Dollars for bowling: Pleasant's Carter Colby works to bowl, earns Fahey Bank Award

MARION — Instead of "Bowling for Dollars," it's dollars for bowling for Carter Colby.

He works to support his habit of bowling.

"Bowling, gas and car insurance," the Pleasant junior said what his income goes toward while working at a grocery store. "I spent 80% of all my paychecks from working on bowling. My family provided financial aid as well."

It's proven to be money well spent.

Colby became the first Pleasant bowler to ever roll a perfect game during a match earlier this winter, and he's a key member of the undefeated boys bowling team the has rewritten every record at the school.

"He’s a second-year bowler who has worked his tail off," Pleasant coach Bill Ludwig said. "He spent probably $3,000 to $4,000 in practice from last year to this year. The kid’s in the bowling center five to six days a week, and it’s not just one game or two games. It’s six or eight at a time. The kid has put so much work into his game."

More on Colby's perfect game: Perfection: Carter Colby becomes first Pleasant bowler to roll a 300 game

How Pleasant's girls team fared: Striking out leads to a championship for Pleasant during the MOAC Girls Bowling Tourney

Late to bowling

Colby wrestled for 11 years, but he tired of the grind. Last year, two of his best friends — Nolan Ludwig and Dawson Hall, who are elite bowlers — convinced him to give their sport a try.

"They needed more players on the team. I ended up going along with a couple other buddies," Colby said.

It proved to be a wise decision.

Colby was a part of last year's squad that went back to the Division II state tournament in Columbus, Though he was a sub on that team, he saw a future on the lanes and became determined to be a part of the lineup going forward.

That's where the grocery work to pay for his bowling work came into being.

"I bowled about 20 games a week and focused on the things I was bad at," he said of his regimen. "I used to throw it one handed with no thumb, and it was just inconsistent. I switched to two hands, and that’s when I started to see improvement and major potential. I started to improve from there."

Numbers don't lie

As a newcomer, Colby showed raw talent, averaging 170 pins per game in his first season. Today, he averages over 205 in all matches and nearly 203 in Mid Ohio Athletic Conference play.

"I basically got help from people on my team who are better than me and from my coaches, he said. "I kind of improved it a little bit day by day."

According to Colby's coach, the difference is in his spare shooting.

"Week-in and week-out, that kid improved all year long," Ludwig said. "I know his stats and numbers don’t show it, but you want a consistent bowler all year long. He’s 190 to 210 or 215 all year. If he had a 170, he came back with a 220 or 230 just to average out. I think he finished at 205 or 206 on the year.

"To raise your average 35 pins in one year, you can tell he put a lot of work and effort into it. He made it consistent and that’s what bowling is. You’ve got to be consistent and repeatable and keep the ball in play."

Fahey Bank Award winner

The 300 game against Highland earlier this winter and his top five average in the MOAC were big reasons why Colby earned his first Fahey Bank Athlete of the Month Award for January among Marion County boys.

"It’s pretty good and I’m glad I was able to show all the hard work I was able to put in over the summer," he said. "I definitely wanted it. I didn’t think it was going to come as soon as it did, but I’m glad I’m up there."

After helping the team to the MOAC Boys Bowling Tournament victory where he finished fourth overall with a 185-201-193 579 series, and after a 10-0 season in league play with two in-season tournament championships earned in Bucyrus, Colby and the Spartans are ready to make a third pilgrimage to the Division II state tourney. That will held at a familiar site, moving from Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl to HP Lanes, home of their sectional and district tourneys.

"I’m hoping to improve as a team and an individual," Colby said. "I really want that state title. We all do. We have this year and one more year after that to get it. That’s the main goal."

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Fahey Bank Athlete of the Month

● January boys nominees

● Winner: Carter Colby, junior, Pleasant bowling.

● Tyler Pasma, senior, Elgin wrestling.

● Ayden Kenney, senior, River Valley basketball.

● Ridge Barkley, senior, Marion Harding wrestling.

● Eric Gottfried, sophomore, Ridgedale basketball.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Fahey Bank Award: Pleasant junior Carter Colby works to be perfect