2014 USBC Women's Nationals, Reno Convention Center

This past week, I bowled my first USBC Women's National Tournament at the Reno Convention Center. Unlike the less than stellar accommodations in my first women's state tournament (Fresno) in 2012, this is the way tournaments should be done.

My teammates are all longtime bowlers: Kathy, my Monday night teammate, bowled juniors as a kid. She remains friends with many her teammates, who still bowl leagues and tournaments.

Then there's Jan and Wilma. Jan and Wilma bowl with my other Monday night teammate Mark on Thursday nights. Both have bowled for nearly as long as I've been alive.

The biggest highlight in attending this tournament was to see Jan get recognized for her 50th consecutive Women's National tournament (see article on Bowl.com).

L to R: Lani, Jan, Wilma, Kathy

Unlike the National Bowling Stadium in downtown Reno, the lanes where we bowled were not a permanent part of the convention center.

For the first time this year in the USBC Women's Championships, bowlers were classified according to average. No handicap scoring was used. Our team bowled in the Emerald division (575-649 combined average). When Kathy and I bowled doubles, we were in Division 4 (290-319 combined average).

As a tournament participant (and being part of Jan's team certainly helped), Kathy and I got a $20 discount toward any purchase in the pro shop and gift store. I got a couple of towels and an ID tag for my 2-ball roller.

Kathy used her discount to buy a new Storm 3-ball roller bag for her son, who needs the bag to carry his bowling balls and shoes for a junior tournament next weekend in Orange County (southern California). He's competing for a spot in the Junior Gold Championship which will be held this July in Buffalo, New York.

It was very, very cool to see my name on the big scoreboard. During doubles, each bowler's home city was listed next to her name. I was never prouder to see "San Francisco, CA" next to mine. Only wish my series had been as big as my name on the scoreboard.

Because this was a weekday trip, Kathy got me a killer Groupon deal at the Grand Sierra Resort, which is near the Reno-Tahoe airport.

For $59, we got a 2-night stay with waived resort fee, free room wi-fi, and 2-day complimentary breakfast buffets for 2.

Like cruise ships, the Grand Sierra features amenities that make it possible that you'd never have to leave the hotel. Within the hotel there's a Starbucks, Johnny Rockets, Round Table Pizza, Port of Subs, a wedding chapel and a pool area called "The Beach".

My absolute favorite amenity: the 24-hour, 50 lane bowling center.

Grand Sierra's 24-hour, 50 lane bowling center

It's definitely my first choice on a future Reno trip -- when I'm not there to bowl in a tournament.

2013 USBC Queens Finalists

image source: Bowl.com

Today is the finals match of the 2013 USBC Queens Tournament. It is being taped today and will air on Sunday, September 8 on ESPN2 at 11:30 am PT/2:30 pm ET. I'll be bowling my very FIRST senior tournament during that time, so this is already programmed into my DVR.

This year's finalists have a great mix of backgrounds. The top 2 seeds are from Europe and Asia. The remaining 3 seeds are from places I call home, San Francisco Bay Area and Central Ohio.

1. Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, currently a bowler at Webber International University.
2. Shayna Ng, Singapore. I blogged about Shayna previously on May 20, 2013, where she won the 48th Annual Qubica AMF World Cup.
3. Leanne Barrette-Hulsenberg, 1999 USBC Queens Champion. San Francisco Bay Area native. I saw her bowl in a junior-adult tournament last year in Dublin, California.
4. Jennifer Petrick Higgins, 3-time member of Team USA and currently resides in Westerville, Ohio.
5. Lynda Barnes, 1998 USBC Queens Champion, San Francisco Bay Area native, bowled at San Jose State and married to PBA great Chris Barnes. 

Here's a video profiles of the finalists. Good luck to all. 

What do I love about bowling?

Watching last night's U.S. Open Championship in Women's Bowling outdoors in the dust and wind in downtown Reno, Nevada made me appreciate more than ever how tough it is to be a pro bowler.  And because there hasn't been a dedicated women's tour (PWBA) since 2003, it's even tougher for females.

Kelly Kulick and Missy Parkin, the bowlers in the championship match, have proven that women can bowl with men.

In 2010, Kelly was the first woman to win the PBA Tournament of Champions.  In 2011, Missy won the USBC Queens.  In college, Missy bowled on the men's team for 2 seasons at Cal State-Fullerton.

It's extremely unlikely I'd ever reach the level of Kelly or Missy. But my love for the game is everything that's described in the above promotional video for last year's PBA shootout.