Dayton Daily News

Urbana bowler Cook honored

- Bowling

Team comes first for Kyle Cook, but the Urbana University senior’s most recent honor was an individual one. Cook was recognized as runner-up for the Internatio­nal Bowling Media Associatio­n (IBMA) Collegiate Bowler of the Year Award.

“It was the icing on top of the cake that was my college bowling career,” Cook said. “I just can’t believe how fast these last four years went by.”

The Centervill­e High School graduate was also recognized as an All-American for a second consecutiv­e year.

“It definitely makes me think about how much hard work I’ve put in and how it paid off,” he said.

Cook, 22, started pushing the ball down the lane when he was 3. It wasn’t until he was 12 or 13, however, that he got serious about the game.

“That’s when I first wanted to be good and be competitiv­e,” he said.

While he was a standout at Centervill­e, he took his game to another level when he suited up with the Blue Knights.

“College bowling pretty much improved every aspect of my game,” Cook said. “My spare shooting, my ability to read lane conditions and make adjustment­s, my stamina.”

Cook and his Urbana teammates made four consecutiv­e appearance­s at the Intercolle­giate Team Championsh­ips, finishing a program-best second in 2014.

“I was very fortunate that I never experience­d a season when we didn’t go to nationals,” Cook said. “It was a great run.”

He maintained a 213.9 average in his final season with the Blue Knights and has a personal best high average of 239 in league play. While the collegiate stage of his career has ended, Cook has no intention of hanging up his bowling shoes.

Cook plans to compete in several tournament­s this summer including the Proprietor­s Cup and the Kentucky Open. He also plans to bowl in the PBA Xtra Frame Kenn-Feld Group Classic in Coldwater in August and, ultimately, obtain his PBA card.

And while his collegiate accomplish­ments are a point of pride for Cook, there is one thing that would make him even happier — if his younger sister Megan, a bowler at Duquesne, could top them.

“I hope she demolishes everything I’ve done,” Cook said, smiling. “That would be even better.”

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