Five Games of Growth

Five Games of Growth

This morning was a long block for Bella, and as her dad, I got to watch every frame unfold. Tournament days always remind me that bowling isn’t just about scores—it’s about process, composure, and how you carry yourself when things don’t go your way. Today was a mix of big highs, tough breaks, and lessons tucked into every shot.

Game One set the tone. Bella came out firing—front six strikes, looking sharp and confident. She left a 6-pin in the seventh, spared it easily, doubled in the eighth and ninth, and after leaving a 7-pin in the 10th, struck out for a huge 258. It felt like the day was wide open.

Game Two slowed things down. No doubles, no fireworks—just a steady, clean game for 193. Every spare was covered, but without the momentum of strikes, it was more grind than shine. Still, she didn’t give anything away, and that matters.

Game Three brought the fight. She started with a spare and a tough open on a 10-pin, but then rattled off three in a row. In the 7th, she faced a 2-8-10 split, covered the two and eight but left the 10. She steadied herself, picked up spares in the 8th, then doubled in the 9th and 10th before finishing with a spare for 202. Watching her fight back after the open showed me her resilience.

Game Four was a lesson in patience. The first three frames were all nine-spares, then she doubled in the 4th and 5th. In the 7th, she left the 4-9 split, took the four and left the nine. From there, she strung spares in the 8th and 9th, then struck in the 10th and picked up an 8-spare to finish 193. It wasn’t the strike fest she wanted, but it was steady and composed.

Game Five tested her. She started with a good pocket shot that left a 10-pin, but missed it. From there, she doubled and found some rhythm, then battled through spares, a split, and more spares before finishing with a 178. It wasn’t the finish she hoped for, but it was honest, gritty bowling.

At the end of five games, Bella finished with 1,024 pins, averaging 204.8. The numbers tell one story—but as a dad, what I saw tells another. I saw a competitor who never quit, who fought through the grind, who carried herself with composure whether the strikes were falling or not.

That’s the story I’ll remember. The scores will fade, but the growth I see in her, frame by frame, is what lasts.