Youth Bowler From Middletown Experiences Success In New League

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A young bowler from Middletown recently experienced tremendous success as a member of the new Connecticut ICS Youth Bowling League in its first year of operation.

The league’s approximately 55 bowlers won a combined total of almost $15,000 in scholarships between the organization’s launch in September 2023 and the conclusion of the tournament season this spring.

Tristan Shepard, an incoming seventh-grader at CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering, was one of two league members to win a spot in the highly competitive Junior Gold Championships national tournament in Detroit, where he competed in early July. Shepard qualified for his berth at Junior Gold by winning first place in the U12 Boys division of the Connecticut Pepsi Tournament in March. He also was a member of “CT ICS 11,” the four-person team that won second place in its division in the 2024 Greater Central Connecticut (GCC) USBC Youth Tournament; and he won third place in doubles in the 2023 Connecticut State USBC Adult/Youth Tournament in December in his division with his partner, Mike Merritt.

In its first year, the league produced two qualifiers for the Junior Gold Championships national tournament in Detroit; the singles and doubles champions of the U.S. Eastern Region of TNBA (The National Bowling Association); and the Connecticut USBC youth singles state champion.

In addition, Connecticut ICS Youth League bowlers won the top titles in the Connecticut USBC Adult/Child Tournament and its all-events male and female categories; and the Greater Central Connecticut USBC’s championships in singles, doubles, all-events male, and all-events female.

Parents of bowlers from throughout central Connecticut launched the league last year as a nonprofit to help their children develop in the sport, earn scholarship money, and build an inclusive, welcoming community with families from all backgrounds and interests.

Youth bowlers do not need previous experience, and can join as early as 5 years old.

Participants bowl in teams each Saturday morning at Silver Lanes and can also choose to compete in a variety of tournaments as teams, singles, or doubles. The league also holds holiday parties, a year-end banquet, free coaching before the Saturday sessions, and other events.

The league is run by a board of parents, all of whom undergo background checks and receive Safe Sport Certification through the U.S. Center for Safe Sport, as do the league’s USBC-certified coaches.

In addition to scholarships that members may win in tournaments, each graduating senior who has been an active participant for at least two years receives a $250 scholarship from the league.

The Connecticut ICS Youth League is supported by member dues, fundraising and sponsorships, including a new program in which companies and organizations can “sponsor” a bowler by funding their $250 scholarship in advance and receiving personalized updates on the bowler’s progress, publicity in league news releases, and other benefits in appreciation.

Registrations are underway for the youth league’s fall session, which starts Sept. 7 and takes place every Saturday morning at Bowlero Hall of Fame Silver Lanes in East Hartford. More information is available at ctyouthbowling.org.