E-dition No. 1,079 • Friday, October 4, 2019
Editor: Bob Johnson (bjibob@aol.com)
More Collegiate Coverage Coming on BowlTV
BowlTV will expand its collegiate live-streaming schedule for the 2019-20 season, covering 13 regular-season events in addition to post-season play and the Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships.
The schedule will include all 10 of USBC Collegiate’s Tier 1 competitions and a pair of NCAA events. The Collegiate Club Championships will be the newest addition to the post-season schedule.
Coverage also will include streaming from all four sectional locations for the Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships, the Southwest Athletic Conference Women’s Bowling Championship, and all qualifying portions of the Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships.
Here is the full schedule:
* Oct. 5-6 — Midwest Collegiate Championships, Wauwatosa, Wis.
* Oct. 19-20 — Mid States Championships, Wichita, Kan.
* Nov. 2-3 — Brunswick Southern Collegiate Classic, Marietta, Ga.
* Nov. 9-10 — Leatherneck Classic, Moline, Ill., and Davenport, Iowa
* Nov. 22-24 — Hawk Classic Invitational, Millsboro, Del.
* Nov. 30-Dec.1 — National Collegiate Team Match Games, Fairview Heights, Ill.
* Dec. 18-19 — Glenn Carlson Las Vegas Invitational, Las Vegas
* Dec. 20-21 — Collegiate Shoot-Out, Las Vegas
* Dec. 27-30 — Roto Grip Keystone Quaker Classic, Allentown, Pa.
* Dec. 27-30 — Lehigh Valley Collegiate Classic, Whitehall, Pa.
* Jan. 18-19 — Kegel/ISBPA Midwest Collegiate Classic, Addison, Ill.
* Jan. 31-Feb. 2 — Prairie View A&M Invitational, Arlington, Texas
* Feb. 15-16 — Columbia 300 Hoosier Classic, Indianapolis
* March 13-15 — ITC and ISC sectional qualifiers, Addison, Ill.; Dallas; Smyrna, Tenn.; and Stratford, N.J.
* March 20-22 — SWAC Women’s Bowling Championship, Arlington, Texas
* March 28-29 — Collegiate Club Championships, Anderson, Ind.
April 13-18 — Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships, Wyoming, Mich.“We’re excited to be able to expand our collegiate coverage on BowlTV this season,” said Roger Noordhoek, Managing Director of Marketing for the USBC and International Bowling Campus Youth Development. “The collegiate atmosphere is one of the most exciting in bowling, and we’re happy to showcase the future of our sport through this platform.”
Ebonite Confirms College Affiliations for 2019 Season
Ebonite Bowling International has confirmed its continued support of collegiate bowling for the 2019 season.
“Collegiate bowling is some of the most exciting on the planet,” said Rob Gotchall, Manager, Players and Performance for Ebonite. “The level of interest amongst young bowlers is outstanding.
“Many people wonder about the state of bowling,” added Gotchall. “I always point to the collegiate programs as a healthy sign of the state of the sport.
“Programs such as the Ebonite-sponsored University of Wisconsin Whitewater are great examples of what the future holds. They are the 2019 Club national champions who’ve become a top-10 program year after year. They have an Intercollegiate Team Championship squarely in their sight.”
Shawn Wochner, men’s head bowling coach at Wisconsin Whitewater, echoed this sentiment.
“We were very excited to win the 2019 Club National Championship,” Wochner said. “This is a tournament we feel we should have won before, but last year we walked in with the right mindset.”
In addition to Wisconsin Whitewater, Ebonite will also sponsor 11 other collegiate programs: Huntington University, Iowa Western, Kansas Wesleyan, Kentucky Wesleyan, Kutztown, Mercyhurst, Monmouth, Penn State Behrend, Thomas More, Valparaiso and Waldorf.
Stephen F. Austin State, the reigning NCAA champion, will be sponsored by Hammer for the 2019 campaign.
“When Stephen F. Austin showed interest in affiliating with Ebonite International, we immediately thought Hammer would be the perfect match,” said Gotchall.
