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Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Rash Resigns from Team USA, Turns Pro

Rash Resigns from Team USA, Turns Pro
http://www.bowl.com/articleView.aspx?i=10545&f=1

Sean Rash always has prided himself on setting goals. Now the Anchorage, Alaska, native has a new goal in sight - earning an exempt spot on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour.Rash, 22, resigned his position on Team USA 2005 to turn professional and currently is competing at the PBA Tour Trials in Merrillville, Ind. The three-time Team USA member is among 77 athletes attempting to claim one of 10 exempt spots available for the 2005-06 PBA Tour season.The National Selection Committee tabbed Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa, to replace Rash on the Team USA 2005 roster. Sapp finished seventh at the 2005 USA Bowling National Amateur Championships, a United States Bowling Congress Event, in January. Sapp, a former Western Illinois University standout named to the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association All-America first team three times, was on Team USA in 2000 and 2004.
"Having the chance to represent the United States is something I will always cherish," said Rash, a Team USA member in 2002 and 2004 as well. "Putting on the red, white and blue - it's a feeling you can't describe and will be the most memorable part of my time on Team USA and Junior Team USA. Competing overseas against the world's top amateurs definitely helped me make this step."Rash, who also serves as a USBC Director, helped guide the United States to the men's gold medal at the 2004 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Tenpin Team Cup. Also a Junior Team USA member in 2002 and 2003, Rash won the USA Junior Gold Bowling National Championships and collected four gold medals and one bronze at the Federation International des Quilleurs American Zone Youth Championships in 2002."The opportunities available for PBA Tour exempt members are endless, and I felt the time was right to pursue that avenue," said Rash, who currently resides in Wichita, Kan. "The PBA Tour has so many great players competing - people we consider the best of the best. You want to bowl against the best."Former Team USA members who competed on the 2004-05 PBA Tour as exempt members included Chris Barnes, Brad Angelo, Patrick Healey Jr., Robert Smith, Brian Kretzer, Rick Steelsmith, Paul Fleming and Shannon Buchan.As a standout at Wichita State University, Rash was named to the NCBCA All-America first team in the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. The 2001 American Bowling Congress Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow helped lead the Shockers to the 2003 Intercollegiate Bowling Championships men's national title.
Coincidently, Rash and Sapp teamed to win the Regular Doubles championship at the 2003 American Bowling Congress Championships Tournament in Knoxville, Tenn., with a record 1,540.Past Team USA members Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, and Kari Schwager, Montgomery, Ill., also turned professional and are competing at the PBA Tour Trials. Team USA 2005 members will participate in events such as the World Games, World Tenpin Bowling Association Women's Championships, Tournament of the Americas, WTBA American Zone Championships and AMF World Cup.

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