloyd Bridges 227, 615, James Frost 622, Frank Amore 603, Robert Sze 230, 608, Kort Wheeler 234, 238, 692, Steven Rivera 228, 661, Mal Press 258, 672, Cory VanKeuren 245, 258, 701.
In the Tuesday Mixed Firefighters league Carena Collura 201, 540, Carol MacAdam 183, Pat Mulhern 613, Vinnie Collura 256, 258, 707, Linda Robinson 182, Lisa Cartwright 524, Matt Cooper 254, Andrea Grossman 205, 214, 594, Russ Keesler 233, 614, Crystal Price 205, 245, 606, Fran Kaiser 180, 222, 568, Daniel VanAken 234, 640, Debbie Durland 236, 206, 620, Mal Press 628, Jon Wilhelm 234, 645, Donald Durland 229, 623, Ed Guthrie 256, 236, 675, Mary Lee Williams 189, 516, Joan Lake 199, 194, 222, 615, Shane Cunningham 266, 623, Kevin Stackhouse 235, John Hoffmann 278, 248, 258, 784, Eddie Lake 236, 665, Robert Nicholson 266, Donna DuBois 202, 195, 541.
In the Wednesday Men's league George VanAken Jr. 630, Kenny Atkins 231, 650, Kenneth Hopkins 244, 613, Craig Wilhelm 226, Kevin Stackhouse 653, John Lopez 225, Dave Porter Jr. 228, George Battle Jr. 259, Allan Jones 245, 235, 672, Paul Durland 227, Dale Sonnenschein 258, 661, Josh Strang 247, 633, John Hoffmann 268, 235, 248, 751, Jody Farquhar 235, Tim McIntyre 243, 247, 236, 726, Michael Travis 245, 630, Vincent Degraw 601, Troy Morris 247, Eddie Lake 268, 233, 225, 726, Gregory Fallon 226, 277, 684, Matt Fallon 233, 622, Jon Wilhelm 605.

Fox Bowling Center

Recent highlight scores in the Wednesday Men's Independent league included a 236 by Tom Anderson, Dave Benedict 226, Mike Bowker 243, 625, Cody Conway 246, 600, Jim Dibble 237, 606, Dylan Green 252, 615, Paul Ignatovich 253, 227, 683, Rob Johnson 259, 264, 745, Pat Kille 246, 244, 234, 724, Jerry Kulakosky 258, 662, Donnie Marino 266, 268, 278, 812, Josh Milucky 265, 687Mitch Persbacker 242, Charlie Reichenbaugh 236, Josh Rice 238, Sam Rowe 234, 653, Jonathon Wayne 228, 233, 648, Hank Whitmore 609, Zuke Wormuth 253, 672, Ken Wormuth 257, Jay Wormuth 237, 645, Tony Wright 269, 230, 670.
In the Sunday Afternoon Mixed Fun league Marty Haeussler 243, 246, 704, Don Marino 622, Rick Mills 226, Fred Shakelton 231.

Beechwood Lanes

Recent highlight scores in the Monday Ladies league include a 183 by Wendy Adams, Tracey Puerschner 179, Karen Borowski 167, Diane Staves 177, 160, Barbara Cady 174.
In the Tuesday Ladies league Debbie Loughrey 165, 440. Lillian Zieres 164, 448 Rebecca Rhodes 443.

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 439-8177, vie e-mail at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com and by fax at 230-8674. For a more expanded version of the bowling column, please visit our Web Page at http://bght.blogspot.com

BOWLING INDUSTRY MAKES SPORTS
HISTORY WITH GRAND OPENING OF
International Bowling Campus

For the first time in the 5,000-year history of the sport, the bowling industry will be united under one roof with the grand opening of the International Bowling Campus (IBC) in Arlington, Texas, an unprecedented event in sports history. The IBC, located at 621 Six Flags Drive, is in close proximity to the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the Rangers Ballpark and the Six Flags Over Texas theme park. The 100,000-plus square foot IBC complex will house more than 200 employees. At 2:30 pm on January 25, the campus will open its doors with a historic ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by a star-studded gathering of national and local celebrities.



