Month: September 2016

The first Challenge Tournament for the 2016-2017 season took place Saturday 9/24 at Beach Bowl.  11 teams from 7 bowling centers competed in this Handicap tournament.  As part of a new twist to the tournament format, teams bowled two games individually and then a team “Baker” game.

Here are the results / award winners:

High Series – Boy – 11 & under: Andy Kuchler, Bowl America Orange Park, 490

High Series – Girl – 11 & under: Emma Johns, King Pins, 447

High Series – Boy – 12 & over: John Nunn, Nassau Bowling Center, 496

High Series – Girl – 12 & over: Keelie Percival, Nassau Bowling Center, 508

1st Place Team: Beach Bowl – 1804 – Thomas Piert, Sydney Piert & Nicholas

2nd Place Team: Nassau – 1759 – Ken Aldrich, Keelie Percival & John Nunn

3rd Place Team: Nassau – 1730 – Anthony Godwin, Jonah Smith & Matthew Jordan

4th Place Team: BA Orange Park – 1726 – Andy Kuchler, Emily Kuchler & Jordan Petersen

5th Place Team: Batt FFC – 1662 – Maxwell Jones, Tyler McMillan & CJ Lloyd

6th Place Team: BA Orange Park – 1659 – Matthew Waters, Katie Waters & Patrick Waters

7th Place Team: Batt FFC – 1587 – Paul Ladd, Kent Strickland & Thomas Rowe Jr

8th Place Team: King Pins – 1583 – Kyle Johns, Emma Johns & Alex Evans

9th Place Team: BA Mandarin – 1578 – Sam Rogers, Trezure Connelly & Casey Trawick

10th Place Team: NAS Freedom – 1576 – Jon Farrell, Jess Farrell, Matthew Oppel

11th Place Team: BA Mandarin – 1555 – Wesley Outman, Ben Gombas & Jonathan Heard

 

Since the winning team’s center hosted today’s event, the October 22nd Challenge Tournament will take place at Nassau Lanes.  Special thanks go out to the Youth Leaders members who help run our Challenge Tournament events!

Here are the top scores bowled in leagues during the week ending 9/17/16:

 

Bowl America Orange Park – Tuesday Teens league – 9/13

	Scratch Game:	Scratch Series:
Boys:	239 James Darling 234 Chris Vetter 223,215,202 Kyle Kohler 218,215 Evan Walsh 212 Shane Mathis 211 Sal LaRosa 201 Brandon Belz	640 Kyle Kohler 614 Evan Walsh 585 Chris Vetter
Girls:	204,193,187 Harley Romedy	584 Harley Romedy 487 Chyna Romedy 471 Kassidy Hartman

Bowl America Orange Park – Keglers league – 9/17

	Scratch Game:	Scratch Series:
Boys:	249 Gavin Baum 229,202 Marc Jacobson Jr 180 Joe Whitman	577 Marc Jacobson Jr 560 Gavin Baum 508 Ethan Russell
Girls:	147,121,107 Emerson Jacobson 105 Jacqueline Brecht	375 Emerson Jacobson 272 Jacqueline Brecht 236 Mackenzie Miller

Bowl America Orange Park – Sharpshooters league – 9/17

Boys:	125 Travis Willard 122 Patrick Waters 117 Patrick Waters	336 Patrick Waters 185 Travis Willard 282 Jacob Williams
Girls:	147,122,119 Katie Waters	388 Katie Waters

If you do not see your center’s honor scores or believe the displayed information is incorrect, please contact your center’s Youth Director.

 

The Jacksonville Jr Bowling Tour (JJBT) kicked off the 2016-2017 season on September 17th with a lot of excitement, new enhancements and many memories!  38 bowlers entered and competed for scholarships, “Player of the Year” points, and the chance to be in the first-ever taping of the finals (now available to view on YouTube)!

Here are the results, including scholarship winners:

13 bowlers competed in the Major Division (Handicap, 120-159 averages).  In the Challenge round, Brandon Belz (not pictured) finished with the highest total score and also had a high handicap game of 304 (scratch score of 254)!  At the end, the top 3 finishers were Kamarey Walker, Kyle Johns and Joshua Cohen.

 

 

15 bowlers competed in the Classic Division (Scratch, 160-184 averages).  In the Challenge round, Matthew Jordan had the high game of 230, while John Nunn finished with the highest total score.  At the end, the top 3 finishers were Matthew Jordan, Anne Levasseur and John Nunn.

