USBC High Tech Coaching

Continuing to emphasize the important role that technology will have in growing the sport of bowling, the United States Bowling Congress has developed a system that measures and displays the exact movements of a bowler’s body during the approach and delivery.

The USBC has patented this sophisticated biomechanics technology, which is called “motion capture.” The futuristic-looking system is the first of its kind in the sport of bowling and is expected to be available in the new USBC training facility where it will be used to identify and correct problems with bowlers’ techniques in a more comprehensive manner.

USBC has developed a “motion capture” system for bowling. The network of cameras, sensors and computers measure pressure points and exact movements of a bowler’s body during the approach and delivery. The new biomechanics technology is expected to be available at the USBC training facility in Arlington, Texas, to analyze bowlers’ technique. The idea is that eventually, bowling coaches — like coaches in other sports who use this type of technology to improve performance — can use motion capture in their lessons.

It is envisioned that eventually bowling coaches around the world will have access to motion capture and be able to use the system when giving lessons to their students. [Read more]

Junior Team USA Players Selected

Four boys and four girls from the 16-player Junior Team USA have been selected to compete at the 2008 World Youth Championships, scheduled for July 19-25 at Boardwalk Entertainment Center in Orlando, Fla.

Two Florida natives – reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion Jenny Brown of DeLand and Michelle Carcagente of Palm Coast – join Emily Maier of Sparks, Nev., and Ricki Williams of Wichita, Kan., as girls team selections for the World Youth Championships, a biennial U-22 tournament being held for the first time in the United States.

Matt O’Grady of South Amboy, N.J., who competed at the 2006 World Youth Championships in Berlin, Germany, leads the boys team that also features first-time team members John Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, N.Y., Dean Richards of Tacoma, Wash., and Adam Martinez of San Antonio, the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion. [Read more]

Collegiate 2007-08 All-Americans

Bandy becomes third to win NCBCA’s top player award multiple times

By Kevin Hazaert
USBC Communications

Pikeville senior Kayla Bandy and Saginaw Valley State junior Dan MacLelland were named Most Valuable Players for the 2007-08 collegiate bowling season by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA).

Bandy and MacLelland were honored along with the rest of the All-Americans at the “Night of Champions” banquet held Wednesday in conjunction with the 2008 United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships, presented by Storm, which open Thursday at Northrock Lanes.

They also were named 2007-08 Bowling Writers Association of America Collegiate Players of the Year at Wednesday’s event.

This marks the second straight MVP and Player of the Year award for Bandy, a Danville, Va., native who helped lead the Bears to the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Sectional title and their seventh consecutive championships appearance. [Read more]

Four Teams Remain

By Kevin Hazaert
USBC Communications

OMAHA, Neb. – Four teams remained alive Friday at the 2008 NCAA National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship at Thunder Alley: a defending champion with resolve, a runner-up proving it wasn’t a one-year wonder, a Division III powerhouse taking the next step and an upstart newcomer that continues to impress.

Defending champion Vanderbilt, which suffered a quick 4-0 defeat to Maryland-Eastern Shore in the first round of the best-of-7 Baker games, double-elimination match play, fought back to the semifinals where it beat the same undefeated Hawks, 4-2, to force another semifinal match between the teams Saturday.

“We never say die,” said Vanderbilt sophomore Josie Earnest, Most Outstanding Player of last year’s championship. “We know we are better when our backs are against the wall. We’re fighters. We’re trying to repeat.” [Read more]

Field set for the 2008 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships

By Kevin Hazaert
USBC Communications

The field is set for the 2008 United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships, presented by Storm, following the completion of Sectional Qualifier competition March 15-16, with the Saginaw Valley State University men’s team and Wichita State University women’s team ready to defend their titles.

Four Sectional Qualifiers, comprising of 64 Baker System games, were held at AMF Parkway in Allentown, Pa.; Holiday Bowl Brainerd in Chattanooga, Tenn.; St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights, Ill.; and Southpoint Hotel & Casino Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

The top four in the men’s and women’s divisions at each sectional advanced to the 2008 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships, presented by Storm, scheduled for April 16-19 at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan. [Read more]

USBC develops biomechanics technology

Grip and foot pressure systems expected to have big impact on coaching, pro shops

By Patrick Brettingen
USBC Communications

Measuring pressure on specific points of the human body is becoming a new and growing focus for bowling coaching and training. The United States Bowling Congress has now developed advanced technology that can measure grip and foot pressure to improve the collection of motion data throughout a bowler’s approach.

