Maple Ridge brothers Tyler and Aaron Ford both won gold as part of Team B.C.’s four-person five-pin bowling team at the Youth Bowling Canada National Championships last weekend in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Tyler, 18, and Aaron, 16, averaged 247.79 and 237.57, respectively, over 14 games at the tournament.
The two Thomas Haney secondary students bowl out of Port Coquitlam Bowl, along with teammates Aaron Bukala and Cody Didyk.
The B.C. foursome won 11 of the 14 head-to-head team matches they played, edging Team Quebec by a single match point in the senior boys’ team competition.
Tyler carded a high score of 308, while younger brother Aaron bowled a team-high 334.
Bowling is in the Ford brothers’ blood, says their dad, who introduced them to the sport at the age of four.
“I was a five-pin bowler and they took to it like a fish to water,” says Al Ford. “They started off bumper bowling when they were young, and they’ve never stopped.”
The sport has proven lucrative for Tyler, at least. After winning an adult-level tournament in Surrey last year, he was able to buy himself a car with his $4,000 prize.
Tyler and Aaron’s nine-year-old brother Casten is also an avid bowler, and will be competing in the 10-pin 2012 National Youth Championships in Quebec City in the bantam division.
Like his two big brothers, Casten started out on five-pin, but switched to 10-pin just a year ago.
“He’s a natural, that one,” says Al.
All three brothers are previous provincial champions, with Tyler winning bronze at nationals in 2010, and Aaron winning bronze as well, in 2009.
Tyler currently averages 255, while Aaron averages 215. Little brother Casten holds down a 135 average in ten-pin.
Also competing at the national championships last weekend was Maple Ridge’s Kylie Herman, who placed sixth in the five-pin junior singles competition, averaging 187.82.
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