THUNDER BAY – Next month will be busy for a group of youth bowlers from Thunder Bay.
They will be representing Northern Ontario at the YBC (Youth Bowl Canada) five-pin nationals in Gatineau, Que., and Orleans, Ont. from May 6-8, the YBC 10-pin nationals in Kelowna, B.C. from May 6-8, and the CTF (Canadian 10-pin Federation) youth nationals in Richmond, B.C. from May 16-19.
“This is the first time that I’m going to nationals so there’s a mix of excitement, anxiousness and nerves for me, but I’m looking forward to it,” said Alex Power, a five-pin senior boys competitor.
“To see Alex and my other teammates that are going for the first time is pretty awesome,” added Sayer Sawchuk, a five-pin senior boys competitor. “I think that nationals are something everybody should experience at least once.
“It’s nice to experience that level of competition from across Canada and see how many people have made it that far. All of the other provinces are there and they all have their unique cheers and their unique shirts for the week.”
Senior girls doubles teammates Jordyn Graham and Isabelle Hayden have each made multiple trips to the nationals and will use that experience to their advantage.
“It’s not as nerve-wracking as it is when you go for the first time,” Hayden said. “You have a better idea of what to expect.”
“The people you run into at the events are more like your friends now than instead of just being your competitors,” Graham added.
“It just so happens that we have to bowl against each other while we’re seeing everybody.”
The 10-pin team has been practicing together at Mario’s Bowl for a few weeks now after a provincial qualifier against Northcrest Lanes in Sault Ste. Marie.
Bantam boys competitor Matteo Zimmerman will be competing in his first nationals next month and has been spending a lot time working on his technique.
“I’m working on walking and sliding straight along with hitting my target,” Zimmerman said. “If you aren’t doing those things, your ball will either come up too hard or come up too soft, and you won’t be able to get strikes.”
Avery Wilson, who has been to three nationals and is in the junior girls’ division, said there’s a major difference in competing on the Canadian stage when compared to the provincial championships.
“There’s just so much going on,” Wilson said. “You get to see other people’s techniques, how they bowl, and all those different things.”
When asked what he hopes the bowlers take away from the national experience, 10-pin coach Aaron Craig wants the team to have fun and meet new friends.
“I’ve told the team that I’ve gone and competed at the nationals and I don’t know where my gold medal and my bronze medal are,” Craig said. “What I hold on to is the friends that I’ve made along the way.
“For the first-time bowlers, I’ve told them that it’s really about enjoying the experience and just staying positive.
“For those that have been there before, they know the environment and the stress that comes with that, so I’ve told them to take what they’ve learned from those experiences and build off of that.”
