News

Nothing Left to Spare  chronicles the excitement, challenges, disappointments and victories of the teen bowlers of the 2011 Teen Masters competition with personal interviews and tournament footage. (Produced by Gary Beck and Jim Robinson).

For 14 years, Dexter has been extremely proud to be a sponsor of the Teen Masters competition, which brings together the best and brightest young bowlers in the United States.

“Mastering Sport, Mastering Life” is a fitting motto for the annual competition, the premier youth bowling competition in the country. Founded in 1997 by Gary Beck, a former collegiate bowler and past Team USA member, the annual tournament challenges thousands of talented young bowlers to excel, while fostering camaraderie and creating the experience of a lifetime.

The competition, now in its 15^th year, offers middle and high school bowlers the opportunity for a chance to compete at the Grand Championship event, which awards a total of $100,000 in college scholarships.

Every spring, the competition begins with five months of challenging elimination rounds that bring teenage bowlers from all over the country together in hopes of earning a place in the Grand Championship.

The 2011 Grand Championship Finals marked a milestone in Teen Masters history with a record-high top prize of a $64,000 college scholarship – the largest in the tournament’s history – and with a one of a kind, non-traditional venue that made headlines in media outlets across the country: Vanderbilt Hall inside New York’s Grand Central Terminal – one of the busiest travel hubs in the world. Read the story on the 2011 event on our web site.

This year’s Teen Masters Grand Championship at New York’s Grand Central will take place this summer from August 5 to 8, 2012. For more information on Teen Masters, click on the Teen Masters link on our home page.

Brett Cooper

Dexter Bowling is pleased to announce the appointment of Brett Cooper to the position of National Sales Manager. Formerly the company’s sales representative for the Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and western Tennessee region, Brett assumed his new role in the company’s corporate office in Andover, Massachusetts on April 1, 2012.

“We are pleased to welcome Brett to his new position here at Dexter headquarters and congratulate him on this well-deserved promotion,” says Bud Clapsaddle, Vice President of Dexter Bowling. “Brett’s experience in the field will be a tremendous asset to him in his new role, working with the Dexter sales force in sales and marketing efforts, and serving as our primary contact with pro shops throughout the country.”

Tyler Jensen of Ft. Worth, Texas will assume Brett’s former territory in the southwest for Dexter as well as represent Storm Products in this same territory. The executive team at Dexter is pleased to welcome him to his new role.

Dexter Bowling and Storm Products today announced an official partnership to create a new line of licensed Storm footwear. Under the agreement, Dexter, makers of the world’s #1 bowling shoe, will design and manufacture a new line of performance and athletic footwear for Storm, the first-ever footwear line for the market-leading ball and accessory maker.

“We are pleased to form this alliance with Storm, one of the most respected names in the world of bowling,” says Bud Clapsaddle, Vice President, Dexter Bowling. “This partnership brings together two of the foremost brands in our sport today. With Dexter’s industry-leading designs and Storm’s reputation as a cutting-edge equipment manufacturer, this collaboration will produce one of the pre-eminent product lines in the global bowling market.”

Production on the new footwear line is expected to begin late 2011 and be available June/July 2012.  This new collection will be sold in bowling pro shops through Storm product representatives worldwide.

Headquartered in Andover, Mass., Dexter Bowling is the leading choice of footwear for recreational and professional bowlers worldwide, and is represented by world-class bowlers Walter Ray Williams Jr., Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones, Wes Malott, Jason Couch, Jason Belmonte, Mika Koivuniemi, and Shannon O’Keefe. For more information, visit www.DexterBowling.com.

Located in Brigham City, Utah, Storm, The Bowler’s Company™ is the top maker of bowling balls, bags, apparel, and accessories for amateur and professional bowlers. Its elite pro bowling staff includes Pete Weber, Jason Belmonte, Jeff Carter, Norm Duke, Andres Gomez, Rhino Page, Randy Pedersen and Ryan Shafer.  For more information, visit www.stormbowling.com.

