Six young people from the Big Country Lanes youth bowling league recently brought home medals from tournaments in the Lower Mainland.
Winning bronze medals were Elias Neustaeter, 9, and Abigail Neustaeter, 13, silver went to Olivia Gobin, 11, and Malakai Gobin, 10, while Douglas Mirva, 10, and Madelynn Stevens, 9, both brought home gold.
Ken Clark, Big Country’s owner, said the Youth Bowl Canada National Championship was held Nov. 11 in Surrey and Vancouver. Seven youth bowlers from 100 Mile House qualified to go.
“Some super bowling,” said Clark, calling each of the bowlers up at last Tuesday’s practice. “I think you guys are great sports and you did really well.”
The Free Press spoke to each of the winners about the tournament.
While Olivia has been in a few tournaments she did not join the league until last year. She said the best moment of the tournament was being called up to receive her medal but the first and second games gave her a couple of scary moments.
“The lanes were way different than these lanes,” she said. “I had to find my spacing and then focus.”
This was the first tournament for Douglas who has been bowling for a year now. His best moment had to be when he got his highest score, he said.
“I turned around and I covered my mouth in shock.”
The bowling balls themselves offered Douglas the most challenge. He found some he liked during practice but when they moved to the lanes it was new balls. At home, he likes to pick and choose depending on what lane he is on.
Malakai likes throwing the balls and said it is just really fun. He has been bowling for a year now and loves it, he said.
His favourite moment came when he got a double strike.
“My mouth just fell wide open,” he said, demonstrating what he meant.”I was just surprised.”
He had problems with the lanes as there were holes he tripped over and the balls were really light.
This is not the first bronze medal Elias has won. He said he had never touched a bowling ball before joining the league.
When he got his medal was the best part of the tournament as none of them thought they would bring one home, he said.
One of the lanes felt like it was tipping so he had to move over to the side to adjust. “I got a strike on that lane.”
Madelynn bowled at the Vancouver lanes. This is her second year of bowling and she went to zones and provincials last year.
She was excited when she realized she had won gold. One of the lanes felt tippy, but she was able to adjust to it by moving.
“I went beside the centre dot,” she said.
Abigail got into bowling last year when her cousin started bowling.
‘I really like bowling,” she said. One of the hardest things about learning the game is keeping your focus.
When she realized she’d won a medal Abigail said she felt happy.
She found the experience enjoyable but had to get used to the floors as they were really hard and difficult to slide on.
All of the young competitors look forward to going to more tournaments in the future.
