Back to Reality!!!!

After a wonderful month in Detroit.... well maybe not wonderful, but interesting its back to teaching. Upon my return to New York after a lovely eleven hour drive, I settled in to my new home and prepared myself to start school for my masters as well as teach. Oh, I forgot to mention, not even twelve hours after arriving home, I had to bowl a tournament!

One of my closest friends, Norm, runs a monthly tournament called OST. The tournament is very well run, and are always on a competitive shot. I knew that I should keep sharp for upcoming regionals, so I decided to bowl. The format is the same as the Mini-Eliminator in Las Vegas, bowl three games cut half the field, bowl two cut half, bowl one cut half, bowl one cut and to the final four. I bowled well and made it to the final four, but I had some tough competition with Anthony Pepe, I knew it would not be easy to win. I kept my head in the game and focused on making good shots, and soon enough I had seven in a row! By the ninth frame I had won, and was full of emotion. Even though it was a home town tournament, and not a tour stop it meant a lot to me for all the people who came down to watch me bowl and to be able to stand there a winner.

For now, I am back to school to get my masters and teaching. I cannot wait until tour starts up again in January, until then practice,

practice, practice!!!! Up next on the agenda, Kaizen by Diandra trunk shows at the Equinox Gyms!!!!

Turbo Staff Photo Shoot and Good Friends... What more could a girl ask for?

Lil Belmo.......... thats all I think about as I stare at Kimberly Belmonte's belly, she is very pregnant and I am very excited. Kimberly is Jason's wife, and is the one of the most amazing people I know. I was so excited to be one of the first people outside of their family to find out about their pregnancy. I cannot wait until Christmas, when Lil baby belmo will arrive, best present ever!

A few days after Kimberly arrived, all of the exempt bowlers on turbo staff had a photo shoot at the Detroit Tigers game. Since none of us knew where we were going, we all decided to car pool. Honestly, we are all cheap and did not really want to pay for parking :). Diandra along with her husband John, was kind enough to drive myself and Clara to the game. When we arrived, we saw the Belmonte's entering the stadium with their entourage, which included a camera crew. Jason is having a piece filmed for Australian television, it is pretty weird to see him with a camera following him around 24/7. I cannot wait to see the piece, and I am sure it will be great for our sport. Once we entered the stadium, John and I waited while Diandra went to get our tickets for the sky box.

The sky box that Turbo had was amazing, they really went above and beyond. It was so nice to have all the bowlers together in a social setting instead of competing on the lanes. We had unlimited food and beverages, as well as an amazing view of the game. Soon it was time for our close up!!!! Diandra, Clara, and I all primped in the bathroom together, because the boys were hogging it! We all had our individual shots taken in our regular bowling clothes, and then a turbo shirt. Then, all the women had a group shot, which was really fun. After the girls finished, it was time for the men to take their pictures, once they finished we all got together for a group shot. Once we finished our photo shoot, we had a chance to talk and catch up. Kimberly told us all about her pregnancy and her expectations for the birth. To be honest I was very nervous for her, it seems extremely scary, but I am sure wonderful all at once.

Once the game was over, Diandra, John, and I attempted to find the car, yes I said attempted. Somehow we lost the car, we walked and walked, but could not find it, and no one in the parking lot gave us a stub. Just as I thought we were never going to find the car, John called out, "It's right here". The car was under our nose the whole time, Diandra and I laughed and got in the car. John and Diandra dropped me off at the bowl, and it was time for dinner and much needed rest.

My inspiration for the World Championship will be this quote by Eleanor Roosevelt

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent"

Bowling on Tour..... its all about learning!

Confusion, disappointment, anger, frustration.... those are the four emotions that have been plaguing me over the last few weeks here in Detroit. I know that every year on tour they tell the rookie, its a learning curve, you are not going to be successful your first time out. However, recently we have seen players like Rhino and Rash who have done it so I thought, why not me? Well not so much! Being on tour is all about learning what surfaces, balls, and layouts to use, but more so than anything else its about being confident in yourself and your game. Along the way somewhere, I began to lose faith in being out here, I let disappointment and struggle get in the way of what I want to achieve. These last few weeks have been a learning experience for me, and shown me what changes I need to make in order to be successful on tour.

Learning Point 1

Letting other people do everything for me, has caused me to be to dependent on other people and not rely on myself. I need to spend more time in the pro shop and learn about balls and lay-outs.

