Missy Qualifies for PBA Women's Challenge TV Show

To start off the 2014 World Series of Bowling, the PBA conducted three separate PBA Challenge events -  PBA Regional, PBA Women and PBA50. Each event consisted of the top 8 qualifiers from each of the 8 regions. For the PBA Women's Challenge, finalists were determined by the highest total points in three PBA Regional events in each of the 8 regions. 

In the PBA Women's Challenge, the finalists were:

-Missy Parkin, West Region

-Clara Guerrero, Southwest Region

-Lindsay Boomershine, Northwest Region

-Kristina Wendell, East Region

-Christina Hardee, South Region

-Liz Johnson, Central Region

-Amanda Greene, Midwest Region

-Yuka Tsuchiya, Japan

 

We then bowled 8 games of round robin match play with 30 bonus pins awarded for a win and 15 bonus pins awarded for a tie. I shot games of 194, 247, 246, 208, 199 and 199, winning 5 out of 6 matches to start the tournament and was top seed using my Columbia 300 Disorder and Enigma. 

I then hit a horrific pair and struggled shooting 154 in game 7. Although I still held on to the top seed going into the final position round game, this made the race for the TV show even closer. I bowled No. 2 seed Amanda Greene and No. 3 seed Clara Guerrero bowled Kristina Wendell in the position round game. Clara was less than 20 pins behind both Amanda and I. So if Clara won her match, then either myself or Amanda would be knocked out of the TV show. 

The match was really close between Amanda and I. Adding to the pressure was the fact that Clara was also stringing a lot of strikes together and winning her match. So whoever won the match between Amanda and I would make the TV show and the other would finish 3rd (a $3,000 difference.) 

It all came down to the 10th frame. Amanda had finished the game with a 213. I had a strike in the 9th frame and needed a mark in the 10th frame to advance to the TV show. That lane was breaking down and I made a move to adjust, but not a big enough move and left the 3,6,10 spare. This was definitely NOT the spare I wanted to have to convert to make a TV show since there are a million and one ways to chop it. Fortunately, I went up and converted the spare and then struck to beat Amanda 217-213 and made the Top 2 TV show. 

The TV show will be taped at the Southpoint Bowling Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 2nd starting at 10:30am. The TV show will air on Sunday, January 18th at 3pm EST (noon PST) on ESPN.

Missy Receives Several Awards

Following Missy Parkin's recent record-breaking performance at the PABCON Women's Championships in Cali, Colombia, Missy has received several awards and nominations.

Missy Parkin was named Bowler of the Month for September by the International Bowling Media Association (IBMA). Each month, the Bowling Writers select one bowler (men and women combined) to receive this honor. Although Missy has been nominated in the past, this is Missy's first time being selected and receiving this prestigious honor. Read the full press release here.

Missy was nominated for the United States Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Month for September. Although Missy did not win the award, it was an honor for her to be nominated against the following athletes:

-Brandy Drozd, Shooting (1st Place)
-Adeline Gray, Wrestling (2nd Place)
-Serena Williams, Tennis (3rd Place)
-Julia Clukey, Luge
-Polina Edmunds, Figure Skating
-Sarah Hudek, Baseball
-Regina Jaquess, Water Skiing
-Beezie Madden, Equestrian
-Sage Palmedo, Fencing
-Brooke Schultz, Diving
-Evelyn Stevens, Cycling
-Crystal Wang, Table Tennis

The U.S. Women's Bowling Team was also nominated for USOC Team of the Month for September.

Missy also received the honor of being named to the Bowlers Journal International Top 100 Coaches for the 6th time. She also received this honor starting in 2007, followed by 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013 and now in 2014. For more information on Missy's lessons, click here. 

Summer/Fall PBA Regional Wrap Up - Missy Wins Women's PBA West Region!

This summer through the fall, I've been competing in several PBA Regional tournaments against the men PBA professionals in the West Region. Three of those PBA Regionals were deemed special PBA Women's Regionals, in which the PBA debuted this summer. The PBA announced that three PBA Regional events in each of the 8 regions would be considered a special Women's Regional.

Women would still compete against the Men, as per usual. However, for Women PBA Members that competed in these events, a cumulative 3-tournament point list would be kept based upon their final standings in each Regional. At the end of the three Regional events, the top woman with the most points in each region would be awarded a paid entry into the World Series of Bowling (WSOB) (a $900 value) plus bowl in an extra event at the WSOB with the top two women earning a spot in the televised finals.

