ARLINGTON, Texas – Beginning this year at the 2014 Junior Gold Championships in Buffalo, N.Y., all adult spectators will need to have an event pass to enter any of the bowling venues. Spectators 18 and under may attend free of charge. All proceeds from sale of the passes will go to the Youth Education Services (YES) Fund to support youth bowling initiatives.

The YES Fund initiative is a united effort by industry leaders in the sport, initiated by the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America and the United States Bowling Congress, dedicated to youth bowling development and marketing. The fund supports programs such as:

• The High School Grant Assistance Program – Financial assistance for schools to start a new bowling program or to support those that lost programs
• The Students Equipped to Strike (S.E.T.S.) Grant – Provides high school bowlers with quality bowling equipment
• USA Bowling Coaching – Provides dozens of seminars each year throughout the country teaching the basic skills needed to teach the fundamentals of bowling to kids
• The Bowler’s Ed In-School Program – Introduces the sport to students as a part of their physical education class

A one-day pass will cost $10 per adult and an all-week pass will cost $20 if purchased by July 1. After July 1, the price for the all-week pass increases to $30.

“Every dollar from the adult spectator passes will go directly to supporting grassroots youth bowling programs,” IBC Youth Managing Director of Youth Development Chad Murphy said. “Many premiere youth events charge admission to adult spectators to support kids programs and this change aligns Junior Gold with other similar events. Again, not one dollar goes to operations, it all goes to kids programs in communities.”

Online sales of adult spectator passes are now available. You will be able to purchase your ticket by going to BOWL.com/JuniorGold and clicking on the Competitor’s Guide and then clicking on the “Purchase your 2014 Adult Spectator Passes” link.

If you don’t purchase your adult spectator passes by July 1, you still will be able to purchase them when you get to Buffalo. Passes will be available on-site starting on July 11, but the cost of an all-week pass will increase to $30; on-site prices for daily passes will remain $10. Passes are non-transferable and lost passes will not be replaced.

Passes will not be mailed but can be picked up from July 11-13 at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo during Junior Gold merchandise sales hours. Those buying an all-week pass also will receive a 2014 Junior Gold Championships lanyard.

Make sure to avoid the lines at the centers and purchase your adult spectator passes by July 1.