DEAF BOWLER FINDS SUCCESS
WITH TRACK BOWLING

You could have heard a pin drop when John Wukasch Jr. strung 30 strikes in a row on February 9th. But the 46-year old from Montgomery, Texas couldn’t hear a thing.Wukasch, who has been deaf since birth, used a Track 718A to record games of 278, 300 and 288 for an 866 series. The left-hander used the barrage of strikes to break the previous house record at AMF Woodlands (Texas) of 845.“I was nervous because everybody was standing back to watch me,” said Wukasch. “The key for me striking was to take one shot at a time, stay focused, and take deep breaths so I stayed relaxed. It made it easy to keep a steady rhythm.”Even though Wukasch couldn’t hear the cheers following the string of strikes, he could feel the crowd gathering and rising with every shot.“As a deaf bowler, I am more sensitive to motion, vibration and especially visual distractions,” Wukasch said. “For example, I’m aware of camera flashes, doors that open and let in sunlight, and loud low noises that cause vibrations that I can feel in my feet. One example would be balls rolling over finger and thumb holes several lanes away, I can feel the vibration.”While the 30 consecutive strikes were a first for Wukasch, this was not his first series over 850. His career high prior to the 866 set was an 855 score at 300 Bowl in Conroe, Texas.“The 855 was shot at 300 Bowl which is well-known for high scores and good pin carry,” he explained. “AMF Woodlands is generally a much more difficult place to get high scores. Typically the guys will average 10-15 pins lower in The Woodlands compared to Conroe.”The Track 718A was Wukasch’s ball of choice for his 11th career 800 series. The 718A is designed to be an improved version of the 715A, released in 2009. Wukasch said he turned to the 718A to combat the tougher conditions at AMF Woodlands.“What I saw was that the 718A is definitely more angular,” he said. “The ball revved up all the way down the lane, but didn’t change direction until very late. It creates very good angle through the pins and great carry.”Wukasch says he plans to bowl a few PBA Regional events, as well as continue to assist his father, John Sr., in the family pro shop.“My dad drilled the 718A with the intention of getting a strong smooth arc type reaction. It certainly did the trick for me.”Track Brand Manager Paul Figliomeni was thrilled to hear about Wukasch’s success.“What an inspirational story!” said Figliomeni. “Having a great score like that shot with a Track ball is an honor for our brand. This ball is fantastic and John’s definitely not finished being successful.”— Track Bowling Balls & Bowling Equipment - Track is a brand of Ebonite International, Inc. Based in Hopkinsville, Ky., Ebonite International is a privately-owned company that services bowling centers, distributors and retail outlets domestically and internationally. In addition to Track, the company’s consumer product brands include Hammer, Robby’s, Columbia 300, Ebonite and Powerhouse™; its commercial product brand is Ebonite Bowling Center Direct.