Lynne White is heading into her 40th five-pin bowling provincial competition next month, with the support of her friends at Georgian Bowl.
For this week’s edition of People of Collingwood we spoke with White, 68, five-pin bowling champion and retiree.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: My dad was in the army so we moved every four years. I was born in Meaford, but we lived in Petawawa, Pembroke and Vancouver.
My mom and dad split up when I was 11, and my mom brought me and my sister back to Collingwood. My mom’s brother lived here.
Q: When did you first know you were interested in bowling?
A: I started when I was 11 and I really liked it. My mom was a good bowler. She had bowled in leagues in Vancouver.
When we moved here, we lived above Stuart Ellis IDA Pharmacy, which was a hardware store then. Across the street, was a bowling alley, Crescent Alleys, which isn’t there anymore. I bowled there as a kid, and when that alley closed, I came up here (to Georgian Bowl) and started bowling.
The owner at that time suggested I go to this tournament called the Open, which I’d never heard of before.
That’s how I started bowling competitively.
Q: How did you spend your working life before retirement?
A: I was a legal secretary.
I went to Sheridan College in Oakville for that. I worked in Toronto for a year and a half, and then I moved back up here to my hometown. I was coming up on all the weekends so I figured I might as well move.
I worked for lawyer Vidas Augaitis for 28 years. Before that, I worked for Bob Thompson for eight years. After Vidas retired, I worked mostly for Michael Starr until I retired when I was 65.
Q: Can you take me through your competitive bowling career?
A: I started bowling in the Open when I was 24. I bowled in that for 40 years. I won the singles in 2000, and came in second twice in other years. I’ve qualified for the open 40 times, with 29 appearances in the singles and 12 times as zone champion. At the nationals, I bowled in Hamilton and won silver in the final match.
There have been two times when I’ve bowled with my daughter on a team at the Open. This year, she’ll be on my team again.
I bowled with the Master Bowlers Association. I did that for 13 years and nine in the tournament division.
I’ve qualified to represent Ontario on four occasions, winning gold medals.
When my kids were young, they all bowled and I’ve coached youth bowlers. I have my level 2 coaching now. I coached for a lot of years. I went to a bowling school for a few years as a pro.
In 2000, I was inducted into our zone, Huronia’s hall-of-fame. In 2017, I was inducted into the Ontario 5-Pin Bowlers Association hall of fame.
Q: What makes a good bowler?
A: I think for some people, it comes naturally. I think that’s what happened to me.
I learned a lot from my mom when I was younger.
Discipline, focus, practice, and having fun.
Q: When and where is this year’s provincial championship?
A: It’s on the Easter weekend, in Brantford.
Q: Do you have any reflections on your 40th year of competing?
A: It’s exciting, because once you’re 55 you can go into the seniors division, but I’ve always stayed on the regular division. I’ve always felt that if I can compete, I’ll stay in the regular.
I believe I’m the first woman who has done 40 years.
It’s fun, and I get to bowl with my daughter. There are six of us on the team.
Q: What are your other hobbies?
A: I go to the YMCA. My daughter is a personal trainer there. I do classes there.
I have two granddaughters. One of my daughters lives up north so I do trips up there.
I'm the secretary of the Blue Mountain 5-Pin Bowling Association, so I take their minutes and help with their fundraising events.
My husband I go out with friends.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like people in Collingwood to know about you?
A: Georgian Bowl has been a part of my life for more than 45 years. The proprietors Lee and Trevor Hanley, and the general manager Keith Priestley, are great supporters of all their bowlers including myself.
I’ve made a lot of friends through bowling.
Georgian Bowl is like my second home. It’s my happy place.
For our feature People of Collingwood, we speak with interesting people who are either from or are contributing to the Collingwood community in some way, letting them tell their own stories in their own words. This feature runs on CollingwoodToday every weekend. If you’d like to nominate or suggest someone to be featured in People of Collingwood, email [email protected].