On the Lanes with David Driscoll

[onefrombills]

In the coming months, we'll talk with some of best-known bowlers at the USBC Open Championships and get their thoughts on their time at the tournament and what it takes to succeed on the championship lanes.

This week, we heard from David Driscoll of Mount Dora, Fla., who will be in Las Vegas to compete in this year's event on May 15 and 16.

Driscoll, who will be making his 31st consecutive Open Championships, recently was selected to receive the USBC Youth Volunteer of the Year Award by the USBC Youth Committee.

A USBC Silver coach, Driscoll has played an integral role in the growth of high school and youth bowling in Florida, and in addition to his work on the high school level, he also operates several youth scratch leagues to help bowlers prepare and qualify for the USBC Junior Gold Championships. He attends the national event to support and help players.

Driscoll is the chairman of the Bowling Centers Association of Florida youth committee, has served on the Florida State USBC Youth board for 12 years and has been a youth leader advisor.

The left-hander has not missed a year at the Open Championships since making his debut at the 1979 event in Tampa, Fla. That year also marked the debut of automatic scoring at the tournament.

HOMETOWN: Mount Dora, Fla.

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS APPEARANCES: 31 consecutive

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLES: 0 - Unfortunately

BOWLING BALL WEIGHT: 15 lbs.

FAVORITE BRAND OF BOWLING BALLS: Brunswick

ONE all-time favorite host city: Billings, Mont.

TWO best Open Championships memories: 1, Getting my 25-year plaque from Lucas Wiseman; 2, Bowling 1,854 in all-events last year to be chosen as an actively-engaged athlete for this year's annual meeting in Reno, Nev.

THREE keys to success at the Open Championships: 1, staying within yourself; 2, maintaining tempo; 3, staying down at the foul line

FOURgettable Open Championships moment: 415 in singles in Mobile, Ala. (1994)

FIVE bowlers in history on your Open Championships fantasy all-star team: Earl Anthony, Dick Weber, Roy Lown, Dave Husted, Don Carter

SIX bowling balls currently in your Open Championships arsenal: Hammer No Mercy, Brunswick Time Zone, Brunswick Monster, Brunswick Inferno, Brunswick Time Zone and Track Mojo

SEVEN cities you'd like to see the Open Championships go to/return to: Billings, Mont.; Huntsville, Ala.; Louisville, Ky.; Charlotte, N.C.; Baltimore; Portland and St. Louis

EIGHT favorite bowling balls ever: Dick Weber 5-Star, Columbia Yellow Dot, Columbia Red Dot (bronze), Columbia Piranha (blue), Brunswick Zone (black), Brunswick Time Zone and Brunswick Inferno

NINE other current/eligible bowlers you would choose to join you on your ideal pair of companion teams at the Open Championships: I really like the two teams I bowl with now.

TEN seconds or less, who is your favorite bowler of all-time?: Dave Davis

ELEVEN strikes in a row to start a game at the Open Championships, what's going through your head?: Just try to repeat the shot one more time.

TWELVE years from now, where do you hope to be in your bowling career?: I hope to be bowling in my 43rd USBC Tournament.

[mikeyyy44805]

Thats pretty cooolll.