A Yorkton youth bowler, 10-year-old Ashley Schrader is headed to Newfoundland in May to compete at the national level.
Ashley won the provincial Bantam Girls' Youth Bowling Council (YBC) crown in Saskatoon recently.
Ashley's mother, Sharla Rusnak-Schrader explained her daughter had to compete locally on her way to the provincial event.
"She qualified in Esterhazy in December to go to Saskatoon," she said.
Topping the zone competition advanced her to provincials where she went head-to-head with representatives of the five other provincial zones.
In Saskatoon, Ashley got off to a slow start, and was behind nearly 100 pins after her first game, but then turned it on.
She would finish play with 890 total pins, a 178 average and 148 pins better than her nearest competition.
Sharla said her daughter's strong finish included "five strikes in-a-row. That's the best she's ever bowled."
Ashley said she knew she did not have a good start.
"The first game I didn't do that good," she said. "I didn't think I was going to do it, but I got some strikes (in subsequent games) and I made it."
Ashley said the five strike streak was a thrill.
"I haven't even got four," she said with a shy smile. "So I was very excited."
For Sharla seeing Ashley succeed is most gratifying.
"I was a bowler. I did youth bowling. I really enjoyed it. It's a fantastic organization," she said. Nodding toward the provincial banner her daughter had just helped hang at the Yorkton Bowl Arena Ltd, Sharla added "I always wanted one of those green banners, but never got it."
Ashely echoes her mother's view of the game she has been playing for five years now.
"I'm just good at it, and I think it's very fun," she said.
The national event in St. John's, NFLD., will be held May 4-to-7.
Ashley has her expenses paid to the east coast, but mom, and dad (Fred Schrader) are going to be there too to watch their daughter in national action.
Leading up to nationals, Ashley said she'll be practicing.
"I go on Saturdays, and I'll probably do a few extra practices," she said.
Asked if she can bring home another banner from Newfoundland, Ashley simply replied, "I hope."
