Bowler Nick Cooper can be found on the lanes practicing for his upcoming winter season, but he has a much bigger goal for next year – to win a national tournament.
During this past summer he won a local Teen Masters tournament in Lansing and qualifed for the national tournament in Las Vegas.
As the tournament progressed he played for three days to place in the top 80 and in the top 32 – where he placed in 11 out of 250 bowlers. It was just the place he wanted to be because the top 32 advanced to the match play rounds.
‘It was a lot of bowling,? he said about the tournament. ‘It was tiring, but it was fun.?
He moved on to the top 16 and top 8 rounds with family and friends cheering him on the entire time.
‘It was unbelievable,? his mom, Tami, remembered about the competition. ‘He just has that head-to-head competition. His focus was unbelievable. He just wanted to win this one.?
He was defeated by Kyle King, a bowler from Arizona, and finished fifth in the nation.
‘It was great,? Nick said about the experience. ‘There were so many bowlers it made me play a lot better – to stay calm and stay on my game.?
During the tournament he had two lanes to bowl on – one was long and the other was short and he played with two different balls.
The top four played each other in a different atmosphere – a shopping mall with a short lane and Nick and Tami watched to see what it was like.
King confided in Nick after and said, ‘I thought I was going to throw the ball into the mall and a store front.?
He averaged 220 for the entire tournament. He had high game during the whole tournament of 279.
Since Nick finished in the top 8, he is already qualified for the nationals next year in Reno and received scholarship money from the tournament.
He participated in another national competition against high school and college bowlers. He placed 347, out of over 2,000 bowlers.
‘Out of 2,000 that was wonderful,? said Tami.
He plays in tournaments during the weekend until the winter season begins and has already made goals for his junior year.
‘I want to up my average – from 215 or higher,? he said. ‘That’s one of my main goals. I want to get the team into the top of the league.?