Earnest to Lead Team USA into Tournament of the Americas
August 08, 2009
ARLINGTON, Texas - Josie Earnest, Ricki Williams, John Szczerbinski and Tim Pfeifer will lead a 16-member USA team at the Tournament of the Americas, which begins Sunday, Aug. 9.
The Tournament of the Americas, which will be held at Boardwalk Bowl in Orlando, Fla., features four divisions: adult, senior (ages 50-plus) and two junior divisions (ages 16-19 and ages 12-15).
Earnest, of Vandalia, Ill., will be making her second consecutive appearance at the tournament. She took home the silver all-events medal, behind teammate Jenny Brown, while competing in the junior (ages 16-19) category last year. This year, she is part of the adult team along with Williams, Szczerbinski and Pfeifer.
"Any time I have the opportunity and privilege to represent my country in an international competition, it's a rewarding experience," Earnest said. "Last year, the junior division was very competitive, and I took a lot of positive experiences that I think I will be able to fall back on when I compete in the adult division. I expect there to be a very high level of competition, but I am excited and ready for my first chance as an adult competitor."
The Tournament of the Americas continues a busy summer for Earnest, who finished second at the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships. She has spent the summer in Nashville, where she is taking a class and working as an intern with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League. She is a Human and Organizational Development major at Vanderbilt University.
"It has been very interesting to see how the other side of professional sports works, and the internship made me realize that I hope I can continue being a part of the sports industry in some form or another," Earnest said. "As far as bowling, I am feeling very confident heading into this tournament. I felt like I had a successful week at Junior Gold, and I hope to feed off that momentum heading into the Tournament of the Americas."
Ed Roberts of Braintree, Mass., who won gold in singles, mixed doubles, team and took home the all-events title in the senior division at the 2008 Tournament of the Americas, again will lead the senior team which includes Phil Prieto of El Paso, Texas, Carol Teel of The Villages, Fla., and Christine Srock of Pinellas Park, Fla.
Andrew Koff of Miami, who recently finished second in the Junior Gold Championships, will be joined by Junior Team USA members Chris Pierson of Waukesha, Wis., Jessica Earnest of Vandalia, Ill., and Dayna Galganski of Palm Beach, Fla., in the top junior (16-19) division. Koff won the individual all-events junior title at last year's event.
Koff's sister, Ana Koff, is on the junior team for ages 12-15. She is joined by Elise Bolton of Merritt Island, Fla.; Michael Coffey, Melbourne, Fla.; and Daulton Shaffer of Cape Coral, Fla.
USBC Coaching Specialist Bryan O'Keefe will coach the team.
The Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas is the oldest annual international tournament in the American Zone. The invitational competition for countries of PABCON (Pan American Bowling Confederation - the American Zone of World Tenpin Bowling Association) has four divisions for men and women.
In each division, one team comprised of two men and two women compete in singles, doubles, mixed doubles and team event throughout the week-long tournament. After 36 total games of bowling, individual all-events and national all-events champions also are recognized.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Sunday, Aug. 9
9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Tournament registration
2:30-4:30 p.m. - Official practice, all countries/divisions
5:15 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
Monday, Aug. 10
9:30 a.m. - Singles (First six games of 12-game series)
Tuesday, Aug. 11
9:30 a.m. - Singles (Games 7-12 of 12-game series)
Wednesday, Aug. 12
9:30 a.m. - Doubles (Six-game series)
Thursday, Aug. 13
9:30 a.m. - Mixed Doubles (Six-game series)
Friday, Aug. 14
9 a.m. - Team Competition (First six games of 12-game series)
Saturday, Aug. 15
9 a.m. - Team Competition (Games 7-12 of 12-game series)
The Tournament of the Americas, which will be held at Boardwalk Bowl in Orlando, Fla., features four divisions: adult, senior (ages 50-plus) and two junior divisions (ages 16-19 and ages 12-15).
Earnest, of Vandalia, Ill., will be making her second consecutive appearance at the tournament. She took home the silver all-events medal, behind teammate Jenny Brown, while competing in the junior (ages 16-19) category last year. This year, she is part of the adult team along with Williams, Szczerbinski and Pfeifer.
"Any time I have the opportunity and privilege to represent my country in an international competition, it's a rewarding experience," Earnest said. "Last year, the junior division was very competitive, and I took a lot of positive experiences that I think I will be able to fall back on when I compete in the adult division. I expect there to be a very high level of competition, but I am excited and ready for my first chance as an adult competitor."
The Tournament of the Americas continues a busy summer for Earnest, who finished second at the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships. She has spent the summer in Nashville, where she is taking a class and working as an intern with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League. She is a Human and Organizational Development major at Vanderbilt University.
"It has been very interesting to see how the other side of professional sports works, and the internship made me realize that I hope I can continue being a part of the sports industry in some form or another," Earnest said. "As far as bowling, I am feeling very confident heading into this tournament. I felt like I had a successful week at Junior Gold, and I hope to feed off that momentum heading into the Tournament of the Americas."
Ed Roberts of Braintree, Mass., who won gold in singles, mixed doubles, team and took home the all-events title in the senior division at the 2008 Tournament of the Americas, again will lead the senior team which includes Phil Prieto of El Paso, Texas, Carol Teel of The Villages, Fla., and Christine Srock of Pinellas Park, Fla.
Andrew Koff of Miami, who recently finished second in the Junior Gold Championships, will be joined by Junior Team USA members Chris Pierson of Waukesha, Wis., Jessica Earnest of Vandalia, Ill., and Dayna Galganski of Palm Beach, Fla., in the top junior (16-19) division. Koff won the individual all-events junior title at last year's event.
Koff's sister, Ana Koff, is on the junior team for ages 12-15. She is joined by Elise Bolton of Merritt Island, Fla.; Michael Coffey, Melbourne, Fla.; and Daulton Shaffer of Cape Coral, Fla.
USBC Coaching Specialist Bryan O'Keefe will coach the team.
The Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas is the oldest annual international tournament in the American Zone. The invitational competition for countries of PABCON (Pan American Bowling Confederation - the American Zone of World Tenpin Bowling Association) has four divisions for men and women.
In each division, one team comprised of two men and two women compete in singles, doubles, mixed doubles and team event throughout the week-long tournament. After 36 total games of bowling, individual all-events and national all-events champions also are recognized.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Sunday, Aug. 9
9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Tournament registration
2:30-4:30 p.m. - Official practice, all countries/divisions
5:15 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
Monday, Aug. 10
9:30 a.m. - Singles (First six games of 12-game series)
Tuesday, Aug. 11
9:30 a.m. - Singles (Games 7-12 of 12-game series)
Wednesday, Aug. 12
9:30 a.m. - Doubles (Six-game series)
Thursday, Aug. 13
9:30 a.m. - Mixed Doubles (Six-game series)
Friday, Aug. 14
9 a.m. - Team Competition (First six games of 12-game series)
Saturday, Aug. 15
9 a.m. - Team Competition (Games 7-12 of 12-game series)