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After what seemed an eternity of “status quo,” it appears as though the Mercer County Men’s Bowling Association may be heading in a new and different direction. The elections that were held at the annual meeting in May brought new faces to the board. However, perhaps the most important change occurred Aug. 1 when Jim Faylo became the association manager.
Let’s hope these changes transform our association into a positive and progressive one whose main goals are listening to the concerns of the local bowlers and enhancing the sport.
ä Speaking of local associations, Bob Johnson has an interesting article that appears on the last page (92) of the August edition of Bowler’s Journal. It’s entitled “Reviving Competitive Bowling: It Needs to Begin with the Local Associations.”
The article bemoans the high scoring environment that is so prevalent today and gives some suggestions as to how local associations might be able to bring back the spirit of competitive bowling.
Here are some of his ideas: (1) A scratch travel league; (2) An association that includes prizes and recognition for the highest scratch score in each event; (3) An annual Masters and queen event that would reward the winners with prize money and an entry into the same state event; (4) A monthly scratch tournament that would alternate between the county bowling centers; (5) selection of an association All-Star team each season. This would include men, women. seniors and youth; (6) An annual awards banquet to honor winners of the association tournament and all those listed in suggestions 3, 4, and 5.
My suggestion is that every member of the association board read this article and make an attempt to implement some of these ideas (if feasible).
ä Here are some interesting facts that offer some proof of how important USBC membership affects the bowling industry. Last year, the number of people who bowled at least once increased from 67 to 69 million.
However, bowling ball manufacturers have found there is no direct correlation between the casual bowler or non-certified league bowler and bowling ball sales. But, there is a connection in sales when USBC members are involved. This is just another reason why the entire bowling industry (from USBC leaders to proprietors and bowlers) need to place emphasis on USBC membership.
ä For any bowler who is on Facebook, I would suggest you become acquainted with a page called “True Bowler Adjustments.” It gives some excellent tips and there are some rather interesting discussions. A recent discussion on sandbagging (whoops, let’s be politically correct — average control) caught my eye. However, that topic is for another time.
ä Previous articles have dealt with oil depletion and carrydown (both terms can be classified as lane transition). We know there are many reasons for lane transition. They include (but are not limited to) lane surface, type of lane conditioner, weather (to include humidity, etc), thickness of conditioner, equipment and lane play. Let’s focus on equipment.
Previous equipment had neither the porosity nor flare that is so common today. That meant oil stayed on top of the ball and the absence of flare gave the bowler an ample quantity of oil in the same place.
We all know that today’s equipment can be described as sponges that soak up oil. Both the width and depth (considered to be the largest influence) of the cover pores play an important role on the amount of oil that is soaked up.
The porosity and flare of modern equipment makes the dry coverstock come in contact with more oil to soak up. This usually means you need to be able to read the transition and make rapid adjustments.
Tests conducted at the Kegel Training Center have shown that oil depletion begins when you throw the first practice ball and transition begins almost immediately. After practice and one game, 35 percent of the oil was gone. After two games, 50 percent was gone and after three games, 60 percent or more was gone.
What can we ascertain from the above? We can say that resistance created by carrydown can have either a positive or negative effect on the bowler.
Oil depletion may be the most important factor in ball reaction. Because of this, bowlers need to be aware of the carrydown process and its effect on your game. Tests have shown how early and rapidly it occurs. If you want to survive, you need to learn how to make the proper adjustments to this problem.
Gabe D’Angelo is a local bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Writers Association who writes this weekly column for The Herald
Sports
Bowling: Article on high scoring very interesting
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WM baseball, Sharpsville and Wilmington softball playing for D-10 titles
Sharpsville and Wilmington softball teams and the West Middlesex baseball squad return to the diamond today to compete for District 10 championships.
