Here's the article about everything that will be going on. It's here in my town, Topeka, KS. It's really a cool deal, I'm pretty excited about it. The special pro am event that it mentions on the Monday night? I'm one of the 5 from town that gets to bowl in it . . so I need to get out and practice, lol . .
Parker Bohn III, Mika Koivuniemi and Sean Rash are among the Brunswick-sponsored members of the Professional Bowlers Association expected to participate in the event, which is set for Aug. 26-31 and coincides with National Bowling Week.
Others expected to be on hand are Brad Angelo, Nathan Bohr, Lonnie Waliczek, Steve Weber, Sara Vargas, Bob Benoit and Bryan Goebel, with additional commitments to be announced.
"It's something the players and I have talked about doing for several years," said Topekan Rick Benoit, who has worked for Brunswick as a PBA Tour representative for the past decade. "We tried to do it in Muskegon (Mich.), which is where Brunswick bowling is based, and there are too many distractions. I just decided that this year I'll bring them here. I think we can get a lot more done here."
In short, Benoit hopes to create for the Brunswick pro staff the type of training camp environment long associated with professional sports teams, and, in the process, produce an entertaining and educational experience for the local bowling community.
"I've been coaching the Brunswick staff for 10 years now," Benoit said, "but as the season gets started you feel like the first five tournaments the guys aren't ready. There's only 21 (PBA) tournaments now — there used to be 35 — so I don't want that slow start, I want a quicker start."
When Benoit approached West Ridge Lanes proprietor Ron Hopper with his idea, Hopper jumped at the chance to participate despite the somewhat awkward timing only a few weeks into the start of the 2007-08 league season.
"Obviously, we're working on putting our fall program together and getting all of our fall leagues going," Hopper said, "and we're hosting the Topeka Top Ten (the week before the start of leagues), but I thought I'm not going to pass up this opportunity. I think it's going to be terrific for Topeka."
The event will open with an autograph session at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, followed by a question-and-answer period with the pros and, if time allows, a trick shot exhibition.
The actual training camp for the pros will be held Monday through Thursday during the day, with a special pro-am event Monday evening and a beat-the-pros event Tuesday evening involving the Lenahan Ultimate Scratch League.
All sessions are open to the public free of charge, although the pros will be off limits to the public during their workouts.
Capping the week Friday will be pro-am tournaments for seniors, youth and adults. Participants will bowl three games, each with a different pro, and all bowlers will be awarded strikes in the third, sixth and ninth frames.
The senior and youth pro-ams are set for 3 and 5 p.m., respectively, with an entry fee of $25. There will be two adult pro-ams at 7 and 9 p.m., with an entry fee of $40. The prize funds will be distributed on a 1-to-5 ratio, with youth bowlers receiving scholarship money. There is a limit of 144 bowlers per pro-am.
"The guys are gonna come here and we're bascially gonna have a week-long slumber party over at my house," Benoit said. "We're gonna have a blast. We're obviously gonna get some serious work done, but we're also gonna have a good time, too. That's the purpose of it."
• The annual Topeka Top Ten tournaments, featuring the city's top youth, senior and adult bowlers from the previous league season, will be held concurrently Saturday, Aug. 4 at West Ridge. Practice will begin at 2:30 p.m., with competition starting about 3. The event is open to the public free of charge.
• Topeka USBC Bowling Association manager Kirby Cain has submitted his resignation effective Aug. 1, which means the TBA is looking for a new manager. Application forms are available at all local bowling centers. The deadline to apply is July 26.
Anybody that's interested, call up to West Ridge Lanes and get signed up! I don't know how fast the spots will be filling up, but you can at least come out that week and watch! The number for WRL is 785-273-3333. Want to make it a big thing!
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