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Bowler to measure progress
By KEITH NIEBUHR
© St. Petersburg Times, BEVERLY HILLS -- When Willy Lee, then 12, finished a respectable 410th out of 868 bowlers at last year's USA Junior Gold National Bowling Championships, he lacked two things: confidence and experience. Now, he has both. "I've got a lot more confidence in myself," Lee said. "I think I'm 30 pins better per game. Last year, I bowled in the 180s. This year, I'm moving up and bowling a lot better." Lee, a 13-year-old Beverly Hills resident, will find out how much his game has developed at this year's USA Junior, which is being held July 8-15 in Reno, Nev. He earned a spot in the event by advancing through local qualifying in Daytona Beach. "I've been practicing a lot, so hopefully I'm going to do good," Lee said. Lee has been bowling for five years. When he was 8, Lee's parents saw an article in the newspaper that promoted the Young American Bowling Alliance. That day, he was driven to a local bowling lane, where he signed up to play for the first time. "He's been at it ever since," said Randy Lee, Willy's father. The younger Lee, who will be an eighth-grader this fall at Citrus Springs Middle School, showed steady improvement. Today, Lee participates in about 20 tournaments a year, usually on the east coast of Florida. Last summer, he competed at events in Reno, Las Vegas and Kentucky. To prepare for a busy summer schedule that includes a trip to Akron, Ohio, for next month's Youth Masters, Lee has received coaching from Richard Shockley at Kegal Training Center in Sebring and from local professional Steve Neff, who owns Neffer's Bowling in Homosassa. He also practices at Mariner Lanes in Spring Hill and Beverly Hills Bowl. Lee currently has an average of 190 with a best game of 299. At last year's USA Junior, he performed well in the 21-and-under division, but admits to being somewhat unprepared for the oiled down lanes, which caused his ball to slide more and hook less. Lee is aiming for a top-eight finish next week, which would earn him a spot on the Junior Team USA roster. Randy Lee also hopes his son will catch the eye of college coaches, who will come from all over to attend the event. "There are a lot of older bowlers there and a lot of coaches from different colleges," Randy Lee said. "It's a good chance to gain experience and to bowl in a big stadium."
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