Real Financial Aid!

North Pointe bowling event rich in scholarships
High school tourney set for Indian Lanes
June 5, 2007
BY MATT FIORITO
FREE PRESS BOWLING WRITER
Money for college is always a concern, so if you're a graduating high school senior who's a bowler, don't waste any time in entering the North Pointe Insurance Group $100,000 High School Singles Championship, July 24-26 at Indian Lanes in Wyandotte. The championship, conducted through the Bowling Proprietors Association of America, is open to any 2006-07 graduate who bowled on a high school team or is a United States Bowling Congress youth member. The only other requirement is a minimum 2.0 grade-point average, and the field is limited to the first 240 boys and 240 girls who apply. Since first place in each division awards $15,000 in scholarship money, I'm surprised that seniors from Michigan haven't already filled the field. The entry fee is $50, and I'm told the gift bag each participant receives will be worth more than that. Entry forms can be downloaded from www.bpaa.com or www.bowl.com. Information also is available through the BPAA at 800-343-1329, ext. 204. The high school championship at Indian Lanes will be held in conjunction with the $70,000 QuibicaAMF International Family Tournament, which runs July 26-28. That field will consist of parent/child or parent/teen teams who were state or provincial winners in qualifying tournaments held in the United States and Canada. First place in each division is a $5,000 scholarship.

TUNE-UP TIME: High school seniors can compete against their peers and warm up for the North Pointe tournament -- and earn some scholarship money -- by entering the Michigan All-Star Tournament at Sunnybrook Lanes in Sterling Heights on June 23-24. It's for graduating high school seniors only. Scholarship money also is available in the Bowl Swami SMART Singles Tournament on June 23 at Sunnybrook for bowlers who were in grades 9-11 in 2006-07. Entry forms are available at MHSIBCA.com.

SEASON FINALE: The Alro Steel/Michigan Junior Masters Association will wrap up its 21st season Friday through Sunday at Monroe Sport Center in Monroe, with the Dan Ottman Memorial Championship Tournament. A field of 57 boys and 18 girls will compete for the titles and a share of more than $20,000 in scholarships. Players to watch are season points leader and three-time winner John Kelley of Sterling Heights and two-time winners Ryan Van Hecke of Sterling Heights and Brian McMahon of Saginaw, along with intercollegiate singles champion Tim Pfeifer (Robert Morris University) of Cranberry Township, Pa. On the girls side are four-time winner Christine Bator of Warren, three-time winner Jennifer Churchill of Windsor and two-time winner Bethan McGeary of New Kensington, Pa. Opening ceremonies, which include the presentation of the Ottman Memorial Scholarships, are 6 p.m. Friday, followed by qualifying at 7 p.m. Qualifying continues at 9 a.m. Saturday. The final round of match play starts at 9 a.m. Sunday; stepladder finals follow at about 1:30 p.m.

CHALLENGE WINNERS: Vicki Shieck stepped in for me at the University of Michigan Transplant Center's Bowling for Camp Michitanki Challenge and probably saved me several inches of column space. Normally in these challenges I get beat by everybody, but this year, with Nurse Vicki performing ably on the lanes, the only challenge winners -- and congratulations to them -- were Mike Moceri, Kyle Green, Doug Armstrong, Alyson Sprang, Jordan Garypie, Katie Lassila, Robert Pluhatsch, Scott Potis, David Cain, Jim Henson, Cindy Terznzi, Destenee Hudson, Dianne McPharlin, Lorie Uranga, Kaleb Diana, Scharry Milne, Joan Armstrong, Rodney Howard and Paul Lassila. To make a contribution to the camp, which is for children who have had transplant surgery, call 734-936-3460.