Forecast: 85-Degrees, Sunny, and a Chance of Strikes

Editor's Note: For the first time ever on this blog.....video clips! They're a bit dark because I had to rely on whatever indoor light I had. Which wasn't much.

It’s the middle of July. It’s eight-five degrees and sunny. So what does a guy like BowlingJoe do on his day off? Why, drive to Secoma Lanes in Federal Way, WA and spend a few hours indoors at a bowling center watching some PBA Regional action, of course.

I headed south mainly to lend support to a couple of PBA friends from the Greater Snohomish County area who were trying to repeatedly send ten pins in the pit in hopes of finishing high on the leaderboard and cashing in on some prize money.

BowlingJoe dispenses valuable pre-game advice to Shawn (left) and Matt

One of the guys, Shawn Minnig, I had the pleasure of coaching during a stint I had a few years ago with the Marysville-Pilchuck High School team. Shawn has since become a great student of the sport, worked on both his physical and mental approach to it and, at the ripe age of 23, is now giving me advice on matching equipment up with lane conditions (and I’m happy to accept it). Smart kid. He has a calm and positive mindset, something that’s really useful during the ups and downs of a bowling tournament. It takes some of us (yeah, that would include me) many years to learn that, if in fact we ever do. I’ve always thought that if there’s any justice in the world, nice guys who are dedicated players would win bowling tournaments more often. And if that’s the case, it’ll be just a matter of time before Shawn cashes the giant cardboard check.

Shawn Minnig: A "brooklyn" strike but a strike nonetheless



The other individual is Matt Surina. Matt has been a PBA member for 30-something years and has a few national titles to his credit, and is still cashing checks regularly on the regional circuit. Back in the 1970’s, I’d never miss watching the Pro Bowler’s Tour on ABC-TV and I’d see Surina on the tube every now and then with Chris Schenkel and Nelson Burton Jr. calling the action. So I felt fortunate when he turned up at Evergreen Lanes in Everett a few years ago and bought the pro shop. He accurately and meticulously drills my bowling equipment these days. Matt is hopelessly devoted to bowling and also happens to have one of the best (and most cerebral) senses of humor in the sport. His wife, Joyce, was telling me about a time when he called a hotel desk to give him a “go to sleep call” at 9 pm (as opposed to a “wake up call”). And they did it. Stephen Wright could use some of this guy’s material.

Matt Surina: A strike and a pose



The tournament also had some national flavor. Walter Ray Williams Jr., arguably the greatest bowler of all time with 45 national titles, was there to bowl and conduct some clinics. Overall, he had a pretty decent tournament. I think he finished fourth but when I watched one of his games, he shot a paltry 165 and could not stay away from leaving splits on lane 29.

Walter Ray Williams Jr: Ouch, another split



As for my friends Shawn and Matt: The bowling gods didn’t shine on Shawn that afternoon and he missed the cut to sixteen bowlers. And in fairness, he's been battling a hip injury that he needs to overcome. Matt, bowling in the senior division, finished just out of the money. But the silver lining for them both is that, as long as one can stand on the approach with bowling ball in hand, there will be another tournament on another day in which all of the combatants start out with the same score.

The tournament, and a $4000 payday, was ultimately won by lefty (the right-hander's natural enemy) and fellow Boeing employee Erik Hohlbein. If Shawn or Matt couldn’t win, I guess I can feel good that someone who wears the Boeing Blue did.