Pictured Is. Josh Blanchard, left, and Gary Mage. Photo Courtesy Of PBA.Com.
Mesa's Josh Blanchard, Succeeds Gary Mage. As New PBA West/Northwest Regional Manager.
Mage Retires From PBA. After Serving The PBA West/Northwest Region Since 2004.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg
Managing Editor - thetenpinexpress.com
Director Mesa Metro Association
Mesa, AZ. - - - During the last three years, Josh Blanchard, of Mesa, AZ. Caught the Arizona bowling community by well, surprise, with two major announcements concerning his bowling career.
First, in 2018, he announced he was getting out of the pro shop business. By selling his interest in Virtue Bowling Supply, to his business partner Craig Spencer. And then late this fall announced that he was retiring from the PBA Tour, after a very successful nine year run on the circuit.
"Every move I make in my life comes with a reason. I am always looking forward to what my next big adventure might be and how I can help this game grow from a different avenue," he said, of the previous two decisions that he made. "No matter what I decide to do with my life, I have a hard time seeing it ever be outside of the bowling industry. "
But, not long after he announced that he was retiring from the PBA Tour. He got a surprise of his own that he didn't even see coming his way. The surprise he got came from PBA West/Northwest Regional Manager Gary Mage. Speculation started to circulate among the membership late last year, that Mr. Mage wanted to retire. And that a successor to him be put in place as soon as possible.
"Gary is a long time friend and someone I look up to. I knew for quite a while he has wanted to retire but he did not want to leave the Regions in the hands of just anyone," said Josh, on when he knew Gary was ready to retire. "He cares deeply for the bowlers and the centers in which he has run events at for years if not decades. He approached me late last year and said he was finally done and would love if I took over for him in the following year when I was ready."
Josh was a touring member of the PBA for nine years. During his nine years on tour, he won three National PBA Titles. 14 PBA Regional Titles. One JPBA Title in Japan. One European Bowling Tour Title.
"Gary saw that I had not only the communication skills, but he knew that I saw it from the bowlers perspective as well and would do a good job for them," Josh said, when asked why he felt he was a good fit to succeed Gary. "I have known Gary for just over 10 years. It is an honor to succeed him and his wife and I look forward to continuing the long standing traditions he has, but also bring new ones to the table."
One of the long standing traditions he hopes he has already created. Was single handily bringing a PBA West/Northwest Regional to Mesa East Bowl in Mesa. He won the very first event there in 2015. Russ Oviatt and Jim Pratt, are also bowlers from the valley, who have won at Mesa East. The Pro-Am which is traditionally held on Friday night, is always a sell out. Mesa had already had one regional in Mesa this year. It was the Bowlero Mesa Open that was held earlier this summer. Cortez Schenck of Phoenix, won the inaugural event.
"Mesa East has been a big supporter of the PBA for the past 5 seasons. I can’t see them going away anytime soon," he said, of the success the regional stop has had at Mesa East. "2021 is a very fluid year right now with rising Covid cases towards the last quarter of 2020 and with the presidential race. On my tentative schedule right now, I have 29 events in 2021, with possibly a few more being added in the coming months. With changes being made to the Regional Program in 2021, I think we will have an outstanding year and a very profitable one as well."
2020 has certainly been a very challenging year for bowling in the U.S. When the Covid-19 crises began to hit its peak around the country in March. The game got shut down across the country until May 15. Arizona was not exempt from the shut down either. Unlike the NBA and NHL, bowling could not have been put in a bubble. With a recent spike in cases nationwide, bowling has once again been shut down for a period of three weeks.
"I am not sure I would say that bowlers and the sport are resilient as much I would say that the passion bowlers and many bowling center owners have is unmatched," he said, on why bowling has been bouncing back from the pandemic. "During this unique time in our society, many bowling center owners could easily give up on their centers and sell the land for great profit and not have to worry about how long they could be shut down for. But a lot of them are fighting month to month to keep the lanes on and the game alive and we can’t thank these owners enough."
Josh and his wife Aimee, are the parents of three young children. Daughters: Madalyn and Piper, and son Jamison. He feels very fortunate that the has been able to keep himself healthy during the pandemic, as well as his family.
"Luckily my family is very healthy and Covid has not effected our health or our way of life. The biggest challenge Covid has brought us is emotional strain," he said, of handling Covid-19. "Being home this many days, for an active family like my own, has been the biggest hurdle to overcome. Keeping a tighter schedule on our kids' daily activities has allowed the time to pass and the kids to feel normal under all this distress."
The toll that Covid-19 has taken on all of us this year, has been a blessing on the lanes for us as well. Especially, if the year has not gone the way we have wanted it to.
"My bowling game started out very weak this year but, was developing nicely at the World Series when the country was shut down," he said, of his year on the lanes before announcing his retirement. "The shut down occurred at a bad time for my game, but everything happens for a reason in the world and I am sure I will look back one day and realize that it all fell the way it was supposed to."
In 2004, Mage became Western Region Manager, taking the reins from Mike Friedrichs, of Phoenix, and assumed management of the new Northwest Region when it separated from the Western Region in that same year. Mage has since managed both regions with assistance from his wife Toni (per PBA.com).
“I’ve been a bowling center owner, pro shop operator and touring player, so I brought a lot of experience to different areas of the sport into this position,” Mage said. “You have people you’ve relationships with over a span of many years. It’s hard to let go, but it’s time.” (per PBA.com).
His first event as a manager on his own has not happened yet. He ran the previous event in Sutter Creek with Gary looking over his shoulder, but have yet to hold an event soley on his own. When that time comes, he syas, will be fully prepared with the training Gary has given him.
"No one will ever replace a Gary and Toni Mage. The family feel they brought to these regions for decades is one of a kind and I will miss them just as much as everyone else," Blanchard said, of the shoes he is about to fill. "I have been training for a few months behind the scenes. I worked three events side by side with Gary to learn more about how to handle the events on site and how to handle problems that might arise on sight."
And how does his wife feel, about becoming the next Toni Mage?
"My wife has always loved helping at Regionals for as long as I have been a member. The roll of a Toni Mage is not what she wants, but instead she wants to develop her own relationship with the bowlers and their families," he said, of his wife's new role. "My wife's compassion and kind heartiness will resonate with the members of both of these Regions."
One thing he wished he always accomplished on tour, was winning a Major title. He came very close in the TOC in 2019 and also many top 16’s at the Masters but never won one. If he could go back and change anything it would be that.
"My biggest drive comes from my competitiveness. I don’t like to lose, whether it be at Business or on the lanes," he said, of the drive he gets to succeed in bowling. "This keeps me working and striving to figure out how to accomplish more with what I have to work with."
State Of Arizona Bowling News - December 8, 2020