Dustin Zehner
Every year the PBA puts together a charity bowling event in partnership with the Chris Paul Family Foundation. The event has current and former athletes, TV personalities, and music artists. These celebrities are paired with professional bowlers to compete in a 6 frame baker match. The winner is determined through a bracket style format.
Now that Creating the Difference is product registered, the team and I were lucky enough to attend the event. Although Creating the Difference has attended the event in the past, this is the first PBA event we have attended since becoming product registered. As the celebrities arrived, we were able to get them properly fitted into a bowling ball. While doing so, we were also able to showcase a few of our products and educate on the purpose of them. It was awesome to see the celebrities come in with a willingness to learn; not only about our products, but bowling in general. We also had the chance to coach quite a few of the celebrities and get them ready for the TV show. I personally thought this was one of the coolest parts of the event. We were able to watch someone who had only bowled once or twice be able to quickly learn a few tips to get better before the show.
I was surprised to learn that a lot of the celebrities truly had a competitive side to them which some people may not expect to see. Whether it was a veteran to the event or a first timer, you could really tell the celebrities were enjoying their time at the event. That was really awesome to see.
Another thing I found out from interacting with the celebrities was that they are really down to earth people. Whether it be out of the lanes bowling or back in the spectator area being fitted for a bowling ball, they welcomed us with open arms to help them and talk with them. They were also happy to exchange a few words with star struck fans who attended the event as well.
Before the show started during the practice session, the players were introduced to their celebrity partners (if they hadn’t been introduced in prior years). The players and celebrities seemed to instantly get along and show their desire to win the event. The event may have been competitive, but there were always smiling faces and jokes in the bowlers’ area both during the practice session and on the show. The participants never lost sight of it being a charity event. The practice session lasted about 2 hours for the bowlers. The show aired Sunday on Fox. If you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, here’s the format:
- Super Clash
- During each round, the celebrities throw one shot. Whoever knocks down the lowest number of pins is eliminated for that round.
- Bracket Style Tournament to determine the winner of the event
- Each pair went head to head in a 6 frame baker style match
When the show aired, we had almost as fun watching it on TV as we did watching it live. It because a game of I Spy to see which of our team members and which of our products made the final edit for the show. Drop a comment below with which products you saw on the show or would like to see on a show. What's your favorite part of the show?
Watching the players interact and use our products as props to joke with each other was a great feeling. For more behind the scenes footage, be sure to check out our Snapchat (@CtDBowl), Instagram (@CtDBowling) and Facebook (Creating the Difference). One thing I’ve loved about being with CtD is that I’ve seen bowlers from all walks of life come together and bond over bowling. This event was no different. The bond that has been created between the celebrities and professional bowlers is something very special. I firmly believe that the PBA and bowling in general is moving into the right direction and continuing to grow again. Overall I really loved the experience I had and can’t wait to be able to do it again!