Bette Addington: Patrick Smith earns GEUSBC bowling scholarship
| Monday, Aug 17 2009 09:22 PM
Last Updated Monday, Aug 17 2009 11:29 PM
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Casey Christie / The Californian Patrick Smith practices at AMF Southwest Lanes.
Patrick Smith, of South High School, will attend UC Davis.
BY BETTE ADDINGTON & MIKE HEFLEY
Patrick Smith hails from a bowling family and has been bowling since he could walk and started bowling junior leagues at the age of 5.
His dad, Doug, bowled PBA (Professional Bowlers Association) Regionals in the 1980s and since became a junior coach, so that influence inspired young Patrick to get into the sport. He grew up watching the PBA on TV.
So if you are really into bowling, how much of your week is devoted to the sport? Well, in Patrick's case, that would be practicing at least three to four times a week outside of bowling league, which means nearly every single day when he has the time or money to do it. But currently he is getting ready to start his freshman year at UC Davis, which also includes hopefully a spot on the UC Davis bowling team.
Smith sites many people who have coached and helped him grow as a bowler through his years of growing up here in Bakersfield--his dad, Eric Grider, the late Anne Schierlitz, Carlie Medina III, Robb White, Bette Addington, DC Williams, Jerry Meregillano, Daniel Watanabe, Mark Baker and many more. And, then those he admires for their skills include Devin Bidwell, Tommy Jones, Parker Bohn III, Chris Barnes, Bill O'Neill, and locals Zack Newman and Jimmy Hefley.
Patrick was born in Bakersfield and grew up in the same house in southwest Bakersfield and attended McKee Primary, McKee Elementary, St. John's Lutheran Academy, McKee Middle School, Olivier Middle School and South High School, where he graduated in May with a 4.2 gpa and was ranked 5th in his class of 450 students.
He plans to major in chemical engineering. His goals include working for a bowling ball company, bowling in the PBA and possibly opening a pro shop.
He has rolled five 300 games but unfortunately they were in practice and not sanctioned.
His highest sanctioned game to date is 285, and his highest sanctioned series 762. He's not afraid to tackle just about any venue of bowling and has competed in Junior Amateur Tour events the past four years and won a title. Over the course of these four years he has only missed three events and these events all took place down south; now that is dedication! He also competed in the PBA tournament last fall in Fountain Valley, and, although he did not make the first cut, he was right up there with the best of them the first two blocks of qualifying.
The bowling event that is closest to his heart is the Don Glover Masters held here in Bakersfield. Patrick was instrumental in laying the groundwork for this event to take place as he worked with Leon Stroope when both were serving on the Golden Empire United States Bowling Congress Board several years back together and wanted to get a premier scratch event held here annually. Smith still serves on the Glover Tournament Committee.
Smith says his favorite bowling ball is Ebonite. Ebonite, by the way, was the late Don Glover's ball of choice.
Smith was thrilled to be selected as one of the two GEUSBC Scholarship Recipients for 2009 and receives $1,000. (Melissa Benner was the other recipient and we will feature her in an upcoming column.) Smith was also selected to receive the 2009 San Joaquin Valley API (American Petroleum Institute) Scholarship for $1,500!
Patrick's family includes dad, Doug, mom Tammy, and brother Gary, 15.
BOWLING TECH: BOWLING - THE POWER GAME
The new two-handed release in bowling is the super "power game," with lots of revolutions, lots of speed and just as much accuracy as any release in the game.
With the PBA in a new season already, it will be interesting to see how the new super power release of Jason Belmonte and Osku Palermaa stack up against the competition on tour.
Even a non-bowler spectator can quickly see the pin punishing power most of these two-handed bowlers crush the pins with. Judging by the amount of junior bowlers using this new release at junior tournaments across the country, it's going to be very interesting to see how quick actual instruction and teaching hits bowling camps. It will also be interesting to see how USBC will apply rules to the new release. Obviously with the PBA already accepting and endorsing the release, USBC should have no problem with it.
Junior bowlers with smaller and thinner body size have quickly leveled the playing field once dominated by the bigger and more powerful kids. Bowling now has a power game for bowlers of any size!!
