Striking Spotlight

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Terry Bigham
IBC Communications
817-385-8379
terry.bigham@bowl.com
On the Web: BOWL.com

JUNIOR GOLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WILL HAVE RECORD FIELD FOR 2018 EVENT IN DALLAS

ARLINGTON, Texas – The 2018 Junior Gold Championships presented by the Brands of Ebonite International will have its largest field in tournament history and membership in the Junior Gold program has set a record for the eighth consecutive season.

The Junior Gold Championships features the top youth bowlers in the country seeking national titles in three divisions – 12-and-under, 15-and-under and 20-and-under – and spots on Junior Team USA. The title matches of all divisions once again will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

The city of Dallas and the Dallas Sports Commission will host the 2018 Junior Gold Championships and more than 4,300 spots have been sold for the event that will kick off July 14 when registration and the annual trade show takes place at Fair Park. Competition starts July 16 with the opening round of qualifying at eight bowling centers in the Dallas area.

The 2017 tournament, held in seven Cleveland-area bowling centers, had more than 3,500 entries and featured a $320,000 scholarship fund, both tournament records.

The Junior Gold program also set a membership record for the eighth consecutive season with 7,337 members in 2017-2018.

“The continued growth of the Junior Gold program and the Junior Gold Championships is a testament to the work being done by the volunteers who run youth bowling leagues and tournaments throughout the country,” International Bowling Campus Youth Development Managing Director Gary Brown said. “Because of their efforts, youth bowlers will have the opportunity to take part in the national tournament in Dallas. We expect to have a great event for the bowlers and their families.”

In addition to the Junior Gold Championships presented by the Brands of Ebonite International, which runs July 14-21, two additional major youth events will take place in the Dallas area.

The USA Bowling National Championships presented by Sixlets, featuring 32 teams that qualified through regional competitions, will be held July 18-21 at USA Bowl and AMF Garland Lanes. The Bowling.com Youth Open Championships, a non-qualifying national event, will run July 12-13, 20-22 and 28-29, at Cityview Lanes in Fort Worth, Texas.

The annual trade show and Junior Gold Championships registration will take place Saturday, July 14, at the Automobile Building in Fair Park. Some of the key events at this year’s trade show, which will run from 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.:

• Collegiate Experience – More than 50 colleges will be represented so bowlers and their parents can learn what it takes to bowl in college
• Lane Patterns and Arsenal Building Seminar – Del Warren, a United States Bowling Congress Gold coach and member of the Team USA coaching staff, will provide attendees with the tools to understand lane patterns, lane pattern breakdown, and help bowlers build an arsenal best suited for their bowling style
• Brains Need Training Also – Josh Blanchard, who is on the Columbia 300 national staff, will discuss topics from his book, “Bowling: Energy in Motion,” designed to help bowlers understand how to improve their mental game before and after each shot

The Brands of Ebonite International will have autograph stations, InsideBowling.com will livestream on BowlTV from the trade show, plus there will be 25 additional exhibitors, including a caricaturist, airbrush artist and interactive photo booth area.

Another special event is Ebonite International’s Demo Day, which will take place Friday, July 13, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. at AMF Garland Lanes. Bowlers can try the latest products from the Columbia 300, Ebonite, Hammer and Track lines, and registered attendees will have the chance to interact with Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) stars. Some of the stars scheduled to attend are Stefanie Johnson, Tommy Jones, Shannon O’Keefe, Bill O’Neill, Ronnie Russell, and Diana Zavjalova.

Official Junior Gold merchandise will be available for purchase at registration and, courtesy of a 35-foot merchandise trailer, throughout the week at the different centers. BOWL.com has the schedule of stops for the merchandise trailer.

Bowlers also should note the Survivor Tournament presented by Hammer will take place July 20-21 at AMF Garland Lanes. It not only will be a Junior Gold qualifying event for 2019, but bowlers will have the option to get an exclusive Hammer Gauntlet SurvivorEdition bowling ball. Check out the Competitor’s Guide on BOWL.com/JuniorGold for details.

Once again, CBS Sports Network will televise the finals of each division (U12, U15 and U20) of the Junior Gold Championships presented by The Brands of Ebonite International and the title matches of the U15 and U12 divisions of the USA Bowling National Championshipspresented by Sixlets. The finals will air over a five-week period starting July 24 with the U12 Junior Gold title matches. VisitBOWL.com/BowlingOnCBSSN for the schedule.

Visit BOWL.com/YouthTournaments for more information about the Junior Gold Championships presented by the Brands of Ebonite International plus other youth tournaments.

About International Bowling Campus
The International Bowling Campus (IBC) is the headquarters for the bowling industry and directly serves the more than 69 million bowlers in the United States. The IBC houses the resources of the United States Bowling Congress, the governing body and membership organization for the sport; the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, representing the business interests of bowling centers; IBC Youth Development; Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm for the industry; the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame; the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association; the International Bowling Media Association; the Bowling News Network; the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America; and the International Training and Research Center.

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