The Cornerstone
The Foundation Newsletter
Volume 13, Issue 5 April 2010
"The crisis is upon us, friends. Our sport is in trouble. Many of you, that love the game as we do, will look at the crisis like a friend who is in trouble and needs our help. We must not shrink from the task before us, we should welcome it. It is 'our' generation that has been called to the challenge. If not now, when? If not us, who?"
The Foundation
“One World, One Game”
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Letter from the Editor
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
It seems rather obvious and maybe even a little cliché to say that you should treat others as you expect to be treated. I mean we’ve all heard of the “Golden Rule”. My parents preached it to me when I was younger and it’s one of the few lessons I still try to live by today. I try to practice respect because I want people to respect me; I try to practice manners because I want people to be kind, courteous and considerate to me; I try to practice patience because I want people to be patient with me.
Unfortunately, not everyone seems to live by this seemingly simple mantra. So, what do you do when you have that one person who is just rude, mean and basically unbearable? In my opinion, you have a few options.
1. Be a jerk in return. If this person is belligerent and basically being a jerk, you can always choose to be a jerk in return. Of course, most of the time this option would yield a shouting match of epic proportions that would cause a scene for everyone around. Additionally, it is likely that nothing good would come of the situation. Losing your temper with an inconsiderate person is never the way to earn business, friends or respect.
2. Kill them with kindness. Be as nice as you can possibly be and do your best to calm the situation. Smile warmly and keep your tone light and even. By controlling your temper and continuing on a path of niceness, you show the angry person that you aren’t going to let them get the best of you or the situation.
3. Be firm but polite. When you get that one angry person, especially on the phone, that just can’t be reasoned with and won’t stop yelling, be firm and tell them that you won’t tolerate the yelling and end the conversation (or walk away from the ensuing argument). Let that person know that they can come back to you when they can speak without yelling. This sends the message that you’re not going to be pushed around yet you’re willing to compromise when both parties can speak like, well, adults.
Manners really do go a long way to showing who you are. When people see you treat others badly, they generally lose respect for you and will opt not to be around you. When people see you treat others with courtesy and respect, they begin to respect you and will be more inclined to work with you rather than against you. Always follow that “Golden Rule” and treat others how you would like to be treated.
PBA Regional Players Championship
First Step on Road to 2010 World Series of Bowling
Expanding upon its preview of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) announced that it will integrate its 2010 World Series of Bowling into a five-stage PBA World Championship, creating a multi-faceted showcase of bowling to launch the PBA Tour’s 52nd season.
The road to the World Championship begins at the PBA Regional Players Championship (RPC) which returns to Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich., May 28-31. The RPC will be the first step in providing aspiring professional bowlers with unique opportunities to participate in the revamped PBA World Series of Bowling and PBA World Championship, plus earn a shot at the $250,000 first prize in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions.
Multi-Stage PBA World Championship
For Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exempt players, the season will tentatively begin Oct. 25-Nov. 7 in Las Vegas with a redesigned PBA World Series of Bowling and PBA World Championship which will be similar in concept to the Tour de France bicycling championship. The World Series will consist of daily “stages” in a bigger race because overall performance in five one-day “animal pattern” tournaments (Cheetah, Viper, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark lane conditions) will lead to the overall grand prize – the PBA World Championship.
The World Series of Bowling will consist of daily fields of 96 players and each event will pay a $10,000 first prize, with $1,000 for 32nd place (last-to-cash). Each “stage” also will produce its own television final which will be taped at the conclusion of the series.
While the format for the animal pattern stages has not been finalized, the fields will include players who have earned exemptions for the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour through 2009-10 points and titles won during the 2009-10 season or before (for major championships), the top seven finishers in the 2009 PBA Regional Players Invitational and 20 players who qualify in an optional “World Series Trials” portion of the Regional Players Championship.
Another 15 players will qualify in a second World Series Trials event which will be conducted in Las Vegas. There will be daily “Tour Qualifying Rounds” prior to each daily event for a minimum of five spots and a handful of players will receive Commissioner’s Exemptions to complete the fields of 96.