“With the re-launch of the PWBA and how important collegiate bowling is, we were looking to be part of a company that understands this,” said Amber Lemke, the school’s head bowling coach. “We wanted the family feel and a company that would invest their time into our student-athletes and university. We felt EBI was the best fit for us and we are honored to be under the Hammer brand.”
In addition to Stephen F. Austin State, Hammer also sponsors Jackson State University, Lewis University, Lindenwood, Lindsey Wilson College, McKendree, Midland, Oklahoma Christian, Rio Grande, Saginaw Valley State and William Patterson.
“Programs such as the Savannah College of Art and Design, Vanderbilt and Webber epitomize the spirit of Columbia 300,” noted Gotchall. “Their work ethic and commitment to winning championships adds to the legacy of the brand and, in turn, Columbia 300 is able to leverage its resources to help the athletes and programs achieve their goals. It truly is a win-win for all parties.”
Katie Thornton, head coach of men’s and women’s bowling at SCAD-Savannah, the 2019 NAIA national champion, said she could immediately see the benefit of a partnership with the brand.
“We would not have been able to get to the level our program is at so quickly without the support received from Ebonite International and Columbia 300,” Thornton said. “From literally the first conversation we had, there was no hesitation to begin support of us and believing in what we were going to build in Savannah.”
Vanderbilt University, 2018 NCAA champion and 2019 runner-up, is a success story both on and off the lanes, and continues to grow alongside Columbia 300.
“When our program was just getting going, our budget was not sufficient and we had no track record of success to sell ourselves to the bowling community,” said John Williamson, the school’s head bowling coach. “We were tremendously grateful for Columbia 300 stepping up to give us much-needed assistance. Over the years, as we achieved more success, Columbia 300 has grown with us, making sure to provide the expertise and quick service we need.”
Del Warren, head coach at 2019 ITC national champions Webber, said the goal is always to win a national championship. But over the course of the next five years, program development also is an area of focus.
“I’m trying to put things in place so the coaches can grow,” Warren said. “Only if we grow can we translate that into the athletes and the overall program.
“Having a culture that pushes to get better every day is the only way we’re relevant in five years,” he added. “I know Columbia 300 and Ebonite International will continue to do the same, which is never settling for the status quo.”
In addition to SCAD-Savannah, Vanderbilt and Webber, Columbia 300 also sponsors Adelphi, Arkansas State, Columbia College, Maryville, Nebraska, Pikeville, Prairie View A&M, SCAD-Atlanta, University of the Cumberlands, UNLV and Youngstown State.
Track Bowling positions itself as being technologically driven, a brand for the thinker and innovator.
“Track’s tagline is evolutionary, revolutionary,” said Gotchall. “I firmly believe the next revolutionary minds in bowling will come from the collegiate ranks.
“The ability to attract not only top talent, but top minds, to our sport is critical to its continued evolution. Programs such as Louisiana Tech are a great example of this as they are attracting Junior Team USA talent and are continuing to grow and expand their campus bowling facilities.”
Matthew Nantais, head women’s bowling coach and campus bowling director at Louisiana Tech, said the continued improvement to campus facilities, along with being associated with the Track brand, has helped with recruiting.
“We have six lanes at our training facility on campus equipped with GS-X machines, as well as the latest Sync software,” Nantais said. “We are in the process of adding a locker room/pro shop to our facility that will be branded with Track graphics. Our new masking units will also show our commitment to the Track brand.”
In addition to Louisiana Tech, Track also will sponsor four other schools for the 2019 season: Bellarmine, Marian University, Purdue and Sam Houston State.
Kegel to Continue Partnership With USBC
Kegel and the USBC have extended their partnership agreement to have Kegel as the official lane maintenance provider for USBC championships events.
Since 2006, Kegel has provided lane maintenance equipment and supplies, along with technical and on-site support, for USBC events from the youth to professional level. Kegel also handles lane maintenance for the PWBA, which is supported by the BPAA and USBC.
“The United States Bowling Congress is thrilled to continue its long-standing collaborative partnership with Kegel,” said Nick Hoagland, who has led USBC’s lane pattern development program for the last three years and works closely with the Kegel team. “Kegel’s lane machines, lane care products, expertise, and on-site processes help to ensure fair and competitive championship environments for USBC and PWBA events. This announcement is not only great for our organization, tournaments, and members, but for the sport of bowling.”
