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Female junior bolwer in the fast lane
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Anonymous user Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments Flashing neon lights, dings and rings of space creatures from a nearby video game, and the loud clatter of voices don’t normally sound appetizing to many. But to Bakersfield resident Brittany Ramos it’s just another day at the bowling alley.
Brittany Ramos, 18, has been bowling since she was 6 and recently became the first female junior bowler to score a 300 with no lucky charms or rituals to boot.
“It was shocking, it’s something you definitely don’t plan on,” Ramos said.
To receive a score of 300, the bowler must throw 12 balls and obtain 12 strikes. Ramos did just that on June 9 during the Summer Saturday Juniors League at the Regency Bowling Center.
After the ninth frame, a big crowd started forming and people started migrating to Ramos’ lane.
“I was more nervous about the game rather than the people,” Ramos said, “People think it’s easy, but it’s such a hard mental game.”
Ramos suddenly became more competitive during the last one and a half years due to motivation from her fiance Daniel Watanabe. His dedication to the sport and relentlessness pushed her into taking bowling more seriously.
Ramos practices four to five hours a day, three to four times a week. She participates in the summer league in addition to the winter league essentially bowling year round. She also attends out of town tournaments in places such as Las Vegas and Sacramento. However, Bakersfield still remains her favorite place to bowl.
“I know it sounds cheesy, but I like playing here best since you get to bowl with everyone in a competitive state,” Ramos said.
More specifically, she enjoys the Regency Bowling Center the most — her admiration comes from the familiar faces of the employees who she has seen since she was a child.
She doesn’t have a coach and claims that her mother, Arlene Aninion taught her the basic form for bowling. Her mother started bowling early in life as well and brought Ramos into the sport.
“My mom was the most excited when I scored a 300, she was the first person I called,” Ramos explained.
The competitive nature of the Ramos family adds to their enjoyment of the sport. Bowling is the family’s sport of choice. Ramos has two sisters, 5 and 16. She helps her 16-year-old sister bowl from time to time, but mostly focuses on her own game.
For beginning bowlers, Ramos says the best advice is to “never quit and to have fun with it.”
Ramos just graduated from Centennial High School and plans to attend Cal State Bakersfield in the fall with a focus on business administration and art. During high school, she played basketball and golf until the end of her junior year. She wishes to remain in Bakersfield after she completes her education. Besides bowling, Ramos enjoys shopping, playing cards, and swimming.
She aims to continue to bowl and has set a new goal of scoring an 800, a rare feat in bowling in which a series of three games totals 800 and averages 266.66 a game.
“This is something I plan to do throughout my life,” Ramos said.

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