Category Archives for General

The Green Bay Area USBC provides scholarships every year to recognize outstanding young bowlers in our association. The scholarships are named after the following individuals, all of whom have had a tremendous impact on youth bowling: Al Salmon, Rose & Maurice Lawyer, and Leo Delvoye.

This year the Youth Committee has awarded two $1,000 scholarships.

This year’s scholarship winners are:

Leo Delvoye Memorial Scholarship

Madison Carriveau

Madison is a sophomore at Pulaski High School where she currently holds a 3.79 GPA.  She has participated in the Youth Leagues at Village Lanes since she was just four years old

In addition to bowling she participates in Student Council, Leo Club, FFA and Team Teddy.  Her bowling honors include first place finishes in the GBA USBC Youth Invitational, Pepsi Regionals along with first team placement in the Green Bay Area High School Bowling Conference All Conference Team.

Her coach Jerry Polarek shared with the committee that Madison is, “a driven young lady who is always on time and participates in city and state every year.  She is always there to support her teammates, even when she is having a bad day.”

Al Salmon Memorial Scholarship

Savanah Athey

Savanah is a senior at Bay Port High School where she holds an impressive 3.586 gpa.  She has participated in the youth leagues at Village Lanes for 11 years.

Her bowling honors are plentiful, including being a member of the 2nd Team All Conference for the Green Bay Area High School Bowling Conference and many high game/series honors for the leagues she has participated in.

Her coach Jerry Polarek shared that she is a quiet and focused bowler, but is the first to congratulate or offer guidance and support to fellow bowlers, regardless of age.

The Green Bay Area USBC is proud to award these outstanding bowlers a scholarship to help them pursue their future education. These annual scholarships are in addition to the $5000+ that our association awards through our annual tournaments where youth bowlers of all age groups can compete. 

The Green Bay Area USBC has announced the 2022 Inductees into the Green Bay Area USBC Hall of Fame.  These candidates will be inducted during the annual Hall of Fame Banquet which is being held on Friday November 4, 2022 at the Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay.

This year’s class includes 2 inductees in the Superior Performance category and one candidate in the Meritorious Service category.  

Our first candidate, being inducted for her Meritorious Service is Sandy Klimek.  Sandy has been a member of the local association for over 50 years and been involved in volunteering her time and talent during many of those years.  She served as a director on the Board of Directors for 9 years, and was delegate to the state annual meeting 9 times.  She served on many committees including City Tournament, State Senior Tournament, Legislative, Budget & Finance, Publicity & Average Book and chaired the Ways & Means and Meyer Committees.  

Sandy is a familiar face volunteering at many tournaments over the years, including local, state, and national tournaments.  She was the hostess coordinator for the 2018 Wisconsin Women’s Championships held in Green Bay and coordinated the trinket corner for the 2018 Midwest Women’s Tournament.    

In addition to her board work, she has been the secretary of the Saturday Nite Odd Couples League at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley for 26 years.  She also participates in the National and State Tournaments each year.

The next candidate, being inducted for Superior Performance is Ryan Nuthals.   Ryan’s competitive resume includes a career average of 214.65 over 4,000+ games with a high average of 227 which he accomplished twice, once in the 2002-03 season at Western Lanes in the Georgia Pacific West league and again in the 2013-14 Rivera 973 at Riviera Lanes.  He has 1 800 to his credit along with 249 series of 700 or more, 7 300 games, 2 299 games, and 3 298 games.

Ryan was a part of two Green Bay Major Championship teams in 1997-98 and 1998-99.  On December 17, 2002 he was part of The Bar team in the Western Central league that set the all time high 5 man team game with a 1374.  He was an honorable mention on the Green Bay Press Gazette All City Team in 1999-2000.    

Our final inductee for the class of 2022 is Beth Polomis, who is also being inducted in the Superior Performance category.    Beth’s career highest average is 220 during the 2010-11 season in the Riv’s Rowdies league at Riviera Lanes.  Beth has rolled 76 series of 700+ and adds another 545 series between 600-699.  She also carries 3 300 games and 2 299 games on her resume. 

Beth’s tournament accomplishments are plentiful, winning the 1999 Women’s City Tournament Division 1 All Events Title, the 2000 Division 2 Women’s State Tournament Team title, the 2020 GBA USBC Queen’s Tournament, and the 2022 Ashwaubenon Top 32 Tournament.

