At the Earl Anthony Memorial in Dublin, Calif., last week, five USBC Youth members had a chance to meet the stars of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour and the PBA Women's Series.

The youth participants were randomly selected from among USBC Youth league bowlers in Alameda County to participate in the PBA/USBC Insiders' Tour. The program, a cooperative venture between the PBA and USBC, gives young bowlers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of professional bowling and allows them the opportunity to meet their heroes.

The group attended Friday night's match-play finals and had the opportunity to meet the pros and get see what life on the tour is all about.

"I really enjoyed seeing the trailer where all the new balls were kept," said Shawn Carroll, 14, whose favorite players are Wes Malott, Chris Barnes and Mike Fagan. "It was cool seeing all the balls the pros had to choose from."

The group also had special seats to watch Sunday's ESPN telecast. After the championship matches, they went down to the approach and had their picture taken with winners Stefanie Nation and Anthony LaCaze.

"It is a cool program," said Nation. "I wish they would have had something like that when I was a kid."

In addition to Carroll, who bowls at Albany Bowl, the other USBC Youth members at the Earl Anthony Memorial event were: Payton Giambrone, 17, Granada Bowl; Amanda Timmons, 14, Cloverleaf Family Bowl; and Joseph Stephen, 12, and Savannah Garrison, 15, Dublin Bowl.