Linden, NJ — Kai Struthers, a 10-year old boy from New Jersey, recently made history when he bowled a perfect game in a competition at Jersey Lanes in Linden. Kai is now the youngest person to bowl a 300, and the second youngest in the United States to do so.
Kai’s family watched the competition last Saturday and supported him even though they themselves were nervous.
“Once he got to the ninth frame and he threw the strike, I had to walk away because I didn’t want him to get more nervous, I didn’t want him to see my emotion because my stomach was in knots,” Kai’s mother, Sharonda Struthers, told ABC 7 New York.
On the other hand, Kai was “calm, cool, collected, laid back, reserved,” his father, Kenny Reece, said. “So because of that he doesn’t apply pressure to himself.”
Kai’s family also loves bowling. His parents started bringing him to bowling alleys when he was just aged 4 or 5 and he loved it. Since then, he had the drive to improve his play even more through testing different angles and positions.
“He’s learning how to make adjustments, parallel adjustments, adjustments with just feet, maybe adjustments with his eyes,” his coach Guy Reid said. “The most superior attitude of a 10-year-old I’ve ever seen as a bowler. Now when he doesn’t have a bowling ball in his hand, he’s 10 years old.”
Kai has already been in demand and high schools and colleges started recruiting him. However, he will have to wait for 8 years until he turns 18 and play as a professional.
“It’s just like this God-given talent, it just blossomed in him and he has just been phenomenal,” his mom said.
Watch the local news coverage below: