SPRINGDALE — When Bryant Ezell stepped up to the approach, holding his bowling ball by his side, his heart rate began to increase.
As he stared down the shiny lane and focused on the white pins arranged neatly at the end, Ezell couldn’t help but feel more nervous than ever before.
It was, after all, his first time to compete in a national tournament.
Ezell, who’ll be a sophomore at Fayetteville this fall, was one of the younger competitors at last week’s United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis. Out of more than 1,200 teenagers, he finished 187th, the best finish for any junior bowler from Arkansas.
It was a pleasing result considering he bowled a 137 in his first game, something Ezell calls one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of his life after only totaling a score of 40 by the fourth frame.
“I didn’t have any idea what to expect,” the 15-year-old said. “All these guys around me had been there before, they were bowling really well and I wasn’t doing too great. Around the fifth or sixth frame, I knew I had to step it up and finish with something respectable.”
After Ezell’s disappointing result to open the tournament, he continued to improve each game. After six games the first day, he was in 454th place.
“I just told myself that I had to regroup and not let it get to my head,” Ezell said. “I knew I had 12 games left in the qualifying rounds, so I just had to go out there and do my best.”
In the next two days, he shot a combined 120 pins better, including a 267 in the his 17th game of the tournament, to finish at No. 187.
Ezell missed the cut for the top 150 bowlers by only 38 pins, he said.
Despite missing the cut, Ezell was pleased with being able to get the experience of competing in a high-profile tournament, which he said is like competing at a “U.S. Open-type of event.”
Today, Ezell and his parents, Danny and Lisa, are traveling to Reno, Nev., so he can compete in another national tournament, the Teen Masters.
Although the field isn’t nearly as big as the Junior Gold Championships — only about 300 competitors — Ezell said having the experience of competing on a big stage with many spectators is something that’ll help him this weekend.
“My confidence in myself, it’s completely different,” said Ezell, who’s bowled seven perfect games in his life. “I’m still young, so I can continue getting better with myself and the way I compete on a big stage. I can now just concentrate on bowling high scores and trying to finish really high.”
Ezell, who also competes for Fayetteville’s bowling team, is confident he can finish in the top 10 this weekend if he’s able to post a few high scores in the opening rounds.
“I think my game is where it needs to be,” Ezell said. “I know what I need to do; I know I’m going to be confident in myself. Now I just have to go out there and do it.”