Beth has been on the Green Bay Press Gazette All City 1st Team in 2010-11, 2nd Team in 1999-00, 2013-14 and has been an honorable mention an impressive 11 times.

The class of 2022 will inducted along with last season's tournament and association awards at the banquet. 

If you know of someone who you think would be a great candidate for the Hall of Fame, please submit and application form which can be found on our website at https://greenbaybowling.com/hall-of-fame/

The Green Bay Area USBC provides for 3 $1,000 scholarships every year to recognize those who had a tremendous impact on youth bowling in our area. The scholarships are named after the following individuals, all of whom have had a tremendous impact on youth bowling: Al Salmon, Rose & Maurice Lawyer, and Leo Delvoye.

This year’s scholarship winners were:

Leo Delvoye Memorial Scholarship

Ezekiel Wagner

Zeke is a senior at Pulaski High School and is part of the Wally’s Seymour Bowl Youth Program.   He's been a member for 7 years and has a first place city tournament title to his credit.  He also lettered in bowling as part of the high school program.  

In addition to bowling he participates in FFA, the Gaming Club, and is a member of the National Honor Society.  He volunteers at his parish picnic, the local library and has also helped clean up area roadways, all while holding a 3.792 GPA!

Rose & Maurice Memorial Scholarship

Emmanuel McPherson

Emmanuel is a senior at Green Bay Southwest High School where he holds a 3.4483 GPA.  He is a member of the Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley Youth Program.  He has multiple bowling achievements to his credit including multiple 300 games and a high series of 821.  He was recently featured as part of the Generation Next section of the Bowlers’ Journal Magazine.  He has a top 5 finish in the Wisconsin State Youth Masters along with a top 5 fill percentage ranking in the District 8 High School Program.

In addition to bowling, Emmanuel participates in the Peer Mediation Council, Baseball, Key Club, and the Video Game Club.

Al Salmon Memorial Scholarship

Bryson Straveler

Bryson is a senior at West DePere High School where he holds an impressive 4.3258 GPA.  He has been a member of the Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley Youth Program for 6 years.

His bowling honors include scholarship awards at the 2017, 2018, and 2020 City Tournament, along with qualifying for the State 600 Tournament in 2019, 2020, and 2021.  

Bryson has volunteered with the Salvation Army and is a member of the National Honor Society, French Club, and Sting Cancer Club. He also helps with his school’s food drive.

The Green Bay Area USBC is proud to award these outstanding bowlers with a scholarship to help them pursue their future education. These annual scholarships are in addition to the $5000+ that our association awards at our annual tournaments where youth bowlers of all age groups can compete. 

ARLINGTON, Texas - A new year is on the horizon, and that means exciting things for tournament bowlers and BowlTV subscribers.

The 2021 United States Bowling Congress event calendar again will include the traditional tournaments competitors of all ages and skill levels have grown to enjoy.

The tournament schedule and live BowlTV coverage will kick off with the USBC Team USA Trials during the first week of January.

The event originally was slated to take place in Las Vegas, but it now will be held in the Indianapolis area during the same time frame - Jan. 2-7. Complete details will be available next week.

The Team USA Trials will be followed by two high-profile events run in conjunction with the Professional Bowlers Association - the 2021 U.S. Open and USBC Masters.

The U.S. Open tentatively is scheduled for Feb. 21-28 at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the Masters is slated for March 29-April 4 at the Gold Coast Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

Both sets of dates are subject to change based on the schedule and programming for the PBA and its TV partner, FOX Sports, while locations and entry maximums also can change due to recommended best practices, social-distancing protocol and other COVID-19 restrictions.

"We're excited to get back to doing what we love, and that is putting on top-tier events for all of our USBC members, but we also know we must do so cautiously and responsibly, because the safety of the competitors is our top concern," USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. "The 2021 schedule has something for every segment of our bowlers, and we're really looking forward to sharing the year's most memorable moments with bowling fans around the globe through BowlTV."

Both the U.S. Open, a collaborative effort between USBC and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, and the Masters, again will be considered majors on the PBA Tour schedule. Qualifying and match play for both will be livestreamed on BowlTV, before the action shifts to Fox Sports.

Invitations for the U.S. Open will be going out this week, and registration now is open for the pre-tournament qualifier, an on-site event that will give those who did not earn direct-entry into the tournament a chance to make the elite field. More information can be found at BOWL.com/USOpen.

