At HOME ON THE LANES

Teen who learned to bowl at an early age works toward elusive perfect game

Somer Breeze-Hanson / Northwest Guardian

Bowling a perfect game is no easy feat. Sometimes even bowling a single strike can be a challenge.

At 15, Corina Buttram was well on her way to achieving the rare distinction, blasting the pins frame after frame during a juniors tournament. Buttram listened to music on her iPod while she bowled to keep calm. A strike with her first ball in the 10th frame drew an audience behind her. She looked up and the pressure kicked in.

“I started shaking,” she said. “It was really nerve racking.”

The nerves took over and she missed the 11th strike, settling for a 288.

Nearly two years later bowling 12 consecutive strikes is still a mighty goal for Buttram; she has already accomplished nearly everything but the elusive perfect game.

Buttram, now 17, holds four records at Bowl Arena Lanes on JBLM Lewis Main. She has the all-time high series for juniors (749), all-time high game (288), all-time high game for preps, which she set when she was 10 (227) and the all-time high average for females (195).

“I couldn’t be more proud,” said Corina’s mother, Kim Buttram. “She’s stuck through it and hasn’t given up on it. She just keeps excelling and getting better and better.”

Kim’s name is also on the leader board alongside her daughter’s. Kim set the high series record (466) for 7 and 8-year-olds. The record has stood for nearly 30 years, the oldest record to date at Bowl Arena Lanes. While Kim’s career lasted until her early teens, Corina shows no signs of slowing down.

The Steilacoom High School junior competes in 40 to 50 tournaments a year and is at a bowling lanes four nights a week.

“It’s been a positive influence in her life,” Kim said. “The coaches and parents have been continuously supportive over the years.”

Corina learned the proper way to bowl the same way her mother did. Kim’s stepfather, Ronald Palmer, was the manager of Bowl Arena Lanes for 23 years until he retired in 1994. He taught just about everyone in the Family how to bowl, including Corina’s younger brother, Richard Applegate.

“A lot of people here knew me when I was a young child and now they’re watching her grow up,” Kim said. Palmer began instructing Corina as soon as she was old enough to pick up a bowling ball. And as soon as she could throw the ball down the lane, Corina joined her first league.

“There’s people here that have known me since I was running around in diapers,” Corina said.

While Palmer is now 81 Corina still goes to him when she needs help with her game. And he proves he still knows his stuff with the number of strikes he still throws.

Corina hopes all of her hard work, dedication and talent will lead to opportunities to bowl at the collegiate level. For right now though, she’ll just continue to compete with the boys.

BY THE NUMBERS Corina Buttram’s Bowl Arena Lanes records: 749: High Series (junior) 288: High game 227: High game (preps) 195: High average (female)