Steven MacLelland, a member of the Windsor Essex Chatham-Kent Bowling Association, at the age of 28, recently bowled his 22nd 800 series. Steve bowled an 865 series honour score with games of 289, 299, and 277 in the Thursday Major Handicap League at Rose Bowl on January 2, 2014. He said he made a 4 board adjustment at the arrows per game and he used the same ball all three games. I knew I had a chance at a big series after the second game so I just tried not to think about it and just bowl one frame at a time. To keep myself calm I just talked to people around me about anything but bowling. I also sat down every frame to keep myself from pacing. Steve was asked what his primary motivation was in bowling and he indicated that he just wants to be the best he can be, striving to be better than the year before. He wants to make his father, who passed away 5 1⁄2 years ago, proud of how successful he has become in the sport. He said he only bowls two nights a week but he tries to bowl in as many tournaments as possible. With working so many hours there is little time to spend practising. His family is important to him so he does not bowl as much. He still carries a 233 average. Steve indicated that he would like to thank the following people for his current success: his wife Clarissa for tolerating my love and passion for the sport of bowling; equipment drillers Jordan Vanover in Saginaw Michigan and Dan Aqwa in Windsor Ontario; twin brother Dan (pro-bowler) for helping him get connected with Track; Rich Hanson the Brand Manager from Track. Without each of these individuals this would not have been possible. As I was talking to Steven I had the privilege to watch him bowl an 814 series (247, 279, and 288). He was bowling on the same pair of lanes were he bowled the previous 865 honour score a month before. His father Len is definitely looking down from above, and is very proud of his son’s current success.

This season the 50th Anniversary of Sanctioned Youth10-Pin Bowlers in Windsor and Essex-Kent counties is being celebrated. They were sanctioned through the American Junior Bowling Congress in 1964. This name was later changed to the Young American Bowling Alliance. The original name of the youth association was Essex County Junior 10 pin Bowling Council, and a few months later it was renamed the Essex County Junior Bowling Association (ECJBA). This name remained until 2004 when the men, women, and youth associations became one under the Canadian Tenpin Federation. The first meeting of the ECJBA was held in July 1964. The leagues started in September of that year with approximately 400 youth bowlers. In the late 70s there were approximately 2400 participating members. Today there are approximately 400 bowlers participating in six bowling centres. This is the 50th year of the Teams-
Doubles-Singles Championship Tournaments, and the Scratch Singles and Family Doubles Tournaments were started about ten years later. In November the 25th Annual Scholarship Tournament was held. At the completion of this season the 50th Annual Awards Banquet will be held when all of the tournament winners, Bowlers of the Year, All-Star Teams, and Volunteer of the Year will be recognized. There has been a terrific volunteer base over the years with some of them serving the youth for 49, 42 and 34 years, and there are quite a number who have been serving for more than ten. Would like to thank the Youth Committee of the Windsor Essex Chatham Kent Bowling Association for putting this historical article together in celebration of the 50th Anniversary.

Catherine Wilbur