Overall performance is critical because total pin-fall for all five events will determine the standings for the 2010 PBA World Championship. The top 32 in overall pin-fall will cash, but the top eight will remain in contention for the $50,000 first prize, a major title and a multi-year PBA Tour exemption by advancing to a unique three-day PBA World Championship stepladder final that will air live on ESPN’s family of stations at a time to be announced.
For hundreds of bowlers chasing the same dream that PBA World Champion Tom Smallwood and PBA Tournament of Champions winner Kelly Kulick realized during the 2009-10 season, it all gets started in suburban Detroit at the same center where the inaugural PBA World Series of Bowling took place last August. The initial World Series drew more than 700 bowlers from 14 nations into an unprecedented showcase for the sport.
The winner of the 2010 Regional Players Championship – which is open exclusively to non-exempt PBA members - will win a projected $8,000. As one of the PBA’s two Regional major titles, the winner also will receive a paid entry into the richest PBA Tournament of Champions in history, a $1 million event with a record $250,000 first prize. The RPC entry fee is $295.
RPC competitors who elect to pay an additional $500 entry fee will bowl for 20 exemptions into the World Series of Bowling. There will be no PBA Tour Trials this season. Instead, the new PBA World Series Trials will be based on total pin-fall for the 16 qualifying games in the RPC. The top 20 World Series Trials players will be exempt for all PBA World Series events with no additional entry fees.
Additional details involving dates, tournament and television formats, and additional PBA Tour events for 2010-11 will be announced as soon they are finalized.
About the PBA
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) features the greatest bowlers in the world that compete in: National, Regional and Senior Tour events and awarded over $4.3 million in prize money during the 2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA National Tour. The organization has more than 4,000 members spanning 13 countries, and nearly one million viewers tune-in to watch the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour every Sunday on ESPN throughout the season. PBA sponsors include: Barbasol, Bayer, Brunswick, Etonic, Flomax, GEICO, Go RVing, H&R Block, Lumber Liquidators, One A Day Men’s 50+ Multivitamin, Pepsi-Cola and the USBC, among others.
For more information on the PBA, log on to www.pba.com.
Nebraska's Leuthold Heads Brunswick NTCA All-Americans Nebraska's
NCAA Release
Nebraska’s Cassie Leuthold was named the Division I “Player of the Year” at the annual NCAA Awards Banquet tonight with Central Missouri’s Amanda Falk and New Jersey City’s Nicole Drejerwski earning Division II and Division III Player of the Year honors respectively.
Leuthold was the top vote getter after balloting by the National Ten Pin Coaches Association, who also selected the official All-America teams and Rookies of the Year. The Cornhusker senior led the NCAA with a 209.3 average over 51 games this season. In the process, she had six Top 5 finishes in eight tournament outings and won four events.
Joining Leuthold on the All-America first-team are two Vanderbilt repeaters from 2009, senior Josie Earnest and sophomore Brittni Hamilton. Hamilton was second in the nation in scoring average at 202 in 53 games with five Top 5 finishes in seven tourneys while Josie Earnest earned a first-team berth for the third consecutive year after averaging 197.7 with four top 5’s.
Rounding out the first-team are laceName w:st="on">Maryland-EasternlaceName> laceType w:st="on">ShorelaceType> junior Maria Rodriguez, who had a 201 average with one tournament win and two Top 5 finishes and Central Missouri’s Falk, who also won a tournament. Falk’s big year also earned her Division II Player of the Year honors. The senior from Tucson, Ariz., was all-tournament in four of her seven tournaments while placing in the Top 10 five times.
Nicole Drejerwski, the Division III Player of the Year, was a first-team all-Northeast Conference selection and a two-time NEC Player of the Week selection. She earned selection to two all-tournament teams.
The second-team All-America unit contains three sophomores, a senior and one freshman. Erica Perez of Fairleigh Dickinson is the lone senior with second-year performers Paula Vilas of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Natalie Cortese of Valparaiso and Samantha Santoro of laceName w:st="on">ArkansaslaceName> laceType w:st="on">StatelaceType> and freshman Jessica Earnest of Vanderbilt.
The third-team has Angela Reynolds and Martha Perez of UMES, Angela Reynolds and Sara Litteral of FDU, Ashley Clinchoc of laceName w:st="on">MinnesotalaceName> laceType w:st="on">StatelaceType> and Natalie Jimenez of Central Missouri.
