This is an exclusive interview with Verity Crawley, arguably the best female bowler from England.

Her name is Verity Crawley. She is a professional ten pin bowler, born and raised in England. She started bowling when she was just 5 years old, and she first competed for Junior Team England when she was only 12.

At age 18, she moved to the United States to pursue her education and bowling career. Since then, she has continued living in the U.S, taking her Bowling career to the professional level at the PWBA tour. She has been competing as a Pro for the last four years.

We will learn her Bowling career, advice, and opinions on today’s view of the bowling world. Let’s jump right in.

Verity, What Are Your Bowling Career Highlights So Far?

“I am the first female bowler from England to join the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA). I have had four runner up finishes on the PWBA tour (2nd place) but yet to capture that first title.”

“I won three national championships with Webber International University and I coached Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to a national championship.”

What was your favorite moment in your bowling career?

“Shooting my first ever 300 at the European Youth Championships. It will always hold a special place in my heart for many reasons. My family was with me, cheering me on and it means so much to me that they got to witness such a special moment. I went on to win gold in singles and I also won two bronze medals at that event.”

What does Bowling mean to you?

“It’s like asking what does breathing mean to me. It’s what I do. I don’t know what I would do without it. Bowling has always been a part of my life, it is my passion, I want to become the best in the world and I will never stop developing as a player.”

Why Bowling and not something else?

“I just fell in love with the sport. The thrill of competing, the frustration of losing, the happiness of improving. I love working on my game and I always have, going to practice makes me happy.”

“Being in a bowling centre makes me happy. I learnt at a young age that I had some talent for the sport, but I always just wanted to beat the people around me. I continued working and working and I just did not have the same drive for any other sports.”

Do you think that Bowling is a sport?

“Bowling is a game, one that you can participate in at many different levels. I think that is what makes bowling so great. I could bowl at 5 years old, but I can still continue to bowl at 85 years old. As a professional, I compete in a sport environment at the highest level. However, there is a recreational level which is why it is often just seen as a ‘hobby’ or something ‘fun to do’.”

On a side note from me, I had never thought of a better explanation to tell others that Bowling can be practiced on different levels, hence it could be a game or a sport depending on the “competitive” factor. Thank you for that Verity.

Let’s continue…

Do you consider yourself an Athlete? Why?

“Definitely. I physically train to become stronger, I work on my mental game, I watch my nutrition, I study the sport. There is no ‘qualification’ as to what it takes to be an athlete, however the noun athlete actually comes from the Greek word athletes, meaning “contestant in the games”. That I am!”

What does it take to be an Elite Bowler?

“A lot of heartbreak. A lot of hours in the bowling centre. A strong mind. A will to become the best you can be. And a lot of passion for the sport.”

If someone tells you that Bowling is not a sport and what you do is a joke, what would you say to that person?

“Come and bowl 30 games in two days with me, and then we can have a discussion.”

Solid answer, thanks for that Verity!

What would you do to let the world know that Bowling should be in the Olympics?

“I would love to get bowling on TV more. Whether I am competing or not, the world needs more exposure to the sport. I think the PBA and PWBA are doing great with getting new TV deals. I think us professionals are doing a great job of promoting ourselves on social media, however somehow we need to break through into the world outside of bowling.”

If I may, that’s one of the core reasons why I created Athletic Bowling in the first place. I want to find a way to break through that invisible wall that is preventing us, professional athletes/bowlers, to compete at the Olympic level and become recognized as Athletes in the mainstream.

What’s the Best Tip you would share with everyone to improve their Bowling game?

“There are so many. However, I firmly believe working on your mental game and learning how to have a positive mindset and truly believe in yourself is key. You have to believe, deep down that you are the best and that you can do anything.”

Well, that sums up this exclusive interview with one of, if not the best, female bowlers of England, Verity Crawley. I truly hope you learned something important from this interview.

Please share in the comments what was your main takeaway from this interview? I’m curious to learn from you as well.