Summer Youth Travel Challenge offers competition and scholarships
Challenging competition, valuable experience and guaranteed scholarship money — the Summer Youth Travel Challenge checks all the boxes.
“And the kids have fun and really seem to enjoy the format,” said Jenny Clarke, executive director of Bowling Proprietors Association of Greater Dayton.
The Summer Travel Challenge — formerly known as the WSU Raider Summer Tournament Series — will keep the same eliminator format and is open to bowlers 21 and younger. Bowlers will compete in nine different centers on Wednesdays from May 1 through June 26 with a registration kickoff event April 24 at Beaver-Vu Bowl.
Representatives from Storm and Hammer will be on hand at the kickoff event, showcasing the newest bowling balls. Bowlers can try them out as well. And, new this year, bowlers can also purchase discounted merchandise and spread out the payments over the course of the Summer Travel Challenge season.
“It’s great for the bowlers because they can pay extra each week and get new equipment,” Clarke said.
Up to the competition
The scratch events are open to registered bowlers 21 and younger, giving middle school and high school bowlers the opportunity to test their skills against experienced collegians.
All competitors bowl three games of qualifying each week with the field cut — based on the number of participants — for an eliminator-format final. All bowlers earn points each week regardless of their finish.
But it’s not just the other bowlers who will present a challenge as the series will utilize a variety of Junior Gold lane patterns, a different one each week.
“For the bowlers who are going to Junior Gold this year, this is a great opportunity to bowl on these patterns,” Clarke said.
The Junior Gold Championships will be contested in Detroit from July 12-20.
Win-win
Bowlers can earn more than weekly bragging rights in the Summer Travel Challenge.
“If you bowl in four or more of the nine weeks, you’ll earn scholarship money,” Clarke said. “Each week, you earn points, no matter where you finish.”
More than $4,100 in scholarship money was awarded last year.
End-of-the season prizes have also been donated by Storm, Hammer and I AM Bowling for the series point leaders.
For information on the summer series, visit the Summer Travel Challenge on Facebook.