Many of us disregard bowling as merely a hobby, a pastime even, but for senior Claire Turner, bowling is right up her alley. She discovered her passion early on in life; she was only five years old when she joined her first league ‘back home’ in Sauk Rapids, Minn. Turner’s parents were coaches of a high school team, and her older brother played as well, so this is how her interest for the sport began. Since then, she has bowled as often as possible, making it a routine to hit the lanes at least once per day.

Turner considers the sport to be her motivation, stating, “Bowling is a really great sport. You can never be perfect at it, and there will always be something to improve at.” This ideology has kept her hooked on the sport since day one as she continues to strive and better her performance on the lanes. Though Turner has never bowled a perfect 300, one of the most difficult goals to achieve in a career centered around bowling, she said, “I’ve been one frame away from getting a 300, which is pretty exciting. I hope someday I do achieve that perfect score.” Turner claims that her biggest struggle is keeping her head in the game with all of her surroundings while simultaneously attempting to improve her performance.

Turner addresses that with all of the positivity she’s been surrounded with, from her coaches, parents, and friends, she feels confident about her future in this career. “My parents are the reason I bowl. I’m thankful for that,” Turner said in regards to her supporters. She is also appreciative of all of the friends she’s made through the sport; she calls these people “the bowling community,” full of league members from Sheridan’s team.

Her proudest moment so far in her bowling career was when she found out she got the bowling scholarship she applied for, the Tulanes University Scholarship. This fall, Turner will be attending Tulanes University in New Orleans, La. She eagerly anticipates college as she continues to advance her skills in preparation.

Other than this amazing scholarship, Turner has also won various other awards throughout her bowling career, including State in Wyoming and back home in Minnesota. She also won the Pepsi award, given to various youth bowlers who dedicate their time to prove that they are advanced in the sport. Her performance in the annual youth PEPSI tournament in 2012 earned her this award. Alongside these major awards, she has also earned various awards from several different tournaments for her performances at the alley.

In addition to bowling, Turner has participated in track and soccer in her past, but bowling has always been her favorite sport. She finds her happiness out on the lanes and is sure of her adoration for this career. Turner addresses that her biggest goal in life is to become a pro bowler, which she has without a doubt worked hard to earn. “Bowling has made me work much harder for what I want, and taught me that hard work pays off.”

Claire is the daughter of Garth and LoriJo Turner.