Bay Area bowler honored for 55 years of success
TAMPA (FOX 13) - A Bay Area bowler is being honored for 55 years of history-making rolls.
Lucy Sandeland sounds more like a mathematician than a star bowler as she calculates her scores. At 61, Lucy is the nation's top female senior bowler.
"I'm being honored by the bowling writers as the 2017 Senior Female Bowler of the Year," Lucy said.
This is not the first time she's received this honor.
"I actually won this award two other times. Once in 2007 and once in 2013," said Lucy. "But winning it this year was huge. It was something on my bucket list."
Lucy's love affair with bowling started when she was 6.
"Loved rolling the ball down the lane seeing the pins fall," Lucy explained.
Coaches started noticing Lucy's bowling skills when she was in her teens.
"I just loved how I felt. I loved the rhythm of the sport. I love making my ball do different things on the lane and I just enjoyed being out there," Lucy added.
She became the first American woman to win the AMF Bowling World Cup in 1976.
"It's kind of cool. I'm very proud of it," Lucy said.
Lucy believes hard work has led to her success.
"Anybody can do it, but not everyone can master it. You have too put the time in," Lucy said.
She has been on the Female Senior Tour for 11 years and shows no signs of slowing down.
"I'm going to bowl until I die. I mean, I love the game," Lucy said.
Lucy coaches and teaches bowling. She will pick up her award in Las Vegas later this month.