The 2008-2009 Illinois State Pepsi Cola Tournament Director is Steve Lawson

2008-09 TOURNAMENT BASICS

Forms have been mailed to all bowling centers.  League Qualifying Window will be October 13-26.  Zone tournaments will be held in January for 11 and Unders and in February or March for 12 and overs (working to not conflict with IHSA events and to allow IHSA bowlers to participate).  Your zone director will be contacting your program with those specifics.  The State Finals will be held the weekends of May 2-3, 2009 for the 11 and under and  May 15-17, 2009 for the 12 and overs at Strike-n-Spare II Lanes in Lockport, IL.

About The Tournament     

USBC no longer provides league level kits to associations.  However, USBC did mail ONE League Level PEPSI Handbook (this is the last year for this) to all bowling centers the last week of September.  You may also use the link above to download a handbook if you did not receive one as well as all other materials that were in the State PEPSI Center packet that should be at all centers by October 3, 2008.  As it was in the 2007-08 PEPSI tournaments, there are still four divisions for 12 & above (Boys’ and Girls’ - Handicap and Scratch) and two divisions (Boys and Girls Handicap) for the 11 and under divisions.   New this year - there will be NO national tournament for the handicap division bowlers to advance to.  Our top two boys and girls in the scratch division will advance to the 2009 Junior Gold Championships to be held in Indianapolis in July, 2009.   Because of this, we have worked very hard to identify fund raising opportunities and are proud to announce that this year we will be offering over $100,000 in scholarship moneys between the zone and state tournaments.

The Pepsi Cola Youth Bowling Championships begins at the league level.  The tournament is a benefit of membership to all USBC  Youth Division certified bowlers (no longer an upper age limit of 21).  For just being a member of USBC Youth, athletes receive the opportunity to:

• compete with other youth in an international tournament.
• compete with no extra cost at the league level of competition.
• compete with other youth of the same age and ability for scholarships.
• Win berths to the USA Junior Gold National Championships July 2009 (Indianapolis, IN) to compete for approximately $50,000 in scholarships available to all athletes at the Junior Gold National Championships.

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Tournament Overview     

The Pepsi Cola Youth Bowling Championships begins with league level qualifying.  Bowling centers with USBC Youth Division certified leagues are automatic qualifying sites.  Since the tournament is a benefit of a membership, there is no entry fee at this level.

League level qualifying will be October 13-26.  Zone tournaments for the 11 and Under group will be held mostly in January 2009..    Most zone tournaments for the 12 & over group will be held in late February.  

Qualifying competition is held in divisions based on the bowler's age as of August 1, 2008.  The divisions are:

• 11 and under Boys’ Handicap
• 11 and under Girls’ Handicap
• 12 and above Boys’ Handicap
• 12 and above Girls’ Handicap
• 12 and above Boys’ Scratch
• 12 and above Girls’ Scratch

  Age 12 and over bowlers with averages over 210 MUST bowl in the scratch divisions.

  The Scratch Division winners and second place finishers state finals will receive berths into the 2009 USBC Junior Gold National Championships in Indianapolis, IN.  These athletes will have their $150 entry fee paid for by USBC.  The advancers must be Gold program members, or be eligible and purchase a membership prior to the championships.  There is no requirement to be a Gold program member to enter the Scratch Division at the local or state level.

   

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