 USBC High School spokesperson hopes her own success will inspire others
United States Bowling Congress High School spokesperson Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of North Richland Hills, Texas, was at the top of her sport when her professional career ended abruptly with the end of the Professional Women's Bowling Association in 2003.
As a former collegiate national team champion and a 20-time PWBA titlist, Dorin-Ballard believed that after her time on the lanes was over, she had a responsibility to give back to the sport that gave her so much.
Her role as the USBC High School spokesperson ties in perfectly with her job as the Director of Development for The Bowling Foundation, a division of the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, geared toward helping fund youth and education programs. Dorin-Ballard also has a scholarship named after her, and much of her job involves raising funds through bowling-related events and appearances.
"In both jobs I get to talk about youth, high school and college bowling, which I love because all of those things are very important to me and things I can speak passionately about from experience," said Dorin-Ballard, who won seven titles on the way to PWBA Player of the Year honors in 2001. "Bowling has been very good to me, and I'm lucky that the opportunities I have now allow me to help promote all areas of bowling, not just the one or two things I'm mainly involved it."
When Dorin-Ballard competed in high school bowling, it was still in its infancy, but with her help, the sport is catching on quickly and is now the fastest growing high school sport.
"My high school bowling experience was so good that I truly looked forward to practice and the meets, and I really fell in love with the sport," Dorin-Ballard said. "Plus, it gave me a unique chance to branch out and meet people outside of the city I grew up in, and ended up opening a lot of doors for me."
Thanks to bowling, Dorin-Ballard made life-long friendships and met and married Del Ballard Jr., a long-time pro who recently earned an exemption to compete in the upcoming Denny's PBA Tour season. Together, the two combined for 33 professional titles and have passed the bowling gene on to their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Alyssa, who already is taking an interest in the sport.
"Alyssa came along at the perfect time in my life, and she adds a whole new dynamic to each day," Dorin-Ballard said. "She seems to like being around bowling, so hopefully my efforts will help her have a future in the sport too, if that's what she chooses. I just want all of the girls I come in contact with to look at me and be inspired and realize that if I can do it, they can too."
|
Former PWBA standout found success on the lanes and in front of the cameras
Even though she only has one Professional Women's Bowling Association title to her credit, Cathy Dorin-Lizzi of Sandusky, Ohio, was a regular face on the weekly PWBA telecasts from 2001 until the organization ceased operations in 2003.
Each time her week on the lanes came to an end, Dorin-Lizzi picked up the microphone and took her place in front of the cameras, putting her broadcast degree to work as one of the voices of the PWBA.
"It was very easy for me to explain what was happening on the show, and I was able to share a lot of stories and insight about the players because I was out there on the lanes with them all week and living the tour life as one of them," Dorin-Lizzi said. "It also gave me a unique perspective and a chance to see some of the things I should have or could have done on the lanes, and that helped me get better as a bowler. In all honestly, being on the telecast was a great consolation prize because I was able to promote bowling and help the world see all of the talent we had out there."
Dorin-Lizzi also had the opportunity to compete alongside her sister Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, a 20-time PWBA titlist who had a career year in 2001, winning seven titles on the way to Player of the Year honors.
"As her sibling I had some mixed emotions because the competitor in me wanted to be the one winning, but if I couldn't win, there's nobody I wanted to win more than her," said Dorin-Lizzi, who began touring full-time in 1993. "It was amazing to be able to watch my sister become the best bowler in the world, and even better than that, I got to talk about her many, many times on the show. It was great to be such a big part of her success, and those memories are something that we'll always be able to share."
At just 39 years old, Dorin-Lizzi believes her career is far from over, despite the limited opportunities for women bowlers. For now, she's spends much of her time working at Star Lanes in Sandusky, which belongs to the family of her husband Jeff Lizzi, a past standout in the Professional Bowlers Association. Together, they also play a huge role in the center's junior and high school bowling programs.
And while she waits to see if the USBC Women's Challenge sparks some interest toward a possible revival of the PWBA, Dorin-Lizzi isn't afraid to bang heads with her husband and the rest of the bowlers in the PBA.
