Steve Badovinac won the final automatic spot on the 2017 Men’s Team USA squad, firing a finishing 268 in game 30 of this grueling event to capture the spot. Steve was near the top of the field of some of the greatest amateur and professional bowlers in the country competing to represent the USA in international competition. All of us in Colorado are very proud of the accomplishments of one of our own!
Here are Steve’s comments on this great accomplishment:
“Hello Family and Friends it is extremely special circumstance that i write to all of you, and I am humbled by the Overwhelming Support and Congratulations I have received for having earned a spot to represent the United States of America in the Sport of Bowling by being a member of TEAM USA!! There are so many responses that i hope to at least “LIKE” everyone of them, I am humbled that you all would take the time to send me congratulations. I want to Thank God for giving me the physical gifts and ability and most Importantly, the HEART to overcome the odds. I want to thank my family for supporting me in my desire to represent our country, It was fantastic to have family at home and at the event supporting me. I am grateful to my wife and children for supporting me, Jordan Badovinac it was awesome for you to be there and see me perform in such a demanding circumstance. My sister Toni Badovinac my #1 fan, thank you, My brothers Nick and John Badovinac and Nicole, for being there, my nephew Nik Badovinac and Laura being there. I need to Thank several friends and family for making this possible. There is no order, no one more or less important than the other. This is my heart speaking, I have always dreamed of being a professional athlete from the day I met Pele in Washington DC. It has been a long journey to reach a very special milestone such as becoming a member of TEAM USA. Thank you to my Father Col. Nick J Badovinac Jr for teaching me how to bowl and showing me how tough it is to be great at our Sport, to learn how to win but more so to lose with CLASS. To know it is better to make others feel good about themselves than our own accomplishments. To my mother Algie, for being a great bowler and coach and having achieved her own success internationally as a bowler. To my Coach and mentor Chiki Morfi who taught me responsibility to others before my own desires, to teaching me how to do the right thing even when it hurts, Chiki Morfi I Love You my friend. To Coach Stephen Weidlein for driving me to prove my ability. To Mike Dias and Alex Dias, for coaching and being there all the time, Alex Dias you told me I was this good all week making sure I was seeing the lane the right way. For always telling me how good I am and being kind friends, Thank you both very much. To Tyson Lundquist and ‘Damien Skau for helping me with my equipment and making sure we were taking the right 12 balls to matchup to put me in position to fulfill this dream. The two of you practicing with me and helping me see ball motion better was crucial in my success. To Arapahoe bowling center owner Fred Gensch and Cory and everyone at the bowling center for helping me practice on patterns to make me better I am very grateful. I want to Thank Brett Cooper and Bill and Barbara Chrisman and the wonderful people of Storm and Roto Grip for trusting me to represent the Brands, and I also want to thank Ernest Goedicke and Abby Sullivan for always answering my calls and shipping me my equipment so quickly. I am honored and very grateful. To Vise and Brad and Dave and Cecil Scarboro thank you for the support. To my professional family at New American Funding Aaron Ninness, Tom Ninness, Maria Luisa Vasquez, Noemi Robles, Sandra Trujillo I couldn’t have done this without knowing that you all had my back and were managing everything here in Denver at the office, I love you all. Watching my friend Jason Duran teach me what it takes to win and the intensity it takes to win, how every shot has to be your best to compete at this level, I am grateful. My Friend Frank Guccione for telling me last year that he would pay money to watch 3 bowlers practice and it was in this order, Pete Weber, Steve Badovinac and Parker Bohn III , that my shot making ability was that good. Frank those words resonated within, your bowling talent and the fact that you are a person of few words for you to tell me that was very powerful and you helped me believe. I want to thank Tennelle Grijalva-Milligan & Robin & Chip Aki, and Chad Murphy my friend for an amazing event and providing an opportunity for anyone to make TEAM USA. I take great joy in having met all the talented young bowlers during this past week, Chris & Craig Grimes, Jacob Kersten, Andrew Hall, AJ Johnson, AJ Chapman, Jacob B, Matt Russo, Tyler Dautrich, Michael Tang and his family, Chris Via awesome young man and Talent, Kendle Miles, Tyson Branagan, Brandon Knowles, Brandon Biondo, this is just to name a few. All of you are mind blowingly great, and wonderful young people, I know I missed some of you, but you are all in my heart, it was an honor to bowl with you all. I pray we can one day make the sport an Olympic Sport that it deserves so that you can all bowl in the Olympics. I am sure I have missed friends and family alike in my moment but I Love You all and everyday I want to make a difference in someone life, and you all have made a difference in mine. This experience and the next year will be life changing and I look forward to sharing it with you all.”