Here's a recap of how the tournaments turned out.

Billy Myers Sr. West Open at Bowlium Lanes in Montclair, CA - Scorpion Pattern 
I shot +297 using my Columbia 300 Crazy Antics and Ebonite Pivot and qualified in 4th place. We bowled 16 games of round robin match play on Sunday. I went 10-6 in match play using my Columbia 300 Enigma and Crazy Antics and ended the tournament in 4th place.
4th Place
Winner - Mike DeVaney

PBA Steve Cook's Fireside Lanes West Open in Sacramento, CA - Dick Weber Pattern 
(1st of the PBA Women's Regionals)
I did not bowl well at this event, shooting -6 overall. However, it definitely could have been worse considering I started the tournament shooting back-to-back 167 games for -66 after 2. I came in 27th place in this event.
27th Place
Winner - PJ Haggerty

PBA Ken Fowler Auto Centers West Open in Ukiah, CA - Regional Tour Viper 
I literally drove up to this PBA Regional tournament after flying in late the night before from Colombia for the Women's PABCON Championships. However, the jet lag didn't seem to bother me, as I started off the tournament shooting 300 using my Columbia 300 Disorder. I was later informed that I was the first woman to ever shoot 300 at Yokayo Bowling Center, which opened in the 1950s. I ended qualifying with +422 using my Columbia 300 Disorder and Blur Hybrid and was leading the tournament going into match play.

This particular event then turned into a PBA/PBA Senior Doubles for the finals, where top seed in qualifying was paired with the top qualifying senior bowler and so on and so on. Total pinfall carried over into the 8 games of round robin match play and I was paired with PBA Senior qualifying leader Dale Eagle. Each match was awarded 10 points for the individual win and 30 points for the team game win, for a total of 50 bonus pins up for grabs every game. Going into the final position round game, it was very close between my team and Josh Blanchard and his partner Ed Silva. We needed to sweep the 50 bonus pins and win the team game by 18 pins in order to win the title. Unfortunately some bad breaks in the final frames cost us the match and we came in 2nd place.
2nd Place
Winner - Josh Blanchard and Ed Silva

                                       

PBA Fog City West Open in Daly City, CA - Bear Pattern 

(2nd of the PBA Women's Regionals)

Being the second of the PBA Women's Regionals, I needed a strong finish at this tournament, especially because I didn't fair too well in the first PBA Women's Regional. I bowled very steady all day on the grueling Bear pattern, shooting games of 221, 174, 208, 190, 204, 208, 197 and 210 for +12 overall. I used my Columbia 300 N'Sane Antics most of the day to qualify in 6th position going into the 10-game round robin match play finals.

Unfortunately, match play didn't go too well for me, as I only won 3 out of 10 matches and finished the day in 10th place. However, the finish did get me closer in the standings for the overall Women's Regional points.
10th Place
Winner - Michael Haugen Jr.

   

On the Way to Black Oak Casino
Are you sure there's a Bowling Center out here???

   Black Oak Casino

               
                         
PBA Battle at Black Oak Casino in Tuolumne, CA - Regional Tour Viper 
(3rd of the PBA Women's Regionals)

In the final PBA Women's Regional event, I definitely needed a strong finish to claim the top spot. I was behind Lindsay Boomershine by 1000 points going into the event. Luckily I started out strong in qualifying, shooting games of 224, 198, 234, 268, 225, 201, 198 and 211 using my Columbia 300 Disorder, Throw Down and Blur Hybrid for +159 overall. This qualified me in 5th position, advancing to the top 12 round robin match play finals. I then won 7 out of 11 matches using my Columbia 300 Throw Down and Blur Hybrid and was in 3rd place going into the final position round game. With only 60 pins between 2nd and 7th place, this game was huge. Unfortunately, I bowled against Lowell Hubber and he shot 268 so I lost the game shooting 209 and finished in 5th position. This secured my Top Spot as the High Woman for the West Region and guaranteed my free entry into the World Series of Bowling.
5th Place
Winner - Michael Haugen Jr.

For full standings of the PBA Women's Regionals and West Region Point leaders, click here 

Be sure to follow along with all of the action at the PBA World Series of Bowling that begins on Friday, October 24th - Sunday, November 2nd at Southpoint Bowling Center and Casino. The top 8 women that qualified from the PBA Women's Regionals will bowl an 8-game round robin match play finals on Friday, October 24th starting at 2:30pm. The top 2 women will make the televised finals. Be sure to tune in to Xtra Frame to see all of the action.