The 2021 U.S. Open will feature 108 of the world's best bowlers, most of whom earned their spots in the event based on their recent on-lane performances. The list includes leaders on the PBA Tour points list and top performers at USBC events and PBA majors.

The U.S. Open format features qualifying across multiple oil patterns and round-robin match play, before the top five competitors advance to the TV stepladder, based on their 56-game pinfall totals.

The Masters generally attracts hundreds of the sport's top competitors for 15 games of qualifying over three days, before the field is cut to the top 63, plus the defending champion, for a unique double-elimination match-play bracket that features three-game matches.

The 2020 U.S. Open was held in Lincoln, Nebraska, in February and won by Australia's Jason Belmonte for the 12th of his record 13 major titles. The 2020 Masters was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19. Left-hander Jakob Butturff won the event at Gold Coast in 2019.

Along with the U.S. Open and Masters, the format, location and entry maximums for all 2021 USBC tournaments are subject to change based on the recommended best practices and social-distancing protocols as the start date of each tournament approaches.

The dates, sites and start of registration for each USBC short-duration event in 2021:

• Jan. 2-7: USBC Team USA Trials - Western Bowl and Expo Bowl, Indianapolis (registration opened Sept. 8)
• Feb. 21-28 (tentative): U.S. Open - Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley, Green Bay, Wis. (registration opens Oct. 28) *Dates are subject to change w/PBA and FOX Sports scheduling/programming.
• March 9-13: USBC Senior Queens - Gold Coast Bowling Center, Las Vegas (registration opens Nov. 11)
• March 29-April 4 (tentative): USBC Masters - Gold Coast Bowling Center, Las Vegas (registration opens Nov. 11) *Dates are subject to change w/PBA and FOX Sports scheduling/programming.
• May 12-18: USBC Queens - Location TBD (registration opens Jan. 13)
• June 2-6: Super Senior Classic - Sam's Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas (registration opens Jan. 13)
• June 7-13: USBC Senior Masters - Sam's Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas (registration open Jan. 13)
• Aug. 24-31: U.S. Women's Open - Double Decker Lanes, Rohnert Park, Calif. (registration opens April 7)
• Aug. 3-6: 2020 USBC Senior Championships - Sunset Station, Henderson, Nev. (registration is complete)
• Aug. 8-14: 2021 USBC Senior Championships - Sunset Station, Henderson, Nev. (registration opens Feb. 10) *Bowlers must qualify through their state or province.

The Green Bay Area USBC is excited to announce this year's inductees into the Green Bay Area USBC Hall of Fame.  All four of this year's inductees will be inducted in the category of Superior Performance; Linda Zellner, Dan Bourassa, Matt Powless, and Dale Zimmerman.

The banquet will be held on Friday October 30th at Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay.  The cocktail hour will begin at 6pm with dinner being served at 7pm followed by the Hall of Fame Induction and Awards program.  

There will be some changes to the banquet this year to adapt to precautions put in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Instead of our normal family style chicken dinner, the meal will be a plated chicken cordon bleu.  Each table will be limited to 6 guests, and tables will be spaced 6 feet apart.  

Tickets are available for $20 and can be purchased at area bowling centers or by contacting Zach Boulanger.

Below are some highlights on this years inductees:

Linda Zellner

Dan Bourassa

Below stats are for the GBA USBC, Dan also bowls in the Fox Valley

Matt Powless

Dale Zimmerman

The Green Bay Area USBC is excited to announce this years inductees into the Green Bay Area USBC Hall of Fame.

In the category of Superior Performance, Jean Cleary, Bill Kinney, Mark Simonet, and Jim Whiting Jr. will be inducted along with Tammy Thyes for Meritorious Service.

This years banquet will be held on Friday November 1st at Riverside Ballroom.  The cocktail hour will begin at 6:00pm with dinner being served at 7:00pm followed by the Hall of Fame and Awards Program.

