The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) have teamed with the International Bowling Campus Youth Development and Strike Ten Entertainment to launch a new league program that encourages kids nationwide to Bowl Like a Girl! or Bowl Like a Boy!
The industrywide youth bowling initiative, which is open to youth bowlers up to age 20, kicks off April 6, 2015.
Title ambassadors for the youth program include bowling’s elite professional athletes from the PBA and PWBA Tours including the PBA’s Bill O’Neill, Mike Fagan, Sean Rash and the PWBA’s Missy Parkin, Lynda Barnes and Danielle McEwan (pictured above from left to right).
Offered for any league season to participating bowling centers across the country, the PBA/PWBA’s “Bowl Like” 8-12-week leagues will provide instructional curriculums for beginner and advanced youth bowlers, plus weeks of bowling fun for all.
Each participant who completes the league will receive the following:
- A complimentary bowling ball (plastic or introductory reactive performance ball, depending on skill level)
- USBC Youth Membership
- A USBC certified average
- A USBC membership card
- Access to participate in USBC certified competitions (leagues, tournaments)
- PBA/PWBA Certificate of Merit
“This program offers kids a great chance to not only learn the sport of bowling, but to stay active, build teamwork skills, and have fun with other kids,” said Kelly Kulick (pictured right), a six-time major champion who serves as PWBA spokeswoman.
Kulick, who famously became the first woman to ever win a national title on the male-dominated PBA tour continued, “And with the added inspiration from the upcoming re-launch of the PWBA tour, the timing couldn’t be better to encourage our kids to learn to bowl and improve their skills in a “Bowl Like” Youth League at their local bowling center.”
“This is a turn-key youth bowling development initiative aimed at driving youth certifications and participation,” said Strike Ten Entertainment president John Harbuck.
“This industry-wide program not only includes a comprehensive marketing kit complete with digital assets for online and social marketing, it also features an attractive incentive package for youth bowlers who complete the league.
“Top industry manufacturers, 900 Global, Brunswick, Columbia 300, Hammer and Storm are also supporting the effort by offering participating centers who certify their youth bowlers deep discounts on the bowling balls provided through “Bowl Like” Youth League programs.”
The “Bowl Like” Youth League programs will be offered to all BPAA and USBC affiliated bowling centers and comes with comprehensive marketing materials that include a standee, posters, counter card and customizable sales flyers.
To activate this promotion, bowling centers can purchase a marketing kit through Strike Ten Entertainment. A detailed informational mailer with all the program details is scheduled for late March 2015.
The promotion is scheduled for leagues starting from April 6, 2015 through December 31, 2015. For more details, please contact Toby Brown, Director of Strike Ten Entertainment at 800-871-7869 ext.8444, or email Toby@stemarketing.com or visit www.STEMarketing.com.