1 minute read
HOMETOWN HEROES
Bowling for Dollars
Sometimes a hobby turns into a lifelong passion, just as it has with Jaelle Hamman. Her devotion to bowling and 12 years of club play led her to the 2021 Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis. There, she went undefeated, earned 2,800 points, and ranked first out of 639 bowlers in her division.
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Jaelle's superlative performance earned her a scholarship, and she is now enjoying college life as a freshman at Mount Mercy University.
IN THE LANE
Raised and home schooled in Jarrell, Jaelle started bowling when she was 6 years old. “Professionals usually start when they’re even younger, but that's when I saw my older sister playing and I told my mom, ‘I want to do that.’ She put me in a league right after that.”
Jaelle trained at Mel's Lone Star Lanes in Georgetown and USA Bowl in Dallas, and traveled on weekends to tournaments all over the state because she loves the challenge of bowling in a league. “I’m a pretty competitive person. The individual elements of a bowling league allowed me to test myself in a fun atmosphere, while also working towards the scholarship."
Having arrived at her university, she is excited that her bowling community and connections have grown. "I was homeschooled," she says, "So it is great to be in a new league and part of a group that is already close." Her team regularly spends time together outside of practices, which has helped bond them as a group of friends and, she says, has truly enhanced the experience.
TALENT TO SPARE
Jaelle plans to study business but has no plans to stop bowling while she advances to her degree. She credits her coach of 12 years, John
Hood, for his influence toward her dedication and commitment. “He really inspired me to keep going. Without him I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today.”
She says the training and constant traveling can be taxing, but she takes it all in stride. Having worked most of her life to reach this point, she and her family and friends are celebrating how far she’s come, and are eager to see what she will achieve next.