These patent-pending biomechanics systems, which transmit body movement data to a computer via a series of pressure sensors connected to a bowler’s throwing hand and feet, are examples of new technology that USBC believes will usher in the future of coaching in the sport of bowling.

“This is the kind of technology we need in the sport of bowling,” said USBC Research Engineer Paul Ridenour, who was instrumental in developing the grip and foot pressure systems. [Read more]

Ebonite Brand Manager Takes Lead

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - As the brand manager for Ebonite, Edward Gallagher of Clarksville, Tenn., spends a lot of time behind the scenes enjoying the successes of his many professional and amateur staff members, but he had his own turn in the spotlight at the USBC Open Championships this weekend.After a tournament-high 771 series in team Saturday night, the 40-year-old right-hander returned to the Albuquerque Convention Center and added 701 in singles and 669 in doubles Sunday to catapult himself into the Regular All-Events lead with 2,141. John Gaines of Orlando, Fla., who works for Gallagher, previously held the lead with 2,092.

“There was a time when I used to compete a lot, but I would venture to say that now, most of my staff members don’t even know I bowl,” said Gallagher, who made his 13th Open Championships appearance. “It really hasn’t sunk in yet, and right now I’m just overwhelmed. I know the history of the sport and this event, so to take the lead here is very humbling.” [Read more]

Meet “Harry” the Bowling Robot

By Patrick Brettingen
USBC Communications

One of the most important members of the USBC Specifications and Certification team is not a human being.

He’s a robot, and his name is “Harry.” Click on the image to watch a video of Harry.

Harry (named in honor of former testing facility employee Harry Lawrence) is an approximately seven-foot tall robotic bowling ball thrower who is an integral part of the equipment testing and research effort at the USBC Specifications and Certification test facility in Greendale, Wis.

Developed by USBC and in use since 1999, Harry is a unique computer controlled hybrid machine partly encased in safety glass that combines hydraulics, air pressure and electronics that power a mechanical arm that delivers bowling balls to help test balls, lanes, pins and oil patterns. Harry is similar to the United States Golf Association’s robotic golfer “Iron Byron” whose mechanical arm swings golf clubs for research purposes in that sport.

Harry has two “hands,” a device with two clamps that grabs bowling balls. A piston and cylinder assembly makes the machine’s hand open and close to pick up and release a ball. Springs and gravity provide forward momentum to propel a ball down the lane.

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Junior Team USA selection process

 

Changes made to Junior Team USA selection process

By Kevin Hazaert
USBC Communications

Junior Team USA, the U.S. national junior bowling team and feeder program for Team USA, will expand to 20 players in 2009 – allowing more elite youth bowlers the opportunity to further develop their skills and represent their country.

The majority of Junior Team USA (comprised of 10 males and 10 females) will continue to be established at the previous year’s United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships, which brings together over 1,500 of the country’s best youth bowlers vying for scholarships and U.S. Junior Amateur titles.

However, new for 2009, additional players will be selected through the USBC Team USA Trials (beginning with the 2009 event), which is held annually in January to help determine Team USA.

“Expanding Junior Team USA will give more of the top young athletes in our sport exposure to the elite coaching and training they will receive in the program,” USBC Team USA High-Performance Director David Garber said. “By adding individuals from the USBC Team USA Trials as well, we will be able strengthen Junior Team USA with even more promising talent.” [Read more]

Ball Motion Study Completed

By Patrick Brettingen
USBC Communications

The United States Bowling Congress has completed its pioneering two-year study of bowling ball motion and how advanced, high-tech equipment may influence lane conditions and scoring in the sport.

The USBC Bowling Ball Specifications Task Force – formed in 2005 and comprised of USBC research engineers and technical volunteers from several bowling ball manufacturing companies – is now analyzing the research data results. The task force plans to meet in February 2008 to discuss the data further. USBC expects to release complete research results to the public next spring.

The goal of the study is to better understand the motion of bowling balls using scientific research and data analysis. As the sport’s national governing body, USBC undertook the research working cooperatively with bowling manufacturers.

One impetus for the study is that over the past 20 years, bowling’s credibility has been compromised in part due to technological advancements that have greatly affected scoring in the sport. [Read more]

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