Local youth bowler keeps rolling the ball down the lane
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Patti McGarvey
Special to the Sun
A Squirrel Valley youth bowler Gabriella Mayfield took to the lanes for the first time at the age of ten, like a duck takes to water.
Bowling seems to come natural for Mayfield now 14. She currently has a 205 average and has been rolling in some impressive scores and earning scholarship money.
Mayfield recalls the very first time she threw a 300 game, it happened on June 18, 2007. Mayfield mentioned when it came to her last throw she was nervous, her hands were shaking and then, “I decided to throw the ball and it was a strike, it felt amazing,” Mayfield said.
On Sept. 20, Mayfield received her first place awards at the Bowlers Veteran Link State Tournament in Bakersfield at the Regency Bowling Lane.
Mayfield had finished in first place at the district event which enabled her to represent the Golden Empire at the state level in San Rafal.
This is the second time Mayfield has won the first place title in the Classic girls scratch division; she was presented with a personalized sports jacket, a watch, medal and a pin. Some of her other achievements came in May when she was invited to bowl at the National Girls Tournament in Las Vegas, NV. The top 60 girls in the country were asked to compete and at the end of the tournament Mayfield finished at a respectable 13th place for her first national event.
Mayfield has also competed at the Firecracker Shoot-Out in Ventura, this was a three-day 36 game tournament, and because of her talents she was placed in the older division (age 15-22) because of her high average. In the end, Mayfield was pleased to finish eighth place out of 65 bowlers.
Mayfield has bowled in the Junior World Team Challenge, this event took place in Las Vegas, NV, and for this event she partnered up with Casey Landers from Mission Hills, CA, together they took first place in the girl’s doubles category.
Mayfield was elected Youth Director of the Kern County and has her coaching certificate from Fresno State; she currently bowls in the Junior Amateur Tour, the Golden Empire Traveling Tournament, and the Saturday Youth League at the Regency Lanes in Bakersfield and the Friday Youth Adult League at the Mt. Mesa Lanes.
Starting out at age ten, shortly thereafter she bowled a 200 game, and after trying several other sports, it was then that she fell in love with the sport of bowling. Within three years Mayfield will be attending Fresno State, her goal is to study business, Chemistry, Science, and Biology.
Mayfield has already been invited to be part of the Fresno State bowling team and after college she hopes to be on the USA team, then onto becoming a professional bowler.
“I would like to earn a living bowling,” Mayfield said.
From her outstanding record and goals set, she certainly has a lot of talent and it is not only in her fingertips. She gives much credit to her father Dan Mayfield for his coaching and support, as well as to Bill LaThorpe and John Hjelmtrom.
Mayfield also mentioned her appreciation for the support from Mark Preston of James Sierra Gateway, she said, “Thank you so much for everything you have done for me and my family.”
