Bowling Coach Maria Ward has been involved with the game for the past 25 years.  Her love of bowling began when she filled in for an injured bowler in a Maryland league.  Someone saw something in her, and asked if she wanted help improving.  She took them up on the offer and was hooked!

 
She trained as a coach, and while she said the standards back then were primitive compared with today's techniques, she loves being out every week helping youth bowlers get better.  She finds it invigorating to be on the lanes every Saturday and has her sites on becoming a Silver Level Coach in the next few years.


Coach Ward's teaching career began during her Saturday help sessions in Philadelphia. It was then that the coaching staff approached her about assisting.  She jumped at the opportunity and started coaching the Gehris Junior Bowlers! 



"Since then," she wrote, "seeing that these children had so much promise, I dedicated my time to getting them exposed to youth scholarship tournaments, and I started this when the first USBC Youth Open was created."


The first year she worked with one team, and they learned the hard way that they weren't quite ready for the competition.  They immediately came to her and said, "Coach, we want to practice so we don't look bad next year!"  They buckled down and the next year,  four team went to Detroit with 10 of the 16 kids taking home a prize.  Two even came in first place, one taking it for singles and the other for all events!  Coach Ward said that this year they have 28 kids participating in the tournament, with three headed to the Junior Gold Championships!


Coach Ward enjoys having a positive effect on young lives.  She wrote, "All I can say is, I love this game, and my techniques might not be the best, but they work!  These kids seem to like my strong arm and no-nonsense attitude even though they complain. They are getting better with each week and I'm proud of them.  Many of their parents have become more involved in their sport and that is the best thing yet!"

 
Coach Ward is quite the accomplished bowler herself having bowled three perfect 300 games and cashing in on many USBC, WIBC, and TNBA tournaments!  She shared with Weplay, "I love the competition.  It keeps me sharp and motivated to get better.  It's fun to travel around the country bowling, meeting new friends and making new memories.  I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world."


Her sights in the future are set on coaching at the high school or college level, but in the meantime she'll continue helping kids in the tri-state area embrace bowling!