Part 3 - On the Road: Women's Series

Each week as a PBA Women’s Series competitor, we get the same perks and discipline as any of the PBA exempt bowlers. We have roll-call before our qualifying and match-play blocks and can be fined for being late.

We also have to make sure our scorecards are added correctly and that we verify our opponent’s score card.

If either scorecard is wrong, both the person and the verifier will be fined. We have to dress appropriately (no T-shirts or tennis shoes) when we are inside the bowling center and not competing.

We also have access to the PBA truck in which we can get bowling balls drilled and have our bowling balls transported from stop-to-stop each week.

Being on Brunswick's staff, I also have access to amazing ball rep Rick Benoit, who has been a tremendous help to myself and to all of the Brunswick women staffers.

We also have the benefit of receiving complimentary lunch and dinner after blocks of qualifying and match play, which is often generously provided by the host bowling center.

Over the course of the past three weeks, the fan support that the PBA Women’s Series is getting is tremendous. We have been to three major bowling towns and the fans have been great!

The thing I hear most from spectators is: “Were glad to see the women bowling again! There needs to be more tournaments for you ladies to bowl in! I learn so much from watching the women bowl on TV!”

I think I can speak on behalf of all of the women and say that we are all hearing these positive comments!

Last week the PBA and PBA Women’s Series traveled to Stardust Bowl II in Merrillville, Ind., for the Lake County Indiana Classic.
We competed on the 39 foot Chameleon PBA lane pattern, and after 14 games of qualifying, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard led the women, averaging 223.93. To qualify for the Top 8 cut to match play it took +170 or a 212.14 average.

I squeaked into the top 8 cut after a roller coaster second block of qualifying.

Have you ever felt like you're in a really bad dream and can’t wake up? I was living this bad dream for a little while, shooting 490 for three straight games in the block. However, I finally remembered how to bowl again and shot 690 for my last three games of the set to finish in 6th place after qualifying.

In match play, I faced Kelly Kulick in the round of 8. After being ahead 3-1 in the match, Kelly fired back winning the next 4 games and advanced to the round of 4.

Overall, it was Joy Esterson who took home the championship in an exciting finish against Liz Johnson on live TV. After both ladies struck out in the 10th frame to tie with 226s, they then went into a sudden death one-ball roll-off. Joy bowled first and packed a strike, while Liz then knocked down only seven pins, leaving the 2-4-10 split.

The PBA Women’s Series has this week off for the Thanksgiving holiday. However, stay tuned for Part 4 of On the Road: Women’s Series, where we will return to action in our final stop Nov. 28-Dec. 2 for the PBA Women’s Series Great Lakes Classic held in Wyoming, Mich.

Part 2 - On the Road: Women's Series

By: Missy Bellinder

This week the PBA and PBA Women’s Series travelled to Thruway Lanes in Cheektowaga, NY for the Etonic Championship.

Every week of the PBA Women’s Series, we (the women) are bowling at the same venue as the PBA tour. We are also bowling the qualifying portion of the tournament at the same time as the men, crossing with them but competing in our own separate tournament.

This week the scores were high! Getting to the pocket was not too difficult, but getting all 10 pins to fall was another story for some. If you could figure out how to carry, you were going to shoot big numbers! Joy Esterson out-scored everyone with +661 for 14 games, averaging 247, while Todd Book led the men with +625, averaging 244.

I personally couldn’t quite figure out the carry, missing the top 8 cut to matchplay by 26 pins.

Matchplay had many high scores and in the end Shannon Pluhowsky and Tish Johnson advanced to the live ESPN TV show, with Pluhowsky finishing on top.

This week, my father Frank flew out to watch the PBA Women’s Series. While my dad was in town, we decided to take in some sights. So we drove into Canada and visited Niagara Falls.

Being from California, the whole week in Buffalo was pretty cold, with the highs in the low 40s. My roommate Tennelle and I even went and bought snow boots to combat the snow and slush that had stuck on the ground the day we had arrived.

Niagara Falls was even colder than nearby Buffalo! Getting too close to the mist was like walking into a rain storm. However the breathtaking power of the falls was well worth all of the Goosebumps!

After taking several postcard-like pictures of Niagara Falls, my dad and I decided to see the falls from a different viewpoint. We ate at Skylar Tower in the revolving restaurant that sits high above Niagara Falls. Dinner with a bird’s eye view of one of the Seven Wonders of the World was absolutely breathtaking.

After dinner, we saw the festival of lights, a spectacle of Christmas lights arranged in intricate designs, spread throughout the falls area. A whole section of the designs were Disney-themed, complete with Sleeping Beauty’s Castle from Disneyland. We ended the chilly night with an amazing firework show over the American Falls.

Rounding out the week with two trips to the movies and two visits to the local mall (both of which seem to be popular past times for many of the bowlers), we headed to the next stop. With 515 miles behind us, one outlet mall stop and three halls of fame later, we arrived at our next destination. Did you know that from Buffalo to Merrillville you pass three Halls of Fame – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The College Football Hall of Fame and my personal favorite The RV/Motor Home Hall of Fame?

Stay tuned for Part 3 of “On the Road: Women’s Series,” where next week we will be bowling at Stardust Bowl II in Merrillville, IN for the PBA Women’s Series Lake County Indiana Classic.

