Team Selection

TEAM USA QUALIFYING
All United States Bowling Congress members have an opportunity to earn a spot on Team USA by competing in the USBC Team USA Trials/U.S. National Amateur Bowling Championships.

To be eligible for the U.S. Amateur portion of the event, a bowler must not currently hold or have held a professional membership (PBA or PWBA) in the preceding year. Also, anyone who has ever won a professional title (regional, national, or senior) as a professional is not eligible to compete as an amateur.

USBC Team USA 2023 will consist of a minimum 12 men and 12 women: 

• The National Selection Committee can select male athletes based on submitted resumes from Team USA and/or Junior Team USA members within the last 10 years, players in the top 25 on the money list from the 2022 Professional Bowlers Association Tour and from the 2023 Team USA Trials/U.S. Amateur Championships. *Team USA coaching staff has the authority to add members to the team at their discretion.
• The National Selection Committee can select female athletes based on submitted resumes from Team USA and/or Junior Team USA members within the last 10 years, players in the top 25 on the points list from the 2022 Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour and from the 2023 Team USA Trials/U.S. Amateur Championships. *Team USA coaching staff has the authority to add members to the team at their discretion.
• The top four men and top four women finishers in the 2023 USBC Team USA Trials/U.S. Amateur Championship, based on ranking points, earned automatic spots on Team USA 2023 while two additional men and two additional women were selected by the National Selection Committee from the pool of players who competed at the 2023 Team USA Trials/U.S. Amateur Championships. The National Amateur champions also earned spots. In a situation where the champion already has earned a spot, that spot is awarded to the next highest qualifier based on ranking points.

The process for determining Team USA allows for the selection of the country's top professional bowlers while also granting the opportunity to any USBC member a chance to earn a spot.

STANDARDS FOR SELECTION OF AT-LARGE TEAM MEMBERS
The National Selection Committee is charged with selecting those athletes who are most likely to create the strongest USBC Team USA. It has the latitude to consider any qualifications and criteria that it believes would be helpful in creating the strongest team, such as the following:

Performance, which includes all international competitions, as well as any USBC tournament or certified collegiate bowling tournament within the previous three years;

Physical Game, which includes, but is not limited to, the many physical elements that comprise an athlete's game, such as approach, arm swing, timing, release versatility (changing rotation and lay-down point) and speed control. It also includes, but is not limited to, the ability to play different angles, shoot spares, change equipment and adjust to different lane conditions;

Mental Game, which includes a variety of subjective factors such as coachability, adaptability, practice regimen, ability to stay focused, attitude, commitment, ability to perform under pressure and sportsmanship.

Team Play, which includes, but is not limited to, the intangible, but crucial ability to be a positive factor in building rapport, confidence, and a winning attitude among the team members and coaches.

REPLACEMENT TEAM USA MEMBERS
If, during the calendar year, an athlete is unable to continue as a member of USBC Team USA by voluntary choice (resignation), because of injury or ineligibility as defined by international federations rule(s), a replacement shall be named if there are USBC Team USA competitions left in the year as follows: The National Selection Committee shall confer at the time of replacement and name a new at-large member from the pool of athletes who were eligible for such selection at the most recent USBC Team USA Trials/U.S. Amateur Championships.