A Magical Mixed Doubles
February 18-21, 2010
Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles
As I prepared myself for the very last Women’s Series event this year, as always, I was feeling hopeful. The Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles would be my last shot at a title this year. Who knows when I would get this opportunity again. Sad because it was all over, I was excited to travel to Denver, CO for a few reasons. 1. My sister and her family live not too far away in Colorado Springs, CO. 2. One of my best friends from high school, Nikki, lives in Denver. 3. It’s a mixed doubles tournament and I love any team tournaments.
Little did I know the week would end with a bright new memory that would be engraved in my mind forever. Qualifying was 14 games. After the first day of qualifying, I was in the hunt to make the top 16 cut. After the final 7 games, I found myself in 12th place. During the very last game of qualifying I looked up at the leader board. I was in 16th place- I needed a good game to secure my position in the cut. I shot 256 to secure that position, and push me up to 12th.
My sister, Kassy, and two nieces, Blaize and newborn Khyler were there all day to root me on. As was my husband, John, and one of my best friends from high school, Nikki. With all the support behind me, it was hard not to rise to my best. During the last game, my niece Blaize, gave me something she made for me. It was a check for $1 billion if i shot a 300 game. It was priceless, and something I will cherish forever. As I sat in the bowlers area, I saw her drawing on the standing sheets. I walked over to her to see what she was writing. She would circle my name on all the standing sheets and put a star next to my name. So sweet.
I was excited to make the cut in 12th and even more excited to see who I would be paired up with for the rest of the tournament. The guys bowled at night and had 7 more games to determine their placing. I went back to the bowling center to watch the guys finish and going into the last game, there were multiple great bowlers that I could have been paired up with. The last game I decided to stand right in front of Brian Voss’s pair. I noticed he finished with 279 and couldn’t help but think hmmm, he wasn’t in the cut- and will be now. I wonder if he just shot 279 to bowl with me. 
Turns out he did. They made the announcement of the pairing and I was so excited to hear I would be bowling with a Hall of Famer. I knew I would be comfortable as Brian and I had worked together during clinics in the past. He found me right away, and gave me a hug. He introduced me to his family who was there to watch. They don’t come to his tournaments often, but when they do, he says, he always bowls well. And every single tournament his one sister has come to, he has made the TV finals. I knew that was a long way away, but it was a nice thought at the time.
After a good sleep, I was ready to go. One of the first things Brian told me before we started bowling was, “I will try every single shot. I will never give up and I will leave everything on the lanes.” He also mentioned that he doesn’t talk too much when he bowls. I responded with, “if you don’t want to talk to me for 4 hours while we bowl, I’m totally fine with that. If you don’t want to slap fives, we don’t have to.” My main concern was that we were comfortable and were best able to do our job.
We did talk throughout the morning. Some of it was small talk- he talked about his big family, and how his mother (who was there) has 12 grandchildren. Whenever I felt confused whether I should move, or change balls I would run it by him and he would give me short, simple answers. I took all his advice to heart, and made moves accordingly.
The morning block brought many, many, many strikes and many, many, many wins. We only lost 2 games out of 8 which gave us a lot of extra bonus pins. We moved from 12th the first game, to 14th after the first game together, and then shot right up the standings. By the lunch break the leader board had us in 3rd. The top 5 teams make the show. Still a lot of work to do, a lot of pins to knock down, and a lot of bonus pins that could change everything. I did know one thing for sure, if we bowled like we did in the morning- we would for sure be in the top 5.
After lunch with Mike Fagan, Jason Belmonte, Nikki, Emily Maier, and John, we headed back to what would be the most important block of the tournament. The lanes were a bit different, and we found ourselves struggling to get the reaction we had earlier in the day. The balls I used throughout the tournament so far were The C. System 3.5, and the Wild Card when the lanes were starting to get drier. The pins weren’t falling as easily the second block for us, or for anyone. (luckily)
So there we sat.. going into the position round.. in 6th place, a few pins out of the show. It was the first time we had dropped lower than 5th since the beginning of the day. We knew if we won the match against Tom Smallwood and Jodi Woessner, we would have a good chance at making the show. Turns out that we could have even gotten to 2nd place- as the scores were super close.
The last game was covered on Xtra Frame and I suggest that if you don’t already have a subscription, you should get one right now. Check out our final game to make the show. Most importantly, check out the 8th frame!
As I sat throughout the match making sure my heart rate stayed steady and focused on making good shots, I realized that this game could go any direction. We took an early lead, but the team of Smallwood/Woessner caught us in the middle. It was neck and neck. Meanwhile, Wendy and Mika were bowling to our right and shooting a really big game. They potentially could have gone around us, but to the left of us, Kelly and Eugune were struggling. Could we pass them even if we didn’t win this game and get the extra 30pins?
Then.. it happened… in the 8th frame of a very tight match- Brian went up to throw a shot. It looked great off his hand but what he left standing was anything but great. I had just watched Kelly Kulick leave back to back 7-10s on the right lane, next door to us. Then, Brian goes up and throws a great shot only to leave the 7-10.
I sat right behind him while he shot it. I watched the entire frame. As he released the ball hard and straight at the 10 pin, his body language showed he thought he had a chance at bouncing it. Then, in slow motion- it bounced, and rolled the pins all the way across the deck to hit the 7 pin. The crowds roar is not able to be described into words. Everyone in the entire bowling center seemed to see this pickup. Not often do you watch someone throw at the 7-10, because really, how often is it made? I’m telling you- every single person in the place saw him make this 7-10. And, it gave me goosebumps.
Still in the game, we finished out the last game clean but it wasn’t enough to take 30 pins from Smallwood and Woessner. But it was, however, enough to go around Kelly and Eugene and to hold off Mika and Wendy who trailed right behind us. We made the show!