 

 

10 bowlers competed in the Masters Division (Scratch, 185+ averages).  In the Challenge round, Matthew Waters finished with the highest total score and also had the high game scratch score of 300 — Yes, a perfect game!  At the end, the top 3 finishers were Charles Goguen, Vincent Cavallaro and Donald Grigg.

 

Let’s get to know more about the winners…

Kamarey Walker, Major Division Champion

5 years in Youth Bowling, 2 years in JJBT tour, 1st win on tour

Favorite bowler: Jason Belmonte            Favorite Ball: Strike King

Bowling goals: Bowl a perfect game, beat my brother Sayed, bowl a 600 series

Biggest accomplishment: Finalist in District Science Fair

Non-bowling hobbies/interests: Video games & recording video on YouTube

In 15 years, I plan to be… a news reporter.

Quote: “Whatever my mind can conceive and believe, I can achieve.”

Matthew Jordan, Classic Division Champion (Sept. 2016)

5 years in Youth Bowling, 3 years on JJBT tour, 2nd win on tour

Favorite bowler: Jason Belmonte            Favorite Ball: Storm Nano

Bowling goal: Get a 300 game

Biggest accomplishment: Going from average in school to advanced programs and A/B honor roll

Non-bowling hobbies/interests: Video games and YouTube

In 15 years, I plan to be… a pro bowler.

Quote: “Let it go—there is always another game”

Charles Goguen, Masters Division Champion (Sept. 2016)

6 years in Youth Bowling, 2 years on JJBT tour, 1st win on tour

Favorite bowler: Jason Belmonte            Favorite Ball: Virtual Gravity

Bowling goal: Getting past 10 strikes in a row

Biggest accomplishment: A 723 series

Non-bowling hobbies/interests: Basketball

In 15 years, I plan to be… bowling.

Quote: “Air ball”

Matthew Waters, Special Recognition – 300 Game (his 1st sanctioned 300 game)

5 years in Youth Bowling, 4 years on JJBT tour

Bowling goals: Get my 300 game ring, Win Junior Gold, Make Junior Team USA squad

Biggest accomplishments: (prior to JJBT event) Bowled a 300 in practice, bowled a 279 in league last month, and flew a plane.

Non-bowling hobbies/interests: Aviation / Civil Air Patrol, basketball, video games

In 15 years, I plan to be… a PBA champion, certified pilot and Silver-level Coach.

Quote: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”

 

JJBT Player of the Year Standings – through Sept ’16 event

 

 

 

Here are the top scores bowled in leagues during the week ending 9/10/16:

Batt Family Fun Center – B/P league – 9/10

	Scratch Game:	Scratch Series:
Boys:	Landon Evans 175 Keoni Jackson 162 Darius Alvin 134	Landon Evans 447 Keoni Jackson 402 Darius Alvin 388
Girls:	None	None

 

Batt Family Fun Center – Jr/Sr league – 9/3 & 9/10

	Scratch Game:	Scratch Series:
Boys:	Corey Palmer  255 235 235 Claude Alvin  265 245 Paul Ladd   226 223 221 215 CJ Lloyd   245 Claude Alvin  222 Jeremy Greer  219 208 200 Tanner Warwick  215 213 206 Nash Rhoden  214 Za’Jaury Walker  214 208 Thomas Rowe Jr.  213 Thomas McLaughlin Jr. 212 Tyler Ryals   212 Jacob Smith   207 Nickalos Alvin  200	Corey Palmer  725 Claude Alvin  703 Paul Ladd   610 613

 

Bowl America Orange Park – Tuesday Teens league – 9/6

	Scratch Game:	Scratch Series:
Boys:	247 Evan Walsh 220 Sal LaRosa 219 Tyler McMillan 213 Jacob Bassell	676 Evan Walsh 631 Jacob Bassell 573 Matthew Waters
Girls:	214 Chyna Romedy 204 Harley Romedy 183 Brittany Belz	574 Chyna Romedy 560 Harley Romedy 457 Chloe McEwen

 

Bowl America Orange Park – Keglers league – 9/10

	Scratch Game:	Scratch Series:
Boys:	237 Evan Walsh 196 Gavin Baum 182 Marc Jacobson Jr	693 Evan Walsh 578 Gavin Baum 540 Marc Jacobson Jr
Girls:	131 Emerson Jacobson 120 Jacqueline Brecht 115 Jordan Petersen	333 Emerson Jacobson 293 Jordan Petersen 289 Jacqueline Brecht

 

Bowl America Orange Park – Sharpshooters league – 9/10

Boys:	144 Patrick Waters 107 Jacob Williams 102 Hayden Plemons	389 Patrick Waters 279 Jacob Williams 278 Travis Willard
Girls:	127 Katie Waters 90 Callie Kuchler	315 Katie Waters 242 Callie Kuchler

 

If you do not see your center’s honor scores or believe the displayed information is incorrect, please contact your center’s Youth Director.

