Big scores begin to roll in at USBC Women's Championships
April 11, 2010
EL PASO, Texas - Joyce Gibbs of North Platte, Neb., came into her 2010 USBC Women's Championships appearance on the heels of one of her worst on-lane performances in 25 years.
Gibbs persevered upon hitting tournament lanes at the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, however, and put together one of the best series of her bowling career on Thursday.
The 53-year-old right-hander shot games of 235, 201 and 219 to shoot a 655 series. Her 194 entering average earned her a spot in the Diamond Division, and she received an additional 26 pins of handicap per game to finish with a final total of 733. The Diamond Division is made up of bowlers with averages of 180 and higher, with handicap based on 100 percent of 220.
Several weeks ago, Gibbs rolled a 399 series at her state tournament. She also injured her knee in that performance and has been wearing a knee brace since.
"It just threw my entire body off," said Gibbs, who regularly bowls at Cedar Bowl and made her 15th trip to the Women's Championships. "When I stick, I can't get into a rhythm. My knee is feeling better, but I'm still wearing the brace to make sure it's safe."
Shaking off that kind of showing might have been tough for most competitors, but Gibbs walked through the doors of the state-of-the-art bowling facility with the utmost confidence.
"I didn't shake my confidence at all," Gibbs said. "But I'm really happy to have the ability to come back after one of my worst performances in 25 years. Plus, my mom joined me for the first time, so I think that helped too."
Gibbs uses the tournament not only to catch up with family and friends, but for the opportunity to meet new people from all over the country.
"I enjoy to bowl, and it means a lot each year to spend this time with the people I care about and catch up with them," said Gibbs, who added a 625 series in team and 610 in doubles for a 1,968 all-events total (scores include handicap). "Plus, we have met so many people. Every year, we try to schedule each team on a different pair, so we can bowl with people we haven't met before."
Jennifer Land of Keller, Texas, also put together a strong performance on the tournament lanes, using her experience on tougher lane conditions to roll three solid sets on the way to a scratch all-events score of 1,862. Land, a Diamond Division bowler, entered this year's Women's Championships with a 209 average and received an additional 99 pins (11 per game) of handicap to officially finish with 1,961.
The 33-year-old right-hander credits competing in USBC Sport leagues to helping her game improve.
"It helps a lot," said Land, who works as a USBC Bowling Information Center specialist at USBC Headquarters in Arlington, Texas. "It really teaches you to be more consistent. It helped out my timing severely."
Land, who sharpens her game at AMF Showplace Lanes in Euless, Texas, found she was able to consistently get to the pocket without making any major adjustments on the lane. She was able to use the same ball for all nine games of competition.
By bowling collegiately for Sacramento State University and touring for a short time with the Professional Women's Bowling Association, Land certainly is tournament tested. Her travels have led her to many bowling centers across the country, and she appreciated the changes made at the Women's Championships venue.
"It's great," Land said. "It flows much better than a regular center. It has more of a championship feeling and feels like it was built just for us."
To reach her all-events score, Land rolled a 678 series in team, 670 in doubles and 613 in singles. All scores include handicap.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Women's Championships are Nationwide Insurance; Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; US Steltronic, official scoring system; Brunswick; Storm Bowling Products Inc.; and the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Gibbs persevered upon hitting tournament lanes at the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, however, and put together one of the best series of her bowling career on Thursday.
The 53-year-old right-hander shot games of 235, 201 and 219 to shoot a 655 series. Her 194 entering average earned her a spot in the Diamond Division, and she received an additional 26 pins of handicap per game to finish with a final total of 733. The Diamond Division is made up of bowlers with averages of 180 and higher, with handicap based on 100 percent of 220.
Several weeks ago, Gibbs rolled a 399 series at her state tournament. She also injured her knee in that performance and has been wearing a knee brace since.
"It just threw my entire body off," said Gibbs, who regularly bowls at Cedar Bowl and made her 15th trip to the Women's Championships. "When I stick, I can't get into a rhythm. My knee is feeling better, but I'm still wearing the brace to make sure it's safe."
Shaking off that kind of showing might have been tough for most competitors, but Gibbs walked through the doors of the state-of-the-art bowling facility with the utmost confidence.
"I didn't shake my confidence at all," Gibbs said. "But I'm really happy to have the ability to come back after one of my worst performances in 25 years. Plus, my mom joined me for the first time, so I think that helped too."
Gibbs uses the tournament not only to catch up with family and friends, but for the opportunity to meet new people from all over the country.
"I enjoy to bowl, and it means a lot each year to spend this time with the people I care about and catch up with them," said Gibbs, who added a 625 series in team and 610 in doubles for a 1,968 all-events total (scores include handicap). "Plus, we have met so many people. Every year, we try to schedule each team on a different pair, so we can bowl with people we haven't met before."
Jennifer Land of Keller, Texas, also put together a strong performance on the tournament lanes, using her experience on tougher lane conditions to roll three solid sets on the way to a scratch all-events score of 1,862. Land, a Diamond Division bowler, entered this year's Women's Championships with a 209 average and received an additional 99 pins (11 per game) of handicap to officially finish with 1,961.
The 33-year-old right-hander credits competing in USBC Sport leagues to helping her game improve.
"It helps a lot," said Land, who works as a USBC Bowling Information Center specialist at USBC Headquarters in Arlington, Texas. "It really teaches you to be more consistent. It helped out my timing severely."
Land, who sharpens her game at AMF Showplace Lanes in Euless, Texas, found she was able to consistently get to the pocket without making any major adjustments on the lane. She was able to use the same ball for all nine games of competition.
By bowling collegiately for Sacramento State University and touring for a short time with the Professional Women's Bowling Association, Land certainly is tournament tested. Her travels have led her to many bowling centers across the country, and she appreciated the changes made at the Women's Championships venue.
"It's great," Land said. "It flows much better than a regular center. It has more of a championship feeling and feels like it was built just for us."
To reach her all-events score, Land rolled a 678 series in team, 670 in doubles and 613 in singles. All scores include handicap.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Women's Championships are Nationwide Insurance; Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; US Steltronic, official scoring system; Brunswick; Storm Bowling Products Inc.; and the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.