She will soon be a three-time Hall of Famer, but Jennifer Owens knows she still has a lot to learn.
“You can always improve your game,” Owens said. “The game is always changing, so is the equipment, and there is always something to learn.”
The lifelong student of the game will be inducted into the Ohio Bowling Council Hall of Fame in November for superior performance. The 47-year-old Dayton resident is already a member of the Greater Dayton United States Bowling Congress and the Ohio USBC Women’s Bowling Association Halls of Fame.
“To be honest, I didn’t know this Hall of Fame existed, so it was a total surprise,” Owens said.
The Ohio Bowling Council consists of members from the Bowling Centers Association of Ohio, Ohio USBC Women’s Bowling Association, Ohio State Bowling Association and the Ohio State USBC youth organizations. The council’s Hall of Fame was created in 1988 to encourage participation and communication among the statewide bowling organizations. The superior performance designation is for bowlers 40 or older who have participated in sanctioned bowling in the state for 10 or more years and have outstanding accomplishments in USBC or BCAO leagues or tournaments.
Owens has been an association member for more than two decades. She has posted 29 300 games and six 800 series with a career high of 827. She carried her high average of 227 during the 2010-11 season. Owens has won numerous state and local titles, both individually and in team events.
Her accomplishments on the lanes have landed her on the Ohio All-Star Team three times and she has been a member of the Dayton City All-Star Team 14 of the past 15 seasons, twice as bowler of the year.
While her bowling resume is substantial, there are still items on her to-do list including competing in a PWBA event.
“That was on my list for this year, but I had a conflict so definitely next year,” she said.
Even after decades on the lanes, she continues to make adjustments and fine tune her game.
“The last couple of years I’ve been slacking a little bit so, this summer, I’ve been practicing a lot more,” she said.
And the lessons learned over the years have contributed greatly to her continued success.
“When I was younger, I would wonder how everyone else was bowling instead of figuring out what was best for me,” Owens said. “I’ve learned to focus within my game now.”
Jennifer Owens by the numbers
3: Member of the GDUSBC, Ohio WBA and Ohio Bowling Council Halls of Fame
12: City titles
14: Appearances on City All-Star Team since 2001-02 season including two bowler of the year titles
29: Career 300 games
827: Career high series, one of six 800 series
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