Missy Makes Team USA 2014

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 I was extremely upset as the only other time I've ever withdrawn from an event was when I had pulled my groin muscle 5 years previously.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.

Watch Missy on ESPN January 5th at 1pm EST

Tune in to watch Missy Parkin on Sunday, January 5th at 1pm EST (10am PST) on ESPN, as she defends her Women's World Bowling Tour Title. 

Missy qualified 3rd for the World Bowling Tour Finals and will face No. 2 seed Liz Johnson. The winner goes on to face top seed Kelly Kulick. 

The World Bowling Tour is comprised of tournaments all over the world which award points based on finishing positions in each tournament. The World Bowling Tour consists of a cumulative two-year point system, with the top 3 men and top 3 women earning a spot for the TV show and the $20,000 first place prize.

Watch Missy Defend her WBT Title

Come and watch Missy Parkin as she defends her Women's World Bowling Tour title at the Southpoint Hotel and Casino arena in Las Vegas, Nev. on Sunday, November 3rd at 10am.

Admission is free to watch the TV taping of the Women's World Bowling Tour final. Click here for FREE Tickets.  

The Women's World Bowling Tour finals will air on ESPN on Sunday, January 5th at 1pm EST.

Missy Conducts Clinics in Turkey and Greece

This week, I ventured to Istanbul, Turkey and Athens, Greece to conduct clinics on behalf of Columbia 300. The clinics, which primarily targeted women, were the first of this nature in both countries.

First, I travelled to Istanbul, Turkey to meet with the Ebonite International exclusive distributor Trianka and Trianka Bowling Academy. Since the clinics started at night, to accommodate the working bowlers, I was able to go sightseeing during the day.

Istanbul’s rich history really makes the City one of the most fascinating in the world. On Day 1, I was able to visit and drive along the Bosphorus, a water channel that connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea and separates Europe from Asia. This unique and picturesque waterway is the narrowest strait used today by many commercial ships transporting goods across Europe and Asia. We stopped for a traditional Greek Breakfast along the Bosphorus and the food is so amazing. I challenge everyone to not judge a book by its cover when it comes to food because I otherwise wouldn't have been able to experience the rich food of Turkey.

Later that evening we started Day 1 of the clinics. In Istanbul, the clinic was comprised of a two-day event, allowing women and junior bowlers to attend. The seminar marked the first time in Turkey that a seminar was geared specifically towards women.  Several of the women bowlers did bring along their spouses, who were able to attend the classroom portion of the event only. Day 1 focused on Bowling Tips as well as covered the entire line of products in the Columbia 300 brand. After a classroom session, I then worked one-on-one on the lanes with the bowlers, helping with their physical games.

During the day on Day 2, we were able to visit several historical places in Istanbul. We first went to the Basilica Cistern, an underwater reservoir that was built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6^th century. This enormous underground palace, as it’s referred to, is definitely one of the ancient marvels of architecture from that time period and can hold up to 100,000 tons of water.

Next, we ventured to Hagia Sophia, which was originally built as a Greek Orthodox church in 537 A.D. In 1453, the church was then converted to an imperial mosque. It is very interesting to see both religions displayed throughout the beautiful structure, for example a minbar, also known as a pulpit, (which is where the Muslim leader of the mosque speaks from during prayer time) is situated right in front of a beautiful mosaic of the Virgin Mary.

                                      

                  

Our next stop was the Blue Mosque, built in 1609, which is one of the most famed historical spots in the City. Although we didn’t get to go inside, since we were there during prayer time, we did get to see the intricate structure up close. After a yummy Turkish lunch, we then made our way to the Grand Bazaar, which was originally constructed in 1461 and is one of the largest and oldest indoor markets. I was able to purchase a few souvenirs and not get lost in the 3,000+ shops that encompass the venue.

                    

Day 2 of the clinics focused on lane play. After a classroom session, the bowlers were then able to compete on three different lane patterns using the skills they learned in the classroom. All of the bowlers were able to compete on all of the patterns, as I went around and helped them get lined up.

The next day I flew to Athens, Greece to meet with our new distributor 9^th Frame. After checking in to my gorgeous ocean view hotel room, I quickly changed and then was off to conduct the first of two clinics. In an effort to boost the level of competitive women bowlers in Greece, the clinics in Athens were open only to women. The clinic focused on lane play strategies and allowed the bowlers to also compete on three different oil patterns, which is a first for clinics in Greece. The clinics also heavily focused on explaining the Columbia 300 brand of products, since this brand is specifically struggling in Greece.

