Bowling lanes have been a home for Matt Sanders from a very young age. Growing up at Arc Lanes, where his father was once the general manager, Sanders (a graduate of F.J. Reitz High School and Marian University, Indianapolis) bowled his first game at the age of 3.
“I spent a lot of my extra time following my dad around and rolling the ball down the lane,” says Sanders, who now resides in Indianapolis. “There was just something about knocking those 10 pins down that kept me coming back.”
The 25-year-old professional bowler became a member of the Professional Bowling Association in 2017, and in that same year was named PBA Rookie and won his first PBA Tour title.
What is a typical day like for you?
Matt Sanders: When I’m not at a tournament, I’m usually practicing or spending time in the gym. Tournament days are different — they can be extremely short days where we bowl six or seven games, or they can be 16 games or more.
What is something about professional bowling people wouldn’t know?
Matt Sanders: The best bowlers in the world aren’t widely recognized in public compared to other sports. Bowling used to be one of the biggest professional sports years ago. Luckily, there is a new TV deal with FOX that could be a great thing for the sport.
Do you have a specific technique you use when you bowl?
Matt Sanders: Today’s game is all about power, while still having the accuracy and touch to be able to bowl on different patterns from week to week. I’m not considered a power player by most people, but my rev rate is considerably higher than what most people think. Most talk about my smooth arm swing, so I believe that is what throws people off when comparing me to some other bowlers.
King Pin
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