Rachel Vaughn, the 2011 Girls High School Champion and Grand Championship Runner-Up, receives her trophy from vice president Bud Clapsaddle of Dexter Bowling, a proud sponsor of the event.

A three-time champion: Zack Hattori, 2010 and 2011 Boys High School Champion and the new Teen Masters Grand Champion, demonstrates form and focus on his approach. Photos Courtesy of Gary B. Beck.

Over 200,000 people pass through New York City’s Grand Central Terminal each day, but last week commuters, travelers, and bowling fans were captivated witnesses to an unprecedented event in the history of the 108-year old train station: The 2011 Teen Masters Championship Finals.

The hustle and bustle of one of the busiest hubs in the country slowed to a concentrated hush as twelve of the country’s elite youth bowlers took to the specially constructed lane at Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall last Wednesday and Thursday, August 3 and 4.

The eight high school bowlers and four under-14 bowlers put their skills to the test, setting their nerves aside as they competed in front of the packed stands and standing room only crowd at the biggest venue in bowling’s history.

Taking home the top prize, a $64,000 college scholarship, was Zack Hattori of Las Vegas, Nevada, who topped Rachel Vaughn of Port St. Lucie, Florida in the grand championship, a battle-of-the-sexes showdown between the winners of the respective High School Boys and High School Girls championships. Hattori, the defending 2010 High School Boys Champion, became the 2011 High School Boys Champion when he defeated Elmont New York’s Tommy Genova in a sudden death roll-off following a 1-1 match tie. To make it to the grand championship, Vaughn defeated Gabriella Mayfield of Lake Isabella, California, also in a tie-breaking roll-off, becoming the 2011 High School Girls Champion.

In the Under 14 Girls championship, defending 2010 champion Ashley Dunn of Palmdale, California ousted Taryn Gray of Greenfield, Texas. Wesley Low Jr., also of Palmdale, emerged as the Under 14 Boys winner, defeating Pablo Cerda of Sunrise, Florida.

To qualify for this experience of a lifetime and the chance to compete for scholarship funds in front of the crowds at Grand Central, 189 middle school and high school bowlers took part in the Teen Masters National Finals which kicked off in New Jersey on July 29. Through intensive competition, practice rounds, plastic ball challenges, even contests such as the I Came All the Way to New Jersey and Still Haven’t Won Anything Yet Shootout, the competitors honed their skills and built new friendships, even celebrating some downtime cheering on the Mets at Citi Field. The victors and runners-up of the Grand Central finals enjoyed a post-event trophy celebration and wrap party at the Hard Rock Café in Times Square.

Founded by Gary B. Beck in 1997, Teen Masters celebrates the challenge of competition, the rigors of discipline and the values of perseverance, sportsmanship and camaraderie among youth bowlers across the country. Each year college scholarships are awarded to the champions and runners up. Dexter, a proud sponsor of this event, offers our warmest congratulations to all of the 2011 Teen Masters competitors and winners.

The numbers are in. According to The Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) and Cowboys Stadium, a total of 8,017 spectators were in attendance at Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open finals, held mid-field at the stadium on the evening of June 30. This breaks the current record for attendance at a professional bowling event in the United States, topping the crowd of 7,212 at the 1995 U.S. Men’s Open in Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena.

This unprecedented fan attendance, generous industry support, and the choice of the spectacular venue for the competition all combined to make the 2011 Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open one of the most successful women’s sporting events in history, reinforcing the widespread popularity of the event, just one year after concerns about lack of funding had threatened the future of the Open.

Dexter Bowling was proud to be a sponsor of Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open, and held a special promotion to give away one pair of shoes per every 1,000 spectators who were in attendance at the event. With the final audience tally now in at over 8,000, Dexter has randomly selected eight spectators to receive a pair of shoes from our new 2011/2012 catalog. The winners are: Dave Bryant – Richland, WA; Louie Finlay – Loudon, TN; Ross Hanser – Irving, TX; S. Hemming – Arlington, TX; Ronnie Medekis Jr. – Fort Worth, TX; Cheryl Rose – Brighton, MI; Glen Washington – Desoto, TX; and Shawn Williams – San Antonio, TX. Each winner will also be notified directly. Congratulations to all of our winners!

