SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

In this newsletter:

Welcome back
Coach’s Tip
Hall of Fame Banquet and Clinic
Upcoming Tournament
Bowling Center spotlight
Meet the board

Welcome Back:

Fall is a fantastic time of the year. The heat and humidity of the summer is fading into warm days and cool nights. It’s harvest time, a time to reap what has been sowed. It indicates the ending of a number of things. However, fall is also a beginning. The beginning of Football season, a beautiful colored leaf display, and most importantly the beginning of a new bowling season. Welcome to the 2023-2024 bowling season. Many leagues have already started. Each year certified bowlers complete a certification card which along with the $22 certification fee is sent to the Association Manager for processing. Please make sure all the information is correct, including your email address. The USBC requires that this information and the funds be turned in by the third week of bowling.
Welcome to the new season – good luck and good bowling.

Coach’s Tip:

At the start of a new season, many bowlers make resolutions like ones made at new year. For example, I’m going to raise my average by 10 pins, I’m going to shoot 3 clean games in a session, or this is the year I’m going to shoot 300/800. All are lofty, but achievable goals. The first step in achieving those goals is to assure your equipment is ready. Does your equipment fit properly, or did your hand change? Did your thumb swell up from where you hit it with a hammer, or did you lose/gain weight? These things and many more will affect how your ball fits your hand. The tip for this month is to take your equipment to one of the many excellent pro shops within our association. These pro shop operators can determine if your equipment fits properly. If it doesn’t the pro shop operator has numerous ways to correct fit problems. This is like putting a size 10 foot into a size 8 shoe. You can get there, but not easily.
When was the last time you had your ball renewed? Today’s bowling balls absorb oil like a sponge. They can only hold so much. They then lose reaction and hitting power. The local pro shop is the place to start. We hope all of your resolutions for the new season become reality.

Hall of Fame Banquet and Clinic:

We have secured the Callery Fire Hall (179 Main St Callery PA 16024) on November 4 for the hall of fame banquet. The banquet will begin at 6:30pm with a cash bar. Inductees are Donna Evans, Mike Hilliard, and Mike Rouda. We also have a special guest speaker, WPBA member and Team USA Coach Kelly Kulick. Hall of Fame member Bob Cupp will be Master of Ceremonies. The cost for the dinner is $30 per person. Contact Brian Bruce at 724-321-5451 for tickets. Checks are to be made payable to Butler Area USBC and mailed to Brian Bruce, 107 Kemper Rd, Butler PA 16002.

(Kelly Kulick (born March 16, 1977) is an American professional bowler, bowling coach and sportscaster. She has won ten professional women's bowling titles (six of them majors), one PBA Tour title (a major) and a professional mixed doubles title. Kulick is the first woman ever to win a regular Professional Bowlers Association tour title and the only woman to win a major PBA Tour tournament. She is a 16-time member of Team USA (1998–2001, 2008, 2010–2020). In 2019, Kulick was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame, Superior Performance category.
She has won four medals at The World Games, including two golds. Kulick is currently the head coach for Junior Team USA)

Kelly has also agreed to host a “Clinic” for our bowlers from Noon to 3 on November 4th at Family Bowlaway. The clinic will consist of some classroom discussion on ball fit and timing. She will later conduct some one-on-one instruction on the lanes. This clinic is open to both youth and adults and is limited to a maximum of 30 bowlers. The cost is $10 per person. Contact Bob Durr to make your reservation at Peg Leg’s Pro Shop or by calling 724-991-2695
In conjunction with the clinic, Storm Bowling / Roto Grip / Global 900 along with Peg Leg’s Pro Shop will be conducting a Match Maker Event. This is where you can try different balls from the manufacturers without having to buy one. The cost for the matchmaker event is $20. If a new ball is purchased, the $20 cost will be deducted from the cost of the ball. For reservations for the Match Maker event, contact Bob Durr at Peg Leg’s Pro Shop or by calling 724-991-2695

Upcoming Tournament:

The first tournament of the year is the Singles Tournament. This year it will be held at Family Bowlaway. Dates and squad times are Sunday 11/12 at 9:30am and 1:30pm, and again on Sunday 11/19 at 9:30am and 1:30pm. Applications will be in your local bowling center shortly.

Spotlight Bowling Center:

Since Family Bowlaway will be hosting our first tournament of the season, we felt that they should be the first spotlight bowling center.

Meet the Board:

The board members were asked to send me a biography of what they wanted our membership to know about them. These introductions are in their own words.

Name: Rich Warheit Position on the Board: Association Manager

Years on the Board: over 25 cumulative years
Years Bowling: 40 years of sanctioned bowling
Current Leagues and Average: Penn Street Pizza -192, Armco C – 187,
Bowling Accomplishments: 300 Game (2)
Fondest Memory of bowling: Mine is more on the coaching side. I began coaching youth bowling 2 years ago and it is rewarding watching the youth bowlers getting better at the game and enjoying it more when they understand and use the advice given to them.
Why do you serve on the Butler Area USBC board? To keep the sport of bowling vibrant in our local community and let everyone know that anyone at any age can get enjoyment out of the bowling.

Hello, my name is Chuck Heshler. I am the Butler area USBC board president. I have been a member of the board since 2018, and I am starting my second year as the president. I joined the board because I wanted to be more involved in helping to keep the sport of bowling vibrant in our area. I wanted to see the board do some new things to try to create some excitement for our members.
I have been bowling for 31 years now and have bowled in leagues in many of our butler area houses including Freeway lanes, Mars lanes, Sherwood lanes and Family Bowlaway. I am currently bowling in the Armco C league at Sherwood lanes and the firearms league at family bowlaway. My current average is 211. My high game was a 298 and my high series is an 803. I am an active participant in our tournaments as well as the PA state open championship tournament.
I think my fondest memories of bowling have been being able to spend time with my dad and my friends and family. I have made so many good friends at bowling over the years.
My goal as a board member is to try to increase our annual membership and to create more excitement by trying new things to keep bowlers engaged and wanting to be more involved. We have started some new tournaments and we are always looking for new ideas and suggestions on how we can do more for our members. I am looking forward to another exciting year of bowling!

Bob Durr 1st VP
15 years on the Butler Area BOD

I've bowled for 50 years
I bowl in the Sunday Funday league at Sherwood Lanes. Last year I averaged 171, I also bowled in the Friday Night Classic League at Sim's Lanes averaged 179 .
I have 1 - 300 game and high series is 747
My fondest memory is meeting so many great people across the State with the same love and passion for the game that I do.
I serve on the board to be a voice and make a fair playing field and uphold the rules with integrity and respect for our bowlers in the Butler Area Association and the Pa. State USBC .

Brian Bruce
2nd VP
25 plus years of being a board member
45 years of bowling (started when I was 8)
City League 215
4 300 games
799 High Series

My fondest memories are
Years of coaching junior league at Mars Lanes and coaching the Mars High school team

I have a passion for the sport of bowling. Being a director has helped me learn more of the day to day operations. The most enjoyable experience of being a board member is the people that I have met over the years.