On a Roll

Wendy Macpherson's career has been on a roll.

She was inducted into the United State Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in May, and then this month, she was selected to compete in the World Tenpin Bowling Association Women's World Championship, which will be held in the Cashman Center in Las Vegas July 27-Aug. 2.

Macpherson has achieved quite a bit in her career, beginning with her head-turning start at 18 when she won the Women's U.S. Open as an amateur in 1986 until now, at 41, when she has become the richest female bowler in history with earnings of about $1.3 million.

But has yet to compete in a world championship. Although she has some experience competing as part of Team USA --- she won three gold medals at the 2008 Pan American Bowling Confederation Women's Championships in Chile --- she is looking forward to having an opportunity to win world titles.

"Never in my life have I experienced such a thing,'' Macpherson said. "I absolutely loved it last year down in Chile. The whole idea of bowling team, doubles, singles, trios-especially the team-the whole atmosphere would be phenomenal. I would love to be part of all that."

Macpherson will join a seasoned team at the world championships, where she will compete with Lynda Barnes and Stefanie Nation, who have bowled in the past two world championships as well as professional veterans Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Liz Johnson and Kim Terrell-Kearney. The United States has not won a team gold medal in more than 20 years.

The women were selected to the world championships following a training camp session at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

 "We talk a lot in the classroom setting about the team mentality and the idea of a team atmosphere," she said. "All my life, I've bowled all individual. It was interesting to get into that frame of mind after bowling against my teammates for so many years."

In addition to Team USA head coach Jeri Edwards, Junior Team USA head coach Rod Ross will join the contingent, along with PBA Hall of Famer Del Ballard, Jr.

It'll be just like old times when Macpherson and Ross converse on the lanes.

"I've known Rob for 20 years growing up with him in California," she said. "One of his good friends, Sam Bacca, has been my coach for 30 years. I spent three days with Rob in December working on my game, and he's a sharp cookie. I really enjoy hearing the perspective of our coaches."

Sharing tips with her teammates is an aspect of the team event that Macpherson believes makes it so enjoyable.

"You generally don't tell people where to look on the lanes, where to stand, or where to play," she said. "You can watch other bowlers and get an idea, but in the team competition you're always getting helpful advice. It's interesting to get other peoples' secrets about what they're doing."

And her teammates won't mind having a Hall of Famer on their side.

Macpherson's induction into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in the Superior Performance Category didn't come as a surprise to many. Her 20 titles and earnings of $1.3 million before the women's pro tour ceased operations in 2003 certainly helped her cause.

The USBC Hall of Fame induction ceremony, held in May at the USBC Convention in Reno, Nev., put Macpherson in well-deserved company. Among a bevy of accomplishments, Macpherson was the youngest bowler to win the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour's Triple Crown and captured three USBC Queens titles. A 20-time winner on the PWBA Tour, Macpherson is the only woman to win a USBC Open Championships title. She won the regular singles crown in 2006 in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Since the demise of women's pro bowling in the United States in 2003, Macpherson has taken her show on the road. She is in her third year as a member of the Japan Pro Bowlers Association, and is the lone expatriot to have ever been granted membership in the group. A typical year finds Macpherson making four of five trips per year, with stays of up to three weeks per trip.

"I haven't been for six or seven months, but I'll leave June 23 and stay for three weeks," she said. "That will be the first of four trips I'll take there this year."

Macpherson, who previously had taken just two trips to Japan-both in the 1980s-enjoys a relatively stress-free few weeks during her trips.

"I live with a couple of families there, one in Shizuoka near Mt. Fuji and another in Tokyo,'' Macpherson said. "So I get to live in a house, with my own room. It's fantastic-especially the view of Mt. Fuji. My translator is also a JPBA member, so when we have to go and bowl in a tournament and stay in a hotel, it makes life easy. There are fabulous people there who are starved for bowling knowledge and information."

While at home in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nev., Macpherson has spent the bulk of her time in recent months providing lessons to bowlers competing in the USBC Open Championships.

"The lessons are mostly with men,'' she said. "There has been one young lady. They're good bowlers who have been struggling on the USBC patterns in past years of the tournament. They're just looking to get some help to get their game in gear and get prepared to play at the Cashman Center [host site of the Open Championships]."

One week after she returns from Japan, Macpherson will possibly compete in the WTBA event. Following the Women's World Championships, Las Vegas will remain a hotbed of women's bowling with the U.S. Women's Open. The PBA Tour Women's Series begins in August in Detroit, following the U.S Women's Open. Macpherson is one of six players who received an exemption into the PBA Tour Women's Series for 2009-10.

"There's all of this back-to-back-to-back, and it's a tight schedule," she said. "It's one thing right after another. Hopefully I get to play in all of it-that's my goal. I'd much rather be busy. If the bowling's good and I have a great rhythm and timing, it'll be a great three months."

 Kind of like her first two decades of bowling.

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.

 Additonal words from the sidelines:

 1.) Favorite band/music

"I like heavy metal, stuff like Pearl Jam, Metallica, Ozzy and AC/DC."

 2.) How do you communicate? Do you Twitter/on Facebook/Text/Blog? (link?)

"I text and I'm on Facebook. I also have a web site."

http://www.facebook.com/people/Wendy-Macpherson/1656302700

http://www.wendy-macpherson.com/

 3.) If you could meet one Olympian, past or present, who would it be/why?

"The first one that comes to mind is Michael Phelps. I would love to hear how he remains calm and cool and learn about his work ethic."

 4.) Favorite Olympic sport (that's not the one you compete in)?

"My father was a downhill and slalom skier and also was a ski jumper, so most of my favorite sports favor the Winter Games, other than swimming. We skied our entire life until bowling took over. That was probably good, because I was a little crazy and had a few accidents on the slopes."

 5.) Favorite Olympic moment?

"Watching Mark Spitz win all of his gold medals. I remember really paying a lot of attention to that."