onefrombills
07-26-2009, 09:05 PM
Using a technique more often reserved for Little League championships and high school football playoffs, a group of youth bowlers from Spartanburg, S.C., let everyone know they were on their way to the 2009 USBC Youth Open Championships, sponsored by Pepsi.
As their five-car convoy made its expedition across the country to Expo Bowl, their windows were decorated with support for the three teams bowling. Carsyn Ames, 15, was responsible for the idea.
"We have done it before," Ames said. "So I figured it would be fun to do it again."
Though the decorations only took about 10 minutes to apply, with everyone pitching in, the attention they received lasted the entire trip.
"Wherever we stopped people asked us where we were going," said 10-year-old Torie Libby. "And we got trucks to honk their horns."
The group, which bowls out of Star Lanes, also stopped at the first welcome center as they entered a new state to take a picture with homemade posters supporting the trip and teams. Their stops in North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana gave onlookers another chance to find out about the Youth Open Championships.
The initial push to compete came from a local tournament series, appropriately named The Road To Indy. Five pins-over-average tournaments were held, with the top four on the points list at the end receiving paid entries to the 2009 Youth Open Championships. There are plans to hold the tournament again next year.
With the trip made, the youth bowlers appreciated the opportunities afforded at the Youth Open Championships.
"The patterns are different," said 16-year-old Hunter Henson. "They are a heck of a lot tougher then we are used to."
Ames liked the diversity the event offered.
"It's just not people from South Carolina bowling," Ames said. "I think the people bowling next to us were from Washington, so that's pretty cool."
And although Libby was anxiously awaiting a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo, she offered her insight on the tournament.
"It was fun to meet new people," Libby said. "And it's the biggest bowling alley we have ever seen."
The Youth Open Championships, which runs through July 25, is broken into four average divisions (129 and below, 130-159, 160-189 and 190 and above) and is based on actual pinfall. Teams consist of four players.
As their five-car convoy made its expedition across the country to Expo Bowl, their windows were decorated with support for the three teams bowling. Carsyn Ames, 15, was responsible for the idea.
"We have done it before," Ames said. "So I figured it would be fun to do it again."
Though the decorations only took about 10 minutes to apply, with everyone pitching in, the attention they received lasted the entire trip.
"Wherever we stopped people asked us where we were going," said 10-year-old Torie Libby. "And we got trucks to honk their horns."
The group, which bowls out of Star Lanes, also stopped at the first welcome center as they entered a new state to take a picture with homemade posters supporting the trip and teams. Their stops in North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana gave onlookers another chance to find out about the Youth Open Championships.
The initial push to compete came from a local tournament series, appropriately named The Road To Indy. Five pins-over-average tournaments were held, with the top four on the points list at the end receiving paid entries to the 2009 Youth Open Championships. There are plans to hold the tournament again next year.
With the trip made, the youth bowlers appreciated the opportunities afforded at the Youth Open Championships.
"The patterns are different," said 16-year-old Hunter Henson. "They are a heck of a lot tougher then we are used to."
Ames liked the diversity the event offered.
"It's just not people from South Carolina bowling," Ames said. "I think the people bowling next to us were from Washington, so that's pretty cool."
And although Libby was anxiously awaiting a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo, she offered her insight on the tournament.
"It was fun to meet new people," Libby said. "And it's the biggest bowling alley we have ever seen."
The Youth Open Championships, which runs through July 25, is broken into four average divisions (129 and below, 130-159, 160-189 and 190 and above) and is based on actual pinfall. Teams consist of four players.