Below are some highlights of this year's inductees:

Mark Simonet (Superior Performance)

• 395 career series of 700+, with 17 series of 800+ including Western House record 879 (300-279-300) which was Assn. record when bowled (Western Golfers, 12/11/00), his career high
• 27 career 300 games, 9 career 299's, 1 career 298
• Won 2016-17 Wisconsin State Tournament scratch doubles championship with Randy Wilde
• Green Bay Press-Gazette All-City team 10 times, including 3 times first team
• High average 240 for 90 games, 2005-06 season, Riviera 973
• 36 times in Top 50 Average list categories

Bill Kinney (Superior Performance)

• 278 career series of 700+, with 5 series of 800+, 15 career 300 games, 4 career 299's, and 3 career 298's
• Won 2010-11 Green Bay Major Championship (Chaser's Bar)
• 1998-99 3rd highest average in Green Bay Majors at 221.84
• 11 times in Top 50 Average list categories
• High average twice of 229 (1997-98, 90 games, Village Hustlers and 2007-08, 51 games, Village Bucks & Does
• 2013-14 3 Man Classic League Championship (Chaser's Bar)
• 3 times Green Bay Press-Gazette All City team

Jim Whiting Jr. (Superior Performance)

• 288 career series of 700+, with 6 series of 800+, 19 career 300 games, 7 career 299's and 2 career 298's
• 3 times Green Bay Press-Gazette All City team
• 35 times in Top 50 Average list categories
• High average of 241 (2005-06, 42 games, Ashwaubenon Party Animals)

Jean Cleary (Superior Performance)

• 302 career series of 600+ with a high of 751 (3/2/04, Village Vamps)
• 300 game on 2/7/05 in the Village Swingers, and a 297 game 1985-86 season
• 50 times has averaged 180+, with 15 of those 190+, and high of 207 on 24 games in the Village Swingers 2004-05 season
• 4 times Green Bay Press-Gazette All City team

Tammy Thyes (Meritorious Service)

• 25 years served on Board of Directors and has served as Youth Association Manager
• Tournament Director for Women's City Tournament, Youth City Tournament, Youth Invitational
• Volunteered for Masters, Singles and Baker Doubles, Team Championships, 600 Club, Wisconsin Open Championship, Women's State, National tournaments held in Green Bay
• Coached 20+ years for youth bowling programs at Western and Ashwaubenon
• League secretary for Village Bucks & Does, Ashwaubenon Party Animals, and past President of Willow Creek Bellevue Strikers
• Bowled a 300 game on 1/17/1994

Tickets will be available at all Green Bay Bowling Centers in the Metro Area, by contacting Zach Boulanger at (920) 857-6690 or online using the link below.

ARLINGTON, Texas – The United States Bowling Congress will lower the maximum age for USBC Youth membership to 18 starting with the 2020-2021 season.

The decision to lower to the maximum age from 20 to 18, with agreement from the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America and the International Bowling Campus Youth Committee, will align bowling with other youth sports.

“Over the last decade, we have made changes to USBC Youth programs and tournaments to provide a model comparable with other youth sports,” IBC Youth Managing Director of Youth Development Gary Brown said. “We moved to age-based divisions, as opposed to average, for events, to provide peer-to-peer competition. Setting the maximum age for youth bowlers to 18 aligns us with the standard of other national youth sports organizations.”

A U18 division will become the top division for the Pepsi Youth and Bowling.com Youth Open Championships for the 2020-2021 season. During the next season, USBC will address how the age change will impact the 2021 Junior Gold Championships, which will have a separate U20 division. Please visit BOWL.com/YouthAgeChange for additional information.

Starting with the 2020-2021 season, USBC Youth membership policy will state youth membership is available to individuals who have not reached the age of 18 prior to Aug. 1 of the current bowling season. The decision to lower the maximum age will directly impact 3.3 percent of the total youth membership. The change also better aligns USBC Youth membership with new regulations from the U.S. Center for SafeSport requiring training for those over 18 who participate in a sport with minors. 

Any USBC Youth member who reaches the age of 18 during the bowling season is required to complete the U.S. Center for SafeSport online education program, which is free, to continue to compete in leagues that have participants under age 18. This requirement was announced with the release of the revised Registered Volunteer Program (RVP) handbook.

The new age limit marks the second time the USBC Youth maximum age has been lowered. In 2009, USBC lowered the maximum age for youth bowlers from 22 to 20.

Visit BOWL.com/Youth to learn more about the youth bowling programs and events.

The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame is providing fans of bowling – and history – a way to experience the sport from anywhere in the world through an online collection of the many great items in the museum’s vast inventory.