Vanderbilt newcomer Jessica Earnest was voted the Division I Rookie of the Year, an award won last year by teammate Brittni Hamilton. Jessica Earnest, younger sister of Josie, averaged 196 pins over 50 games.
Central Missouri’s Natalie Jimenez was the Division II Rookie of the Year and Jennifer Daunno of laceName w:st="on">New JerseylaceName> laceType w:st="on">CitylaceType> was the pick for Division III Rookie of the Year.
Jimenez is a freshman from Rowland Heights, Calif. Her season was highlighted with four Top 15 finishes including the MVP award at the Holiday Classic. She had a 192.9 average.
Kelly Daunno is the second consecutive member of her family to win the Division III Rookie of the Year—her sister Jennifer Daunno won in 2009. Kelly Daunno was a starter from the first tournament of the season. Daunno earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Terriers New Year Knock Down.
First Team
Cassie Leuthold Nebraska
Brittni Hamilton Vanderbilt
Maria Rodriguez Maryland Eastern Shore
Josie Earnest Vanderbilt
Amanda Falk Central Missouri
Second Team
Paula Vilas Maryland Eastern Shore
Erica Perez Fairleigh Dickinson
Jessica Earnest Vanderbilt
Natalie Cortese Valparaiso
Samantha Santoro Arkansas State
Third Team
Angela Reynolds Delaware State
Martha Perez Maryland Eastern Shore
Sara Litteral Fairleigh Dickinson
Ashley Clinchoc Minnesota State
Natalie Jimenez Central Missouri
Honorable Mention
Keisheena Waldon Morgan State
Alexandra Stein Saint Francis
Brittany Garcia Vanderbilt
Adriana Jamie Delaware State
Marissa Martinek Arkansas State
Joely Carrillo Fairleigh Dickinson
Danielle McEwan Fairleigh Dickinson
Nicole Drejerwski New Jersey City
Kristina Frahm Maryland Eastern Shore
Savannah Zientara Sacred Heart
Player of the Year:
Division I Cassie Leuthold Nebraska
Division II Amanda Falk Central Missouri
Division III Nicole Drejewski New Jersey City
Rookie of the Year:
Division I Jessica Earnest Vanderbilt
Division II Natalie Jimenez Central Missouri
Division III Kelly Daunno New Jersey City
Coach of the Year:
Division I Sharon Brummell Maryland Eastern Shore
Division II Ron Holmes Central Missouri
Division III Frank Parisi New Jersey City
Long road to NCAA women's bowling title worth it for Fairleigh Dickinson
By: Mitsu Yasukawa/The Star-Ledger By Mike Moretti/For The Star-Ledger
Fairleigh Dickinson took the long road to its second NCAA women’s bowling championship, finally overcoming No. 1 Nebraska in the seventh and deciding game of the championship match on Saturday night at the Brunswick Zone Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick.
FDU won, 209-174, to clinch the NCAA title, which it last won in 2006.
Nebraska had earned the top seed after Thursday’s qualifying rounds, while FDU had to battle back from its No. 5 seeding with a strong showing Friday that sent it into Saturday’s championship match.
FDU (90-41), ranked No. 3 nationally coming in, was on the brink of elimination before winning the sixth game, 230-190, to tie the match.
For senior anchor Erica Perez, who led Carteret High to state championships at the same bowling alley, it was a memorable way to end her career. She fired two strikes in the pivotal sixth game, as did freshman Danielle McEwan from Stony Point, N.Y. Perez was named to the all-tournament team and McEwan, who averaged 204, was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Bowler.
“It’s a dream come true to do it here before my family and friends. It’s everything I could have ever hoped for and more,” said Perez, whose open in the 10th frame likely cost the team an early 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven.
“When we were down, 3-2, we just focused on our shots. After I missed in the second game, I wasn’t worried because I knew my teammates would pick me up. We just had to come back with strong strikes. I guess I wanted to make things interesting.”
In the decisive Game 7, it was Tracy Ganjoin of Brick who got two strikes, as did former Paramus Catholic star Joely Carrillo. FDU benefited from an open in the fifth frame by Nebraska’s anchor, Cassandra Leuthold, the NCAA Bowler of the Year. That gave FDU a 21-pin advantage (129-108) and it never trailed again.
FDU won the first game, 209-167, then lost Game 2, 222-202. Nebraska won Game 3, 213-203, before FDU tied it at 2-2 in Game 4, 229-192. In Game 5, Nebraska went ahead, 3-2, by a margin of 222-201.
“I’ve been to every NCAA final and this was the best one ever,” said FDU coach Mike LoPresti, who founded the program eight years ago. “It was so well played and the momentum swung back and forth. Breaks played into it, but that’s the name of the game. You have to remember there’s no more women’s pro tour. So unless you’re a Carolyn Dorin-Ballard or Kelly Kulick, who can compete against the men, it’s the end of the line for the seniors. They were up to the pressure.”
WRW, JR. WINS 7th PBA “Player of the Year” Honor
Walter Ray Williams Jr. won a record seventh Player of the Year honor at the conclusion of the season-ending Lumber Liquidators Marathon Open in Baltimore April 4, after going into the event tied in the points race with Bill O’Neill. Mike Scroggins was third, a long shot, but still in the mix until he lost in the title match to Pete Weber.
Williams thus became the first to win the PBA Player of the Year title seven times, breaking a tie with the late Earl Anthony. And at age 50, Williams also became the oldest to win the crown breaking the previous record of 45 held by Anthony. He also is thought to be the oldest player in any major sport to win his sport’s season-long points or “most valuable” title.
“I could never have imagined winning Player of the Year seven times and at my age I didn’t think it was even a possibility,” Williams said. “But after I won the first tournament of the season I thought if I could win one more, or a major, that I could be in contention at the end.”
During the 2009-10 season Williams won two titles – the season-opening Motor City Open and the United States Bowling Congress Masters for his eighth major – to improve his all-time career titles record to 47. He had five championship round appearances and his titles in 2009-10 extended his record run of consecutive seasons with at least one title to 17.
As it turned out Scroggins almost achieved the biggest upset of his career, advancing to the ESPN final as the top qualifier, which put him into a tie with Williams and O’Neill in Player of the Year points. Because Williams barely missed the TV final, winning the Marathon Open would have given Scroggins his first Player of the Year title. But Scroggins, who played a decisive role in last season’s Player of the Year race with his win in the U.S. Open, suffered the same fate himself this time when Weber denied him the honor handing the Player of the Year crown to Williams.
The tie between the three players was broken by virtue of Williams having earned his eighth Harry Smith Point Leader Award, also a record. In the overall competition points race for the season, Williams held a comfortable lead over O’Neill and Scroggins. “It was a season where a lot of guys had very good years but no one really dominated, which probably played in my favor,” Williams added. “I just had a little better year. I would have liked to have won it by making the finals (of the Marathon Open), but there were five other guys who had a better tournament than me.”
Williams, who began his full-time Tour career in 1983 and has competed in 723 Tour events, earned his Player of the Year crowns over a 24-year span. His previous Player of the Year honors came in the 1986, ’93, ’96, ’97, ’98 and 2002-03 seasons.
Even with all he has accomplished, Williams lists a Tournament of Champions victory and a 300 game on television as two goals he would still like to accomplish. Next season’s Tournament of Champions will feature a record $1 million prize fund and $250,000 first prize.
“As long as I’m still competitive and feel good I’ll keep going,” Williams said. “I’m really looking forward to next year’s Tournament of Champions - that will be so big. I plan to bowl Senior Tour events this season but it’s a pretty busy schedule the next few months with some possible schedule conflicts with Teams USA and other events, so I’m not quite sure how many I’ll be able to bowl,” Williams said. “I hope to be able to bowl at least three, but I’ll have to see how the schedule works out.”
BPAA REPORTS SIGNIFICANT GROWTH YEAR FOR INDUSTRY IN 2010
Industry Sees 4.6% Increase in Consumer Participation with Nearly 70 Million Having Bowled in 2009. Bowling Again Ranks as Nation’s Number One Participatory Sport, Following Four Consecutive Years of Growth for the Industry
The Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA), the bowling industry’s premier trade organization, reported today a strong year of growth for the industry in 2009. Fueled by increased interest from women and younger bowlers and the rising popularity of entertainment bowling centers, the industry recorded its fourth consecutive year of growth highlighted by a 4.6% increase in consumer participation with nearly 70 million having bowled in 2009 alone. The BPAA also reported that bowling has once again ranked as the nation’s top participatory sport and saw increased revenues, having more than a $10 billion impact on the U.S. economy.
