Grinding It Out at the USBC Women’s Championships

What could have been a disastrous nine games at the USBC Women’s Championships in Las Vegas this May turned into one of the most memorable weeks of my bowling career. Limited equipment, high stakes, and a few unexpected twists set the stage, but resilience, teamwork, and a little grit made all the difference. Here’s how it all unfolded!

Setting the stage

In the week leading up to the USBC Women’s Championships, I brought 12 balls with me to the first PWBA Tour stop of the year in Topeka, Kansas. Since ball transport was available on the PWBA truck heading to Las Vegas (for the USBC Queens), my husband John and I figured it would be a smart move to max out the number of balls we sent on the truck and just bring three balls with us on our flight. John suggested that we leave behind the three most worn-out bags on the truck and travel on our flight with the one bag that was in the best shape. Neither of us gave much thought to which bowling balls were actually in that bag.

Early Sunday morning, which was the day we were flying to Vegas for the Women’s Championship, I woke up in a panic. I realized that the PWBA truck might not arrive in time for me to get my equipment before the team event on Monday night. In the one triple tote I had with me were a Track Criterion, a Columbia 300 Piranha PowerCOR Pearl, and a Hammer Ocean Vibe. I had no spare ball!

Once John woke up, I told him my predicament. I immediately emailed Robyn Graves (the PWBA’s brand manager) and sent a text to Cecil Scarboro (the PWBA’s truck manager) to ask if the truck would arrive in time. Cecil ...