Taylor Trach is the first North Battleford bowler since 1992 to win the provincial men's singles gold medal. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)
STRIKE!

Trach first North Battleford bowler to win provincial singles title since 1992

Apr 3, 2019 | 8:00 AM

It was a match 16 years in the making when Taylor Trach and Brad Moens stepped up to the lane to compete for the Men’s Singles title at the 2019 Open 5-pin Provincials.

The last time the North Battleford and Regina bowlers faced each other was during their last year with the Youth Bowling Council (YBC).

Thankfully for Trach, the head-to-head ended the same way it did that year — victory.

The 321-278 win made Trach the first bowler from North Battleford since 1992 to take home the gold medal. Alongside this, he earned gold in the Men’s Team event with colleagues from Cut Knife and Prince Albert. Adding to the feat, the team had never practiced together before arriving at the tournament due to the logistics.

“I didn’t make a team last year, which was the first time ever, and I said it was never going to happen again,” he said. “I worked really hard this year and it paid off.”

At the event this past weekend in Regina, Trach averaged 279.6 for the 10 game qualifying round and finished first overall, earning a direct birth in the singles final.

With the win, Trach will represent Saskatchewan at Nationals in Abbotsford and Surrey, B.C. He will participate in both the single’s and team event, setting up a possible 42 games in three days across both cities.

“I’m not 21 anymore so we will see how this old arm holds up,” he said with a laugh.

Taylor Trach is seen with the two gold medals he picked up in Regina this past weekend. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Trach has bowled for 32 years, first picking up a ball at the age of three. He was introduced to the lanes by his father, who was a competitive bowler, and mother, who just loved the sport.

“I got on the lanes and I wouldn’t leave. I just wanted to bowl,” he said, pointing to competition as the driving force behind his love of the game.

At four years old, his parents enrolled him in the YBC and he has never missed a year of bowling since.

Trach hits the lanes at least once a week with the professional league, but the owners of Gutters Bowling & Game Centre grant him the courtesy of occupying open lanes when he needs them to practice for competition.

In an effort to give back to the sport, Trach assists each Tuesday with the Youth Bowling League.

“The kids are the sport,” he said, highlighting how his eldest daughter is following in his footsteps. “Bowling [participation] comes in waves and it goes up and down and right now it is in a downward trend and there is not many kids bowling.

“You are not going to get the 40 and 50-year-olds out so you have to get them when they are young,” he said, adding the sport is financially accessible.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr

View Comments