Coldwater graduate Austin Burden makes the most of practime time Friday at Community Lanes, in Minster. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Just four months out of high school, Coldwater’s Austin Burden prepares to compete at bowling’s highest level this weekend in the Kremer Roofing Classic, in Minster.
Minster, OH – Coldwater graduate Austin Burden smiled at the question, “Are you prepared to bowl against these guys?”
Meaning, the field of about 70 PBA touring pros competing this weekend at the 5th annual Kremer Roofing Classic at Community Lanes, in Minster.
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“I want to try,” he answered Friday, following 90 minutes of practice time on the familiar lanes at Community, a frequent host for MAC Conference league play during the winter months.
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“I bowled a 300 here in the sectional tournament,” he offered. “You just have to adjust to the lane conditions as the day goes on. Today was about seeing which ball works best with oil patterns, and experimenting with the adjustments. It’s bowling, and that’s part of the game.”
But the PBA game is a whole ‘nuther game than what he feasted on at Coldwater, averaging 220.4 this past season against teams from the Midwest Athletic Conference. Like many bowlers, Burden was a veritable strike-throwing machine on those days that bowlers dream about…and on those days that bowlers dread, he fought to keep his composure, patience, and to make the proper adjustments. A lefthander with a violent torque delivery to impart spin on the ball, there’s a lot of moving parts to conquer for him to be his best. Friday he was trying to overcome summer downtime due to work to put it all back together in time for Saturday’s qualifying rounds.
Starting with his nerves. This is his first PBA regional experience. Is he prepared?
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“Tomorrow will probably be different,” he says. “But the practice rounds really don’t bother me. I’m bowling with Michael Davidson tomorrow, and he drills my bowling balls for me at Bowlerstore.com. So that’s an advantage for me.”
Graduating last May, a year prior I had written about Austin as a junior, and he said at the time…”I’d like to see what I could do at the next level of bowling.”
Then, and now…Austin Burden averaged 220.4 at Coldwater in the spring. “I’d be happy if I could average 200, or even 190, in my first PBA event,” he says.
That time is upon him this weekend and he’s done about as much as humanly possible, while working, to prepare.
“I’ve updated my equipment (bowling balls), and I’ve worked on my spare-making. Generally, I’ve just tried to make my game stronger. My goal my senior year was to average 220, and I told myself if I could do that I would bowl a PBA regional to test myself against more competition. It’ll be a learning experience. This is my first step. If I do well I would consider bowling next week at Coldwater. If I can start at this level, and then improve my game, I might consider trying to go professional later.”
His preparation time has been limited by work. He helps a farmer in Celina with his cattle and chores. This week he limbered up for the weekend by baling hay…which makes him unique amongst the rest of the bowlers in the field. He’s the only one with experience with both a bowling ball and a New Holland hay baler.
Over the fall and winter he plans to work at Crown while bowling in leagues to improve his game…which is impressive as is when he finds that certain match of bowler against the lane conditions. When he’s on he’s capable of rolling one thunderous strike after another, as evidence by his 220 average last winter and a 300 game in sectional tournament play.
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“He’s a good bowler,” says his Saturday pair partner Michael Davidson. “Like everyone else he’ll have to adjust to the lane conditions as they change throughout the day. That, and manage his emotions. I’m anxious to see how he does.”
“My high school coach (Rick Hartings) told me to just go out and give it a shot,” Burden says. “He told me that based on what I did in high school if I give it my best he thinks I can do it.”
He’ll have to prevail through an 8-game qualifying round on Saturday, a grueling contrast to the two individuals and five Baker games that he was accustomed to in high school.”
“I’ve bowled thirty games before,” he smiles. “I’m not concerned about that. But I’ll have to find the right ball motion, the right speed, and how the ball reacts on the lane. I throw the ball with a lot of revs and sometimes it’s hard for me to control that…get the revs and the ball speed right at the same time.
“I would consider it a good day if I could average 200, or even 190. I’d be really happy if I could do that. That’s my goal. I’ll be feeling pretty good when I walk out the door if I could do that in my first PBA event.”
If they didn’t know before, after this announcement there’ll be some curiosity on Saturday when he steps up…takes his chances against tour champions, Major champions, and the best in the world. That is, of course, until he bowls that first 220 game, or better. Then it’ll be business as usual.
Austin Burden competing in a PBA tournament.
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