If these changes do become the actual selection process this year will be the last year NeJST will conduct Jr. Gold Qualifiers.
It is one thing for USBC to manipulate the adult team membership by appointing pros and making a mockery of the qualifying process. Now they intend to do the same with Jr Gold.
The Jr. Gold National Championship won't be the National Championship. Only 4 members of each of the teams are guaranteed to come from the actual Championship. "Adult" bowlers if they meet USBC's new age requirement and bowl in the Team Trials can become Jr Team Members. It doesn't say they have to meet any of the other youth membership requirements (like not having bowled for cash.)
USBC Communications
Junior Team USA, the U.S. national junior bowling team and feeder program for Team USA, will expand to 20 players in 2009 - allowing more elite youth bowlers the opportunity to further develop their skills and represent their country.
The majority of Junior Team USA (comprised of 10 males and 10 females) will continue to be established at the previous year's United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships, which brings together over 1,500 of the country's best youth bowlers vying for scholarships and U.S. Junior Amateur titles.
However, new for 2009, additional players will be selected through the USBC Team USA Trials (beginning with the 2009 event), which is held annually in January to help determine Team USA.
"Expanding Junior Team USA will give more of the top young athletes in our sport exposure to the elite coaching and training they will receive in the program," USBC Team USA High-Performance Director David Garber said. "By adding individuals from the USBC Team USA Trials as well, we will be able strengthen Junior Team USA with even more promising talent."
Selection process for Junior Team USA 2009:
- Top four male and top four female finishers at the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships, which will be held July 5-11 in Detroit.
- Two males and two females, chosen by the National Selection Committee, from the pool of remaining match play advancers at the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships.
- Top two males and top two females who are age 20 or under as of Jan. 1, 2009, at the 2009 USBC Team USA Trials (dates and location TBD), provided they are not already on Junior Team USA 2009. These four athletes can be either USBC Youth or Adult members as long as they meet the age requirement.
- Two males and two females, chosen by the National Selection Committee, from a pool of athletes that were either match play finalists at the 2008 USBC Junior Gold Championships or who are age 20 or under as of Jan. 1, 2009, and competed at the 2009 USBC Team USA Trials (dates and location TBD). These four athletes can be either USBC Youth or Adult members as long as they meet the age requirement.
Also beginning in 2009, the Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON) Youth Championships (formerly American Zone Youth Championships) will be held on odd-numbered years.
"Previously, Junior Team USA members in odd-numbered years didn't have the chance to bowl in either the World or PABCON Youth Championships since they were held in the same calendar year," Garber said. "Now athletes on Junior Team USA will have a competition to strive for each year."
The 2008 PABCON Youth Championships is tentatively scheduled to be held next September in Lima, Peru.
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