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Hernando Today

Polizzi Produces In Debut

File photo by TIM NEDDY

Spring Hill’s Chris Polizzi was the highest Hernando County finisher in last week’s Spring Hill Open.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: July 28, 2008

When the dust settled Saturday at Spring Hill Lanes, only one Hernando County bowler had survived the first day of the PBA South Region Spring Hill Open.

No, it wasn't defending champion Jason Mahr or any other adult bowlers who participated, but rather a youth bowler barely out of high school.

Spring Hill's Chris Polizzi, an 18-year-old who just graduated from Nature Coast Technical, where he anchored the state champion boys bowling team, finished 21st in the two-day tournament.

By virtue of that finish, Polizzi won $400 - a prize he could not collect as he still bowls in youth leagues. Instead that money goes into an account he can access for education or certain bowling-related activities.

"It was awesome bowling with the pros," Polizzi said. "It's nice knowing I could bowl as good as them and hang with them.

"They treated me like everybody else. They didn't know I was a youth bowler and since I was bowling good they treated me like everybody else."

Rising star

This marked the first PBA event Polizzi had ever bowled in, following a season in which he became perhaps the most accomplished youth bowler in county history.

Aside from his accomplishments at Nature Coast, where he served as captain and anchor for the past two seasons, he averaged 224 in two different winter leagues at Spring Hill Lanes and Mariner Lanes.

He has three 300 games within the last year and four overall, and bowled his first 800 series with an 802 on March 22 at Spring Hill Lanes.

"What kind of sets Chris above and beyond anyone around here, he has that desire," said Mahr, who helped prep Polizzi for the regional event. "He wants to be the best there is. I think that's what it takes. That's the mental edge he has over other kids. You can't teach that."

On July 13 Polizzi entered a sweeper for the regional, earning a berth into the Spring Hill Open by finishing second with a six-game total of 1,500.

"I thought I'd do good in it since I've been bowling a lot lately," Polizzi said. "And I want to try to get myself to the next level."

He certainly held his own, totaling 2,721 pins over 13 games in the two qualifying rounds. The top 16 advanced to the stepladder playoffs.

Polizzi rolled a 150 in the second day that he felt cost him a chance to advance further, but could boast scores of 259, 248, 246, 243 and 240 despite having no prior experience on the scorpion oil pattern.

Showing the experience of a seasoned veteran, Polizzi gained enough information during Friday's practice round and a 15-minute practice session prior to the start of the tournament on Saturday to make the necessary adjustments.

"It caught me by surprise," said Polizzi, who throws a hard sweeping hook across the lane. "A lot of oil. I had to slow everything down."

Polizzi said he never felt nervous, treating it like any other tournament. In fact he plans to bowl in another regional in October, though he will continue to bowl in youth leagues.

"I want to try to get a scholarship and I like the youth tournaments a lot," said Polizzi, who will attend Pasco-Hernando Community College. "Since I can bowl in regionals too, it's kind of the best of both worlds."

Mahr, who joined adult leagues at age 14, sees the potential in Polizzi but knows the hard road he'll face as a young bowler trying to leave his mark on the pro tour.

"I'd tell him to keep doing the things he's doing and try to keep bowling fun," Mahr said. "It starts to become a job when it hits that point. When it becomes a job it's more stressful, it doesn't become enjoyable anymore. I hope however far he goes he makes sure to have fun with it."

BY THE NUMBERS: CHRIS POLIZZI AT SPRING HILL OPEN
Place       Games    Pins        Average Prize
21st         13            2,721       209.31     $400

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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