USBC Junior Gold Tournament Revved Up to Start in Detroit Today

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. - After two days of practice rounds, registration, opening ceremonies and other activities, the participants in the 2008 United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships are ready to roll in suburban Detroit.
The official opening ceremonies took place Sunday night at the Meadow Brook Music Festival and featured the traditional march out of the athletes by state as well as local bands performing.
Earlier on Sunday, dozens of parents battled for scholarships for their children in the Storm Parent Shootout at Sunnybrook Lanes. Julie Wells of Westerville, Ohio, and Steve Starke of Hoffman Estates, Ill., outlasted the field to earn $500 scholarships for their children, Mary Wells and Tom Starke.
Bowlers begin their tournament action Monday with the first of three qualifying blocks over three days.
Athletes who finish among the top at the Junior Gold Championships are automatically placed on USBC Junior Team USA, with additional at-large berths in both the male and female divisions selected by the National Selection Committee. Members of USBC Team USA and Junior Team USA are the most visible ambassadors for our sport as they compete in competition across the globe.
USBC Junior Team USA 2009 will be comprised of ten males and ten females (must be U.S. citizens). The composition of Junior Team USA 2009 will be chosen as follows:
• The top four male and top four female finishers after match play competition at the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships (to be held July 5-11, 2008 in Detroit) will automatically qualify for Junior Team USA 2009.
• The National Selection Committee (“NSC”) will select two male and two female “At-Large Members” from match play athletes at the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships. (These four NSC athletes will be announced at the closing ceremonies of the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships on Friday, July 11.)
• The top two males and top two females who are 20 or younger as of January 1, 2009 who bowl the USBC Team USA Trials in 2009 (location TBD), provided they are not already on Junior Team USA 2009. These four athletes can be USBC Youth OR Adult members as long as they meet the age requirements.
• Two males and two females will be chosen by the NSC from a pool of athletes who were match play finalists at the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships or who competed at the USBC Team USA Trials 2009 and are 20 or younger as of January 1, 2009. Athletes selected from the Team Trials can USBC Youth or Adult members as long as they meet the age requirement.
By Lucas Wiseman
USBC Communications