Team USA'S Barnes, Rash, O'Keefe to take part in super bowl event

United States Bowling Congress Team USA members Chris Barnes, Sean Rash (left) and Shannon O'Keefe (right) will be among the celebrities participating in the third annual Super Bowl NFL Charities/Strike Ten Celebrity Bowling Classic on Jan. 31 at AMF Christown Lanes in Phoenix.

They will coach and put on exhibitions for the more than 40 National Football League legends who will participate in the event open to amateur bowlers prior to Super Bowl XLII. Proceeds will benefit the Youth Education Town initiative in Phoenix, part of the NFL's commitment to make a positive impact in the host city of each Super Bowl.

The NFL donates more than $1 million annually toward the project. YET Centers offer youngsters family counseling, career planning, computer training and opportunities aimed at improving their study skills and learning abilities, as well as sports and recreational facilities.

The day before the Bowling Classic, Barnes, Rash and O'Keefe will join current NFL stars in heading a private bowling clinic for boys and girls from the Phoenix YET Center. They will help teach youth the basics of bowling, and afterward, they will be joined by the NFL players in open bowling.

Barnes, left, a Double Oak, Texas, resident and Topeka, Kan., native is the spokesperson for the USBC Sport Bowling program. He has eight career Denny's PBA Tour titles, including two majors (2005 U.S. Open and 2006 Tournament of Champions).

In just nine seasons on tour, Barnes has amassed more than $1.3 million in career PBA earnings, becoming the fastest player to earn $1 million. Before his pro career, Barnes was a member of Team USA from 1994-98.

Rash, right, a Wichita, Kan., resident and Anchorage, Alaska, native, is a four-time Denny's PBA Tour titlist and the 2007 USBC Masters champion. He also is one of five members of the USBC Board of Directors elected by fellow athletes.

He previously served on Team USA in 2002, 2004 and 2005. The 2002 U.S. Junior Amateur champion also was a Junior Team USA 2002 and 2003 member.

O'Keefe, left, a Brookfield, Wis., resident and Portland, Ore., native, won the 2008 USBC Team USA Trials on Jan. 11 in Las Vegas. She was the runner-up in the 2007 U.S. Women's Open, rolling a 299 game in the quarterfinal round.

She is a four-time member of Team USA (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008) and has medaled several times in international competition. She also finished fifth in 2007 USBC Queens.

Entry fees are a donation to NFL Charities of $500 per individual, $3,000 for teams (five bowlers) and $5,000 for VIP Team participants (team of five plus VIP party). Interested parties should contact tournament director Nick Nicolosi at (201) 489-0049 or Pat Cook at AMF Christown Lanes at (602) 249-1715.