LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS –
The Air Force Bowling Team finished first place in interservice play for the seventh consecutive year at the Armed Forces Bowling Championship held at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
The tournament began on Jan. 8 and concluded on Jan.11.
The women's team also took first place in their division. They were led by Trish Rodgers, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, who finished first overall in the women's division. Carol Becker, Offutt AFB, Neb., finished second and Pamela Matthews, 37th Communications Squadron, finished fourth. The three of them are now fighting for a spot on the Team USA Bowling roster in Las Vegas, Nev.
Matthews began the last day in ninth place and 250 pins out of fourth place. On her last ball, she bowled a strike beating Melody McTaggart, 59th Inpatient Squadron, by one pin to take the final spot on the all-interservice roster.
It was Matthews' first time competing in the Armed Forces Bowling Championship. Head coach Chuck Hall urged Matthews to fill out the necessary paperwork to try out for the team after watching her bowl in intramural play at the Skylark Bowling Center.
The men's team finished second in team play. Martin Bedford, Bolling AFB, District of Columbia, placed fifth overall.
Tyler Seldon, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, finished sixth, while Randy Lightsey, Shaw AFB, S.C., finished seventh. Todd Pallas Ellsworth AFB, S.D., finished tenth.
"Bottom line is that the Air Force won the overall championship," Hall said. "The individual awards are a bonus, but we represented the Air Force well."
Hall is already thinking of ways to improve next year's team to be successful.
"They are already talking about bringing the championship back to Hawaii. If they do that, I'm going to find out ahead of time what the alley conditions are going to be like so that I can find the best bowlers for those conditions," Hall said.