Local bowling lanes loaded with major tournaments
MADISON – Local bowling centers have an impressive schedule of events in the next 12 months as the Huntsville USBC (United States Bowling Congress) Bowling Association, comprised of bowling centers in Huntsville, Madison, Decatur and Hartselle, has set its 2025-2026 season on both the local and state levels.
Included upon the lineup of big events are the Southern Bowling Congress Tournament in late February and March and the Alabama State Open set for next May.
“This will be the first time in 25 years for the Southern Tournament to be held in our area and will feature bowlers from as far away as Texas,” said Rhonda Swaim, Huntsville USBC Manager. “The State Open will feature at least 1,000 bowlers, men and women, as we host this tournament every five years on a rotation with other cities across Alabama.”
Swaim, in her 35th year as a member of the board of Huntsville USBC, which combined with the ABC, WIBC and YABA local bowling organizations 20 years ago, first joined as board member of the local organizations in 1991. She’s excited about the 2025-2026 schedule. Here’s a look at the major events to make up the upcoming season.
November 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 2025: Local Open and Women City Tournaments- Bowl Madison. Open to bowlers in the local association only and women can bowl in both the Open and Women’s Tournaments;
February 7, 2026:
USBC Youth Scratch Regional Qualifier- Bowl Madison. Entrants must be current members of a Youth League in Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, Hartselle, Scottsboro, Florence or Cullman.
First and second place finishers in each age division will qualify for the state level competition with that level winners moving on to the National Junior Gold Tournament set for next July in Minneapolis, Minn.;
February 14-15, 2026
Huntsville Youth City Tournament- Pin Palace Lanes- Youth bowlers will battle for scholarship money with overall All-Events Scratch winner will also receive an entry into the Junior Gold Events at Nationals;
February 28- March 29, 2026
Southern Bowling Congress Tournament- Bowl Madison and Pin Palace Lanes- Bowlers from far away as Texas will visit the immediate area for the first time in 25 years with over 2,200 participants expected to participate in the five-weekend event;
May 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 2026 State Open Tournament- Bowl Madison and Redstone Arsenal Lanes- Current league bowlers from across the state will converge onto the two lanes locations with over 1,000 bowlers, men and women scheduled to participate;
June 6-7, 13-14, 2026
State Mixed Tournament- River City Lanes, Decatur- Men and women bowl in this event with several hundred athletes expected to take part in the event, which is set up on a bid rotation.
Swaim and the remainder of the Huntsville USBC staff will assure each of the scheduled events are a success for everyone involved with the assistance of each of the bowling lanes that are hosting. As a long-time veteran of the local bowling scene, Swaim would love for the local area to have a bowling center, which could host a national event.
“My dream is that one day we could have a big enough center to house PBA Tournaments, as well as, the National Open and Women’s Open without having to ‘build’ lanes inside the Von Braun Center as has happened before,” said Swaim, recipient of the National USBC Helen Baker Award for her long and successful work in the sport. “With past events, we know people love to come to our area. We just need somewhere to be home to national bowling events.”
