Like most other bowling events, teams in the International Family Tournament wanted to win. With a $5,000 top scholarship at stake, everyone was naturally trying their best on the lanes.

But this competition is unlike any other. Presented by Qubica/AMF and sponsored by Georgia Coffee, it is the nation’s only youth/adult national tournament. The 35th annual event was held July 29-31 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and featured 63 teams of parents competing with their children, uncles with nephews and great grandparents with their great grandchildren.

The 126 entrants from 25 states ranged from 6-year-old Anthony Mastroianni of Brooklyn, N.Y., to 69-year-old W. Darryl Monaghan of Hiawatha, Kan. They ate plenty of food, enjoyed lots of friendship and had a whole bunch of what seemed was most important – fun.

"It’s more about the experience for us and our kids," said Tom Cooney of Lancaster, Ohio. His son Brandon was competing for the third straight year, this time with mother Mechelle and previously with Tom. "It’s more for them than us.

"You meet a lot of people and make a lot of friends. We’ve stayed in contact with people we met the last couple of years. You get to know people and do things with people from different states. It’s an experience you can’t explain."

Whether on the lanes at AMF Showplace in Euless or at banquets at the Sheraton Arlington, the tournament provided plenty of quality time for the adults and children.

"We came here and had fun," said Phillip Maske of Crest Hill, Ill., who joined son Cody, 14, of Braidwood, Ill., in capturing the Parent/Teen division. "Being able to bowl with my son was a great experience."

The Maskes combined for 10 straight strikes to finish off a 312-254 Baker format handicap game over Andrew Conley and Megan Cisco of Mustang, Okla. The Maskes had a 268 actual game while Conley-Cisco had 173. It was the first time father and son had bowled together.

"This was my first year back to bowling after about 10 years off for work obligations," said Phillip, a 37-year-old union boilermaker. "We’ll definitely be bowling together more after this."

Winning the other $5,000 top scholarship was Jacob Garretson of Baton Rouge, La., who joined father Duane in a 265-262 handicap Parent/Youth division victory over James and Kennon McFalls of Gastonia, La. The younger Garretson, who had special motivation to win, converted a 6-10 spare and finished with a strike to earn the victory.

"Both my grandfathers died in the same month just before we came here and each was trying to get well to make the trip," the younger Garretson said. "While they weren’t here in person, I know they were watching and I wanted to win for them."

The fun started for those who won and those who didn’t with the Welcome Dinner. Before and after the fajita and churros meal, the youth were able to get their hands on specially-made balloons, have their faces painted and collect air tattoos.

After a good night’s sleep, the competition began early the next morning with the first of three games. The families then had their pictures taken and received commemorative bowling pins while signing posters that would go to the winners, bowling center and sponsors. That was followed by a pizza and salad lunch.

Another three games were bowled in the early afternoon after which the top eight teams in both the Parent/Teen and Parent/Youth divisions qualified for Saturday’s match play round. Between that would be an eventful late afternoon and evening.

First, competitors and their families rode the red Arlington tourist trolleys from their hotel to the International Bowling Campus for tours of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame and International Training and Research Center.

"It’s neat," said Bill Monce of Oak Lawn, Ill., who had visited the IBM/HF at its previous home in St. Louis. "They’ve done a really good job with it."

Monce’s son Aiden most enjoyed the new interactive games but also liked the eight-minute film describing bowling’s past, present and future.

"I think it’s fun," said Megan Harmer of Tekamah, Neb. "I really liked sitting on the motorcycle in the lobby."

"I liked the history of it," said her father Sam. "You think you know a bunch of things about bowling and you don’t."

In the Spare Partz gift shop, Megan Harmer had her eyes on a pair of high-heeled bowling-style shoes. She asked her father if he would buy them for her but he only had to roll his eyes to make her put the shoes back on the shelf knowing he wouldn’t pay the $104 price.

The IBM/HF visit also allowed 14-year-old Benjabhawadee Baron of Antioch, Calif., to look up the 300 game by friend Michael Tang, who at the time was the youngest person with a perfect game.

Later, everyone would re-board the trolleys to go across the street for an evening at Six Flags Over Texas. Some lasted the entire four hours in the Texas heat; some didn’t.

"I got to go to Six Flags for the first time and I got to go to the Museum which I had read about," said Anthony Mastroianni Jr., who bowled with his nephew. "Seeing it was nice.

"The overall atmosphere of this tournament is great. You’re not feeling rushed but getting to things on time. How many times can you say you travel all this way to try to win some money to go to school?"

The next morning, the final 16 teams met in round-robin Baker format match play. That’s where one partner rolls frames 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 and the other takes frames 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. The top three teams in each division advanced to the afternoon’s stepladder finals.

While eating a hamburger and hot dog lunch, Professional Bowlers Association and United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Norm Duke posed for photos and autographs and joined tournament coordinator and Team USA member Stefanie Nation performing trick shots.

"We’ve met Norm Duke a few times," Tom Cooney said. "That’s all they talk about. He’s great with kids."

After the title matches, everyone went back to the hotel to freshen up for the evening awards dinner where the winners and others were honored.

The next morning it was time to start heading home. For families like the Cooneys, it was back to their normal family bowling competition.

"It’s fun," said Tom Cooney. "We go out Mom and Dad against the kids or boys against girls. We give the girls a run for their money when it’s boys against girls."

Sometimes it’s hard to determine who’s having more fun – the youth or the adults watching the youths have fun. That’s why events like the International Family Tournament are so special.