The USBC Open and Women’s Championships, Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships plus the four sectional qualifiers, and the Junior Gold Championships Presented by the Brands of Ebonite International and Survivor are among the events Kegel supports with its latest lane machines and cleaners.
“Kegel and USBC share the belief that providing bowlers with a fair and reliable playing field is the most important factor at every championships event,” Kegel CEO Chris Chartrand said. “We appreciate USBC for entrusting Kegel with the responsibility as the official lane maintenance partner at the national events, and we look forward to continuing our work with Nick Hoagland.”
USBC determines lane conditions for every USBC tournament, while Kegel provides equipment maintenance and technical support.
Other events for which Kegel provides on-site lane maintenance include the USBC Team USA Trials, USBC Masters, USBC Queens, U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, USBC Senior Masters, USBC Senior Queens, Super Senior Classic, USBC Senior Championships, Bowlers Journal Championships, and the Bowling.com Youth Open.
Founded in 1981, Kegel is based in Lake Wales, Fla., where it has a 74,000-sq.-ft., state-of-the-art facility and 12-lane training center.
Business Briefs…
* “Problems are the price you pay for progress.” That’s a quote from legendary baseball executive Branch Rickey, and it’s something that Rich Cairns takes to heart in his work for BPAA. Over the course of his long career with the proprietors’ association, he has become the “go-to guy” in many areas. That’s why there’s no better person than Cairns to kick off BCM’s new department, “At Your Service.” This special focus on BPAA employees will appear every other month, and makes its debut in the October issue.
* In its “Best of St. Louis” issue, the Riverfront Times named Saratoga Lanes as the area’s “Best Bowling Alley.” Of the center, the Times wrote: “There’s something at once secretive and nostalgic about Saratoga Lanes. Much like a speakeasy, entry feels exclusive: The second-floor bowling alley can only be accessed by climbing 26 concrete stairs, and when you step inside, you feel as though you’ve been transported to a different era. There’s no pretense or retro theme here — after 100-plus years of business, Saratoga is an eight-lane time capsule. Located in Maplewood, Saratoga boasts being the oldest bowling alley west of the Mississippi River, and now, when you’re staring down your latest strike or spare, you’re part of that long story, too.”
* To Southern California’s “endangered centers” list, you may add Palos Verdes Bowl in Torrance. Plans call for the center to close, making way for a supermarket and a Chick-fil-A fast-food restaurant. Report: https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/palos-verdes-bowl-closing/.
* A year after one of the building’s walls collapsed, Steuben Bowling Academy in Bath, N.Y., has been torn down. Report and video from WETM: https://www.mytwintiers.com/home/video/local-bowling-alley-torn-down/.
Other News You Can Use…
* Sweden’s Jesper Svensson defeated Sean Rash, 211-181, to win the PBA International-WBT Thailand Open at Blu-O Paragon in Bangkok, for his first PBA Tour title since 2017. Svensson, a left-handed two-handed player, picked up his eighth career PBA Tour title, along with the $32,258 first prize. Full report: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/jesper-svensson-wins-wbt-thailand-for-8th-career-pba-tour-title/.
* Nine-year PBA50 Tour veteran Sammy Ventura of Syracuse, N.Y., has been named the 2019 PBA50 Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award recipient, as voted on by his fellow competitors on the PBA’s tour for players 50 and over. Details: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/sammy-ventura-voted-2019-pba50-dick-weber-sportsmanship-award-winner/.
* In this week’s edition of the Phantom Radio trivia contest, the guest is PBA Hall of Famer Barry Asher. See how the 10-time PBA champion does by going to:
https://kegel.squarespace.com/phantomblog/2019/10/2/barry-asher-phantom-radio.
* CONTACT: Please send business news, event information, etc. to Bob Johnson at bjibob@aol.com. For breaking business news, visit bcmmag.com or bowlersjournal.com, and “Like” Bowling Center Management and Bowlers Journal International on Facebook. BJI Cyber Reports are now archived at bcmmag.com. Please remember that the Cyber Report is a B-to-B publication and not intended for consumers.
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