I seriously could not have been more excited. Between the fact that I get to bowl for a title with Brian Voss, Hall of Famer, to the fact that my sister, and nieces were going to be able to be there, and that I would be going for my 2nd title ever… I was so elated. No matter what happened on the show, I was truly just happy to be on it.
The next day, Brian and I went to the bowling center to sign autographs, and conduct our TV interviews. One thing that caught my attention is when Randy asked Brian if he was trying to go for that 7-10 split. His response will be with me forever. He said, “Every single time I leave a split I think I’m going to make it.” (I then began to think that was the reason maybe I have never picked up the 7-10)
Show day: When I arrived at the bowling center, I went right to the pro shop where I worked out the two balls that my Brunswick ball rep, Chuck Gardner drilled up for me. He drilled up two more C. System 3.5’s. One pin down, and one pin up- both with holes. In case the tv pair was tighter, he wanted to make sure that I had something to pick up early and roll.
After practicing on the pair to the side of the show pair, we were ready to head to the TV pair to practice. I couldn’t be more excited to see my sister, Kassy, brother in law, Scott, and two little nieces, Blaize and Khyler there to cheer me on. Blaize made me the cutest sign, too. I was so excited to be able to bowl on live TV while they watched– especially Blaize, since we have watched the bowling shows live at her house.
The only way I can describe what happened that February day is by saying this: You know those days where everything just feels right? Everything fits together? That’s what it was like. Mentally I felt clear headed. Physically, I felt ready. I knew what I needed to do, and I had the tools to do it. During the warm up on the TV pair, I had an immediate good look hitting around 14 at the arrows with the new C System 3.5 pin down with hole that Chuck had drilled for me the night earlier. I had that look on both lanes but was aware that the right lane seemed a few boards tighter.
Everything on live TV flies by. Unless you slow it down. I made conscious effort to make sure that I didn’t rush. I made sure to go only when I was ready. I was determined to be me. It was the best TV advice I have ever received– from Rick Benoit in 2007. Before I won my very first PBA title, he said to me- “When you get out there, everything goes really quickly and it’s truly a crap shoot. You do have control over one major thing, though. You can control who you are. How do you want people to see you?” I made up my mind that day, that every time I was on TV, I would be sure to make sure people saw me and thought one main thing: that I love what I do. Win or lose, that’s always my goal on TV. I want people to see me for me- and it’s not always that easy on live TV.
After the first game, and shooting 278 together- I felt very comfortable with both our looks. I didn’t miss on the left lane which made sense that when Rhino and Shannon came in to bowl us, that they chose to move us around. The lane choice was always that of the higher seed, so we never had to worry about making that decision. I like that- the less I have to think about, the better.
Brian asked me before the second match, which lane I want to bowl on. I told him I am comfortable on both, but if I had a choice, I’d stay on the left since I was 5/5 on that lane. He explained that I would have to finish then, and get the 10th frame. I’m fine with that, but we hadn’t changed our lineup the entire time we bowled. I felt comfortable leading off, and I felt comfortable with him finishing. I didn’t want to change the dynamic of that. So, we didn’t. I decided to start on the right lane, and had just as good of a look.. shooting back to back 270 games.
Wes and Shannon O Keefe had a hard time lining up- and all of a sudden Brian and I found ourselves in the title match against Jason Belmonte and Michelle Feldman, who had dominated the entire tournament (by a lot!)
What an interesting last match. It’s always hard to come in from the first position and immediately get it together. I’ve been there- I know. It’s also hard to climb the ladder from the 5th position. Both of us were in tough positions. Brian and I got off to a good start, whereas Jason and Michelle got off to a little less of one. Towards the middle of the game, we were up by 30, with still a lot of game left to bowl. It was hard not to breathe easier when I looked behind my chair and saw my niece, Blaize holding that sign that said, “Get a strike, Aunt Dee.” I even felt my eyes well up a few times coming back from a shot to see her, and my sister- who was always my role model growing up cheering me on. Brian and I were so fortunate to have our family there behind us the entire way.
It was at that point that I was able to repay Brian the favor he gave me the night earlier. In the 7th frame, I left the 4-7/10. I never doubted I would get it. The first thought in my head after I saw I left it was, “i’m going to pick it up.” Thanks to Brian’s lesson in split making during the interview the night before.. I never had a doubt in my mind. People asked if I was trying to get two, or actually trying to make it. I was most definitely trying to make it. And, I’m so glad I was able to repay Brian that favor.
After I picked up that split, Brian unfortunately missed a 10 pin in the 8th. Taking my approach for the 9th shot in the final match, I knew I needed to make a good shot to set Brian up. It might have been the best shot I threw the entire day- Brian needed the first one in the tenth and 7 pins to win his 25th title, and for me to win my 2nd. He struck out- and we beat the odds. Coming from 5th place through such a great field of bowlers- to beat the two bowlers who were dominate the entire tournament was truly amazing.
A part of me did feel bad for Michelle and Jason, I am not unaware of their fantastic bowling all week. No one was. Everyone knew how great they bowled together. It’s the blessing and the curse of live TV. Everyone who has ever bowled for a title has probably felt both situations.
What an incredible day. The outpouring of messages, (72 texts when I got to my phone after the show, and 15 calls) and the incredibly nice notes that were sent from people I didn’t even know… was so touching. Some said that it was the best show they have seen in a very long time- maybe ever. That really affects me because I want more than anything to be able to display my talent so people want to watch, and to be able to inspire people along the way.
Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles
Thanks to all who sent messages, and for who watched our show.. Thanks for rooting us on!
The most inspiring message I received was from Don and Paula Carter. That, was pretty freakin cool!
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