LOCAL TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Youth Traveling Tournament 2009-10 Season Opener, Aug. 16, AMF Southwest Lanes
Twenty youth bowlers turned out to compete in four games of qualifying to start off the new season and lo and behold, the top three spots were won by two-handed release bowlers!
After the dust settled from the qualifying, Jimmy Hefley emerged top seed with 2218 pin fall. Kudos to Cody Lewis, who was seeded seventh and won all his matches until the final match where he was defeated by tournament Champion Hefley (233-194).
Results were as follows: Jimmy Hefley, Champion - Regency Lanes, $200 scholarship; Second, Cody Lewis - AMF Southwest Lanes, $100 Gift Card; Third, Mark Trudel - AMF Southwest Lanes, $50 scholarship.
High games of the day belonged to Andrew Svoren (279 - scratch) and Ravanna Richardson (302 - handicap). High average of the day went to Champion Hefley who averaged 230 for 10 games. High series also went to Champion Hefley with a 737 from Games 1-3.
Next Youth Traveling Tournament will be Sunday, September 20, at 10 a.m., at Regency Lanes.
JULY GLOVER HOUSE SPOT ROLL-OFF (July 28, AMF Southwest Lanes)
Scores for the July House Spot Roll-Off were up considerably. The scores in July reveal the value of bowling in the House Spot Roll-Offs. Congratulations to John Whisler, who won the July Roll-Off. Whisler (1415), Mike Hardwick (1352) and Brian Kim (1316) finished with more pinfall than any of the previous winners. Hardwick and Kim have bowled in all the Roll-Offs to date.
House Spot Roll-Off Winners to date: Aris Anadilla (1288), Patrick Smith (1224), Leon Stroope (1156), Kent Gray (1195), Mike Mayo (1161), Aris Anadilla (1161) and Whisler (1415).
RECENT SUPER SCORES
Carlie Medina III recently added another 300 game and 800 series to his career, rolling a 300 game and a 806 series competing in the Fresno Championship tournament, Aug. 8-9 at Cedar Lanes in Fresno. He bowled both while bowling in the Doubles competition with partner, CUSBC 2009 Hall of Famer Sam Carter.
REGENCY SCRATCH DRAFT/PBA EXPERIENCE WINTER LEAGUE NOW FORMING
Any local scratch bowlers interested in joining the Scratch Draft/PBA Experience league this winter, the league meeting is Monday, Aug. 24, at 5:30 p.m., at Regency Lanes. This is the only Bakersfield scratch league. League will bowl Monday nights at Regency starting at 6:30 p.m. Draft will take place on August 24. For more information, contact Sheilah Bomar at (661) 331-7819.
UPCOMING LOCAL TOURNAMENTS AND BOWLING EVENTS
Sat., Aug. 22: Annual GEUSBC Secretaries Workshop, 1pm, AMF Southwest Lanes. For information, contact GEUSBC Assoc. Manager, Nancy Weber at (661) 328-0415.
Thurs., Aug. 27: Regency August Super Senior No-Tap Singles Tournament, 1pm, Regency Lanes. For information, contact Marge Langdon at (661) 325-6428.
Sat., Aug. 29: Glover August House Spot Roll-Off Tournament, 2pm, AMF Southwest Lanes. $30 cash entry fee. For information, contact Leon Stroope at (661) 834-4976.
