Tip of the Month: Make Angular and Parallel Adjustments

Lane conditions change as bowling balls repeatedly travel down the lane. With each shot, the ball absorbs some of the oil and moves oil further down on the lane. Changes in the oil distribution will affect ball path and reaction.

Check out this month’s tip from USBC Coaching to make sure you are able to adjust to different lane conditions with angular and parallel adjustments.

To locate a USBC certified coach in your area, visit the USBC Coaching section of bowl.com and click on the "Find A Coach" feature or call (800) 514-BOWL, ext. 3169.

On Tour with Chris Barnes

For Chris Barnes, life on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association Tour this season has had its ups and downs. The USBC Sport Bowling spokesperson is battling through a back injury, trying desperately to regain the form that has led him to six PBA titles and made him the quickest player to reach the $1 million figure in career PBA earnings. Find out firsthand from Chris how he's performed recently and his thoughts heading into the PBA Tour's home stretch in the latest installment of the "Barnes Blog" on bowl.com.

Purposes of Lane Conditioners - Part II

Last month we learned that conditioner, or oil, is used to protect the wood or synthetic lane surface from damage.

There is a second function of lane conditioner: where and how oil is applied to the lane affects the level of difficulty in bowling.

As you bowl, you may notice that even though you’re executing good shots, the ball appears to react differently on the lanes than on previous attempts. One explanation for this may be that there was more or less conditioner on a particular portion of the lane since the last game or frame that you rolled.

As we learned last time, the slick oil has the same effect on bowling balls as ice has on car tires. The ball grips the drier area of the lane surface with less oil, like a car tire grips a dry road. The ball skids on the slicker area of the lane that has more oil, as a car tire skids on an icy road.

With that in mind, oil can be applied to the lane surface in ways that make it easier or harder to make the ball curve into the pocket.

There also are other factors which can affect the potential reaction of the ball such as the type and condition of the lane surface, the center’s lane maintenance program and the heat and humidity in the bowling center.

Another way to view the difficulty of lane conditions is to imagine a golf course with invisible sand traps and water hazards. Because lane oil is clear and even a little can make a big difference, it is difficult to tell where the oily and dry areas are until you see some ball reaction. As we will discuss in a future issue of e-Bowler, lane conditions change frequently, making the challenge not only invisible, but a moving target as well.

Spots Still Available for USBC Convention

Join the United States Bowling Congress for the inaugural USBC Convention, taking place April 19-22 in the exciting vacation destination of Orlando, Fla. CBS-TV sportscaster Greg Gumbel will give the keynote speech April 21 at the Orange County Convention Center.

Register now for members-only workshops, seminars and other fun activities.

Deadline to book hotel reservations with USBC Travel is March 28. USBC is providing shuttle service to and from the Orange County Convention Center and the Rosen Centre Headquarters Hotel.

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Free gift/reward cards from EliteBowling.com - buy a gift, receive a gift! Learn more.

Enter the USBC/Storm Mixed Team Challenge

The 2006 USBC/Storm Mixed Team Challenge series features 14 events across the country from January through May and offers four-player handicap team competition for bowlers of all abilities.

All USBC adult members are eligible to compete except Denny's PBA Tour exempt players. Each event features its own prize fund (estimated at $8,400 based on 40 entries) and bowlers also can enter brackets and other side events. There are eight events left - sign up now before it’s too late!

Upcoming tournaments include:

• March 25, White Plains, N.Y. – White Plains Bowl
• March 26, Windsor Locks, Conn. – Bradley Bowl
• April 8, Mechanicsburg, Pa. – ABC West Lanes
• April 9, Baltimore – Bowl America Glen Burnie
• April 29, Chicago – Elk Grove Bowl
• April 30, Milwaukee – AMF Bowlero Lanes
• May 20, Indianapolis – Western Bowl
• May 21, Cincinnati – AMF King Pin Lanes

USBC Women’s Championships Start March 16

The USBC Women’s Championships, presented by Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus, are upon us, with the world’s largest participatory sporting event for women beginning March 16 in Reno, Nev. Nearly 55,000 women are competing at the National Bowling Stadium for their share of nearly $3 million in prize money at the tournament that concludes July 2.

