Competing On The PBA Tour, Is A Future, But Realistic Goal For This Mesa Sixth Grader.
Thanks To His Idol On The Tour, Jason Belmonte, Trey Salzman Is On His Way To Reaching It
By Michael 'Chip' Begg - Managing Editor - The TenPinExpress.Com
Director Mesa Metro Association
Mesa - - - Veteran PBA touring pro Jason Belmonte does not know it yet. But, he has a young idol in Mesa,
Arizona who can give him a run for his money on the bowling lanes. And, he his only 12 years old. No
kidding!
As a bowling writer, it is my job to find the stories in the game that you would like to read about the most.
And sometimes by accident, the stories find you. This was the case a few months ago at Mesa East Bowl. I was at Mesa East last October on a Thursday afternoon, waiting to interview Heather Wood. She was the Mesa Metropolitan Associations (MMA), high female average award winner from the 2014-2015 season.
And while I was preparing my questions for this particular story, this young man who was bowling on lanes 15 and 16, caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I thought to myself for a young lad, this youngster is pretty good for his age. So, then, my journalistic curiosity started to kick in and I thought what a great human interest story this would be. I approached his grandfather, Keith, to get the ball rolling on doing a possible story.
The tenpinexpress.com made contact with his grandfather once following the initial conversation, but nothing happened until the MMA Youth Tournament at Brunswick Zone in Mesa on January 23. I was checking in the 9:30 am squad, when his mother, Amber, checked in her two sons for the event. I had asked her if she had a son named Trey, because I saw him bowl at Mesa East one afternoon, and I was wanting to do an article on him.
She said she did remember by talking with ther father-in-law, that I was interested in doing the story. And she also told me that she had read my website, which made me feel great because I had a new view. Trey even made me feelbetter, because after two-and-a half months, he remembered who I was.
Trey has only been bowling for a year-and-a half, but you would not know it after watching him on the lanes. And, he is also very well versed on the sport for his age.
"It really is all about Jason Belmonte," said Trey Salzman, whose style he emulates on the lanes. He rolls the ball with two hands overhand on his strike ball, and under hand with two hands when he is picking up a spare. "By rolling the ball with two hands, it gives you more power and pin reaction. And, the ball hooks more, too."
When Trey started bowling 18 months ago, he only carried an 80 average. 18 months later it is now 156. He says he credits his success to two things: practicing a lot, and learning how to adjust to lane conditions. When his grandfatherbrings him to the center to practice, you would also be amazed at how quick he can get through a game.
"I can probably bowl a game in about seven minutes a game," Trey said. "I tried to do it before (rest, and giving the pinsetter a chance to complete its cycle from first to second ball). But, its not my style. I like to speed bowl."
I was not the only one that Trey caught the attention of. Mesa East front counter attendant Scott Rider also remembers the first day he came into the center to bowl. And, after watching him, he knew he would have to het him and his family interested enough to join a league.
"Trey joined the adult/junior league with his family. Once he started practicing more, the scores started to go up,"said Scott, on Trey's progress. "He taught himself the two handed delivery. He is very smart for his age, and a real good kid."
The youth tournament was also the first time Trey and his older brother Austin, (15), had bowled in a tournamenttogether. And they had encouraging results. In the: singles, doubles, and team events. Trey rolled series of: 513, 475, and 511. While Austin countered with a: 518, 471, and 586 respectively. With handicap their team, Fun Time 2, finished with a 2,641.
"Like all brothers we are very competitive in what we do together, and we try to one up each other," said Trey, on
bowling with his brother. "If he gets a higher score than me, I try to beat the score from the game before the next game."
And since other members of his family had noticed what the game of bowling has done for him, they are only too happy to bring him to the center when he wants to practice.
"My family is real supportive. Every time I want to come to the center to practice, my grandfather will bring me here," said Trey. "Now I am on a practice schedule. It was two times a week, and now its three times a week, when there are open lanes. And this does not include league bowling on Saturday."
He already has his mind set up to go out on the PBA Tour, when he is old enough to do so. He would also like to raise his average to 185, by this time next year.
"The only thing I am focused on now, is getting out there and bowling. It is also very important to have fun when I bowl," said Trey, of his chosen sport. "I joined the Saturday morning league with my friend Quin. He taught me how to throw a strike ball. And said 'if you are able to get six strikes in a game, there is a pretty good chance you will be able to roll a 200 game."
The sixth grader attends Brinton Elementary School in Mesa. All of his teachers know he is an aspiring bowler Especially his teacher Miss Bellows. That's because her dad used to compete on the regional tour. He and his brother are also really good in skate boarding. But, his mother, would like both of them to stick to bowling.
"I would like to see Trey make it all the way to the PBA Tour," said his mother Amber, a medical assistant. His dad,Todd, is self employed. "That would be nice. He does very well in school, and you want your kids to succeed. We all like to get up on Saturday morning, and go bowling. Its something that we all enjoy."
While I was growing up, Don Carter and Dick Weber were my idols. Even though I didn't make it to the PBA Tour. I know Trey has the talent and desire to do it. The Arizona bowling community does not know who this young bowler is yet. But, in a few years they will.
You can count on it.
Mesa Bowling News - February 13, 2016