10-year-old New Jersey boy becomes 2nd-youngest to bowl perfect game
LINDEN, New Jersey -- A 10-year-old boy in New Jersey lives and breathes all things bowling -- and now he has become one of the youngest bowlers to score a perfect game.
Kai Struthers is already at the top of his game and he bowled a 300 on Saturday that left the Linden Bowling Alley celebrating like it was a Super Bowl victory.
His mom watched with nervous anticipation.
"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," Sharonda Struthers said.
Through it all, Kai was as calm as any pro. He was already back in the bowling alley after school on Thursday to work on his game.
He comes from a family of bowlers who have the game in their DNA. His mom says they brought him to the league when he was 4 or 5 years old and he's been bowling ever since.
"Calm, cool, collected, laid back, reserved -- that's him," his father Kenny Reece said. "So because of that he doesn't apply pressure to himself."
Kai loves putting in the work and even works up a sweat as he tests different angles, positions and sweet spots in the lanes.
"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 is the youngest in the state and the second 10-year-old in the country to bowl a 300, and his focus is unmatched.
"It's just like this God-given talent, it just blossomed in him and he has just been phenomenal," his mom said.
Kai will have to wait until he's 18 before he can turn professional, but high schools and colleges are already calling.
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