Storm Products Inc. and International Bowling Campus Youth Development have agreed on a sponsorship deal that will make Storm, Roto Grip and Master the presenting sponsors of the Junior Gold Championships.
The Junior Gold Championships presented by Storm, Roto Grip and Master is a two-year agreement that will cover the 2015 event in Chicago and the 2016 tournament in Cleveland.
Storm Products, which began operation in 1985 under the name High Score Products, purchased the Roto Grip brand in 1997 and the Master brand in 2012. Roto Grip produces balls, bags and accessories while Master manufactures high-performance accessories including wrist supports, shoe accessories and pro shop products.
“Our purpose at Storm is to ‘Grow the Sport’ of bowling and it is vital for us to engage and support young bowlers, ensuring that we are proactively living that purpose,” Storm president Dave Symes said. “Junior Gold is an outstanding tournament, having just completed its 16th year of competition, setting record participation numbers in the process.
“Our sponsorship goal is to not only keep the tournament thriving in that direction but also to enhance it, all while showcasing the young bowling stars of the not-so distant future.”
As part of the agreement, the champions in the U20 division will receive a one-year Dream Staff position which includes an all-expenses-paid trip to Storm headquarters where they will to go through Staff Camp. Also, special clinics will be conducted for Junior Gold competitors.
Participants in the Survivor Tournament, held each year in conjunction with the Junior Gold Championships, will have the opportunity to purchase a Roto Grip bowling ball at a discounted price and staff members also will be available to participants during the Junior Gold Championships.
“We’re thrilled to have Storm Products on board as a sponsor and appreciate their support of the Junior Gold Championships and youth bowling,” USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said.
The Junior Gold program is coming off the most successful season in its history with more than 5,000 youth bowlers becoming Junior Gold members in 2013-2014 season, shattering the record of 4,376 members who joined the Junior Gold program last season.
The first Junior Gold tournament was held in 1998 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., and drew 538 participants. Nearly 2,500 youth bowlers took part in the 2014 Junior Gold Championships held in the Buffalo, N.Y., area in July.
Click here to learn more about the Junior Gold program and the Junior Gold Championships.
