Bowlers Journal International - January 2008 - (Page 44) PERFECT FIT The only ball fitter designed to accurately measure the off-set grip! PBA WOMEN'S SERIES a nearby car approaching. Meanwhile, Asbaty just happened to be in town; she was competing in the Denny’s PBA Tour Qualifying Round that week after taking part in a photo shoot for shoe sponsor Etonic. Though she didn’t qualify for the men’s portion of the tournament, Asbaty’s aforementioned 18th-place finish granted her a spot in the Women's Series after Romeo withdrew because of her injury. “It’s amazing that she got to bowl in one,” Clark notes. “People think it’s fixed, you know? There’s sports, and then there’s sports entertainment. But if people think what you are doing is fixed, then you are probably doing something right.” Clark added that Romeo’s display of class should not be overlooked. “She could have just shown up, bowled poorly, and gotten a check,” Clark says. Also winning in the Women’s Series were Joy Esterson in the Lake County Indiana Classic (over Liz Johnson in the previously mentioned rolloff, 10-7, after the two had tied at 226 in regulation), Shannon Pluhowsky in the Etonic Championship (over Tish Johnson, 227-217), and Dorin-Ballard in the first Series event, the Motor City Classic (over Missy Bellinder, 233-192). Such success for the Women’s Series bodes well for the future, Clark says. Currently, preliminary discussions for another season of the Women’s Series are in progress, and neither Clark nor von Krueger seems content with the status quo. “The hope is that the U.S. Women’s Open comes back in the same format, that it’s attached to the Women’s Series, and that we can have more stops next season,” Clark says. Von Krueger adds that expanding the field from 16 bowlers to as many as 32 might not be out of the question. Ditto to setting up a system whereby Women’s Series champions would gain next-season qualifying exemptions (as on the Denny’s Tour) and having designated “TQR” spots. “I think there is a chance, too, to grow the women’s side of the house to a point where the women compete on their own tour,” von Krueger says. “We could co-locate them and conduct them simultaneously, and find a way to incorporate them into a telecast. There’s no reason to believe we couldn’t do that.” Looking ahead to the more realistic, short-term goal of a Women’s Series return next season, though, Clark and von Krueger also mentioned the need for increased promotion. “[This season], I think we did a pretty good job promoting it, given the fact that we only knew for two months before the event that we were going to do it,” Clark says. “We didn’t come to terms, figure out what we were doing, until right around the week before the Queens at the end of April. And the event was in August. So, in that short amount of time, we were able to get over 130 entries to the Women’s Open and 65 entries to the Women’s Series. Now that it has been on TV and there has been so much publicity about both, I would assume we would increase those numbers next season.” A new sponsorship approach might also be on tap. “More gender-specific products might be available as sponsors,” von Krueger says. “As long as people don’t perceive [the Women’s Series] as a negative or detracting from the Denny’s PBA Tour, it can continue ad infinitum.” JERRY HALE Los Alamitos, CA 714.309.7587 TOM KELLEY TOM KELLEY’S PRO SHOP 3401 S. 84th St. Omaha , NE 402.397.5555 “This is one of the greatest innovations in professional ball drilling! We approve!” Also, try these new products! PTF-Perfect Thumb Feel The thumb sleeve with built-in texture for a perfect “Feel”. The optimal device that gives more control and roll while protecting your hand! No more callouses! WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Pat Holseth 612.532.1518 email: PTF@comcast.net fax: 763.529.8981 44 bowlers journal international JANUARY 2008
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