 

The Jacksonville Jr Bowling Tour kicks off the youth bowling tournament season next Saturday, September 17th over at Bowl America Southside.  All youth bowlers with a minimum 120 average (last year’s book average OR current season with at least 9 games) are eligible to compete for SMART scholarships.  $6,667 in scholarship funds was awarded last year through this tournament, and we are looking to increase that this year!

Registration is from Noon to 12:45pm, and the tournament begins at 1pm.  If possible, please pre-register on Facebook by Friday, 9/16.  The cost is $40 to enter, with bowlers competing in one of three divisions.  Everyone bowls 6 games in the qualifying round, with at least half advancing to the brackets round for elimination play.

***NEW THIS YEAR***

• Division averages adjusted — Majors is 120-159 (Handicap), Classic is 160-184 (Scratch), and Masters is 185+ (Scratch).
• “Blind Draw” for the brackets round matches.
• More places paid out in scholarships — first through third in each division.
• The final match for the higher-average division(s) will be videotaped and available to watch on YouTube.
• Winners photos appear here on the youth website with a short bio.
• All entrants earn “JJBT Player of the Year” points, with additional points earned based on bowling performance in every game bowled and final results.

Bowling truly is a sport, regardless of whether or not it’s an Olympic event.  It takes coordination, effort, energy, strength and agility to consistently roll a ball (upwards of 16 pounds) 60 feet (foul line to center of the headpin) to a specific spot / entry angle / etc.

 

Bowling can take a physical toll on the body, even if the delivery is considered “textbook” or ideal.  Many times, balance or timing can be off and the body tends to over-compensate in some way.  Over time, bowlers can experience pain and injuries.  So, if we can agree that bowling is somewhat physical in nature, shouldn’t we treat it as a physical sport and utilize a physical warm-up routine like other sports?

 

You don’t see professional teams just show up and play; they have a pre-game routine involving exercises and practice reps.  They are getting their body prepared for the physical stresses of the sport they play in order to avoid potential injuries.  Yet in youth league bowling, too often we see “warm-ups” consisting of… um… throwing the ball down the lane before time runs out.  Really?

 

Before throwing a ball in “league warm-ups”, take a few minutes to perform dynamic stretching exercises — jumping jacks, squats, lunges, torso twists, arm swings and shoulder circles.  These are active moves designed to get your heart pumping and warm up the muscles in preparation for competition.  Make sure you have enough room around you so you don’t smack someone in the face or trip over a pair of shoes / sandals.

 

Notice how the exercises I mentioned are not static exercises that you hold a position for about 10 seconds?  Those types of exercises are best used as a cool-down AFTER bowling.  Yes, you should be doing static stretching (legs, lower back, arms, etc.) after packing up your bowling equipment but before leaving the alley.

 

In adding a simple warm-up and cool-down routing, you might get a few strange looks from those around you.  That’s okay.  Remember it’s your body, and that you want to avoid injuries and pain.  Also, these exercises are performed by the tour pros and Team USA Bowling before each event.  Let’s be pros!

 

Contact a certified Coach for specific recommendations on exercises to perform based on any physical limitations you may have.  If they give you “that look” or say exercises are not needed, you might want to reach out to another coach.

Youth Bowlers,

Would you like to see what the Travel League is going to be like this year?  We are holding a “Travel League Preview Day” on Sunday, September 18th at Batt Family Fun Center for ALL interested youth bowlers.  Everyone will bowl 4 games on a “sport shot” oil pattern — 2 qualifying games and a 2-game “heads up” match.  The cost is $15; registration starts at 1:15pm and we will begin bowling at 2:00pm.

The Travel League is a scratch league designed to prepare youth bowlers for advanced competition, whether in high school /college or in tournaments such as Junior Gold.  Travel League members bowl roughly every two Sundays beginning October 2nd, rotating among four bowling centers around Jacksonville.  Bowlers earn points based on how they perform in each game of each week; the season currently consists of ten weeks plus an optional year-end tournament.  Entries to the national Junior Gold Championships are awarded based on season performance and at the year-end tournament; additional prizes (in the form of bowling equipment) are also awarded out.

For more information, visit the Travel League page on our website.