“We saw a banner growth year for the industry in 2009 and, for the fourth year in a row, enjoyed a considerable increase in consumer involvement at bowling centers across the country. In particular, we continue to see rising participation among women and youth bowlers, a stark contrast to the misperception that bowling is dominated by older males,” said Steve Johnson, executive director of the BPAA. “Now more than 60% of all bowlers are under the age of 34 and half are women.”
Added Johnson, “Additionally, despite the economy, we are seeing more corporate partners invest their marketing dollars in cost-effective, high impact partnerships with the bowling industry.” Current corporate partners include Pepsi, Budweiser, World Wrestling Entertainment, JOLLY TIME Pop Corn, Tony’s® Pizza and many others.
The rise of larger laceName w:st="on">FamilylaceName> laceName w:st="on">EntertainmentlaceName> laceType w:st="on">CenterslaceType> (FECs) and modern upgrades to existing centers has attracted corporate America. These large FECs are equipped with a wide array of amenities that include lounge areas and enhanced entertainment, technology and food/beverage offerings. “Many more companies are recognizing the impact that bowling has on consumer marketing, as more than 150 advertisers have included bowling in their creative messages over the past five years,” said Johnson.
The industry was also bolstered by consumer and media attention surrounding the historic grand opening of the International Bowling Campus (IBC) in Arlington, Texas, which houses the laceName w:st="on">InternationallaceName> laceName w:st="on">BowlinglaceName> laceType w:st="on">MuseumlaceType> and Hall of Fame and the International Training and laceName w:st="on">ResearchlaceName> laceType w:st="on">CenterlaceType> – a USOC-recognized facility and home to TEAM USA. With the January grand opening of the IBC, the leading entities in bowling are now operating under a single roof, enabling increased cohesion and collaboration across the industry.
The BPAA also reported a 5.6% increase in the number of consumers who consider themselves frequent bowlers. Frequency growth was also significant in the youth and young adult segments, helping contribute to increased revenues at local centers.
The past year also saw heightened participation for bowling on the collegiate and high school levels. High school bowling has seen double-digit growth in five of the last eight seasons and the number of varsity bowlers has more than doubled this decade. This season, 48 states now recognize bowling on the high school varsity or club level – a significant increase from 20 states, eight years ago.
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Membership Report
We have members in all 50 states,
and the District of Columbia
We have members in 49 countries, including the United States:
Argentina Australia Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada China Columbia Costa Rica Denmark Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Great Britain Greece Guam Guatemala Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Latvia Malaysia Mexico The Netherlands N. Ireland Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand Panama Philippines Puerto Rico Peru Qatar Scotland Singapore Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey U.A.E. Ukraine Venezuela
Corporate Sponsors
The problems that exist in our Sport are “industry-wide” problems that must be addressed by the entire Industry. The Foundation does all that they can to help, but we can NOT do it alone.
The Foundation has well over 1000-Members who have joined-in to assist. Some Members (Founding and Charter) have paid to show their support. Some Members (Associates) have just lent their “voice”. ALL of the members are important.
Even though The Foundation has NOT actively solicited bowling-related companies for help, some realize the importance of our “Mission” and have come forward with donations. We recognize the following companies for their loyalty and support to bowling.
KEGEL
KAT Travel
I.B.P.S.I.A.
EBN Services
Storm Bowling
Classic Products
Bobs’ Business, Inc.
laceName w:st="on">VincenneslaceName> laceType w:st="on">UniversitylaceType>
BowlersParadise.com
Virtualtournaments.com
laceName w:st="on">WichitalaceName> laceType w:st="on">StatelaceType> laceType w:st="on">UniversitylaceType>
David Driscoll & Associates
International Bowling Industry Magazine
Stars and Strikes Bowling Newsmagazine
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The Foundation
“One World, One Game”