Greater Dayton USBC Adult-Youth Tournament Champions
Bantam (handicap) – Ericka Reed/Craig Marvin, 1,407
Bantam (scratch) – Brent Shroyer/Brian Kinnison, 1,149
Prep Boy (handicap/scratch)– Keith Schooler/Chad Jackson, 1,550/1,507
Prep Girl (handicap/scratch)– Jessica Sacks/Steve Sacks, 1,380/1,113
Junior Boy (handicap) – Sean Martin II/Candace Shepard, 1,453
Junior Boy (scratch) – Justin Griggs/Andy Parker, 1,351
Junior Girl (handicap/scratch) – Hannah McGrew/Aaron Sipes, 1,487/1,406
Major Boy (handicap/scratch) – Kyle Cook/Penny Cook, 1,506/1,452
Major Girl (handicap) – Mariah Young/John R. Young Sr., 1,409
Major Girl (scratch) – Brooke Swallows/Jake Swallows, 1,236
It’s not an exaggeration to say Kyle Cook has been bowling his whole life.
“I bowled my second 300 game when I was two months pregnant with him,” Penny Cook said. “I guess he was born to bowl.”
The mother and son recently teamed up for a championship title as they won the major boys handicap and scratch titles at the Greater Dayton United States Bowling Congress Adult Youth Tournament at Poelking Lanes. The Cooks rolled a 1,452 – 1,506 with handicap – during the first shift of the two-week tournament.
“We bowled darn good and if someone was going to beat us, they had to bowl darn good and then some,” Kyle said. “We did everything we could.”
Kyle also did everything he could to beat his mom. Penny had a four-pin lead over her 18-year-old son heading into the third game but it didn’t last long.
“A friend of mine pointed out my lead to Kyle and told him ‘she’ll never let you live it down if she beats you,’” Penny said with a smile. “So, he proceeded to roll a 299.”
Kyle left the four-pin as he earned his fourth 299 game in the past four seasons. He has yet to roll a sanctioned 300 game.
“I pulled it a little bit,” he said of his final shot. “I was kind of upset that I didn’t get a 300 but we went in to win the tournament and we did that. The 300 will come.”
While Kyle has been bowling regularly since he first started walking, Penny hasn’t spent much time on the lanes in recent years as she has dealt with arthritis in her knees. A friend convinced her to join a league last season, which made her eligible for the tournament for the first time in several years.
“I used to bowl four times a week but I was reluctant to get back out there,” Penny said. “Until I came back, I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”
And while Kyle has won several city titles, starting in the bantam ranks, this one has extra meaning.
“I think it’s more special because it was with my mom,” he said. “We kept it in the family.”
Honor scores: Cook wasn't the only bowler to post an honor score during the tournament that brought in 152 teams. Doug Moss Sr. rolled a tournament-high 806 series and Chad Jackson was close behind with 801. Byron Schooler had 11 in a row, notching a 297 game.
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