Two to make international debuts at Tournament of the Americas

GREENDALE, Wis. - For Brenda Viator of Franklin, Wis., and Crystal Schoneman of Orlando, Fla., the desire to represent their country in international competition is so strong that they have elected to forgo competing in one of the year's most prestigious events, the U.S. Women's Open.

Instead, both women will make their international debuts and represent the United States at the 2008 Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas, which will be held at Boardwalk Bowl in Orlando, Fla., from July 27 until Aug. 2. The event, being held for the 46th time, will include 175 bowlers from 18 countries across North, Central and South America.

The 80-lane bowling center is a familiar venue for Schoneman, who has competed there since it opened its doors in 2003. She also has spent time there as a member of the University of Central Florida bowling team coaching staff along with her husband, Bob, and Team USA member Stefanie Nation.

"This is such a cool thing, and having it right in my own backyard is even better," said Schoneman, a former standout at Florida State University who finished sixth at the 2008 USBC Team USA Trials and just missed out on an official spot on Team USA. "I've bowled at Boardwalk since it opened, and it's become a comfortable place for me over the years."

Viator, who recently relocated to Wisconsin to work as a Youth Program Developer for the United States Bowling Congress, lived in Florida for four and a half years and had the opportunity to hone her skills at the nearby Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla. She's also has had the chance to practice with Schoneman at Boardwalk Bowl.

And as the sister of Team USA head coach Jeri Edwards, Viator has grown to understand the significance of bowling for Team USA.
 
"This is almost surreal," said Viator, a former All-American at the University of Nebraska and two-time member of Team USA. "I have worked my whole life for this, and because I made the team for the first time when I was 32, I appreciate it a lot more. I do have a full-time job, but bowling is my passion. It's an amazing feeling to be able to represent my country and the ultimate realization of everything I have worked for."

The Tournament of the Americas will have a new home for the third time in four years. The event, which spent its first 42 years at Cloverleaf Lanes in Miami, Fla., was relocated to Sawgrass Lanes in Sunrise, Fla., when Cloverleaf closed its doors in 2005 and then to Don Carter Tamarac Lanes in Tamarac, Fla., when hurricane damage forced Sawgrass Lanes to close as well.

This year's event will includes bowlers from Aruba, Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, United States, Venezuela and Virgin Islands.

Competition will be divided into adult, senior and junior divisions, and the bowlers will compete in singles, doubles, mixed doubles and four-person mixed team competition. Medals also will be awarded for individual all-events and national all-events based on the 36-game performance of all four team members. For the third year, the junior division will be divided into two groups, age 12-15 and 16-19.

"Being on Team USA is never a given, especially with the amazing talent that we have now, so I am extremely proud of this opportunity," Viator said. "The hardest part is about this is that my dad passed away a month ago. Bowling was his passion, too, and we bowled because of him. It was special to be able to share that with him, and I know he would be proud."

Other competitors for the United States include David Haynes and Del Ballard Jr. in the Adult Division, Jenny Brown, Josie Earnest, Andrew Koff and Geoffery Young in the Junior Division and Fran Deken, Lucy Sandelin, Ed Roberts and Bob Hart in the Senior Division.

Leading up to the Tournament of the Americas, Boardwalk Bowl is hosting the World Youth Championships, the first Federation Internationale des Quilleurs or WTBA event contested in the United States since the 1995 FIQ World Championships at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev.

The World Youth Championships (for national junior team members age 23 or younger) is contested every other year, with the first event held in the Philippines in 1990. The only previous time the World Youth Championships was held in North America was in 1994 when Monterrey, Mexico, served as host. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, hosted in 2000.