Pictured Above Is: LaDonna Ford And Josh Thompson.
Arizona Junior Bowler Looks Up To Higher Authority, To Help With Success In Bowling, And Other Endeavors.
Josh Thompson's Junior Honors Include Winning The Arizona Star Of Tommorrow Award In 2017.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg - Managing Editor thetenpinexpress.com - Director Mesa Metro Association.
Mesa - - - A little over two-and-a-half years ago, Josh Thompson, was offered a job in the game of bowling. That well, even he couldn't refuse.
It was the summer of 2015 and Virtue Bowling Supply in the East Valley, was looking for someone to work in its pro shop at Brunswick Mesa. Not just anyone, but someone who was a good bowler, and someone who wanted to learn all of the aspects of working in this environment.
Josh, who was an up and coming junior bowler at the time, and still is an up and coming junior bowler. Didn't realize it then, that he would be the perfect fit for this opportunity. Now almost three years later. It was a good choice for the pro shop on who to hire, and a good choice for Josh to gain further knowledge by working in the game of bowling.
"I've been working for Craig and Josh since 2015. The summer of 2015, Riley Dempsey, who was the manager of the shop then, approached me and asked if I wanted to help out in the shop," explained Josh. "I spent the summer doing simple work in the shop until the fall season began and Josh offered me an official job. I've been working there since."
To this day he still isn't sure what the powers to be at Virtue saw in his potential, but is happy that he was given the opportunity to show the potential he has.
"I was slightly surprised when the job was offered, but I knew I wanted it," he said, of the opportunity that came his way. "The reason I knew was because I knew it'd be an opportunity to learn more about the sport of bowling, and gain the experience of a first job at the same time. It's hard to say exactly what they saw in me, but I think they just saw me as some extra help in the pro shop, and maybe even someone as a future pro shop manager."
Whatever the reason was that Craig and Josh saw in the potential that Josh had, and has since showed time and again in the good customer service skills he delivers to their customers. It was a 'huge' opportunity for him to pick up the ball and run with it and he has.
"To have Josh and Craig take me under their wing was huge for me, and really gave me the motivation to learn the pro shop business, because they really didn't have to," he says, of his experience working there thus far. "I have learned so much at Virtue the last three years. This experience has continually helped improve my game, and increased my love for the game of bowling."
To those of you who have also known Josh for a while now, you may have noticed a big change in him as well.
"I used to be an incredibly shy kid, but Riley told me once 'to always do everything with confidence'. Even if I really didn't have the confidence to do it," he admits, when he first started working there. "Since then, I have used that philosophy in just about everything I do now. Even when I am out of the pro shop."
With the change in his physical attributes, also has come a change in his physical stature, too.
"I attribute my growth in the shop to all the different people who continue to teach me more and more about not only working in the shop, but teaching me anything and everything I want to know about the pro shop business," he says, of his personal growth over the last three years. "I feel I have grown a lot since working at Virtue. If I never would have gotten this job, then I would probably be a completely different person."
He has been drilling balls on his own now for a year, and can remember the first one he drilled. He also can't believe how much the game has constantly changed the last three years either.
"I've been drilling balls for about a year now. The first ball I drilled made me very nervous, but I felt accomplished after drilling it," he said, of the first time he used a drill press. "Equipment has changed a lot since I've been at Virtue. From new urethane to asymmetrical urethane, and now both symmetrical and asymmetrical at the same time."
Outside of his employers, Josh has a very supportive support group around him as well in his family. His dad, Joe, and his younger brother Justin are avid bowlers. His mother, Kristi, is active in the Mesa Strikers Youth League as its secretary. The Youth League bowls on Saturday morning at Brunswick Mesa. He is also the recipient of the Mesa Metro Boy of the Year award in 2016, and the AZ Star of Tomorrow award in 2017.
"My success as a junior bowler comes from everyone around me. By supporting me, and by the fact that I just absolutely love this sport so much," he says, of his success."To win the MMA Boy of the Year, meant a lot to me just in itself. But, then to win the Rising Star of Tomorrow award, was incredible. It just convinced me that I could really do anything I put my mind to."
It also helps him to have his entire family involved in the game of bowling. And, yes, they treat their involvment in the game of bowling like a family business.
"Having my family involved in bowling is like having a family business. We all know so much about the sport and anytime something happens in the sport, it is the topic of discussions at our house," he says, of his family's involvment in the game. "We support each other all the time. From going and watching each other bowl in tournaments to just talking about specific adjustments to make to our equipment. Or, to our game in itself."
Looking back on his junior bowling career, he doesn't think there was one particular moment that helped him earn these honors. He ended up posting a book average of 195 for 85 games in the Mesa Strikers Youth League last year.
"I wouldn't say that it was one particular event that gave me all the honor of winning these awards," he says, of the awards. "But, I would say that it was the people that got me here to the point that I am able to win all these awards. I have bowled in too many junior events to count them all, and I've placed in several of them. The one that stands out the most to me was the 2015 Tournament of Champions in Lake Havasu.
"I qualified for the singles portion by winning the all events category in the city tournament that year," he added. "I actually won the tournament and the reason I remember this moment so well, is because my whole team decided to stay up there and watch me bowl after they had already finished their events. I have not really bowled any JBT, but I did one and while I didn't place very well, it was a great experience."
Josh, a 2017 graduate of Valley Christian High School, and now a freshman at Mesa Community College (MCC), has succeeded in another area outside of bowling. Prior to graduating from VCHS last June, he had to choose a charity and raise money for the charity he chose. The charity he chose was 'Feed My Starving Children'
"I chose Feed My Starving Children for this fundraiser, because they are a Christian organization that I knew they were credible. They help children all over the world, and not just here in America," he said, of his charity. "Between the two tournaments (New Years eve of 2016 & 2017). We raised $1,314 in 16, and $1,722 in 17, for a total of $3,036."
He also believes there were two other factors that helped exceed his goal during the last two fund raisers.
"For the Charity I put on, I do think that God had a hand in that. To be able to pull that off once, and get that many people who are willing to come out and support the cause. But, then to do it again the next year with even more people. There is no way I could have pulled that off without Him," he says, of the divine intervention from above. "I definitely get support from the bowlers in Mesa. However, for the fund raiser in particular. I give the credit to God, because I know again, I could not do it without Him."
Two years ago. The Mesa Strikers started a Youth Sport League on Monday Night at Brunswick Mesa. Bowling next to the kids is the AZ Draft League. This adult league has some of the top bowlers in the Valley bowl in it as well. Grand Canyon University (GCU) head coach, Ben Canfield, bowls in the league. It bowls on sport patterns, too.
"To bowl in the youth sport league on Monday nights is definitely a challenge, and I always enjoy a challenge," he says, of bowling on sport patterns. "To bowl next to the GCU head coach is just another perk of bowling in the league. I have gotten advice from Ben, but he has not offered me a spot on the team yet."
In a recent Junior Gold qualifier that was held at Brunswick Kyrene Lanes in Chandler, (during the MMA Youth Tournament), Josh qualified for a spot in the under 20 age group at the Junior Gold Nationals. The Nationals will be held this summer in Texas. He also finished fourth in a recent Pepsi Sectional.
"At Junior Gold I really am just hoping I can enjoy the experience, and gain even more knowledge from it," he says, of the event this summer. "If I am able to win or get recognition for anything there. Then that will just be the icing on the cake. My game as of right now, I feel is in a good position physically. However, I know for a fact that my mental game is what needs work. That is what I plan to really work on in the future, and I hope to have it figured out for the most part by the time I will be in Dallas."
Arizona State Youth Bowling News - March 31, 2018