Valley Amateurs Get Chance to Bowl Over Pros
Danny Drickman is only 12 years old and he started bowling just a year and a half ago, but this weekend he will compete with professionals at the Canoga Park Bowl.
The facility will play host to the West Coast Senior Bowlers Tour today through Sunday.
Danny is one of about 100 amateur bowlers who will take the lane with an established pro as part of the tournament’s pro-am division.
Each amateur will bowl three games partnered with three different pros. The amateur’s scores and those of their partners will be added to determine the winner.
“I think it will be a little bit of pressure, but I’m just going to try to have fun,” said Danny, who bowls an average of three times per week.
He will also compete in the youth division, which will feature 35-40 bowlers ages 18 and under.
Danny doesn’t expect nerves to be as prevalent in that event. “That should be real fun because I will go up against a lot of my friends,” he said. “And I know I can do real good.”
In its third year at the Canoga Park Bowl, the West Coast Senior Bowlers Tour event also features a 100-member amateur adult tournament.
Bowlers of all levels enter the event annually because it’s a great way for those who are not so serious about the game to test their skills against advanced bowlers.
“The best thing about it is that anybody can enter,” said Mike Willis, Canoga Park Bowl manager. “We always have a great turnout. Bowling fans don’t just want to watch, they also want to get involved.”
Al Myers of Winnetka is one of the advanced amateurs who will compete for a trophy this weekend. He usually practices every day and has a 195 average.
For Myers, bowling is a great way to spend the day productively. It’s also a good tool for socializing.
“It’s a challenge and it’s fun,” Myers said. “I have a lot of friends that bowl so it’s a real good activity that allows me to spend time with them.”
The professional division will have a draw of 128 and will feature many of the Valley’s top seniors, like Hobo Boothe of Canoga Park, Barry Gurney of West Hills and Ron Winger of Tarzana.
They will bowl a 10-game qualifying round on Saturday and participate in a 16-game final on Sunday.
The top 16 finishers will earn cash prizes and the winner will take home $1,000.
“I love this event because it’s so close to home,” said the 54-year-old Gurney. “It’s also a lot of fun because I get to see a lot of the guys I don’t normally see in other tour events.”
Gurney competes in an average of six tournaments a year on the National Seniors’ Tour.
The NST sponsors 15 events a year and each offers $10-$15,000 in prize money. To qualify, bowlers must be at least 45 years old.
“I’ve been bowling since I was a little kid, but I joined the tour when I was 50,” Gurney said. “The competition is great and the money isn’t bad.”
For the game’s relative newcomers like Danny Drickman, the thought of bowling for money is a fantastic one. He will get a better idea of what it takes this weekend.
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An array of leagues and tournaments are offered at Canoga Park Bowl daily.
Among the most-popular events is the daily breakfast special from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. For $5.99 participants get two games of open bowling, shoes and breakfast.
Other organized leagues have not been so desirable in recent years, Willis said, perhaps because most people don’t want to commit to regular sessions.
“There has been a growth in recreation bowling, but league bowling has declined,” Willis said. “On Friday and Saturday nights it’s impossible to get a lane.”
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The Junior Olympic Archery Development Assn. recently gave Eric Lavin of Northridge the Doug Easton award for classic sportsmanship.
Daniel Pracher of Van Nuys won the Clyde Ramin award for best mental outlook and Chris Castillo of Granada Hills won the leadership award for organization, vision and drive.
JOAD trains youths ages 7-18 at the Easton Archery Range in Woodley Park, which is part of the Sepulveda Dam Basin.