BOWLING HIGH SCORES
From Regency Bowling Center for Weeks 10-11 of Summer leagues ending August 9
Men's 250-plus games
286 -- John Downs; 279 -- Don Snow, Elwood Elliott, Buddy Binkley, Tim Henson; 278 -- Robert Turner; 277 -- Ian Byers; 270 -- Eric Grider; 269 -- Jon Hamlin; 266 -- Jerry Barker, Rodney Anderson; 265 -- Marc Downs; 264 -- Paul Taniguchi; 258 -- Elmo Stewart; 257 -- Charles Jones, Bill Young; 256 -- Brian Kim, Joe Cantu, Russ Tweedy; 255 -- Tom Farrell; 254 -- Andy Sanchez; 253 -- Sandy Kellner
Junior Boys:
279 -- Jimmy Hefley; 259 -- Andrews Svoren; 256 -- Anthony Rose; 225 -- Patrick Smith; 166 -- Justin Simpson; 165 -- Jon Simpson; 155 -- Chris Bell
Men's 700-plus series
742 -- Rodney Anderson; 738 -- Tim Henson; 730 -- Brian Kim; 720 -- John Downs; 719 -- Elwood Elliott; 718 -- Jon Hamlin; 716 -- Eric Grider; 705 -- Paul Howell; 703 -- Robert Turner; 701 -- Buddy Binkley
Junior Boys
748 -- Jimmy Hefley ; 660 -- Anthony Rose
Women's 220-plus games
258 -- Sheilah Bomar; 246 -- Becky Hardwick; 241 -- Tracye Taylor; 240 -- Jackie Crowe; 236 -- Arlene Chuman; 233 -- Jackie Burrows; 231 -- Toni Draeger; 226 -- MaryAnn Barker; 223 -- Marcia Douglas, Barbara Graviss
Junior girls:
204 -- Angelica Aldana; 180 -- Julie Bailey; 173 -- Jaclyn Gritzner; 144 -- Bryn Watters
Women's 600-plus series
648 -- MaryAnn Barker; 637 -- Sheilah Bomar; 636 -- Jackie Crowe; 623 -- Jackie Burrows; 612 -- Tracye Taylor; 611 -- Becky Hardwick; 606 -- Toni Draeger
High games and series from AMF Southwest Lanes
Men's high games
275 -- Mike Yorba; 272 -- Roy Palomino; 268 -- Mike Leyva, John Matteson, Glenn Yeoman; 267 -- Jerome Ennis, Dale Frye; 265 -- Roger Lawrence; 264 -- Jesse DeLaHerran; 262 -- Brian Kim; 258 -- Joe Rodriguez, Bill Mathews; 257 -- Mike Mayo; 256 -- Jack Regier, Brandon Leonard; 254 -- Bobby Fildes
Junior boys:
280 -- Andrew Svoren; 278 -- Anthony Rose; 203 -- Gary Smith
Men's high series
756 -- Jesse DeLaHerron; 748 -- Bill Mathews; 729 -- Jerome Ennis; 716 -- John Matteson; 713 -- Mike Yorba; 703 -- Brian Kim
Junior boys:
738 -- Anthony Rose; 695 -- Andrew Svoren
Women's high games
255 -- Irene Villalobos; 231 -- Traci Carter; 227 -- Veronica Smith; 223 -- Cheri Carolus; 221 -- Sherri Aud; 214 -- Betty Lovingier; 213 -- Theresa Yorba; 212 -- Roxanne Graham, Candy Sutton, Pat Jones; 210 -- Caroline Liles; 204 -- Sue Wiggins; 203 -- Pam O'Neal; 202 -- Karen Bonanno, Karla Beason, Trudy Frye; 201 -- Sonya Brunson; 200 -- Heather Bryant
Junior girls:
265 -- Gabriella Mayfield
Women's high series
617 -- Veronica Smith; 603 -- Theresa Yorba
Junior girls:
676 -- Gabriella Mayfield
BOWLING COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Sat., Aug. 22: Golden Empire USBC annual Secretaries Workshop, 1 p.m., AMF Southwest Lanes. This Workshop is open to all winter league secretaries and presidents. New rules and forms for the upcoming season will be handed out and explained as well as league packets distributed. For information, contact GEUSBC Association Manager Nancy Weber at (661) 328-0415.
Thurs., Aug. 27: Regency August Super Senior No-Tap Singles Tournament, 1pm, Regency Lanes. For information, contact Marge Langdon (661) 325-6428.
Sat., Aug. 29: Glover August House Spot Roll-Off Tournament, 2 p.m., AMF Southwest Lanes. Entry fee $30 cash. Winner wins spot in upcoming Glover Masters (Sept. 26-27). For information, contact Leon Stroope at (661) 834-4976.
Sat.-Fri., Aug. 29-Sept. 4: National Bowling Week. More information at bpaa.com.
