Chasing the Dream with YBT Athlete Madison Janack

By Michael Cousins

In today’s blog, we will be interviewing one of the best youth bowling has to offer. She is an intense competitor, a devoted student of the game, and a true champion on and off the lanes. Today, we are interviewing Madison Janack

What are you searching for when you travel to bowl in tournaments?

“First of all my goal is to be one of the very best bowlers in the country. Therefore, when I travel to tournaments, my goal is always to win. And I truly believe that I can do it. I feel that every time I shoe up and compete I have a chance to win. Otherwise, why bowl in the first place? But we all know that winning doesn’t come easily. For example: one of the greatest bowlers of all time, Walter Ray Williams Jr., has won over 100 PBA Titles – which is amazing – but he has bowled in over 1000 events in his career. This statistic illustrates just how difficult it is to win on a consistent basis.”

When you don’t win – which inevitably happens – what are you trying to get out of the event?

“When I am not bowling my best which, let’s face it, like all bowlers, happens sometimes, I always look for what I can improve on or what I could have done differently (making a ball change earlier when the lanes are transitioning, spare shooting, etc.). If I am going to bowl bad, I am going to learn from it and do my best to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. So when I bowl in any tournament, win or lose, I go home with something I have learned and, as a result, I am better prepared for my next tournament.”

What is your strength as a bowler?

“Definitely my spare shooting. I am always working on it. There have been a few tournaments this year where I had difficulty striking, but my spare shooting kept me in contention. In order to compete at a high level, and I cannot stress this enough, you must be able to convert your spares and fill frames. Strikes are great, but if you can’t fill the other frames, you’re not going to get it done consistently, week-in-and-week-out.”

What word best describes your bowling?

“Attitude. Bowling is 90% mental. At least. Even though it may be extremely difficult at times, you must always keep your composure and remain positive, regardless of how bad you’re bowling. Nothing positive comes from being negative. And when your attitude is going South, so will your game. If you get a bad break – chopped spare, pocket split, or ring a corner pin – forget about it; the breaks will always even out.”

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for us, Madison! Good luck in all of your future endeavors!

“Thank you so much. Anytime. It was my pleasure. I love bowling, and I love sharing my experiences with others.”