Four Ladies Come Together To Win The 50th Annual Champion Of Chamions Tournament At Rim Country Bowl.
The Event Features Teams Who Won Their League Championship In The MMA, During The 2018-19 Season. 48 Teams Participated This Year. The Division They Won Was The Four Person Women's Handicapped Division. Teams Who Won Their Division From The Previous Years Tournament Are Also Invited To Participate.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg - Managing Editor - thetenpinexpress.com - Director Mesa Metro Association.
Pictured Left To Right: The Unbowlievables From Rim Contry Bowl In Payson: Maura, Nelly, Jackie, and Paula.
Payson, AZ. - - - We hope that the Las Vegas Tourism and Convention Bureau, will not get upset at us for borrowing one of their famous catch phrases for a minute. But, here it goes.
What happens in Payson, Arizona stays in Payson, Arizona.
And what happened in Payson on Sunday June 29, 2019: Four ladies from the Alley Cats women's bowling league at Rim Country Bowl mde sure it stayed in Payson.
By the end of this day, four ladies who make up the team Unbowlievable didn't know it then but, the 2,561 score they rolled in the four person women's handicapped division would, indeed hold up to win this division. Those four ladies are: team captain, Paula Knight; Maura Mastin; Jackie Dinardi; and Nelly Diestler.
This was the 50th annual Mesa Metro Tournament of Champions. The first which was held in 1969, is a fun tournament that brings league champions together for a fun two-day event. Every other year, the tournament is staged at Rim Country Bowl. So, those of us who live in the East Valley can escape the heat that dominates the desert floor for a couple of days.
Located in Northern Gila County, Payson is located 87 miles north of Mesa, on the Beeline Highway. At an elevation of 5,003 feet, the area is also known as the 'Heart of Arizona.' It is also part of the Mogollon Rim and the Tonto National Forest.
"Simple and peaceful. Ten minutes from anywhere gets you to your destination," said Paula, of living in a community where you don't have to worry about driving in rush hour traffic. "All of the summer nights here are cool with countless stars overhead. Four wonderful moderate seasons and you usually see someone you know at a local store."
For those of you who have never visited and bowled at Rim Country Bowl, it is a 16-lane Brunswick equipped bowling center with a full service bar and snack bar.
"We Paysonites love it that we don't have to go to Phoenix in July," Paula said. "For the C of C, or anything."
When news breaks in Payson of someone doing something big there, you can imagine that it won't take long for the word to get out in this small mountain community.
"It was un-bowl-ievable," said Paula, when she was informed by MMA Association Manager, Leslie Marsh that her team won their division. "We were stunned when told the news. During the tournament, two of us couldn't hit our average to save us. It meant that our star bowlers: Jackie and Maura carried us through the event."
While the four ladies got a lot of accolades from those they know in Payson, none of the media outlets up there, picked up the ball and ran with their accomplishment. But, we did.
"Not much fanfare," she said. "There is very little said or promoted about the local lanes. We might have gotten more press, if we rode a Bronco in the rodeo.
Paula arrived in Payson in 2004. She was only a part-time bowler while living in the southern part of the U.S. She bowled off and on in a church and women's league as a young adult. When she first arrived in Payson, she visited Rim Country Bowl and found a team that would take her in. She previously worked as an airline agent in Little Rock, Ark. Maura, an AZ native now retired, is a very active bowler and has bowled in many leagues throughout the state. She was a former employee of Century Link and Freeport Mining. Originally from South Dakota, Jackie has been bowling since her childhood days. Nelly, is a former employee of Motorolla. She didn't start bowling until she became an adult. She was a real trooper to fill in at the last minute when one of the original teammates couldn’t participate.
"The Alley Cat ladies are a wonderful mix of mostly retirees-several in their 80's and a handful of 'youngsters'. Always a good game of 'bowling poker' and 50-50 draw for some friendly competition to win cash. There are potlucks for holidays, and end-of-the-year no tap games," said Paula, of the happenings in her league. "Several bowlers have lost their spouses in the past few years, and there is always love and support and encouragement for those now going it alone. We're hoping for a very full year as all ten teams have a complete list of four bowlers on their team and are ready to roll."
But, her bowling plans for 2019-20, are to keep it simple.
"My bowling plans are to continue bowling at the alleys," she said. "Keep a decent average, and strive to get to the top again."
When the Chicago Cubs opened their home Cactus League spring training schedule at Sloan Park in Mesa, on Saturday February 23, Payson was experiencing a major snow event, where many parts of the community were being hit with over 30 inches of snow.
"It was absolutely beautiful, but there was no way to get out. All of the roads in town were covered with snow. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I had to wade through it to get to the barn and feed the horses. We were somewhat prepared, so I just stayed home and threw another log on the fire," she said, of going through this experience. "Since we stocked up on groceries, pet food and firewood, we didn't need to go out. It took about four days to get all of the roads cleared and Payson came back to life again."
Outside of experiencing one major snow fall every once in-a-while. Paula says experiencing winters in Payson is not that difficult at all. "Not difficult at all. Fortunately, we don't have the extreme cold of the mid-west. Once in a while, there will be a little ice on the side roads to navigate. But, it usually melts within 24 hours," she said, of the winter months in Payson. "But, you do have to put on another layer of clothing and show off your new winter clothes. Most residents I know look forward to any snowfall, which as a rule, is minimal. Unlike this past February."
So, that leads to the final question: How important is it to have a recreational facility there like Rim Country Bowl.
"Very important to be able to get in a little exercise, and see good friends once a week indoors no matter how hot or how cold it is outside," she said, of having Rim Country Bowl in town.
It is very important for the MMA to have Rim Country Bowl in town, too! Hopefully, we will see you there for the 52nd Annual C of C event in 2021.
Mesa Metro Bowling News September 11, 2019