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Youthful competitor hoping for pro career
By KRISTEN LEIGH PORTER CRYSTAL RIVER -- Travis Richards was calm and collected as he picked up his ball and focused down the lane on the pins. But Richards' look of concentration turned to joy after he picked up a difficult 2-8-10 split. Richards, 12, was practicing Saturday morning at Manatee Lanes after competing in its youth league. He is among 94 bowlers who participate on Saturday and one of about 75 who roll on Tuesdays, but Richards has managed to stand out. The sixth-grader at Lecanto Middle School has a 161 average, and said what he likes most about bowling is "the competitiveness." "You have to put a lot of work in and act like a machine," Richards said. "I always want to bowl, any day I can." Later on Saturday in the county tournament, Richards earned second place by recording a 201-201-179 for a 581 series in the singles division four at Mariner Lanes. Manatee Lanes youth director Em Hudnet said Richards has a higher average than most bowlers his age. He competes in the junior division against individuals 13-and-older instead of preps (ages 9-12) to get more competition. He will not turn 13 until September. "Most boys with his average are 15 or so in age," Hudnet said. "Travis needs to keep getting exposure through tournaments, and he does take individual instruction from a coach that teaches adults. He is doing great." In the junior division, Richards bowls with teenagers such as 17-year-old Rickey Born, who posted a 280-189-183 for a 652 series Sunday in the team portion of the county tourney. Another standout participant is Elfrieda Hertel, who has a high series of 523 and game of 205. They compete as part of the Young American Bowling Alliance, which boasts about 17,555 members statewide and 397,060 in North America. Bowling is the favorite activity for Richards, a pitcher who has been playing baseball five years in Crystal River Little League. In addition to the time spent at Manatee Lanes, Richards does the youth bowlers tour in Tampa and the Keystone tour in the Orlando area. "Pretty soon I'll have to choose. Sometimes there are conflicts in baseball," said Richards, who attended the Kegel bowling school in Sebring last June. Richards hopes to make it all the way to the professional ranks. He often watches PBA tour events on television, and said it has helped him learn how to keep his form steady. The lessons he has taken the past year contributed to his improvement. "He was a good bowler but didn't want to keep making the same mistakes over and over again," said his mother, Cindy. "You get in that routine and it's hard to break." All that work can pay off in the form of money for college, and Hudnet said top youth bowlers can earn several thousand dollars in tournaments. The Young American Bowling Alliance offers more than $3-million in scholarships annually, and Travis earned about $600 last year. "He already told me he wanted to go all the way," Cindy said. "He could have a scholarship in bowling for college." Richards dreams of being the best for one reason. "It's just so fun," he said.
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