JOHN JOWDY ELECTED NEWEST MEMBER OF BOWLING COACHES HALL OF FAME

Joe Kristof and Jeanette Robinson Make Trailblazers List

ARLINGTON, Texas – Longtime bowling coach, writer and industry advocate John Jowdy has been selected as the 2010 inductee into the Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame in recognition of his superior coaching contributions to the sport.  The Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame committee, comprised of chairman Jim Sturm, BPAA president, Dave Garber - USBC co-director of coaching; Susie Minshew – IBPSIA past-president; Bob Rea – bowling coach/consultant (Bob Rea & Associates); Kelly Bednar – director, STE Skills Center; and bowling writers Dick Evans and Jim Goodwin reviewed nearly a dozen nominations and supporting documents before selecting Jowdy on the first ballot.  The formal induction will take place Monday morning, June 28, 2010 during International Bowl Expo’s General Session at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Mr. Jowdy began his coaching career instructing and training youth bowlers in San Antonio in the 1940’s and 50’s, and since the late 60’s has coached over 100 professional men and women bowlers.  Today he continues to be a sought-after instructor for both pros and amateurs alike.   Jowdy has been a Columbia 300 representative in sales and public relations since 1962 and is credited with the development of Team Columbia which became the first group of top pro players to represent a ball company on the pro tour.  Subsequently, all major ball companies have created their own teams.

As a writer, Jowdy’s columns appear in dozens of bowling newspapers and magazines and he is the author of two books on the sport, Bowling Execution and Bowling Execution, Second Edition.

Jowdy was elected to the PBA Hall of Fame in 1988, principally due to his coaching contributions and undying support for professional bowling.  He is the only coach ever elected to the PBA Hall of Fame.  He is also a member of the Texas Bowling Hall of Fame, the San Antonio Bowling Hall of Fame, and the Bowling Writers Association of America Hall of Fame.  He was inducted to the USBC Hall of Fame on March 15, 2001 and in 2006, he was chosen as the International Bowling Coach of the Year.     

Prior to Mr. Jowdy’s induction, two Trailblazers, also selected by the Hall of Fame committee, will be recognized as coaching visionaries who laid the foundation for all who followed.  The list includes:

Joe Kristof - A top bowler and instructor in northeast, he conducted hundreds of clinics as an AMF staff member.  An innovator in the pro shop business, Kristof had a stub lane with a full approach in his Columbus, Ohio pro shop where he gave thousands of lessons.  He made his name in Chicago as a member of the Kathryns and Taverns Pales teams that won the BPAA team championships in 1947, 48 and 49.

Jeanette Robinson – During her career she served the sport and business of bowling as a leader, organizer, promoter and coach and was an early member of the AMF staff and is a past president of the WPBA (1965-1975).  Robinson has coached Team USA to gold in Sweden FIQ; was president of the women’s tour for ten years; and has been the “House Pro” at Showboat Lanes and Orleans Bowling Center in Las Vegas for over 30 years where she still teaches.

About the Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame

The Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame was established by the STE Skills Center, a division of Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), in 2008 and has a presence in the new International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame located at the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas.