Ohio bowler shoots 300 and 811 at USBC Open Championships
05/24/10
Earon Vollmar (pictured left) of Toledo, Ohio, got off to a rough start in singles at the 2010 USBC Open Championships, failing to mark in two of his first three frames.
The 21-year-old right-hander decided to make a ball change, and everything fell into place. He rattled off a near-record 28 consecutive strikes on the way to games of 247, 300 and 264 for an 811 series, which is tied for second place in Regular Singles. Terrence Syring (right) of Bay City, Mich., leads with 833.
Ron Vokes (left) of Racine, Wis., rolled 30 consecutive strikes on the way to an 857 singles set and the Regular All-Events title (2,321) at the 2009 tournament in Las Vegas. Vollmar joins Vokes on the list of 26 bowlers in tournament history who have recorded both a 300 game and 800 series on the championship lanes.
"I was trying to make good shots," said Vollmar, who bowls league at Toledo's New Glass Bowl Lanes and made his second Open Championships appearance. "My doubles pair was a little drier than my singles pair, so I struggled at the beginning of the first game. I made a quick ball change, and I had a really good look after that."
Vollmar's string of strikes began in the fourth frame and ended with a 10 pin in the eighth frame of his final game. He missed the spare, but instead of dwelling on his mistake, he immediately got back to business. In the end, his first-career 800 series included 32 strikes and no spares.
"I knew halfway through my approach that I was going to ring a 10 pin," said Vollmar, who rolled his previous-high series of 795 en route to winning the Ohio State Pepsi Tournament in 2005. "There is a certain feel that I have when something is wrong in my approach, and I knew it was going to happen. I just hoped it would carry. Once I missed it, I went back and took a deep breath and said, 'OK, it's done.' I just tried to turn my brain off and keep my normal pre-shot routine."
Vollmar always dreamed of competing at the National Bowling Stadium and grew up idolizing USBC and Professional Bowlers Association and Hall of Famer Mike Aulby, who won two USBC Masters titles at the Stadium.
The one-of-a-kind venue has served as the backdrop for a lot of bowling history, and Vollmar is just happy to be a part of it.
"This is a dream come true for me," Vollmar said. "Coming into today, I would have never imagined this would happen to me. It is special to be here at the National Bowling Stadium, and the atmosphere is amazing. To shoot 300 and my first 800 series at the Stadium is amazing. It really hasn't sunk in yet. I am just in the clouds right now."
Vollmar credits his grandparents and his father for his start in bowling. He bowled several adult/youth leagues with his father, Erich, and he watched the PBA telecasts on television at his grandparent's house.
As he got older, his passion for the game increased. He began to practice six or seven times a week and eventually was hired at his local pro shop.
In his Open Championships debut last year in Las Vegas, Vollmar was a little intimidated by the magnitude and atmosphere of the world largest participatory sporting event. He finished with a 1,759 all-events total and gained valuable experience. This year, he was calm under pressure on the way to the sixth 800 of the 2010 tournament.
"I really just wanted to stay focused," Vollmar said. "I wanted to throw the best shots I could. I felt I had been throwing the ball well, starting with my team event, and I just wanted to keep the same feel. In the past, my mind would get in the way when I had an opportunity to shoot 800, but this time, I tried to keep everything the same. I am glad to have that monkey off my back."
Vollmar finished his 2010 tournament campaign with 697 in doubles and 666 in team for a 2,174 all-events total, which puts him in a tie for fourth place in Regular All-Events. Matt McNiel (right) of Chanhassen, Minn., leads with a record 2,326.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.
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United States
National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., United States (Feb. 20 - July 5, 2010)
Earon Vollmar (pictured left) of Toledo, Ohio, got off to a rough start in singles at the 2010 USBC Open Championships, failing to mark in two of his first three frames. The 21-year-old right-hander decided to make a ball change, and everything fell into place. He rattled off a near-record 28 consecutive strikes on the way to games of 247, 300 and 264 for an 811 series, which is tied for second place in Regular Singles. Terrence Syring (right) of Bay City, Mich., leads with 833.
Ron Vokes (left) of Racine, Wis., rolled 30 consecutive strikes on the way to an 857 singles set and the Regular All-Events title (2,321) at the 2009 tournament in Las Vegas. Vollmar joins Vokes on the list of 26 bowlers in tournament history who have recorded both a 300 game and 800 series on the championship lanes. "I was trying to make good shots," said Vollmar, who bowls league at Toledo's New Glass Bowl Lanes and made his second Open Championships appearance. "My doubles pair was a little drier than my singles pair, so I struggled at the beginning of the first game. I made a quick ball change, and I had a really good look after that."
Vollmar's string of strikes began in the fourth frame and ended with a 10 pin in the eighth frame of his final game. He missed the spare, but instead of dwelling on his mistake, he immediately got back to business. In the end, his first-career 800 series included 32 strikes and no spares.
"I knew halfway through my approach that I was going to ring a 10 pin," said Vollmar, who rolled his previous-high series of 795 en route to winning the Ohio State Pepsi Tournament in 2005. "There is a certain feel that I have when something is wrong in my approach, and I knew it was going to happen. I just hoped it would carry. Once I missed it, I went back and took a deep breath and said, 'OK, it's done.' I just tried to turn my brain off and keep my normal pre-shot routine."
Vollmar always dreamed of competing at the National Bowling Stadium and grew up idolizing USBC and Professional Bowlers Association and Hall of Famer Mike Aulby, who won two USBC Masters titles at the Stadium.
The one-of-a-kind venue has served as the backdrop for a lot of bowling history, and Vollmar is just happy to be a part of it.
"This is a dream come true for me," Vollmar said. "Coming into today, I would have never imagined this would happen to me. It is special to be here at the National Bowling Stadium, and the atmosphere is amazing. To shoot 300 and my first 800 series at the Stadium is amazing. It really hasn't sunk in yet. I am just in the clouds right now."
Vollmar credits his grandparents and his father for his start in bowling. He bowled several adult/youth leagues with his father, Erich, and he watched the PBA telecasts on television at his grandparent's house.
As he got older, his passion for the game increased. He began to practice six or seven times a week and eventually was hired at his local pro shop.
In his Open Championships debut last year in Las Vegas, Vollmar was a little intimidated by the magnitude and atmosphere of the world largest participatory sporting event. He finished with a 1,759 all-events total and gained valuable experience. This year, he was calm under pressure on the way to the sixth 800 of the 2010 tournament.
"I really just wanted to stay focused," Vollmar said. "I wanted to throw the best shots I could. I felt I had been throwing the ball well, starting with my team event, and I just wanted to keep the same feel. In the past, my mind would get in the way when I had an opportunity to shoot 800, but this time, I tried to keep everything the same. I am glad to have that monkey off my back." Vollmar finished his 2010 tournament campaign with 697 in doubles and 666 in team for a 2,174 all-events total, which puts him in a tie for fourth place in Regular All-Events. Matt McNiel (right) of Chanhassen, Minn., leads with a record 2,326.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.
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