im really interested in becoming a pro bowler in a few years and i was wondering how to get on the tour. i know nothing when it comes to getting college scholarships either and im a sophomore in high school so i need to start getting into it soon. any help would be appreciated

I would if i were you. first join your high school team or try if you high school offers one. If not be bowling league more than one league, probably junior scratch league and or sport league to bowl on challenging conditions. since your in california you may want to bowl jBt (junior bowlers tour). They get to bowl on various centers and condtions, which will get you some expierence. http://www.juniorbowlerstour.com/

For your college years. you going to need to get into a college that has bowling team. You should try out and bowl for your school. now getting a scholariship for bowling will be challenging not sure how you do about doing it. some people on hear bowl in college they prboablly chime in and get you some more insight on college bowling.

brandon,

im bowling in 3 different leagues, my high school doesnt have a bowling team, i bowl in almost all of the JBTs, and the pba experience leagues around here dont allow youths because money is involved.. im talking to one of the main guys in that league about having them make a scholarship programs for youths though so i might have a chance.

Steve, just wondering, how long have you been bowling? Im 15 also and I'm a sophomore in highschool too. I was just curious as to how long you've been bowling.

As for the college scholarships, I don't know how you can get one since you dont have a highschool team. Now I'm not saying you can't I'm just saying I don't know. As for me, I was fortunate enough for my highschool to have one. Like Brandon said, there are some people on here that bowl for colleges so I'm sure they can get in on this and help you out.

i started bowling at like 2. but i really started bowling (as in 4 step approach) at 5 so about 10 years

Getting a PBA card isn't really that difficult. This is from the PBA website.

There are three ways to become a member of the
Professional Bowlers Association (PBA):

* A 200 average or better for the most recent league season with at least 36 games in that league.

* A 190 average or better in a sanctioned USBC Sport Bowling League. This is a league run by the USBC using the PBA patterns. You can find out if there are sports leagues near you by contacting the USBC at (414) 421-6400.

* Cashing in a PBA Regional tournament as a non-member. You can gain access to information on entering regional tournaments on pba.com.

You also need to pay an initiation fee and I believe some sort of monthly or yearly dues.

Now to actually be on Tour is a lot harder. To be guaranteed to be able to bowl every tournament you would have to become exempt either through having the most points in one of the regional regions or be in the top so many bowlers the Tour Qualifying held during the summer before the season starts. Then you would have to be able to avoid traveling and lodging expenses as well as the entry fees for each tournament. You could also just do what Rhino Page did last season and be the top non-exempt bowler by doing the TQR before every tournament and often moving on the the exempt field.

The initiation fee is $99, and it's $12 per month for the basic package. There's a higher package that offers more stuff if you wanted, but I wouldn't dive right into it yet. I have the application sitting next to me and I can join whenever I want, but I'm waiting until I'm completely sure and confident in my game. Sure, I can average 225 on a house shot. But what happens when I hit a Shark or Viper?

I could have joined years ago. But knew that I wasn't competative enough to match up against lane conditions and better bowlers. I'm not going to feed my money into an organization that I know I am not good enough to be included in. I started really thinking about my game, way too late to be in that world.

A lot of people buy the card because they can. But they are a far cry from being able to competantly represent that card.

At 15, and bowling at a high level. I would say to keep it up. Keep it up, get as much scholarship money as you can in tournaments and apply to colleges that have bowling teams and majors that interest you. Becuase you will not be competative bowling forever. You will need something to fall back on and bowling can help you get that. But you need to put that goal and that major a priority to bowling. Use bowling as a means to an end; graduation. If you are fortunate enough to be one of the elite few then you can have choices. But most do not. Even at the elite level, few make a living off bowling, so you will need your major in college to earn a living.

Erin

As Infernocal said, you just have to average 200 and pay them money.

Once you leave juniors, you might want to try your hand at local scratch tournaments and see how you fare before you start paying PBA member dues. Also, if you get your PBA card, you're not allowed to bowl amateur tournaments if there's a PBA event (regional or national) within a certain distance. I think it's 50 miles. You'll have to strongly consider that because amateur tournaments are usually cheaper and pay better.

The other point, will there be a PBA when you are eligible? Some say not. The money is very poor, only the top 10 out of the 64 actually make a living bowling. Go look at their prize money won last year under the bowler section. Click on stats, and then click on prize money.

Expenses run between $30,000 and $40,000 for the 21 stops. You have to win at least $100,000 just to break even after expenses, taxes, and sponsors cut of what you make.

I have a couple of friends here in Nashville that went out there and they went broke. Even when they cashed, they went broke.

The bowlers that stay out there get a small salary form a ball company that keep them going.

I emailed Jeff Carter once on why he gave up the family lumber business to be a pro bowler. He said he loves the game.

He has zero Titles in 150 attempts on the national tour, and his marriage fell apart.

Parker Bohn has gone through a marriage ending. His son from his first marriage lives here. He used to work at Hillwood Strike and Spare. He told some bowlers in a tournament here once that since his father Parker has a new wife and new kids, he rarely has time for him anymore. His son is 17 or 18 now.

If you go on the pro tour, stay single, live out of the suitcase and stay humble. You will not be rich, and as Norm Duke once said, bowl enough action games to actually pay the bills.

Pro bowlers who don't have a college education don't have anything to fall back on like Jeff Carter, Norm Duke, Parker Bohn etc..

Walter Ray has a degree in physics. Had he not been a great bowler, he would be a scientist. Your college education is most important.

I gave it up and finished college. I have no regrets. I made more money than 54 of the 64 exempt last year.

If you want the non traditional job, you have a better chance of touring the country paying rock and roll out of the back of a 1980 Ford van!

By the way, be careful about the action bowling. Some places are very strict on illegal gambling. Someone was arrested here by an undercover for openly pot bowling and collecting cash. They also busted a bunch of pool players at a billiards club here.

Stick with brackets and side pots in recognized tournaments, and CLAIM ALL OF YOUR INCOME.