Part 1 - On the Road: Women's Series

By Missy Bellinder

ON THE ROAD WITH PBA TOUR: Last week, was the start of the inaugural PBA Women’s Series. For our first stop, we traveled to Taylor Lanes in Taylor, Mich.

Each week starts with an official practice session on Wednesday and then an all-day bowling affair of qualifying on Thursday. After two 7-game blocks of qualifying, I was leading the women with +407, averaging 229.

However, match play was a different story. In a single elimination best-of-seven format, the lanes had plenty of time to constantly transition. Matches were close and many were low scoring. In a tight first match I defeated Olivia Sandham 4 games to two. We even tied after one of the games. In a sudden death one-ball roll-off I got 6! Yes 6! Needless to say, I didn't win that game.

Then in the next match, I rallied to defeat Joy Esterson, 4-2, after losing the first two games, thus earning a spot on the live TV show.

Making the TV show the first week of the PBA Women’s Series was amazing! And what did I do on Saturday to prepare myself for the big TV Show the next day? I had a nice relaxing spa day at Daybreak Spa.

I got pampered with an amazing hour-and-a-half spa pedicure, which included an upscale leather massage chair, aroma-therapy neck pillow, relaxing music and a glass of wine while my feet were being massaged and my toes painted. Following the spa pedicure I had a 30 minute massage, which was so good I almost fell asleep.

The live ESPN TV show was a lot of fun! It was my first LIVE TV show. Like any bowler competing on TV, I was nervous, but it was a good nervous, an excited nervous. And if any bowler tells you that they are not nervous when they are bowling on TV, then they are lying, or they are Walter Ray Williams Jr.

The 25 second shot clock was a little nerve racking as well. You think 25 seconds is a lot of time, but that nice little clock counting down in your peripheral vision goes by really fast!

Although I lost to Carolyn Dorin-Ballard in the championship round 233-192, I still had fun and gained more experience bowling on TV!

Overall the Motor City Classic held at Taylor Lanes was a great event. Proprietor Erin Dobbins did a spectacular job hosting the tournament. The staff was great all week! And from all of the bowlers, a big thank you to the paddock volunteer, Bill for all of his help all week!

After week one, my roommate Tennelle Milligan and I drove our rental car to Buffalo, NY. We had flown into Chicago the week before to bowl the Masters and attend Bowlfest in Milwaukee, Wis. Expecting a very uneventful trip to Buffalo, we were soon pleasantly surprised.

Imagine two Southern Californians driving in lake effect snow. Seeing road signs stating “Lake Effect Snow Watch!” and not knowing what lake effect snow is, we soon found out. It meant LOTS of snow, not the little flurries we had heard we might encounter. So we slowed down and enjoyed the white winter wonderland.

Being a little spoiled last week by staying with friends and getting home cooked food, this week we are back to a hotel and restaurant food.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of On the Road: Women’s Series. This week the women will be competing at Thruway Lanes in Cheektowaga, NY for the PBA Women’s Series Etonic Championship.
The PBA telecast is scheduled Sunday on ESPN starting at 1 p.m. EST.

Missy Finishes 2nd in First EVER PBA Women's Series Event

Yesterday I finished 2nd in the inaugural PBA Women's Series tournament in Taylor, MI. I lost to Carolyn Dorin-Ballard 192-233 in the LIVE championship round on ESPN.

Even though I didn't win, I still had fun on TV and am happy with my start for the PBA Women's Series. I look forward to next week, where we will be travelling to Cheektowaga, NY for the Etonic Championship, the 2nd stop in the PBA Women's Series.

Missy at BowlFest 2007

Last week, I attended BowlFest at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI. There was a great crowd of people with lots of great matches. Bowling companies had booths set up and LOTS of autographs were given at the autograph tables.

Some of the highlighted matches included Team USA 2007, high school bowling, the 2007 Teen Masters champions and Marshall Holman bowling against Mark Roth.

Also at BowlFest, USBC announced Team USA 2008, in which I was one of the woman selected for next year's "Dream Team."

It was great to see so many people enthusiastic about the sport we all love!

Missy Bellinder on ESPN Live this Sunday, Nov. 4th at 1pm EST

Missy Bellinder defeated Olivia Sandham in the round of 16 and then went on to defeat Joy Esterson in the round of 4 to make the live ESPN finals.

Missy will bowl the live PBA Women's Series championship round against Carolyn Dorin-Ballard on Sunday, Nov. 4th at 1pm EST.

Missy used her NEW Brunswick Twisted Fury, Brunswick Blast Zone, and Brunswick Sidewinder in the matches today.

For more information, please visit http://www.pba.com/

Missy Bellinder Leads Qualifying for First PBA Women's Series Tournament

Today, the PBA Women's Series kicked off its inagural event with the Motor City Classic in Taylor, MI.

We (the 16 PBA Women's Series competitors) are crossing with the men PBA members in qualifying, but competing in our own seperate tournament.

Today we bowled two 7-game blocks of qualifying. For the 14-game total, I shot 3207 (+407), averaging 229 and lead the qualifying portion of the PBA Women's Series tournament. I used my Brunswick Blast Zone, Brunswick Sidewinder, Brunswick Fury Pearl, and of course my pretty pink spare ball.

Tomorrow starts matchplay in a best of 7, single elimination format.

For more information visit: http://www.pba.com/news/feature.asp?ID=554

http://www.pba.com/news/feature.asp?ID=556