Team USA 2009

Women's Team Selectors 2009

TEAM USA selectors announce ladies teams for 2010

Following their training camp after the US Open, the women's team selectors have made these initial selections for 2010:

World Indoor Singles: Dee McSparran
Alternate: Rosa Gandara

North American Challenge (vs Canada in Milwaukee)

Folkins team: Jan Hargraves (SW), Dee McSparran (SW), Jackie Tucker(SE), Anna Witt (C), Myra Woods (SC)

Jarvis team: Michele Arculli (NE), Carrie Fossati (SW), Rosa Gandara (SW), Marita Nierth (SE), Anne Nunes(SW)

Alternates: Kathy Alton (SC & C), Bobbi Elwell (SE) and Margie Rambo (SW).

See TEAM USA for more news about our international players.

TEAM USA Training Camp

Following the US Open, the USLBA womens team selectors conducted a camp for those trying out for the team.The camp provides a variety of experiences in skill shot competition, team make-up combinations and instruction.

Back row: Diane Denton, Myra Wood, Anna Witt, Jackie Tucker, Jan Hargraves, Dee McSparran, Margi Rambo, Michelle Arculli
Front row: Carrie Fossati, Marita Neirth, Coach Heather Stewart, Jackie Williamson, Kathy Alton

Asia Pacific Games 2009

Team USA in Malaysia

Malaysia and the biennial Asia Pacific Games ~ Mission Accomplished!

Malaysia is a very interesting country filled with exotic sights, hot and humid weather and for these two weeks in August - many of the top bowls players in the world!  I’ll only comment on the men’s side since that’s where I witnessed much of the action. The event started with the fours and singles.  The fours of Baer, Schneider, Dion and Brault did fairly well, especially given their difficult section, and were actually quite unlucky to not reach the Quarter finals.  They were just a win away.

 In the singles, Siddall was blazing the trail to the Quarters amidst an equally difficult section and would get Team USA off to the healthy start they all deserved.  Three of the four most top ranked players globally were in this section.  He lost a tough battle in game one against the Australia champ, but battled back nicely versus emerging India and would stun the entire bowls complex on the 2nd night in a battle never to be forgotten! 

Here’s Bill Brault’s quote of it: “I just witnessed the most amazing singles match I've ever seen. Ali Forsyth (New Zealand) was on fire and despite excellent play by Michael, Ali raced out to a 15-5 lead.  As Ali cooled, Michael raised the level of his play to incredible heights and pulled to within 15-12. A two and three by Ali and it was 20-12 and it wasn't looking good.  But Michael just kept coming and before you knew it the score was 20-20. Michael was taking to mat during the entire comeback and continued on the final end. Ali's second bowl was a side-toucher and rested on the jack. After a narrow miss, Michael rested out the shot bowl with his final wood to hold game.  Ali drove and hit the shot, moved the jack but Michael had the catcher...GAME OVER!!!!  Absolutely Brilliant”

Other victories by Michael included those over Thailand, Macau and Singapore amidst a loss to Ratish Lal of Fiji.  This would post a 5-2 record and a healthy place in the qtrs.  What’s the reward…A showdown with the world’s #1 sgls player and Malaysia’s own Safuan Said.  Michael was ready, with the racious support of Team USA in the stands, but Saf’s arsenal was quickly realized as Michael found himself deep in a hole of 1-12 down. 

TEAM USA Bowls with distinction in Asia

Mike Siddall and Maryna Hyland in Asia

Like turning a page though, Michael locked in to something special and took control of the match over the next 8 ends and in fact held a healthy 3 shots with a the score 14-17.  Safuan would play a stunning bowl with his last to convert it to one for him…Brutal – 14-18 instead 17-17.  With some continued epic play, Michael stormed back to 19-20 playing the final end.  A shot was on to put the white in the sand to hold two, but Michael’s bowl got caught on a slight back-up on the swinging hand and the game was lost.  Onto the Pairs and Triples…

The pairs team of Baer and Brault were set into a very difficult section of some of bowls superpower countries.  They battled away but did not make the Quarters.  Meanwhile the triples team of Bob Schneider, Loren Dion and Michael Siddall had a tough start beginning 1-2 versus the young Philippines, Canada and Japan, but hung tough.  They had a great strategic breakthrough in game 4 and put it right into action (versus the opponent’s straight-lined bowls on the slower greens.)  They went onto to beat a tough and emerging Thailand trio as well as Hong Kong (with Danny Ho – Ian’s brother) the next morning, who were atop the leader board.  A final healthy win against Singapore would secure the #3 spot in the quarter-final.  The boys tried hard to secure the #2 spot as they knew it would yield an easier quarter-final opponent in Fiji versus New Zealand, but to no avail.        

Ali and his mates from N.Z. were “on” down the stretch and while we tried hard amidst a tricky rink, we lost to them. A pity too because getting by them meant a guaranteed medal.  I was close to the action in the triples games and watched Loren and Bob with Michael playing some wonderful bowls over those seven games.  Well, the main purpose of the team was to re-qualify the USA for World Bowls 2012 in Australia.  That was accomplished handily.  I would be remiss if I didn’t state that the men’s team manager, Phil Luth, did a wonderful job over the two weeks amidst some tricky circumstances.  He should be commended for his fine work and detail!  Thanks for your time and I for one am very pleased to be back in the good ‘ol USA.    

Dr. Robert Vickster

See complete results for all teams in Asia Pacific Games on the World Bowls website.