Dorin-Ballard hopes to bring experience to Worlds

Carolyn Dorin-Ballard is making all the right moves as the U.S. Bowling Congress Hall of Famer begins her quest to be selected for the national team at the 2009 World Championships this summer in Las Vegas.

Her performance at the inaugural Professional Bowlers Association Women's Series Showdown presented by the USBC in April certainly turned some heads.

The 44-year-old from Keller, Texas, won $25,000 in part by stringing together a television-record 20 consecutive strikes at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla. The victory came on the heels of Dorin-Ballard's first title in Asia. On March 23, she won the 32nd Canon Malaysian International Open in Kuala Lumpur. She was also on the winning Canon Cup team the following day in an event that pitted the top two female finishers and the top three male finishers from each country in a team format. Dorin-Ballard's Team International overcame Team Malaysia for the title.

Now in her second year as a member of Team USA, Dorin-Ballard hopes her recent success can be parlayed into a spot into the 2009 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women's Championships July 25-Aug. 2 in the Cashman Center in Las Vegas.

Because of her professional playing background, Dorin-Ballard was never in the pool of amateur players who could be selected to the World Championships.

But in August 2007, the World Tenpin Bowling Association voted to allow members of professional organizations to compete in international events. The USBC then changed the selection process for Team USA. A USBC committee selected seven players from the pool of players that included Team USA members since 1998 and former Professional Women's Bowling Association/Ladies Professional Bowlers Tour members.

"Being a pro, I never had the opportunity to bowl for Team USA," said Dorin-Ballard, whose husband is PBA Hall of Famer Del Ballard Jr. "Then they changed the rules and allowed professionals to be considered. I never thought I'd be able to a part of [Team USA]."

This year is especially exciting since it marks the first time in nearly 14 years that the United States has hosted the event. The last time the World Championships (which until 2003 featured both men anad women) were held on U.S. soil was in 1995 to help open the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. The Women's World Championships figure to draw about 300 athletes with teams from about 50 countries, playing in singles, doubles, trios, team, all-events and Masters.

A Team USA training camp in June will be followed by the selection of the World Championship team. An estimated 10 women will attend the camp and six will be selected to compete at worlds. Should Dorin-Ballard compete in the World Championships --- and many think she has a good shot to do so --- she won't have much time to rest afterward. The 2009 U.S. Women's Open is set for Aug. 3-7 in Las Vegas.

Dorin-Ballard's history on the lanes goes without saying. She spent 18 years on tour as a pro. But the former All-American at West Texas State University knows that she has more to offer than two decades of championship experience. Part of the application process included writing a letter that indicated why she should be selected as a member of Team USA.

"Of course I put down my bowling credentials [in the letter of application]," said Dorin-Ballard, who served as color commentator on ESPN2 for the NCAA Women's Bowling Championships in April. "But at this point in my career, I also think I can be a mentor to the younger girls to help them get to the next level. I want to teach them what others taught me when I was in their shoes.

"I was not successful right off the bat, and not many bowlers are. There are a heck of a lot of low lows that you have to go through on the way to getting where you want to be as a bowler. Team USA is still in its growing stages here in the United States, and I feel like I have a lot to offer the younger players."

Her experience as a touring professional will help Dorin-Ballard reach out to her younger teammates who might need a lift.

"There were so many veterans who helped me out when I started,'' she said. "They really helped you no matter what the situation was. All the years I bowled on tour it was like a close-knit family. All of the players went out of their way to help you. Honestly, I had a really great experience on tour. They made you feel like you were a part of something special."

By serving as a mentor to those working their way up the ranks and into pressure-packed situations, Dorin-Ballard can offer plenty.

"I've seen it all. I've been at rock bottom," she said. "It took me quite some time to become successful on the women's tour. You cannot bowl well for many weeks in a row, and you think you're doing everything possible. I've seen the highs and lows. I feel I can pass that on to become something positive. Mostly I want to motivate them to not give up and show them that hard work will eventually pay off."

For now, Dorin-Ballard will continue to try to make strides on the PBA Women's Series. She also works in marketing for Brunswick. In her position, she travels to Brunswick-owned bowling centers to work with local pros on the PBA Tour pattern that's offered to league bowlers. Additionally, she serves as a USBC ambassador, a spokesperson for the USBC's high school section and is on the USBC board directors. Her husband works with USBC's international development team.

Time spent at home is one of her few times when bowling isn't front and center. That's when she is devoted to her 5-year-old daughter, Alyssa, who begins kindergarten in the fall.

"I spent the entire day with my daughter when I'm home," Dorin-Ballard said. "I was home for 24 hours and picked her up from pre-school, played baseball with her in the backyard, gave her a bath, read her a bedtime story. I'm all about my daughter and my family. We also do a lot of cooking when we're home."

But Dorin-Ballard's second home is in the bowling lanes, and she is a role model to other young girls and women in that world.

"I'm looking to do whatever it takes to help grow the sport," she said. "There are way too many talented women at the college and high school level for them not to have a place to play. I was able to live my dream, and I want to pass that along to them and other players."

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Dave McMahon is a freelance contributor for teamusa.org. This story was not subject to the approval of the United States Olympic Committee or any National Governing Bodies.