SOFTBALL
Class A Championship
Coach Bob Zikovich's Sharpsville Blue Darlings (15-2) battle a tough Saegertown (18-2) squad at 2 p.m. today at Penn State-Behrend in Erie. -
PIAA Track Notebook: KC's Wareham made round trips to "The Ship"
The most impressive race during this weekend’s PIAA Track & Field Championships did not take place at Shippensburg University, nor will you read its results in any newspaper on or any web site.
To be sure, it was a race against time, but not in the sense of being defined by a coach’s hand-held device, nor Seth Grove Stadium’s scoreboard clock. -
Hickory girls grab PIAA Class AA Track team title
SHIPPENSBURG — This news bulletin just in: Mercer County athletes dominated during this weekend’s PIAA Track & Field Championships.
Nothing new there, you say? Well, perhaps you’re correct, considering how well the area aggregation annually accounts itself on Memorial Day Weekend at Shippensburg University. Therefore it was not surprising how much hardware was hauled home — once again. -
PIAA Track: Hickory's Bell, Lubarski, Regginello grab gold
SHIPPENSBURG — There’s a big difference between being seeded 1st and finishing 1st — Matt Bell can attest to that.
After settling for silver last year, the Hickory High senior put the shot 59 feet, 6 3/4 inches Friday afternoon to garner gold at the annual PIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University. -
WM to play for D-10 baseball title; GC, Sharon, Sharpsville lose
Four area baseball teams were in action on Friday in the District 10 semifinals as the squads battled to compete for District 10 championships on Monday.
West Middlesex rolled past error-prone Linesville, 8-0, in Class A action at Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park.
In Class AA, both Sharon and Sharpsville suffered 2-1 losses. The Tigers fell to Saegertown at Ainsworth Field in Erie while the Blue Devils lost to Titusville at SRU.
In Class AAA, the Grove City Eagles were denied the chance to defend their D-10 crown after suffering a 6-3 loss to Warren at SRU. -
Farrell volleyball falls in D-10 semifinals
The Farrell High boys volleyball team suffered a 2-0 (25-15, 25-12) loss to Saegertown on Thursday night in the District 10 semifinals at Meadville Area High’s “House of Thrills.”
“This was the first year we made it out of the first day (pool play) of the playoffs,” said Steelers’ coach Dan Dragicevic. “I’d like to cite my seniors (Eric Demus, Anthony Perkins, Jaylen Chambers and Lawrence Hughes). -
Locals ready to go for gold at Shippensburg
Now that Mercer County is on the map, it’s incumbent upon the area aggregation to chart a course for the ultimate destination — Seth Grove Stadium’s medals stand — during this weekend’s PIAA Track & Field Championships.
Led by West Middlesex High sprinter Clay Allen, many Mercer Countians are seeded at or near the top of their respective events for the annual 2-day marathon at Shippensburg University, which commences 9 a.m. Friday. It will continue beginning 9 a.m. Saturday. -
D-10 Playoffs: Local teams go 6-for-6
ä Grove City 1, Harbor Creek 0 — At Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park, what the Grove City Eagles couldn’t accomplish themselves, the Harbor Creek Huskies unwittingly did for them.
Unable to plate runs themselves, Torin Smith scored the Eagles’ only run when teammate Tyler Devine’s seeming inning-ending pop-up to left field was dropped by Harbor Creek’s Chris Merritt in the bottom of the 7th inning of Tuesday’s tourney opener. -
Great year for WM track; local qualifiers listed
It’s been a big year for the Big Reds.
Though there’s no official documentation, the 2011-12 academic year may be the most successful in West Middlesex High’s athletic annals. -
SPORTVIEW: Local names Kroko, Lutz, Kareklas in news elsewhere
IT’S ALWAYS GOOD to hear of former area people who have gone on to athletic success in other areas, or the family of former area residents. Following are a few of those stories:
ä Bob and Betty Kroko of Sharon are avid followers of professional baseball. No, not necessarily the Pittsburgh Pirates or Cleveland Indians like many local fans.
The Krokos keep a close eye on the Austria Major League! - More Sports Headlines
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