Pictured above (from left): Daniel Beemsterboer, Kenneth Cobb, Joseph Hoelscher, Daniel Clark and John Hoelscher

RENO, Nev. – The only constant in life is change.

While Greek philosopher Heraclitus likely wasn’t referring to bowling when he coined the phrase, it feels quite relevant in the sport today.

Competitors make equipment changes during a set to combat the oil pattern as it transitions with each shot rolled down the lane. The surface of a bowling ball can be changed to create a different reaction. The heel and sole of a bowling shoe can be switched to help with the approach.

Even teammates can change. Someone moves out of the area. An injury might keep someone out for an extended period of time. Sometimes, the lineup just needs a refresh and some new faces to switch things up.

One of the few things that hasn’t changed, however, is the annual visit to the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships for the members of PFit 25 of Xenia, Ohio – Kenneth Cobb, Daniel Clark, John Hoelscher, Daniel Beemsterboer and Joseph Hoelscher.

The group recently celebrated its 25th consecutive appearance together as a team at the 2023 tournament back where it all began in 1998 – the National Bowling Stadium.

Each team member was presented with a plaque and chevron to commemorate their longevity at the tournament.

The ties to the Dayton area initially brought the group together, along with some family connections. John and Joseph Hoelscher are brothers, while Cobb and Clark are brothers-in-law. Beemsterboer was the final addition to the team to make the initial trip to Reno.

“Joe decided he was going to put a team together, and he had gotten the other four guys right off the bat,” Beemsterboer said. “He asked a couple others who couldn’t go, so I was the eighth choice. I thought it would be great to go, and we’ve been going ever since.”

They were looking to test their games on the national level, while also having the chance to see different parts of the country and enjoy a little vacation time with each trip.

One year turned into two, then five and 10, before they set their sights to see how long they could keep their tradition going at the USBC Open Championships.

“We wanted to step it up a little bit, which is why we wanted to do this tournament,” Cobb said. “I think we were more competitive when we were younger, but we just enjoyed coming out and doing it. We were successful the first couple years, and when we got around that 15-year mark, we started to think it would be pretty cool if we could keep going together.”

There was only one close call along the way, which involved a couple days in the hospital during the 2019 event in Las Vegas for John Hoelscher, but he was still able to make an appearance during their team event at the South Point Bowling Plaza.

They hoped to not be slowed down by the cancellation of the 2020 Open Championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, either, but it set the stage for a return to where the journey started for all five teammates.

They were presented with their 25-year plaques as a team during the squad room announcements before they marched down Center Aisle at the National Bowling Stadium to once again lace up their bowling shoes at the Open Championships.

Typically, it is a moment filled with excitement and last-minute preparation to take on the challenge of competing on one of the sport’s biggest stages, but they were able to take it all in and appreciate what they had accomplished together.



“When we got to 20 and were all together, that meant a lot to me,” said Beemsterboer, a member of the Greater Dayton USBC Hall of Fame. “I always think that’s the best part when we get here – to see who has been here the longest. It’s a great way to honor people in this tournament, and it’s something I’ve always enjoyed.

“To keep it together for that long, I think it’s a great achievement. After being elected to our hall of fame, this is the achievement I’m most proud of. I’ve had 300 games and 800s, but this means a lot more to me, because I think it was so hard for us to do, and then it became so much fun doing it.”

Joe Hoelscher and Clark also are members of the Greater Dayton USBC Hall of Fame, and Beemsterboer also serves as a historian for the local bowling community.

They’ve competed with and against each other at the state and local levels, and they’ve found success at both, too.

It's easy to appreciate the time they’ve shared together on and off the lanes, and they’ve developed a natural chemistry that allows others to see the fun they have while competing.

The competition between the teammates also is fun, but it is important not to be the one with the low score at the end of the week.

“The funny thing about our team is we all come in and say that we only have to beat one guy,” Beemsterboer said. “We don’t want to be last on our team, because then you’ll have to hear about it for the rest of the year.”

The teammates already are signed up for Year 26 at the Open Championships for 2024 in Las Vegas, and they hope their continuity helps to push others to do the same.

“I would challenge other people to try and achieve this,” Cobb said. “When you get to our age and look back, I think it has more meaning.”

The 2023 Open Championships kicked off March 4 and will conclude July 24. The 143-day tournament will feature more than 9,700 five-player teams and nearly 50,000 bowlers making their way to compete in The Biggest Little City in the World.

Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.