By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Tulsa, Okla. look out! You've got some very competitve women heading your way!
No, not another Carrie Underwood (the American Idol finalist is from Tulsa) or a professional bull rider, but 10 women who will be ready to knock your pins down.
Tulsa is playing host to this years WIBC (Women's International Bowling Congress) National Bowling Tournament which is held from April 9 – June 24 and on May 27 and 28, 10 local bowlers will be ready to claim this year's title.
Jackie Rohdy, who has been taking the team since 1997 and is the organizer and captain of one of the teams, is ready for another chance at the tournament win.
Most of the women on this year's teams were part of the Flamingo Telecom team that won the National title in 2000 and all of them say they want the same for this year, but most importantly, they want to have fun.
The ladies are made up of two sponsored teams, Rich's Pizza of Niles and AccuDie &Mold of Stevensville.
Both sponsors paid for the team events and the doubles tournament.
The tournament is made up of three catagories, the singles catagory is every women for themselves, doubles are made up of two bowlers and team is made up of five women.
Anybody can enter the national tournament. All you need to do is purchase a WIBC card, which costs right around $12.
The WIBC is the largest women's organization in the United States with more than 1.7 million members. This year though, the United States Bowling Congress officially launched Jan. 1, as the organization to serve amateur adult and youth bowlers in the United States.
It resulted from the merger of the American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress, Young American Bowling Alliance and USA Bowling. Today, USBC serves more than three million members and now includes not only women, but men and youth as well.
All of the women on these two teams have been bowling for quit some time and have been involved with this tournament before.
Wanda Walczewski was a captain in 1997 and part of the 2000 team and would like to see another win.
Walczewsi has been bowling since 1975 and will continue to do so until she can't anymore.
She has bowled in a few other houses like Whites, Timberlanes and Beacons, but is now settled at Joey Armidillo's.
Holmes will mark her ninth year attending the tournament and said she enjoys it every year. "It was really fun winning the nationals. Our goal is to just do the best we can and have fun," Holmes said.
All of the women seemed to have the same goal for this year, they would all like to do well, but in all just have fun.