Troy Trombley, who will be a junior at Brunswick High School in the fall, has bowled in some of the most pressurepacked situations a young person can face.
Over the past two years, Trombley, who has a 211 average while bowling in two local leagues at the Sparetime Family Fun Center, has first qualified, then packed up his bowling balls and participated in the North Pointe Junior Gold Championships, a yearly tournament that features many of the best youth bowlers across the nation.
Bowlers compete for national titles in four divisions — U15 boys, U15 girls, U20 boys and U20 girls — as well as for spots on the Junior Team USA squad. Plus, there is scholarship money to be had, with last year’s event dishing out more than $250,000.
In 2011, Trombley felt the pressure in Las Vegas, struggling on the lanes and with his nerves. Last year, a calmer Trombley just missed qualifying for the second round in Indianapolis, coming up a mere 100 pins short of advancing over his 15 games bowled. He averaged nearly 200.
Again, the competition is pretty stiff.
This year, Trombley once again packs up his gear and hits the road, this time for Detroit for the Junior Gold Championships.
“I qualified here at Sparetime, bowling over 1,000 over five games, with three of us battling it out for first,” said Trombley, who will compete in the U20 tournament July 13-19. “I managed to win it, so I get to go to the tournament. I did a couple raffles to fundraise, and will use some of the money I make from clamming to pay for the trip.”
In the Junior Gold Championship, each bowler throws five games a day for three days, and the top bowlers advance to the next round.
“This is my third time going out, and I am more comfortable bowling in this tournament,” said Trombley. “The first time, I was pretty nervous. My nerves calmed down my second year, and I just missed the cut.
“This year, I am going to focus on the shots, and I want to take that next step. I just want to bowl the best that I can, and if I make it, then that is great. The bowlers are really good, and many of them travel all the time and bowl in big tournaments.”
“Troy was very good when he was younger,” said youth bowling coach Craig Winters, who coached Trombley. “He definitely had the potential, and possessed good skills early.
Trombley has certainly seen local success. He has bowled seven 300s and two 800 series in his career.
“Troy has worked hard, and I feel he has a chance to do well this time around,” added Winters.
Marissa Parks
Just 13-years old and slated to attend Bath Middle School this year as an eighth-grader, Marissa Parks will make her first journey to the Junior Gold Championships in the U15 tournament.
Parks’ advancement took a different route than Trombley’s.
“I qualified through the Pepsi Tournament at Lewiston,” said Parks, who carries an impressive average of 192 while also bowling in two leagues. “I came in third, and the girl who finished first had already qualified for another tournament, and the girl in second chose not to go, so I got the spot. It took a month for them to let me know, giving me just seven weeks to fundraise and get the money together. I was really excited to find out, and am excited to compete.”
Parks is confident.
“I am not scared at all, and I am confident in my skills,” said Park, whose uncle is Aaron Thiboutot, a successful bowler in his own right who has participated in the Junior Gold Championships. “My whole family bowls, and it takes mental toughness and good fundamentals to be a good bowler. Everything has to play together. I am ready. I have practiced every day, and I just want to do the best that I can.
“It is a great opportunity. I don’t expect to go out there and win. I am just looking to do good and learn from the experience.”
What tips did her uncle give her?
“My uncle told me not to go faster, take my time, and watch out for the lane patterns,” said Parks. “I have three bowling balls, and I will have to figure out which ball works for the lane conditions. I can crank the ball out there if the conditions are right, and I can throw a more controlled hook. It just depends on what the lanes are doing.”
“Marissa is a good, fundamental bowler,” said Winters. “I am guessing that Marissa will struggle a little bit in the tournament, being that it is her first time in this tournament. But, she has the capabilities to succeed if she gets on a roll.”
For more information on the Junior Gold Championships, go to www.bowl.com/juniorgold/
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