Since Team USA began competing in international events more than 50 years ago, it has had its share of ups and downs. But over the past five years, Team USA has had some of the brightest moments in its history.

Here's a look at five of the top moments in the Team USA program since the United States Bowling Congress formed on Jan. 1, 2005:

YES TO PROS: Perhaps the biggest thing to happen to Team USA was not something that took place on the lanes. In 2007, the World Tenpin Bowling Association Congress voted to allow professional bowlers to compete in world events, paving the way for the future success of players like Walter Ray Williams Jr. (singles, Masters gold medals at the 2008 World Men's Championships) and Bill O'Neill (all-events, singles gold medals at the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation Championships).

AMATEURS EXCEL: Although the addition of professionals has dominated Team USA news over recent years, it was a team of amateurs that made headlines in 2006. The team of Bill Hoffman, Scott Pohl, David Haynes, Ronnie Sparks Jr., Dan Patterson and Rhino Page brought home the five-player team event gold medal for the first time in 35 years by edging Malaysia by 100 pins. "You never know how many opportunities you are going to get to win this event," Hoffman said after shooting a perfect game in leading the team to victory. "It's an unbelievable feeling."

SWEEP IN RIO: Once every four years, bowling gets a chance to stand alongside Olympic Program sports in the Americas version of the Olympic Games – the Pan American Games. And in 2007, the Team USA bowlers took advantage of the opportunity to bring home gold medals in one of bowling's most important international events. The foursome of Tennelle Milligan, Diandra Asbaty, Rhino Page and Cassidy Schaub not only found success, they swept all the gold medals available in doubles and singles. "This week far exceeded my expectations. I'm just happy the way it turned out, very happy," Page said.

BRINGING HOME THE CUP: Entering the 2007 QubicaAMF World Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia, Team USA's Bill Hoffman knew there would be pressure to bring the title back to the United States after a nearly 12-year drought. And Hoffman delivered in a big way, defeating two-handed sensation Jason Belmonte of Australia, 2-1, in the championship match to bring home the World Cup. "This is by far my biggest singles title ever," Hoffman said at the time. "I hope to bring the Team USA program back to the top of the world in team and singles. And this is a step in that direction." A year later, Hoffman's teammate, Derek Eoff, traveled to Hermosillo, Mexico, and defended the title with a victory over Sweden's Martin Larsen.

HERE COME THE PROS: In one of the most anticipated World Men's Championships in history, Team USA brought a highly-touted team of professional bowlers to Bangkok, Thailand, for the first time. Just a year after the rule allowing them to compete passed, Team USA's pros Chris Barnes, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Tommy Jones, Rhino Page and Patrick Allen joined amateur Bill Hoffman as the team brought home gold medals in four of the six events. In the most suspenseful of the finishes, the Americans ended the one-game championship match in the five-player team event tied with Korea at 1,084, forcing a ninth-and-10th frame roll-off, in which Page defeated Korea's Kim Tae-Young, 49-39.