Traverse City Central's Vreeland, Benzie Central's Fryer inducted into TC bowling hall of fame

May 5—TRAVERSE CITY — Make it an even 70 for the Traverse City Bowling Association Hall of Fame.

A pair of area high school coaches — Traverse City Central's Sharon Vreeland and Benzie Central's Chip Fryer — were enshrined as the 2024 inductees at a banquet in mid-March, honoring the longtime laneswoman and lanesman for their continued contributions to the sport of bowling.

"Their induction was extremely well-deserved," TCBA Hall of Fame board chairman Eric Porter said. "Not only for their contributions to the game but for their performance on the lanes. They're both extremely good bowlers."

Vreeland has been participating and competing in league bowling for three decades. The high-average bowler has a best game of 289 with three 700-or-higher series. Although she has yet to roll a perfect game, Vreeland has thrown 16 consecutive strikes across two games.

She has also served two six-year terms on the bowling association's board and has been a league officer in some form or fashion — be it secretary, treasurer or president — for 10 years. Her coaching tenure at Central stretches back 13 years, with the last seven being as head coach.

"These are your peers saying, 'You're pretty cool, and we want to recognize that,'" Vreeland said on being inducted. "That's the part that makes it really special. I'm honored to be included with this great bunch of people."

And that includes Fryer, who became the first TCBA Hall of Fame inductee who does not put his thumb in the ball.

In his 32 years of league bowling, Fryer has nine perfect 300 games and four series over 800. Along with being the Benzie Central coach for the last 20 years, Fryer has also served on the TCBA board of directors as the manager, president and board director.

"For me, it's the top of the mountain," Fryer said of being a Hall of Famer. "There are some really good bowlers in Traverse City — Eric Porter, Marcus Oien, Robin Blackburn. Two out of the three of those guys are in the Hall of Fame, and Marcus will be there someday, no doubt. The level of competition is crazy, it's phenomenal."

The TCBA Hall of Fame was created in 2000 when four men and four women were the first class of inductees. That banquet was attended by about 60 guests, according to Porter. The 2024 banquet had nearly 240 people in attendance.

"It's blossomed into this wonderful thing on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of March," Porter said. "There's been bowling in Traverse City since the '40s, and to have a select group of 70 people honored is pretty special. I'm sure there are people that we're missing or who have been forgotten, but we're doing our best."

Vreeland and Fryer are not only fellow coaches, but they're good bowling buddies as well; so they were thrilled to be inducted together. But Fryer knew the good news before Vreeland did because the announcements are made on the inductee's league night. Vreeland said she was curious why Fryer was hanging around on her league night.

"He had this look on his face, and it took me like a half hour to realize that he got inducted, too," Vreeland said. "It was so great being inducted alongside him. This is truly a community award."

"We're all one big family," Fryer said. "Yeah, we come from different areas and different backgrounds, but when you walk into a bowling alley, this is my sister and I'm her brother. We all look after each other."

For the two head coaches, that means looking after their high school players, too.

"I have them for a few hours a week to coach them. But away from the lanes and outside those doors, it's teaching them to be good people — being responsible, being respectful," Fryer said. "You want them to be someone that other people can look at and say, 'That's a good person right there.'"

Fryer said 12 former Benzie bowlers showed up to the Hall of Fame induction banquet to support him.

"Being able to stand in front of them and say, 'I wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for you kids. You made this possible' — that meant the world to me," he said.

Vreeland and Fryer would like to see even more high school students come out for bowling in the coming years.

"Some of our teams were a little light this year, so we need more kids — especially girls," Vreeland said. "Kids have a lot to do, and parents have a lot to do; but it's a great sport to be a part of."

Vreeland said bowling is a game for anyone and everyone.

"They get to be part of a team and learn and grow with that team," Vreeland said. "That's what I love about bowling."

Vreeland's love for bowling might only be matched by her love for coaching.

"That moment when you see it click and all of a sudden they jump to the next level, that's amazing," she said. "You're not just their teacher or their coach, you're their mentor. So much of what they're bringing in every day isn't about the bowling. You're helping them get through the other things in life and finding a way that bowling can help with that."

Now, both Vreeland and Fryer get to look across the northern Michigan bowling landscape and see bowlers they once coached continuing to grow the game as adults.

"To see them go from being your student to becoming an adult and watching how they're still growing and being better, it's the best," Vreeland said. "Any coach will help any kid from any team because we are here for the whole thing. We're here to make it better for everyone."