After the clinic, we then went out to a traditional Greek dinner, which meant we ate at 10pm and ate A LOT of yummy food. I’m pretty convinced that Mediterranean food is the best food in the world. Several different plates of seafood, salads and meats kept coming to the table and everyone eats family style, which makes it nice since you are able to try a little bit of everything. After our 2+ hour meal with over 15 people in attendance, we then called it a night and I went back to the hotel.

The next day, I was able to go sightseeing around Athens. I had been to Athens once before on my honeymoon, but it was only for a small portion of the day since it was a part of a cruise ship sightseeing tour. I was very happy that I was able to again visit the Acropolis and climbed up the hill to again see the Parthenon and neighboring structures. This time, I was able to explore a little more of the historical City, by also visiting La Plaka, a section of small alleyways that have tons of shops and cafes, as well as visit the ancient market and Athens Flea Market. We had lunch in La Plaka at a Scholarhio, which is a family restaurant that doesn’t have a menu. The waiter brings out several small dishes that have already been prepared and you choose 3-5 items from the tray. This also proved to be very yummy, did I mention I think I gained a few pounds on this trip.

One of the very interesting new things I was able to do was visit the Acropolis Museum, which wasn’t finished when I had previously been to Athens. That museum was absolutely gorgeous and I can definitely understand why it’s already one of the top museums in the world.

After a day full of amazing sightseeing adventures, I then headed to the bowling center to conduct the second clinic. After another successful clinic and a great turnout, I had another late Greek dinner before going back to the hotel and packing for my trip home.

I had such an amazing time promoting the sport and meeting tons of new friends along the way. I want to again thank Columbia 300, Trianka Bowling Academy and 9^th Frame for making this trip possible.  I hope to make it back to this part of the world sometime soon!  J Till next time…

Missy Posts High Woman's Score at the Vienna Open

Missy Parkin shot games of 204, 193, 236, 246, 228 and a nearly perfect 298 for a 1405 series to jump into the top 8 and be the high woman in the Vienna Open. Adding to her 1405 series is 48 pins handicap, 8 pins per game, that each of the women receive in European Bowling Tour events. Missy bowled her set during the 11th qualifying squad of the Vienna Open, sponsored by Columbia 300.

There are a total of 20 qualifying squads and the top 56 make the finals on Sunday. Missy used her Columbia 300 Enigma during the block.

For the complete story, click here

To keep up with tournament results, click here.

Missy Selected for 2013 Top 100 Coaches

Missy Parkin was selected by Bowlers Journal International as one of the Top 100 Coaches for 2013. In the recent announcement in the September edition of Bowlers Journal International magazine, Missy was also featured as one of 10 coaches to provide "tips" in the article accompanying the announcement. This is Missy's 5th time being selected for the prestigious Top 100 Coaches.

To subscribe to Bowlers Journal International magazine and read the entire article, please click here.

Team USA Women Earn Silver in Team at WTBA Worlds

The culmination of the 2013 WTBA World Championships comes down to the event that everyone wants to win - Team event. We competed on the 33' Sydney oil pattern for 3 team games and then on the 39' Seoul oil pattern for 3 games.

The short 33' Sydney oil pattern proved to be our nemesis the entire tournament. After the first 3 games on the short, we were in 8th place overall and 91 pins from the top 4 finals. With a day of rest in between patterns, we got ourselves in the right frame of mind and came back firing on the medium 39' Seoul pattern.

We bowled 5-person team games of 1074, 1191 and 1226 for 3491 (+491), setting a new 3-game team record at the WTBA World Championships and moving from 8th place into first place overall for the top 4 finals. For those that were able to watch those 3 team games, it was invigorating and the most fun I've had bowling since competing in collegiate competition.

We were all super pumped up going into the finals. In our semi-final match, we faced the No. 4 seed Venezuela. Although we got off to a rough start, we came on strong to finish the one-game team match winning 1014 - 921. During the semi-final match, I strung 8 strikes in-a-row to shoot 259 using my new Columbia 300 Smack Down. 

In the other semifinal match, No. 2 Seed Malaysia faced No. 3 seed Korea. Korea started striking early and gained a big lead, defeating Malaysia 1065 - 966.

For the Gold Medal, we then faced Korea in the championship match. We got off to another rough start and unfortunately could not recover from it as Korea started striking early and never really stopped. We lost the final match 1159 - 992 to claim the silver medal in Team Event. 

Check out the full results, videos and story here. 

Here are a few pictures from the closing banquet of the WTBA World Championships

(From Left to Right: Trainer Nick Bohanan, Stefanie Nation, Shannon O'Keefe, Liz Johnson, Shannon Pluhowsky, Missy Parkin, Assistant Head Coach Kim Kearney, Kelly Kulick)

 Getting our Silver Medals at the Banquet

The USA Men's Team, also earning a Silver Medal in Team Event