“(In 2008-09) I wasn’t

exempt for the PBA Women’s Series and that really gave me things to think about. I was kind of depressed at first and then I really refocused,” Kulick said shortly after her Women’s World Championship win. “I asked myself if I belonged out here, but I went back to my routines — worked out, exer- cised, practiced a lot — and ever since the Queens, things have gotten better and better. “Getting a chance to

bowl in the Tournament of Champions is the icing on the cake. You blow out the candle and your wish comes true. But my focus was on winning the title,” Kulick said. “Now I not only get to go to Las Vegas (to the Tournament of Champions), but I get to bowl with the guys, which I’ve enjoyed doing in the past.” Despite the pressure of

being the lone female in the field of 63 champions, Kulick

kept pace during the qualify- ing rounds last January, find- ing herself in the middle of the pack after day one before vaulting into second place by the end of the week to capture one of the four spots in the stepladder finals. On Jan, 24 bowling live

nationwide on ESPN, Kulick made history by defeating Chris Barnes, 265-195, in the championship match. “It’s been a dream of mine

to win a PBA Tour event but I couldn’t have imagined it would have come in the Tournament of Champions,” said Kulick. “It may have looked easy but my legs were like jelly — it got to a point where I couldn’t feel them. Believe me; I was nervous and I was just letting adrenaline take over. “I believe this can only

mean bigger and better things for the sport,” she added. “If

After a second-place finish in at the 2009 USBC Queens, Kelly Kulick rolled to victory in 2010, defeating top seed Tennelle Milligan of Arlington, Texas, 232-188.

Yes, It’s True

TIP OF

THE ICEBERG

Plenty of other stories coming out of the bowling industry made headlines this year, too. Below is just a sampling:

Passing of a Legend: Bowling’s

very own “Queen,” Marion Ladewig, passed away April 16 at 95 (see p. 8). Widely considered the greatest woman bowler in history, Queen Marion will be sorely missed in the bowling community.

Youth Jerseys: You’ve seen them at your local bowling center no doubt — kids dressed proudly in their blue and white USBC Youth jerseys. If you’ve kept your eyes open, you’ve probably seen them a lot of other places as well: grocery stores, schools, playgrounds, wherever kids happen to be. Given to

22 USBOWLER SUMMER 2010

all USBC Youth bowlers as part of their membership, the shirts not only give the kids a sense of pride and belonging, they are a great conversation-starter for non-bowlers who inquire about them.

The Future is Now: Twelve-year-old

Kamron Doyle became the youngest bowler to ever cash at a PBA event, and 18-year-olds Andrew Koff and Matthew Gasn both won PBA Regional events (see p. 6 for more details). All are currently USBC Youth bowlers. Looks like the future of pro bowling is in good hands!

IBC Grand Opening: The party

kicked off Jan. 25 and celebrated bring- ing most of bowling’s major organiza- tions all into one place. Between the brand new International Training and Research Center (ITRC) to the south and

the equally new International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame (IBM/HF) to the north, the campus is the home of USBC, the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, Strike Ten Entertainment, The Bowling Foundation, International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association, Billiard & Bowling Institute of America, Bowling Writers’ Association of America and Bowling News Network.

The Next Revolution: Continuing

the trend of two-handed bowling, official USBC spokesperson Jason Belmonte, the two-handed sensation from Australia, took the show on the road and intro- duced hundreds of curious onlookers to the two-handed style. Dubbed “The Next Revolution,” clinics and exhibi- tions were presented in four major cities nationwide.