The campus will serve as home to the new and expanded International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. The state-of-the-art museum will feature interactive displays and exhibits along with rare, one-of-a-kind items from the various eras dating back to 3,200 B.C. The IBC will also house the International Training and Research Center (ITRC) and an expansive pro shop making it the premier pro shop of the bowling industry. Additionally, the IBC will act as the central operating facility for the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) and the United States Bowling Congress (USBC).



“The International Bowling Campus marks a first in sports and its impact on the bowling industry simply cannot be understated. Bringing together all of the leading entities in bowling under a single roof is a tremendous step forward in uniting and strengthening our industry,” said Steve Johnson, executive director of the BPAA. “With already more than 69.3 million bowlers in the U.S. alone, the opening of the IBC sets the stage for a new era of growth for bowling and signifies the incredible worldwide resurgence in popularity that bowling has seen in recent years.”



“The grand opening of the International Bowling Campus is a historic event that ushers in a thrilling new era for bowling. Through the creation of the IBC, which includes the first International Training and Research Center, we have a world-class facility that enables us to offer tremendous resources to help enhance the sport of bowling across all levels of play,” said Stu Upson, executive director of the USBC. “Additionally, working side-by-side with the BPAA will further enable us to enhance and strengthen the sport of bowling on a local level.”



In addition to the BPAA and USBC, the International Bowling Campus will include the:



· International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame – Formerly located in St. Louis, Missouri, the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame collects, preserves and displays the 5,000-year history that has lead to the sport of bowling’s worldwide success. In addition to outlining the history of bowling, the completely interactive 21st century International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame will focus on the contemporary era of the sport, specifically its youth programs and international competition. The museum will also house the Celebrity Hall of Fame exhibit, including inductees Lynn Swann, Jerome Bettis and Tom Candiotti. Custom bowling industry merchandise and branded memorabilia will be available at “Spare Partz,” a unique concept in museum stores.



· International Training and Research Center (ITRC) – A United States Olympic Committee-recognized training center, the ITRC will serve as a world-class training facility for professional and amateur bowlers, and will include 20 lanes for training, research, testing and television broadcasts (of the 20 lanes, six will be used exclusively to test and certify bowling equipment prior to worldwide distribution, replicating all lane conditions). The center’s research area will include cutting-edge tools such as a robotic ball thrower, a computerized ball tracking system and a state-of-the-art biomechanics package designed to analyze actual bowling movements and test equipment. The center will be the training home for Team USA, Junior Team USA, international teams, numerous college and high school teams and elite coaches.



The campus will also be home to the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA), the School for Bowling Center Management, the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America (BBIA), Bowling News Network (BNN), Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), Bowling Writers’ Association of America (BWAA) and The Bowling Foundation (charitable arm of the industry).



“The new facility will bring events such as the BPAA Bowling Summit, International Bowl Expo in 2011 and numerous nationally televised bowling competitions, which will enhance Arlington’s reputation as a leading Southwestern tourism destination,” said Dr. Robert Cluck, mayor of Arlington.



The grand opening celebration will also include:

International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame and ITRC ribbon-cutting by state and local officials
Ceremonial “first roll” on the lanes at the ITRC
Unveiling of the “Walk of Fame” commemorative brick walkway at the main entrance to the IBC
Grand opening of the ITRC pro shop and “Spare Partz” museum store
Burying of a historic time capsule
Open house and touring of the new facilities


The grand opening events will be held in conjunction with the BPAA’s Bowling Summit, which will be attended by proprietors representing thousands of bowling centers from across the United States as well as the industry’s leading manufacturers and suppliers. For more details about the International Bowling Campus, please visit http://internationalbowlingcampus.com/.


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; Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm for the industry; the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame; The Bowling Foundation; the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association; the Bowling Writers’ Association of America; the Bowling News Network; the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America; and the International Training and Research Center.