Questions regarding Joining an Amateur Staff

[CeKnauss]

I searched around, but I wasn't able to find any definite answers.

What steps must be taken to join an amateur staff for whichever bowling company and what sorts of requirements are there? I know there are benefits, and I hear about some of them, but I want to know what the bowlers must do to maintain such a status.

Obviously bowling in tournaments, advertising of sorts, and having an arsenal consisting of primarily that company's equipment would all be required.

I also assume it would vary from company to company.

So, down to basics. What are the requirements and steps to join? What are the benefits? What are the costs? What else am I missing from my questions?

[striker12]

well its hard to say but with storn/rotogrip you need at least bowl in 20+ turnnys a year i asked them that but best way to figure this out is to send them a email and wait for them to get back to you.

[75lockwood]

From what i understand, being a staff member means you only use that company's gear (sub company's are fine) so if you are a Brunswick staffer, having a storm ice spare ball would be a no no

as for getting there, having a bowling resume is a good start, list your bowling accomplishments, tournaments you have placed in, etc. try emailing the company with your resume asking about a position. it never hurts to ask right?

[bowl1820]

Here's a post made in another:

Path to free equipment:
Bowl in every regional in your area - be rookie of the year. Or make match play alot.
Participate in high level tournaments on real lane conditions. You don't have to win them all but you must bowl well enough to give yourself an opportunity to win.
Have a good friend that just happens to be a ball rep.
House averages mean absolutely nothing, sorry but that's the real world.
For every Amateur or Regional contract given out there are 1000 guys looking, and they all kill house shots. The primary difference between house shots and real shots is accuracy.
Take a trip and get a CATS analysis, that will reveal accuracy or lack of. Believe me the best in the world can repeatedly hit 3 boards down lane - without lane help.
Even the number of ball contracts on tour are way down; some companies have even cut staff members. PERFORMANCE COUNTS, nothing else matters.

Here's from Motiv:

STAFF REQUEST RÉSUMÉ INSTRUCTIONS

Thank you for inquiring about a MOTIV staff position. We receive hundreds of requests from bowlers to be on staff and it is very helpful if you complete a bowling résumé that contains the following information. Please prepare the résumé in Microsoft Word.

Résumé Requirements:
1. Full name, address, phone number(s), and email address.
2. Description of your bowling background.
3. Explanation of why you want to be on the MOTIV staff.
4. Right Handed or Left Handed Bowler.
5. List bowling ball specs (i.e., weight, PAP, etc.)
6. Male or Female.
7. Date of Birth.
8. Number of years bowling.
9. Current Average.
10. 5-Year Average.
11. Number of sanctioned 300 Games.
12. Number of sanctioned 800 Series.
13. List the tournaments you have bowled in over the past 2 seasons.
14. Are you a PBA member? If yes, what is your number?
15. Are you now, or have you in the past, been on staff for another company? If yes, explain.
16. List your bowling titles, records, and other accomplishments.
17. List all bowling organizations or associations to which you belong.
18. Provide 3 references from people in the bowling industry. At least 1 from a pro shop.
19. Provide ball weight and shirt size.
20. List 3 references and their phone number. At least 1 reference should be from your pro shop.

When finished, please email your résumé to eterrero@edgewaterindustries.com, along with a photograph that could be used on our website or in marketing materials. Thank you for inquiring to be on staff for MOTIV.


Also once you become a staffer, you'll have to spam all the bowling forums with ball reviews of the latest balls from the company, copy and pasted from the company marketing materials. and just remember that the new ball out is the best ball ever made, has better continuation than the last one that had better continuation, and it works perfectly on the condition it was designed for, but it will also work just as well on any other condition and for any style of bowler you happen to be .

[CeKnauss]

The unfortunate part is I was never able to bowl in HS. My university of choice didn't have a bowling program. I started bowling out of curiosity, but have since gotten at least decent and I want to take it up a level. I don't have a large selection of tournaments here around Oklahoma, that being limited to City tournaments, State, The Greater Ozarks Open, and perhaps a few local ones like Anne Marie's 9-pin no tap tournament.