"To be involved in something like the Women's Challenge that is so important to the future of women's bowling is the best feeling in the world," Dorin-Lizzi said. "I've never received star treatment like that as a bowler, and it's nice to know that I had a hand in something that might bring more opportunities for up-and-coming female bowlers. I'm not afraid to get out there with the men, but I think as women we deserve our own place to compete again."
|
|
|
|
 Team Canada's Orlikowski found love and a career in the bowling industry
Although her introduction to bowling came in the fivepin variety as a youngster growing up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Robin Orlikowski later graduated to the world of tenpins and has become a star in both the United States and her native Canada.
Her tenpin career officially began at age 12 when her family moved to Tennessee, and six years later as a freshman in college, she was a first-team All-American and earned collegiate Rookie of the Year honors while helping Morehead State University to the national championship.
From there, Orlikowski's heart stayed in the bowling industry as an internship with the Young American Bowling Alliance (now part of the United States Bowling Congress), led to a full-time job that allowed her to reach out to youth bowlers and help give them the type of experience she had as a junior bowler.
"I loved bowling as a youth bowler and thought I would love to work for YABA and give back what I got out of it," said the former Robin Crawford, who now lives in Grand Rapids, Mich., with her husband Bill, an accomplished bowler and former pro. "They must have liked me enough to hire me full time after graduation, and it was a great stepping stone for me. They gave me a lot of support and trust and helped make my dream job at the time come true."
Orlikowski also has been a member of Team Canada since 2000 and earned a gold medal in the singles portion of her first international event, the 2001 American Zone Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina. And regardless of where she lives or works, she plans to retain her Canadian citizenship so she can still compete for her home country.
These days, she is still close to the bowling world, working from home doing marketing and inside sales for KR Strikeforce and part-time marketing for the Canadian Tenpin Federation. She is still an active member of Team Canada and is back on the lanes chasing a third USBC Sport Bowling National High Average award.
"The bowling community in Michigan, both men and women, has been very welcoming of me, which I think is because they love Billy and that carries over to me," said Orlikowski, who earned a business management degree at Morehead State. "I couldn't be happier in my life right now. I never believed in true love until I met Billy, and things with work are even going great. I get to work from home, and since neither company had much in terms of formal marketing, I've gotten to help from the ground up. I want to try to make a big impact."
|
 Accomplished left-hander always looking for opportunities to showcase her talent
By the time she graduated from the University of Nebraska in 2005, Shannon Pluhowsky was a three-time collegiate national champion, a three time U.S. Amateur champion, a three-time U.S. Junior Amateur champion and a two-time winner at the AMF World Cup.
Two years earlier, the 24-year-old left-hander got a taste of life in the Professional Women's Bowling Association when she competed against the best women in the world at the PWBA Collegiate Shootout. Her resume alone had her destined for a career in the PWBA until the organization ceased operations later that year.
Pluhowsky was one of the many talented women bowlers who were displaced, and she too was forced to re-think her career options. With a degree in early childhood development, Pluhowsky would have no problem with dedicating her life to working with young children, but she's not ready to give up on her dreams just yet.
"Coming out of college and not having a lot of bowling to do has been kind of sad, so it's exciting to be part of something like the Women's Challenge that could really help women's bowling," said Pluhowsky, a six-time member of Team USA and four-time member of Junior Team USA. "After finishing college I decided to bowl as much as I could and try to make a living at it before I tried to find a job. But I majored in something I enjoy, so I'll be happy either way."
To help transition into life after college, Pluhowsky has moved from Lincoln, Neb., back to Phoenix, where she grew up. For now she's content living at home and bowling whatever local events she can, while also traveling to some of the major events around the country.
At the USBC Queens in June, Pluhowsky proved that she was ready to take on the best bowlers around by winning the event, which is the only major tournament left for the caliber of bowlers who were on the PWBA Tour, or were headed there.
"I had a fun week at the Queens, and it really gave me a feel for what my life could've been like, and it was disappointing to get such a small taste and not have a tour to bowl on regularly," Pluhowsky said. "But for now I enjoy what I do bowl in, and I really love being a part of Team USA and getting to travel around the world, so I'll stick with that for now."
|
|
