Published: October 13, 2009 11:37 pm      

LOCAL BOWLING: Sementelli era begins in LBA

Lockport businessman Ron Sementelli takes over as association president.

TOWN OF LOCKPORT — The Lockport Bowling Association has entered a new era with local businessman Ron Sementelli taking over as the new board president.

Sementelli, 51, a 1976 graduate of DeSales Catholic High School, said he wants to continue running LBA events and activities smoothly with added hopes of increasing participation numbers during his two-year term, which began last week.

“I’d like to see more people — more bowlers and more leagues,” Sementelli said.

“The sport, like a lot of things, has been on somewhat of a downslide for the past few years — because of the economy — so our goal is to bring people back to the game.”

Bowling is a sport Sementelli has been actively involved with since he began bowling at a very young age in the mid-1960s. Today, he competes in two leagues and serves as a substitute for at least one other league, but you can expect to see Sementelli at local alleys on almost every night of the week.

Sementelli takes over as LBA president from Vivian Malcolm. Other current board members are Irene Miller (vice president), Tim Kirsch (association manager) and directors Tim Incardona, Ron Rohde, Ray Sherman Jr., Brian Wittcop, Ruth Dixson, Moe Sanmarco and Larry Ritz.

For now, Sementelli is getting his feet wet with monthly meetings, like the one on Tuesday at the Elk’s Club Lodge on North Canal Road, designed to address immediate LBA concerns.

“Basically, for now, we’re just trying to make sure that everything continues to run smoothly,” Sementelli said.

“We want to make sure leagues are sanctioned, that sanction fees are being paid, keep track of awards, etcetera.”

More than 1,000 men, women and children combined make up the LBA membership.

Among the United States Bowling Congress rule changes this year is the elimination of the national 7-10 split award, he said.

The annual LBA City Tournament is slated for March at Allie Brandt Lanes.

“We’re always open to suggestions on how to improve things,” Sementelli said.

“Contact any of the board members. They bowl consistently at both Lockport hoses (Brandt’s and South Transit Lanes).”

Sementelli, a senior collection officer at Cornerstone Community FCU, has two children, Nick, 23; and Kelly, 20.