This past week, I competed at the Team USA Trials at The Orleans Bowling Center in Las Vegas, Nev. Trials consisted of 5 six-game blocks, bowling on a different pattern each day. Based on your finish position for the day, bowlers earned points matching that same position. So 1st place for the day, earned 1 point, 2nd place earned 2 points etc. After 30 games, the top 3 lowest points automatically earned berths onto Team USA 2014. An additional 2 bowlers were then selected from Team USA Trials with five additional bowlers being selected from resumes. Two men and Two women, Carolyn Dorin Ballard and Kayla Johnson already made the 2014 Team USA team from the Summer Team Trials held in Arlington last summer.
Day 1, we bowled on the 38' Atlanta pattern, which coincidentally was my worse pattern at last year's team trials and was also the pattern I had just bowled on for the World Bowling Tour Women's finals TV show. I started off very well with a nice 278 game using my Columbia 300 Oath, but then couldn't seem to carry and shot a few 190 games to finish out the block. I ended the day at +44 and finished in 8th.
On day 2, we bowled on the 43' Tokyo pattern. I grinded away most of the day, just trying to stay clean. I bowled pretty steady, but unfortunately started to strain a groin muscle during game 2 of the block. By the end of the block, I thought I might have to withdraw from the tournament as I have suffered from the same injury in the past and it was getting worse in a hurry.
With ice and a lucky bigger break between squads, I was able to bowl Day 3 on the 34' Stockholm pattern, shooting +107 on the day using my Columbia 300 Oath and Eruption Pro. I ended up the day in 22nd and was 7th overall.
Then on Day 4 we bowled on the 45' Mexico City pattern. This pattern proved to be very tough and I struggled on it in the beginning being down -80 after 4 games. Luckily I then switched to my Columbia 300 Crazy Antics and ended the block at -43 and actually moved up to 6th place overall in the tournament.
Day 5 was an emotional roller coaster. We bowled on the 40' Athens pattern. My leg felt tight that morning and was tighter when warming up in practice. Then I felt it quickly getting tighter and tighter during game 1 and game 2 and had to make the call to withdraw from the tournament. I was extremely upset as the only other time I've ever withdrawn from an event was when I had pulled my groin muscle 5 years previously.
At the end of Day 5, on the women's side it was Shannon Pluhowsky, Brittni Hamilton and Sarah Lokker that qualified through Team USA Trials. After the top 3 roll-offs to determine the winner of Team USA Trials, the selection committee then made the announcements for the rest of the team.
Nervously awaiting the names being called, I was honored to be selected based on my resume, as was Kelly Kulick, Liz Johnson, Shannon O'Keefe and Stefanie Johnson. Danielle McEwan and Holly Harris were selected based on Team USA Trials performance.
BIG congratulations to fellow Team C300 teammate Chis Barnes and Brittni Hamilton for winning Team USA Trials thus earning a berth to represent the USA at the 50th QubicaAMF World Cup.
Also, congratulations to everyone that made the junior Team USA and adult Team USA. I am honored to be a part of the program for a 5th time and be able to represent the USA! Go USA!!!
For the full story of Team USA Trials, click here.
