Team Selection

JUNIOR TEAM USA QUALIFYING

Individuals must be 20 or younger as of Jan. 1, of the year Team USA will compete to be eligible for Junior Team USA.

USBC Junior Team USA consists of at least 18 boys and 18 girls. Bowlers earn spots by competing in the Junior Gold Championships and the Team USA Trials.

JUNIOR GOLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

12 boys and 12 girls will qualify for Junior Team USA through scores bowled in the U20 and U18 divisions.  The top four (4) male bowlers and top four (4) female bowlers after 26 games of qualifying and the champions and co-champions in each division earn spots on Junior Team USA.  If the champion or co-champion already earned one of the four (4) spots available in qualifying, the next athlete based on the qualifying standings after 26 games will qualify.

TEAM USA TRIALS

The top four (4) age-eligible males and top four (4) age-eligible females based on ranking points, will earn automatic spots, while two (2) additional males and two (2) additional females will be selected by the National Selection Committee (NSC) as at-large selections from those who participated in the Team USA Trials.

U15 DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM QUALIFYING

Individuals come from the U-15 division at the Junior Gold Championships and must be 15 years of age or younger as of Jan. 1, 2024. 

The top two age-eligible males and top two age-eligible female bowlers at the conclusion of 26 games of qualifying, plus the U15 champions and runners-up qualify for U15 Developmental Team USA.

STANDARDS FOR SELETIONS OF AT-LARGE TEAM MEMBERS

The National Selection Committee is charged with selecting those athletes who are most likely to create the strongest USBC Junior Team USA. It has the latitude to consider any qualifications and criteria that it believes would be helpful in creating the strongest team, such as the following:

Performance, which includes all international competitions, as well as any USBC tournament or certified collegiate bowling tournament within the previous three years;

Physical Game, which includes, but is not limited to, the many physical elements that comprise an athlete's game, such as approach, arm swing, timing, release versatility(changing rotation and lay-down point) and speed control. It also includes, but is not limited to, the ability to play different angles, shoot spares, change equipment and adjust to different lane conditions;

Mental Game, which includes a variety of subjective factors such as coachability, adaptability, practice regimen, ability to stay focused, attitude, commitment, ability to perform under pressure and sportsmanship; and lastly,

Team Play, which includes, but is not limited to, the intangible, but crucial ability to be a positive factor in building rapport, confidence and winning attitude among the team members and coaches.

REPLACEMENT MEMBERS

If, during the calendar year, an athlete is unable to continue as a member of USBC Junior Team USA by voluntary choice (resignation), because of injury or ineligibility as defined by international federations rule(s), a replacement shall be named if there are USBC Junior Team USA competitions left in the year as follows: The National Selection Committee shall confer at the time of replacement and name a new at-large member from the pool of athletes who were eligible for such selection at the USBC Team USA Trials.