BowlingHeritage.com is the gateway to the Bowling Virtual Vault, which features many of the historic items on display at the museum in Arlington, plus additional collections the museum is not able to display year-round because of space constraints.

“The Bowling Virtual Vault provides access to great memorabilia, and visitors also will learn about the greatest players, teams, moments and so much more about bowling’s history,” said Mike Aulby, President and Chairman of the IBMHOF Board of Trustees. “It’s a fantastic way for those who might not be able to visit the museum to see our outstanding collections. It is a fun and engaging look at bowling for even the most casual fans of the sport.”

Visit BowlingHeritage.com to access the Bowling Virtual Vault.

RULE 18: BOWLING BALL – ALTERING SURFACE

A significant change in Rule 18 became effective Aug. 1, 2019. Bowlers no longer can use liquids or add anything,including but not limited to rosin or powder, to the surface of the bowling ball. We have created this document toexplain how the rule change affects you and your bowling ball(s) during USBC league and tournament play.

Rule 18 – Bowling Ball - Altering Surface

While bowling in USBC competition, a bowling ball cannot:

1.  Have the surface altered by the use of an abrasive.
2. Be cleaned with any liquid substance or cleaning agent.
3. Have any foreign material on it including, but not limited to, powder, rosin, marker or paint.

All bowling balls so altered or cleaned must be removed from the competition.

Note: Should a foreign substance appear on the outer surface of a bowling ball which cannot be removed with a dry towel, an approved cleaner may be used with consent from a league or tournament officer.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE RULE CHANGE

1. When does competition start? Competition starts once any bowler throws a ball for score in a league or tournament.

2. Can I clean my ball with an approved cleaner during practice? You can clean your ball with an approved cleaner during practice, unless otherwise specified by league or tournament rules.

3. Can I clean my ball with an approved cleaner between games during certified competition? No. You cannot clean your ball between games, because the competition has started.

4. Can I clean my ball with an approved cleaner between tournament squads? You can clean your ball with an approved cleaner between squads unless otherwise specified by tournament rules. “During competition” could be defined by tournaments to include or exclude practice and time between squads.

5. What type of towels are approved for use during USBC certified competition? Any dry towel or cloth that does not alter the surface of the bowling ball is allowed. This includes the use of dry shammys.

6. If I used a towel with a liquid cleaner on it to clean my ball prior to the start of the competition, can I use that same towel to clean the ball during the competition? That same towel can only be used during the competition once the towel is dry.

7. If I take a ball out of my bag that I have not bowled with, can I clean it with an approved cleaner? No, approved cleaners cannot be used once competition has begun. This rule applies to balls from a bowler’s bowling bag, locker or car, etc. We suggest you clean all your bowling balls prior to the start of competition.

8. What happens if a bowler uses a cleaner, abrasive, or puts a foreign substance on the ball? If the bowler was not aware of the rule, the ball is removed from competition. The bowler also should be given an explanation of the rule. Conversely, if the bowler knows a ball cannot be cleaned, patted with rosin or powder or use an abrasive, the ball must be removed from competition and the games are subject to forfeiture. If there is a question as to whether a bowler knew the rule or not, the league board of directors makes the determination.

9. Can I pat my ball with rosin or powder if I wipe the ball before it is delivered? No. Wiping the ball with a towel does not make the ball compliant to the rule. Patting a ball with a product is adding a foreign substance to the ball and cannot be done during competition. A product can only be applied to a bowler’s hand and not leave residue on the surface of the ball.

10. If my ball comes back with residue on it and I cannot clean it with my dry towel, rag or shammy, can I use an approved cleaner? Yes, provided you get permission from a league officer or tournament official. If you clean your ball without prior permission, you may be asked to remove the ball from competition, and/or the games may be subject to forfeiture.

11. When I have permission to clean my ball, may I clean the entire ball? Yes, you may clean the entire surface of a bowling ball or just the area needing to be cleaned.

12. I have a ball cleaner that has the USBC “Approved Anytime” logo on it. Can I still use the cleaner during competition? No, the cleaner can no longer be used during competition.

13. I still see there are products with the USBC “Approved Anytime” logo on it. Why is that?USBC communicated the rule change with bowling ball cleaner companies prior to the adoption of the rule changes to allow the companies to make the necessary adjustments to labeling and cycle through existing inventories. There will be USBC “Approved Anytime” products in the marketplace until inventories are depleted; however, these products cannot be used during competition.