Dexter Bowling and the United States Bowling Congress are pleased to introduce the 10 student-athletes who have been elected to the newest Dexter/USBC High School All-America Team.

Kyle Anderson (Lockport, Ill.) – This senior won the 2011 Illinois High School Association state title, becoming the first boy to win back-to-back state individual titles. A member of the National Honor Society, Kyle is a three-time consecutive winner of the Porter Pride Award, given to Lockport High School students for athletic leadership and academic achievement. He has volunteered on behalf of the Fairview Care Center and has also served as a caregiver for an elderly widow in his community.

Sydney Brummett (Fort Wayne, Ind.) – The only freshman on this year’s Dexter/USBC team, Sydney won the 2011 Indiana High School Bowling state singles title and earned IHSB Bowler of the Year honors. She also helped Homestead High School advance to the state finals in team competition. She was the chairperson for the Indiana State Tournament Food Drive and serves as president of the Indiana USBC Youth Leaders Group.

Zachary Fylling (Bay City, Mich.) – Winner of the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 state individual title, this junior helped Bangor John Glenn High School secure a third-place finish at the state tournament this past season. Zachary, who volunteers yearly with bowling and baseball youth programs, reads to elementary school students, teaching them that reading is fun, and also assists children with learning and behavioral problems.

Melanie Hannon (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) – A sophomore at Maryvale High School, Melanie had the third high series at the 2010-11 New York State Public High School Athletic Association state championships and helped her team earn the Section VI title. She has been selected Most Valuable Player at Maryvale the last three seasons. She is a member of the school orchestra, the Future Business Leaders of America and the Environmental Service Society, and is secretary of the Greater Buffalo USBC Youth Leaders.

Charlena Melnyk (The Woodlands, Texas) – Charlena finished third at the 2011 Texas High School Bowling Club state tournament. The junior is ranked No. 1 in her class of 966 at The Woodlands High School. She has been on the school’s Science Bowl and Math Relay teams, is a member of the Montgomery USBC Youth Committee, and has served as treasurer and president of the Greater Houston Youth Travel League.

Ryan Miller (Loves Park, Ill.) – Ryan led Harlem Senior High School to a fifth-place finish at the Illinois High School Association state tournament.  He prepared and won two grant proposals from the In Youth We Trust program and created “Magic for Muggles” summer workshops to teach kids magic tricks while helping them to foster a love of reading. He will attend Mount Mercy University in the fall and is looking forward to being a member of its inaugural men’s bowling team.

Nicole Mosesso (Centerville, Ohio) – The 2011 Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow Award winner, Nicole led Centerville High School to the state tournament each of her four years, winning the title during her freshman year. She was a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. She volunteered last summer as a physical therapist assistant at an outpatient rehabilitation therapy clinic and plans to attend Vanderbilt University in the fall.

Kay Rawls (Greenwell Springs, La.) – A two-time Louisiana High School Athletic Association 5A-4A Girls’ Most Valuable Player for Central High School, Kay was the state individual winner in 2009-10. She was a four-year member of the marching and symphonic bands, and visited and played music for the residents of a local nursing home. She also volunteered as attorney and juror for the Teen Court of Greater Baton Rouge and served as an events volunteer at the Baton Rouge Zoo.

Eric Swanson (Vernon Hills, Ill.) – One of two sophomores on this year’s Dexter/USBC All-America team, Eric helped Vernon Hills High School finish second at the Illinois High School Association state tournament and earned first team all-conference honors. He played on the varsity golf team in both his freshman and sophomore years. On the volunteer front, he has participated in programs that send nutritional food to third-world countries and books to the families of needy children.

Logan Wirth (Kearney, Neb.) – This junior led Kearney High School to the Nebraska High School Bowling Federation state semifinals this season. He won the individual conference title and placed 12th at state, in addition to earning varsity letters in hockey and football. Logan has been a head coach for youth teams in baseball and soccer through his local parks department and participated in canned food drives and state park clean-ups through the United Methodist youth group.

