by Dennis Dalman
When Kaleb Kuklok goes to Indianapolis this summer, he will have his loyal fan club along with him – mother Allison, father Jamie, sister Abigail, 15, and both sets of grandparents.
They will drive to the tournament.
Kuklok, 16, is a member of the Sartell High School Bowling Team. He qualified for individual national competition this July in Indiana.
It’s not the first time he qualified for a national bowling tournament. Last year, he competed in the individual Junior Gold competition in Muskegon, Mich.
This mid-summer, he and his “fan club” (as his mother calls it) will take a “family road trip” to Indianapolis. They’ll arrive there July 14 for three days of bowling practice followed by the tournament competition on July 17.
This past season, Kuklok averaged a score of 205 per game. A maximum score per game is 300.
“At a (nationals) tournament, there is a lot of pressure the first few days (practice sessions),” Kuklok said. “After that, I can kind of relax.”
A “first” this year for Kuklok is that it took him only one statewide competition this past season to qualify for the national tournament. That happened when he bowled exceedingly well at games held in Little Falls. High-school bowlers, to qualify for nationals, usually have to bowl in a series of tournaments in cities throughout the state.
He started bowling when he was in the fifth grade and took to it right away. He often bowled at Great River Bowl in Sartell and still practices there almost every day. Not surprisingly, he has a job during the school year at that bowling alleyl. Kuklok, who loves to golf too, has a summer job at Blackberry Ridge Golf Course, also in Sartell.
He owns 12 bowling balls, each one with its own subtle differences. For example, even humidity in a bowling alley can affect how a particular bowl rolls down the lane.
He’s also earned plenty of trophies, plaques and medals and has also accrued scholarship money because winners in tournaments receive scholarships as well as trophies. Three years ago, he and the Sartell High School Bowling team won first place in the state championship.
During an interview with the Newsleader, Kuklok said his favorite school subject is math.
“It’s a lot of fun to watch him bowl” said his mother, Allison, a member of his traveling fan club. “He’s so level-headed, and he’s made so many great friendships through bowling. He’s a natural.”
Asked during the interview if he ever gets any gutter balls, Kuklok chuckled and said, “Not too often but once in awhile.”
Kaleb Kuklok, 16, of Sartell, participated in the Junior Gold bowling national tournament in Muskegon, Mich. This photo was taken during that tournament. This year he qualified for another national individual tournament. It will take place in mid-July in Indianapolis.
