2009 Firefighter Summer Olympics: Bowling

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2009 Firefighter Summer Olympics

The 2009 California Firefighter Summer Olympics were held by the California Firemen's Athletic Association and were hosted by the Anaheim Firefighters Association.  Over 2,000 first responders attended and competed in 31 different games.  One of the large competitions was Bowling.

Firefighter Bowling Tournaments

Over the course of four days, several bowling tournaments were held.  There were singles and doubles teams with four divisions each, and there were also 4-man teams with three divisions.  After many rounds of bowling, everything came down to the step ladder finals on the fourth day, where the top four teams bowled against each other for the medals.

Captain Daniel Curry of the Los Angeles Fire Department, who participated in the Division A Doubles and won a Silver Medal, said, "I really like the format of the tournament, very exciting how it steps down."

Many friendships have developed over the years at the bowling tournaments adding to the camaraderie between firefighters from different departments.  Curry explains, "You kind of see the same people over and over so you start making friendships across fire departments."

Similarly, many firefighters have chosen to participate in the bowling tournaments because of friendships.  Speaking about his good friend, Retired Captain Lance Bowman of the Bakersfield City Fire Department, Engineer Roger Tilford says, "I'm bowling because of him.  He started me bowling back in like 1990, and he's one of my mentors.  He told me to bowl with the left hand and not my right hand.  He's been a great person to look up to."  The duo won the Gold Medal in the Doubles Division A tournament, and although Bowman attributes it to Tilford's excellent six games in the finals, Tilford says it was because of teamwork.

The highest score of the entire competition was achieved by Trey Sorensen a Firefighter Paramedic with the Pasadena Fire Department, who bowled in the Doubles B Division.  Of his achievement, Sorensen smilingly said, "I was able to find a good line and shot a 278, my highest game ever in my life."

Winners

A total of 90 medals were given out in the Bowling competition.  The list of winners is below:

Singles Division A:
Gold: Don McPherson
Silver: Roger Tilford
Bronze: Scott Cardiff

Singles Division B:
Gold: Jerry McClelland
Silver: Keith Holloway
Bronze: Anthony Dixon

Singles Division C:
Gold: Raymond Keene
Silver: Owen Gipson
Bronze: Trey Sorensen

Singles Division D:
Gold: Jim Moore
Silver: Bob Serrano
Bronze: John Arnaz Sr.

Singles Division E:
Gold: Alex Molina
Silver: Andy Janis
Bronze: William Curtis

Doubles Division A:
Gold: Lance Bowman and Roger Tilford
Sliver: Greg Spence and Daniel Curry
Bronze: Frank Arbeloa and Al Rizotto

Doubles Division B:
Gold: Keith Holloway and Trey Sorensen
Sliver: Anthony Dixon and Ken Barone
Bronze: Arthur Sandman and Carmen Ilacqua

Doubles Division C:
Gold: Owen Gipson and Douglas Brocker
Silver: Henry Pacheco and John Nagle
Bronze: John Arnaz Sr. and John Arnaz

Doubles Division D:
Gold: Andy Janis and Joseph Laser
Silver: Reginald Williams and John Sanchez
Bronze: Alex Molina and Edward Martin

4-Man Team Division A:
Gold: Bowman, Tilford, Haas, Franco
Silver: Rubio, Arcebido, McClelland, Freeman
Bronze: Spaich, Cardiff, McDonald, Jackson

4-Man Team Division B:
Gold: Pacheco, Nagle, Ilacqua, Spence
Silver: BLIND, Olsen, Jones, Holloway
Bronze: Brocker, Gipson, Ames, Shima

4-Man Team Division C:
Gold: Porche, Keene, Martin, Molina
Silver: McCombs, Gentile, Arnaz, Arnaz Sr.
Bronze: Wong, Moore, McCoy, Romero

All Events Division A:
Gold: Greg Spence
Silver: Scott Cardiff
Bronze: Daniel Curry

All Events Division B:
Gold: Jerry McClelland
Silver: Anthony Dixon
Bronze: Al Rizotto

All Events Division C:
Gold: Owen Gipson
Silver: Raymond Keene
Bronze: John Nagle

All Events Division D:
Gold: Douglas Brocker
Silver: Willy Wong
Bronze: John Arnaz Sr.

All Events Division E:
Gold: William Curtis
Silver: Tim Gentile
Bronze: Reginald Williams

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