Practice makes perfect — two 300 games

WASILLA — The bowling alley is home for Tiffany Lebahn.

A 2006 Colony High School graduate and daughter of a former professional bowler, Lebahn is fast rising to the top of the ranks of women bowlers in the state. Although she had a passion for cheerleading in high school, she admits her talent for knocking down pins is what may help frame her future — and she has a pair of perfect 300 games under her belt already.

Frontiersman: How would you describe your passion for bowling?

Lebahn: I like a lot of sports and I actually cheered for seven years. But bowling is so different than being on a team. It’s all about you and it’s easier to get wrapped up in it because it’s so individual.

F: You attended Wichita (Kan.) State University on a bowling scholarship. What did competing at the collegiate level do for your game?

L: It taught me so much, and it’s not just about the coaching I got. It’s about bowling with other people who feel the same way about the game. It’s so nice to finally be somewhere where everyone is as (passionate) about your sport. It’s an individual sport, but they also do such a good job of making you part of a team.

F: What weight ball do you use?

L: It’s 15 pounds. When I was at Wichita State, all the women except for maybe two used 15-pound balls. Women try to incorporate a lot of leg strength into their motion, and I had a lot of upper body strength from cheerleading.

F: How much do you practice?

L: I don’t do as much as I should … but before a tournament it’s every day, whether it’s three games or 10 games or more if I have a big tournament. It’s amazing how your muscle memory develops. It’s a big key when you practice and practice and practice.

F: When did you realize you could be better than average?

L: It wasn’t until I was a senior in high school and shot a 750 (series) and thought about bowling in college.

F: Describe the mentality of a successful bowler.

L: You have to take it one frame at a time. If you screw up, you have to move on to the next one. It’s very much like golf. You can always improve your stroke, you can always improve your throw. If you have a bad one, you can’t think about it.

F: Do you have any basic advice to help novice and beginning bowlers?

L: The first thing is to make sure you’re in time. That means that at each place in your approach, your ball should be at a certain place in your swing. Timing is the biggest thing. That and being consistent, hitting the same spot over and over again. … And don’t look at the pins, look at the arrows on the lane. That’s one of the first things you learn.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.