SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The members of Bennett Trucking of Liberal, Kan., were fired up about competing at the 2011 USBC Women's Championships,  and they blazed a trail to the tournament's check-in counter, where, as early birds, they got the pin.

The teammates were the first recipients of the new USBC Early Bird pin being presented to team captains for checking their teams in at least 24 hours before their scheduled team squads. The award was designed as an incentive for eager bowlers and as a way to keep the check-in lines at the Oncenter Convention Center short, so bowlers could spend more time enjoying what Syracuse has to offer.

"We developed this as a way to help eliminate the lines for registration when teams arrive to bowl," Women's Championships Tournament Manager Eric Pierson said. "Any measure to make the event run more smoothly is appreciated, and our registration staff felt this would help shorten the lines, speed the process and allow valuable time in case problems do crop up."

Bennett Trucking, organized by Becky Bennett of Booker, Texas, is comprised of bowlers from Texas and Oklahoma, and the team's excitement began to heat up well before beginning the journey to Salt City on Saturday. The group left behind 60-mph winds and rampant fires, and that theme followed them all the way to Syracuse.

No sooner did they sit for a meal at the Hard Rock Caf‚ in Niagara Falls, N.Y., when the fire alarms in the building started going off. Although it was just a false alarm, the subsequent irony could only make them laugh.

"We still have had the very best time," said Bennett's mother and teammate, Phyllis Farmer of Forgan, Okla. "We've laughed so much, my ribs hurt."

Other team members include Sharon Woodson and 90-year-old Violet Miner, both of Laverne, Okla., and Bennett's daughter, Kendra Almond, also from Forgan. Although, this year, the team members span three generations, there also have been times when five generations have traveled to the tournament to either participate or cheer the team on.

Syracuse marks the group's eighth Women's Championships overall.

On the lanes at the Oncenter this year, Bennett Trucking posted a 2,097 team score. They competed in the Sapphire Division, which includes teams with a combined average of 749 and below.

Sponsors for the 2011 USBC Women's Championships sponsors include Turning Stone Resort and Casino, official brackets sponsor, Humana, official registration sponsor, Miller Lite and Molson Canadian, official beer sponsors. Supporting sponsors include Storm Bowling Products, Nationwide Insurance, The Oncenter, Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau, Caz Limo & Tours, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and Brunswick, official lane provider.