Learning Point 2

Confidence! Confidence! Confidence! If I do not believe in myself, no one else will!

Learning Point 3

Surface! Surface! Surface!!! Learning when to change surface is an important part of being out here. Ball surface plays a big roll in the game!

Learning Point 4

Having someone who believes in you, even when you do not is important. I have amazingly supportive people who will do anything for me, even overnight me bowling balls and spend hours talking on phone!!!!

Now I need to take everything I have learned these past few weeks and apply it toward the two upcoming tournaments. If I just relax and let everything come into place, I know that I can be successful on tour. A smart person once told me, getting upset and being my own worst enemy never solves anything, just believe in yourself and it will come. Everyone behind me believes in me, now it is time for me to believe in myself!

Women's US Open

Wow!!!!! My latest trip to Vegas has left me speechless. After returning from Europe, I was pretty sure that I was not going to make the trip to Vegas. Instead, I planned to bowl the women's TQR in Detroit. However, my friends John and Veronica kept telling me to go to Vegas and follow my dreams. While I really wanted to go, I was not sure if I was prepared enough. John told me to do the best I could, and that was all anyone could ask for. However, there were a few obstacles that stood in my way.

My flight to Vegas was at 9:10 am and I did not wake up until 7:15 and the airport is an hour away, yikes!!!! Some how with the help of my friends Alex and Cindy I made it to the airport in time to get on my flight, but not without problems!!! I tried to carry on my shoes and two bowling balls, but the TSA agents sent me back to the check in counter with only 20 minutes before my flight was scheduled to depart. Needless to say, I was hysterical crying and scared that I would miss my flight. The Virgin Airlines workers were amazing, and escorted me to the gate and made sure I got there, but there was still another problem. As they escorted me onto the plane, they stopped me and asked if I checked an empty bag. Of course my answer was no, and they said well we lost whatever was in that bag. (It was three bowling balls) Again, I started with the water works, they told me not to worry they would fix it. I got on the plane crying hysterically, so much so, the flight attendant had to ask the person who escorted me on the flight if I was mentally stable. While that question is debatable, the flight attendent felt sorry for me, and offered to hand deliver the bowling balls when they were found!!!!

After hitting the runway in Vegas, I immidetatly called John and he had taken care of the situation while I was flying. I had bowling balls waiting for me to drill at Southpoint, and my spec sheet was in the fax. Thank you John and Keith for running around crazy!!!! My friend picked me up from the airport, carried all my stuff for me, and told me it would be okay!!! I have amazing people surrounding me. Shawn Ryan, a college friend of mine was hesitant to drill a ball for me, I am picky to say the least, but he did and I cannot thank him enough. After all the commotion I went to Sunset Station for practice session, and then bed.

Day 1

Day one was on the shark, my toughest pattern, I bowled 51 over which was okay, my goal was 70. Then I had lunch with Veronica, Nina, and Patricia all European players who are amazing. Since we had the early squad we decided to go to the pool and relax. We needed to unwind after our hard day on shark, none of us liked the pattern!

Day 2

Well this may have been the best day ever!!!!!!!! I was nervous about bowling on the pattern, it was bit longer than what I usually like to bowl on, but I knew I would be okay. My first game I had a really good look with a 900 global ball, and I bowled 245. I said to myself, just focus and let the ball do the work, and work it did! My next game was a 300, and letting the 12th ball go was an amazing feeling. I could not believe I shot 300 at the Women's US Open, what an amazing feeling. Day 2 went really well, and I was in good position for the rest of the tournament.

Day 3

I thought this would be my easiest pattern, but it played a bit different then I had expected. For the first two games, I played the lanes wrong, but once I figured them out I was fine. I learned you need to clear your mind of expectation and play what is in front of you, something I will take with me on tour.

Day 4

Wow sixteen games, that is a lot! The first 8 games went really well, I was happy with my performance and was looking forward to the next block. I was not familiar with how the 37 foot pattern played, so I did not have a plan of attack. I was shocked to see that no matter what I did, it did not work. Finally Patrica and Nina suggest to me that I play the gutter, they saw a few girls doing it and they had an ok look. I did, and I never missed the pocket, while my games were not great I was pleased with how I bowled. While I missed the tv show, I was elated that I made tour. It has been a dream of mine since I started bowling, and I am so thrilled to be part of the Women's Series.

Now I am looking forward to seeing how far my dream will take me!!!!!!!!