Tyler Kuchta is one 19 year old who can’t seem to sit still. He works not one, but three jobs, and somewhere in the midst of it all has managed to make the National Youth 4 Steps Bowling Championships.
Held in Regina, Sask. from May 7 – 9, Kuchta will represent J-Lanes Bowling, Salmon Arm and B.C. in the individual five-pin competition where he will bowl 25 games in three days.
Kuchta, who has bowled with Youth Bowling Canada (YBC) for 14 years, says it means a great deal to attend nationals his last year in the league.
“It feels great and I didn’t expect to make it this far,” he says. “I have made it to provincials before, but knowing that this is my last year in the YBC, I just want to go out with a big bang.”
Kuchta says he wouldn’t have started bowling without his mom Eileen. When he was younger, she bowled at J-Lanes every week, so it was inevitable that he would follow suit.
But as he got older, Kuchta said he started to enjoy bowling for his own reasons – particularly the social nature of the sport
“It is a really fun sport,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if you are good or bad. When you are on a team, everyone does their bit to contribute and it’s a great way to meet people.”
Along with working three jobs and making nationals, Kuchta volunteers what time he has left coaching bantam bowlers at J-Lanes once a week.
“I like bowling so much that I want to help younger ones and pass down what I know to them,” he says.
Kuchta says his main tip for younger bowlers is to simply have confidence in themselves.
“I basically tell them to try their hardest, and if you mess up, don’t get discouraged because it only makes it worse,” he says. “Just keep focused.”
If it wasn’t for the YBC, Kuchta says he would never have met the many friends he’s made over the years and he hopes to make more at nationals.
Making new acquaintances is something he looks forward to.
“I am expecting to make some friends and just have a good time,” he says, adding that he isn’t putting any pressure on himself in terms of how he places.
In bowling it is really all about sportsmanship in the long run anyhow.
“Everyone is really friendly at competitions and high fives each other, even when they’re not on the same team,” he says. “There’s a lot of team spirit going around.”
Kuchta says he is lucky to have such a great support system around him, including everyone at J-Lanes, his family and his girlfriend, who he knows will be cheering him on.
And while the outcome of nationals will remain unknown until May, Kuchta does know, without question, bowling will be a part of his future.
“I plan to bowl in the adult league and continue to help YBC bowlers.”