LAS VEGAS - Camaraderie. Competition. History. Tradition.

Ask any bowler at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships or The National Bowling Association Annual Tournament why they've chosen to compete in these events, and the answer likely will include one or more of those words.

The two tournaments, with nearly 200 years of combined history, have been contested simultaneously, but separately, since 1939, while their operating organizations - USBC and TNBA - have worked independently toward many of the same goals, including building a brighter future for the sport.

The annual events give competitors from all corners of the globe the chance to see new places, compete against their peers on a national stage, make new friends and reunite with others they may only see once a year on the lanes.

While many bowlers do compete in both the USBC Open Championships and TNBA Annual Tournament, time and finances often force competitors to choose one over the other.

But, this year, both tournaments are being held in Las Vegas, so cross-promoting them was a logical strategy.

Through the Open Championships Affinity Partner Program, a special partnership between USBC and three great organizations - TNBA, American Wheelchair Bowling Association and Japanese American National Bowling Association (JANBA) - more than 100 teams of TNBA bowlers were able to experience the Open Championships recently, many for the first time.

Shawn Lee, a standout bowler from Colorado who personally is invested in both tournaments, spent the week working at the TNBA event and was excited to hear how things went for the bowlers who ventured to the South Point Bowling Plaza for the Open Championships.

"The Open Championships is really, really special to me because of what it's about - it's the ultimate team event," said Lee, who rolled a perfect game in the team portion of the 2008 Open Championships and was on the companion team of the Lodge Lanes Too group that won the Regular Team title in 2013. "TNBA is special because of its great history and what the organization is built on, and the Annual Tournament is a lot of fun to be a part of."

With experience at both tournaments, and a career in the pro shop and coaching realms, Lee doesn't see two separate bowling organizations, he sees one prominent thing.

"Bowling is a sport that brings people together, regardless of age, race, ethnicity or skill level," Lee said. "I am proud of the bowlers who competed in both tournaments. TNBA bowlers are resilient and excited to embrace the challenge of the Open Championships. I think many knew the conditions would be tougher, so that wasn't a shock, but I think a lot were surprised by how similar the experiences were, too, from the tradition and camaraderie standpoints."

Lee's primary role at the TNBA tournament was to educate bowlers about the latest equipment on the market and help them find success on the lanes.

His thoughts about the TNBA bowlers taking on the tough Open Championships lane conditions was spot on, as many even stopped by to see him after bowling their team events at the Bowling Plaza to discuss what they experienced and to see if there might be a better equipment option for doubles and singles.

Les Mann of Wooster, Ohio, who worked alongside Lee this week at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center in Henderson, Nevada, and joined him on the lanes at the Open Championships, also was glad to see the bowlers have multiple competitive opportunities for the price of one plane ticket.

"When it comes to competing in a national tournament, there's a lot to plan, and it's hard to pick and choose, but the bowlers only have so much time and money to go compete," Mann said. "Being able to experience both this year was great. Every squad at the TNBA tournament, we walk in the trenches and talk to the bowlers, and we've heard nothing but positive comments about their time at the Open Championships. I hope many are able to make the trip between Detroit and Syracuse to bowl in both again in 2018."

One TNBA bowler definitely planning to be at the 2018 Open Championships in Syracuse, New York, is Sheldon Cole of Durham, North Carolina, who has been faithful to the TNBA Annual Tournament in recent years but capitalized on the chance to make his first Open Championships appearance since 2013.

Cole, a 58-year-old right-hander who made his 15th overall visit to the Open Championships, rolled a perfect game during singles at the South Point Bowling Plaza on May 20.

He'll now be announced as a celebrity each year he returns to the world's largest participatory sporting event, and with Syracuse being drivable from Durham, its likely he won't be waiting another four years to hear his name for the first time.

Along with TNBA, the inaugural year of the Open Championships Affinity Partner Program also attracted dozens of AWBA and JANBA teams, and initiatives already are in the works for growing the program in 2018.

"We are grateful to all of the organizations that celebrate our sport and ensure its future by maintaining their own traditions and providing competitive opportunities for their members," USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. "We are proud to be able to share the Open Championships stage and the experience with many of those competitors, and we hope that continuing to cross-promote the events will lead to growth on both sides."

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