Team Bassinators to Debut at Inaugural Mercury Marine Women's Bassmaster Tour Tournament in Gadsden, Ala. April 20-22
Emerging from the shadows of the premier WBT tournament on Lake Lewisville, Texas in October of 2005 is a group of 10 women anglers who want to prove that there is power in numbers, especially for their sponsors. They call themselves Team Bassinators and they will make their first public appearance as such during registration at the inaugural Mercury Marine WBT tournament on Lake Neely Henry on April 19th in Gadsden, Alabama.
The team was the brain-child of Judy Antle, a pro-angler from Lebanon Junction, Kentucky and Dawn Ryerson, co-angler from Plainfield, Illinois. Some events that evolved from the Lewisville tournament and a phone conversation with a fellow angler put the idea into motion. Dawn, vice-president and co-owner of Pathway Logistics & Pathway Transport in Addison, Illinois, consulted with her business partner Gere Ryerson, President and co-owner, as soon as she returned home. Gere liked the idea and team spirit so much that they decided to be the first official sponsor for the team.
Choosing the team members was the easy part, as these 10 women anglers had already become a circle of friends from fishing the WBFA tour. The process of choosing a team name and shirt style and colors proved to be the most challenging as they were scurrying to get the team organized in time to debut at the inaugural 2006 WBT tournament.
Their quest for sponsors has been well received. In addition to Pathway Logistics Group, Inc. & Pathway Transport LLC a women owned and operated, 48 State Trucking, Warehousing and Distribution Company (www.pathwaylogistics.com ), they have signed FISHHER, a company that provides organized, comfortable, stylish fishing gear…just for the female angler! The FISHHER web-store is not open for business at this time- but feel free to stop in and look around at the other valuable information offered by FISHHER! The web address is www.FISHHER.com . FISHHER is owned by Angie Michaels of Omaha, Nebraska.
Other Team Bassinator sponsors include digginupbones.com, a genealogy research site owned by team member and team co-captain, Renee Brisendine of Eden, North Carolina and eBassFish.com , an on-line magazine devoted to the future of women anglers, owned by team members Denese Freeman of Lawton, Oklahoma and Linda Berry of Madison, North Carolina.
Team Bassinator members include: Pro-Judy Antle, team captain, from Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, Pro-Sherrie Brubaker from Warner, Oklahoma, Pro-Kitsy Cunningham from Eufaula, Oklahoma, Co-Angler (team alternate) Dee Barger from Fayette, Alabama, Co-Angler Linda Berry from Madison, North Carolina, Co-Angler and team co-captain Renee Brisendine from Eden, North Carolina, Co-Angler Mary Croft from Bedford, Virginia, Co-Angler Rhonda Ford from Rome, Georgia, Co-Angler Denese Freeman from Lawton, Oklahoma and Co-Angler Dawn Ryerson of Plainfield, Illinois.
Team Bassinators' mission is to actively promote their sponsors, to demonstrate good sportsmanship both on and off the water, and provide team support to each other during the tour year. Their common bond of friendship and passion for tournament fishing is going to be the driving force to their success as a team and as individuals on the WBT 2006 Tour.