"Reno always is a big draw for all of our events and this year is no different," USBC Chief Tournament Officer Roseann Kuhn said. "In addition to visiting one of the country's top resort areas, our bowlers will have the opportunity to compete in the newly renovated bowling stadium."

The National Bowling Stadium recently underwent several renovations, including new lane surfaces, new carpeting and a new scoring system.

Visit USBCwomenschampionships.com for all the latest tournament news, including current standings, prize fund updates and other information.

USBC Open Championships Update

The USBC Open Championships, sponsored by Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus, are now in full swing, with just four months to go! This year’s tournament currently is running in Corpus Christi, Texas, until July 3. The event is the second-largest ever outside of Reno, Nev., and features a prize fund of nearly $5 million. Check USBCOpen.com for the most up-to-date tournament information, including current standings, prize fund updates and the tournament’s live Web cams.

Missed this year’s tournament or want to sign up for next year? You’re in luck - the 2007 USBC Open Championships will soon be taking reservations. The online reservation service will be available on bowl.com April 1. If you bowled in the 2006 USBC Open Championships and did not meet the March 1 deadline to make a reservation, your date might still be available. Please give the tournament reservation staff a call at (877) 539-7930 and book your trip today.

Win Big at the Bowling Shootout

The $250,000 Bowling Shootout is open to all USBC members 18 and over. The world’s largest amateur three-stage bowling tournament is taking place in bowling centers across the country. After the qualifying round between the end of April and the middle of May, the top 500 local winners will win a flight to Las Vegas and a two-night/three-day stay during the last week of May to compete in a bowl-off for a share of $100,000. The two best amateurs then join pro stars Chris Barnes and Pete Weber to compete for $150,000 and up to $50,000 in other prizes, all taped in front of a live television audience. The show will air on ESPN on June 18.

If the center you bowl at is not signed up yet to host a local tournament, please call Bowling Shootout at (310) 829-4800.

Sign up online at www.bowlingshootout.com to take part in this exciting event.

Invite Your Friends and Family to Bowl

Do you have friends or family members who are interested in bowling, or who you wish were interested in joining you on the lanes? Encourage them to spend a night bowling and become a member of USBC. Bowling is more fun in a group, when you are surrounded by people close to you who are having a good time!

They may ask you – Why should I become a member? Just direct them to the USBC member benefits page of bowl.com to learn all the great benefits of being a member of one of the largest sports membership organizations in the world.

Help Others Bowl Better – Become a Coach

Do you enjoy working with kids or adults and have a passion for bowling? Then become a USBC-certified coach.

USBC Coaching has all the tools you need to become a successful coach and turn your passion into reality. A Level 1 class is a great way to get started. This one-day class is designed to introduce individuals to coaching bowling and covers fundamentals that apply to youth as well as adults.

Remember, great coaches make great bowlers!

Youth Eligibility and Awards

To protect youth bowlers' rights to compete in sports in high school or college, USBC is taking action that will affect what USBC Youth members receive as awards after Aug. 1, 2006. More information here.

New Dues Structure for USBC Members

So that it can develop additional programs and services and enhance its focus on youth, USBC will be enacting a new national dues structure for the 2006-07 season. 

National adult dues will move from $8 to $10; once approved, national youth dues will increase from $8.50 to $9.50. The new adult dues already have been approved by the USBC Board, while the new youth dues, recommended by the USBC Youth Committee, will be voted on by the USBC Board in April.

The youth committee also recommended the maximum allowable local dues go from $3.50 to $4 and the maximum allowable state dues go from $.25 to $.50.

The new adult dues structure will go into effect with summer leagues that start after March 15 and for any members joining USBC and purchasing a 2006-07 membership after that date. If the USBC Board approves the new youth dues, they will go into effect Aug. 1.

League Anniversary Awards

Is your USBC league turning 50, 75 or 100 years old this year? If so, let us know.

USBC has expanded the former American Bowling Congress program that gives plaques to USBC leagues celebrating 50-, 75- or 100-year anniversaries. That means for the first time women and youth leagues can earn these honors.

If your USBC certified league is reaching one of these milestones, please contact the Membership/Awards team at (800) 514-BOWL, ext. 3151 or e-mail ma@bowl.com.