Sault Ste. Marie sees Canada's top youth bowlers compete

A weekend of best-on-best youth bowling wrapped up Sunday in Sault Ste. Marie.

The 40th annual Youth Bowling Championship saw eight person teams from seven different provinces compete amongst each other.

For most, like 18-year-old Miah Duplassie from the Sault, the tournament marks the stiffest competition they've faced.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Duplassie.

“Especially when you’re standing up there and you’re seeing how close (the score) is. Everybody’s here for a reason.”

Officials said thankfully when the tough competition starts getting the better of the competitors, the youth have coaches who have been there before.

Saskatchewan's Jayden Wear competed at the national's about a decade ago and said keeping the players calm is one thing coaches regularly need to do.

“No one’s perfect out there, right? The lanes transition all the time,” said Wear.

“Every throw is different, every shot is different. The best thing to do is just shake it off. You miss, forget about it, go to the next shot.”

While each of the competitors wants to leave with a medal around their neck, fun and friendship is the top priority for most.

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The president of the Canadian 10-Pin Federation, Blaine Boyle, said there are "so many friendships made at this tournament."

"Kids will sometimes only see each other once a year but have formed bonds with one another over the years bowling from the bantam division at 9 years old up to 20 and 21.”

Team Northern Ontario's Duplassie said its the tight-knit relationships that keep her coming back to the competitive events.

“I stick to it because all of the friends I have made, and the team of Northern Ontario is just like a big family now, and you meet people from everywhere in Canada,” he said.

British Columbia's Jacob Imoo is soon heading to Peru for an international bowling competition with Team Canada.

He said he believes his time as a youth taking part in these tournaments helped him develop as a bowler.

“As a junior bowler you can definitely get tips and techniques from the older people because they’re so experienced, they’re so comfortable with their own style, how they throw the ball,” said Imoo.

“That’s really an inspiration for myself, and as I got older I got more comfortable in my own skin and learned my own tips and techniques.”

Imoo now mentors the younger bowlers who ask him questions.

He, along with others competing that spoke with CTV, said helping grow the skill of others and cheering them on is among their favourite parts of the National Championship.