Selection to the Dexter/USBC team is based on the student-athlete’s bowling accomplishments from the 2010-11 school year, academic achievement (minimum 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale), letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, community involvement, and submitted essays and resumes.

“These students have not only excelled on the lanes but also had to meet high standards in the classroom to be considered for the Dexter team,” said Bud Clapsaddle, Vice President of Dexter Bowling. “They have shown outstanding citizenship through community service and we are pleased to honor such a great group of young bowlers.”

“Being selected for the Dexter team is one of the top honors a high school bowler can receive,” added Gary Brown, International Bowling Campus High School and Collegiate Manager. “We appreciate Dexter’s support in helping to recognize these outstanding student-athletes.”

Dexter and the USBC have selected five boys and five girls for the All-America Team every year since the 2005-2006 school year. Each student-athlete receives a $1,000 scholarship and an All-America Team award and will be featured in next year’s edition of the Dexter Bowling catalog. The All-America Team awards will be presented at the 2011 USBC Junior Gold Championships in Las Vegas this July.

Dexter is proud to sponsor the collegiate bowling team at Webber International University, whose team members excel in the classroom as well as on the lanes. The newest academic results from the Babson Park, Florida-based university reported a semester average of 3.29 and 3.25 respectively for the WIU women and men bowlers.  In fact, three of those student athletes achieved a perfect 4.0 this semester! The team also boasted an impressive 11 Academic All-Americans following the close of the fall 2010 semester.

Dexter Shoe Company of Andover, Massachusetts, USA, and IQ Bowling Industries bv., headquartered in Made, The Netherlands, have jointly established Dexter Bowling Europe bv., with exclusive distribution rights for Dexter Bowling shoes in Europe, Russia and the Middle East. The agreement is effective beginning May 1, 2011.

Dexter Bowling Vice President Bud Clapsaddle said, “This announcement reaffirms our mission to grow the Dexter brand around the world, and provide our customers in Europe with immediate delivery from our local distribution facility in the Netherlands.”

IQ Bowling Industries Managing Director Hans Krol added, “This agreement means a better level of availability of Dexter shoes, with greatly improved service levels and cost savings through efficient shipping through the Distribution Centre.”

For more information about Dexter Bowling, visit www.dexterbowling.com.

Dexter Bowling is proud to be a sponsor of Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open, taking place this June at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This historic event will be the first women’s sporting event to be held at a major traditional sport arena, a milestone for women’s professional bowling and the entire world of women’s sports. The competition, which will kick off right from the 50-yard line, will be televised nationally on ESPN.

In celebration of the event, which is expected to draw the largest viewing audience in the history of women’s bowling, Dexter Bowling will be holding a series of special raffle giveaways for audience members in attendance at the finals on Friday, June 30.

“We are excited to sponsor the U.S. Women’s Open,” says Bud Clapsaddle, Vice President, Dexter Bowling. “Being part of this milestone event in a major sporting arena, with the capacity to hold 80,000 attendees, is an incredible experience. To celebrate this landmark event, Dexter Bowling will be raffling off one pair of Dexter bowling shoes per every 1,000 spectators in attendance at the finals on June 30. Every prize is one of the featured styles from our new 2011/2012 catalog, so we’re looking forward to a terrific turnout!”

Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open brings together female youth and adult bowlers for an open competition, which begins with qualifying rounds from June 24-29 at AMF Euless Lanes before the final event at Cowboys Stadium. The event is held during the International Bowl Expo, which draws bowling industry media, retailers, and suppliers from all over the world.

About Dexter Bowling

Dexter is the number-one choice of footwear for bowlers in the world. A long-time proponent of women’s bowling, Dexter awards scholarships to five female high-school students each year as part of the co-ed Dexter/USBC All-American Team Awards and is the professional sponsor of world-class female bowling champion, Shannon O’Keefe. For more information, visit www.dexterbowling.com.