ARLINGTON, Texas – Melissa McDaniel, Chrissie Kent and Cathy DeSocio each hold a prominent role in helping build a future for the sport at the United States Bowling Congress, and each will be highlighted in a celebration of women in bowling March 8 for International Women’s Day.
McDaniel is president of USBC, and Kent and DeSocio are the chairperson for the International Bowling Campus Youth Committee and USBC Finance Committee, respectively. DeSocio also served as vice president of USBC from 2015-2018 and was the first female president of the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America.
All three will be included in video features that will debut during the day on March 8, before the airing of a special edition of The Sport of Bowling Show at 1 p.m. Eastern on BowlTV.
The videos will spotlight the women and the many roles they play as they work toward ensuring the future of bowling, while recognizing the efforts taken by those who helped lead the way as athletes and administrators.
“We really look up to and honor the women who came before us, who paved the way both at WIBC (Women’s International Bowling Congress) and now at USBC,” McDaniel said. “It’s fantastic to see that we have so many women who have been willing to step up for the organization at every level, because it takes all of us to help run it.”
The areas of focus for the videos will include USBC, the USBC Women’s Championships, Professional Women’s Bowling Association and youth bowling through IBC Youth Development.
“There have been so many women who have been involved in being a part of the solution over the years,” Kent said. “It is important for us to continue to get more women involved, especially through our youth programs.”
March is Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day is recognized around the world to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
“The opportunities that are available to women are much greater now than they’ve ever been,” DeSocio said. “I think that it is important for every little girl out there to know that she has an opportunity to do whatever it is that she wants to do.”
Join in the celebration March 8 by sharing a story or posting a photo or video, and use the hashtags #AFFTS and #IWD2022.
USBC will continue to expand its diversity and inclusion topics, and we welcome the opportunity to showcase the people and other areas that are important to USBC members.
Help us succeed in telling those stories, sharing knowledge and growing the sport of bowling. Help us keep working toward the USBC promise of celebrating the past, being mindful of the present and ensuring bowling’s future through thoughtful research, planning and delivery.
If you know someone who is a standout or inspiration, or you’d like to suggest a topic close to you, please let us know more by sending an email to PR@bowl.com.
For more information about USBC and its programs and partnerships, visit BOWL.com/Diversity.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 1,519 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
