Tuesday, September 17, 2024
By Tori Wittenbrock
Associate Sports Editor
ASHWAUBENON – The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley will host the USBC Queens Event in Green Bay from May 14-21.
Matt Orvis, president of the bowling alley, said that Ashwaubenon is thrilled to be the center of one of the biggest tournaments of the season.
“We are hosting the USBC Queens Event. It is a national event. It is also a major on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour. Ultimately it is open to any female member of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC),” said Orvis.
According to Orvis, Green Bay is honored to host such a prestigious event with such great talent.
“I think it’s just the fact we are having competitors from all over the nation here. We had the ability to host this event and other PWBA Events in ‘15, ‘16, and ‘17. I’ve made some very fond relationships with some of the ladies, so I am very excited to have some of my friends back in the building.
The tournament will bring a lot of talent to the Green Bay area with over 180 bowlers signed up from 17 different countries including professional women, amateurs and even college kids.
“There is a whole slew of people that will be here for it,” said Orvis.
“The economic impact on the community is great. Discover Green Bay recently announced it and I believe it was $700,000 dollars or so.”
Orvis said that the bowling alley also hosted the event in 2015, so they are excited to be bringing the action back to Green Bay.
“I wouldn’t say it’s the largest event we host, but it is the most prestigious because it is a professional women’s tour stop. It is a major so it is one of their three big events. There’s the US Open, there’s the Queens and there’s the Players Championship,” said Orvis.
The tournament is sure to bring some heat, according to Orvis, with a first place prize of $60,000.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, they bowl five games each day.
After that, they cut to the top 63 participants, plus last year’s defending champion is granted an automatic spot — 64 people make the double elimination match play bracket.
That gets competed in over the next two days Sunday and Monday in the match play bracket. The tournament finishes up with a live tv stream on CBS sports on May 21, at 6 p.m.
Orvis said that everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the event as either a participant, volunteer or spectator.
“Tuesday night we have a bowl with the Pros. It’s a fun event. It’s the opportunity to come out and bowl with six different professional bowlers. It’s nine-pin and there’s autographs. It’s just a really fun event,” said Orvis.
Because the tournament is so high profile, Orvis said that the help of the local community is very appreciated.
“We have a lot of volunteers that have stepped up to help us out with the event. Most of them are local bowlers,” said Orvis.
The bowling alley’s previous experience has played a big part in allowing everything to run smoothly this year.
“My role has been that I am kind of the coordinator of it all because I have been here for 21 years. I was here during the last go-around of the event. For the majority of our staff, this will be their first time hosting a national event like this,” said Orvis.
“I have been coordinating things with the United States Bowling Congress out of Texas. We have a couple of other people who have been coordinating our Pro-Am events and taking care of that. There’s too much to handle with all of it.”
The local community of bowlers in Green Bay have contributed a lot of work to help this event come together.
“There have just been a lot of little pieces coordinating together. Technically I guess I am kind of the captain of the ship. There are a lot of people doing a lot of things behind the scenes as well as far as working on machines and all that type of stuff.”
As the event grows nearer, Orvis said that volunteers from the area would be greatly welcomed and there is a role for everyone.
“For volunteers we have people that are at the gate taking admission charges. We have people that are just security watching to make sure nobody goes in by the players area. We have other volunteers that will be lane monitors that will be sitting near the lanes in case there are any scoring corrections or if the players need any help. We have one gentleman who is going to be our player liaison. If the ladies need anything as far as water or a snack or anything, he is going to be their helper with that,” said Orvis.
“For volunteers, it’s great. You get free admission. If you are a lane monitor, you are sitting maybe a few free away from one of your favorite bowlers. A lot of them are just very friendly and very supportive to people who are here for the league, just helping out.”
There are no requirements or prerequisites to become a volunteer.
As long as you show up, volunteers will be given a free jersey and a few other perks like food and beverage vouchers.
“Really you can get in for free and you get the best seat in the house cheering on the bowlers,” said Orvis.
“As far as spectators, there will be an admission charge to get in that varies based on the day,” said Orvis.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday it is $20 to get in. Sunday and Monday is $30 admission. For the live TV there are three different ticket levels starting at $30. A week pass is $80.
Orvis said that having spectators present is just as important as the volunteers and the participants.
“Especially for the spectators, it is just great to have people cheering on the bowlers. In the previous years we have had great turnout. The bowlers just appreciate having spectators there cheering them on. It’s like any sporting event. If you go to a high school game, having people in the stands just makes things better and it is a better experience for everyone involved,” said Orvis.
“We always are willing to take the PWBA any time they need us. This will be the fourth event that we’ve had with them in the last 10 years. We do have another regional event for them coming in August,” said Orvis.
“We absolutely love having the PWBA here, and we would take them in anytime.”
For anyone looking for more information about the upcoming event, details can be found on the ashbowl.com website with a separate page dedicated to the Queens tournament information.
Additional information such as rosters and prize funds can be found on the USBC website, bowl.com.
“I would just encourage everyone to come out and see what the professional women’s tour is all about. The ladies are fantastic ambassadors for the sport of bowling,” said Orvis.
