Amid the excitement of The Citizen Masters finals, Tim Waters found a place where he could focus on the action.
From behind the control desk at Starlite Lanes, away from the fans, he watched Jim Relfe perform his magic. The right-hander, who eventually finished runner-up, uses two fingers without the thumb to release the bowling ball.
Just like Waters.
“It was awesome to see Jim do that,” he said. “I don't know him. I've bowled with him a few times but have never really talked to him.”
People often ask Waters, along with his longtime friend and teammate, left-hander Dan McNeilly, why they don't put their thumb in the ball. It seems so odd. But in the Masters, Relfe validated the style in Waters' mind.
Waters said he even overheard fans say now nice it was for somebody with such an unusual delivery to make it to the final match.
Indeed, it was an inspiring weekend for Waters. After watching Relfe roll a 764 series to win Saturday, he couldn't wait to get back Sunday to watch more.
“Jim really got me pumped up and ready to bowl in the Masters next year,” said Waters, who competed for the now-defunct Union Springs bowling team as a senior a decade ago.
While Waters, 28, still has a chance to make 2007 memorable, it hasn't been a typical year on the lanes. He has yet to bowl an award score, perhaps unusual for a player with five career 300 games, an 800 series and a handful of 790s.
“Somehow, I think I just got bored with the game this year,” he said.
For sure, Waters takes the sport seriously. He someday hopes to be counted among the elite area bowlers, like Relfe. But family life has understandably cut into his practice time. His 4-year-old daughter, Brittney, lives with him in Union Springs, and he takes her to preschool on Tuesday nights.
Still, he manages to bowl in leagues Monday, Thursday and Friday at Starlite Lanes. He has worked at Finger Lakes Press for nearly 10 years.
“I've been lucky because my aunt has been there to watch Brittney when I'm out,” Waters said.
Waters added that bowling in the Smokey's Sport Bowling league, with its difficult conditions, has helped to kick-start his intensity. But it wasn't until he saw Relfe bowl so well a couple weeks ago that he finally felt the juices flowing again.
“I was rooting for him, not only because we throw the ball the same way, but because he's also a nice guy,” said Waters, a veteran of five Masters with a top-10 finish to his credit.
“I look up to him.”
Waters regrets missing a chance to catch up with Relfe after his strong showing.
“He had just bowled 740 to win the first finals match. There was a little break in between and I tried to find him,” Waters said. “But the next match was ready to start, so I didn't want to bother him.
“But if I had gotten a chance to talk to him, I would have congratulated him and told him how great he bowled.”
Chances are that Waters, someday, will have that conversation.
Just like Waters.
“It was awesome to see Jim do that,” he said. “I don't know him. I've bowled with him a few times but have never really talked to him.”
People often ask Waters, along with his longtime friend and teammate, left-hander Dan McNeilly, why they don't put their thumb in the ball. It seems so odd. But in the Masters, Relfe validated the style in Waters' mind.
Waters said he even overheard fans say now nice it was for somebody with such an unusual delivery to make it to the final match.
Indeed, it was an inspiring weekend for Waters. After watching Relfe roll a 764 series to win Saturday, he couldn't wait to get back Sunday to watch more.
“Jim really got me pumped up and ready to bowl in the Masters next year,” said Waters, who competed for the now-defunct Union Springs bowling team as a senior a decade ago.
While Waters, 28, still has a chance to make 2007 memorable, it hasn't been a typical year on the lanes. He has yet to bowl an award score, perhaps unusual for a player with five career 300 games, an 800 series and a handful of 790s.
“Somehow, I think I just got bored with the game this year,” he said.
For sure, Waters takes the sport seriously. He someday hopes to be counted among the elite area bowlers, like Relfe. But family life has understandably cut into his practice time. His 4-year-old daughter, Brittney, lives with him in Union Springs, and he takes her to preschool on Tuesday nights.
Still, he manages to bowl in leagues Monday, Thursday and Friday at Starlite Lanes. He has worked at Finger Lakes Press for nearly 10 years.
“I've been lucky because my aunt has been there to watch Brittney when I'm out,” Waters said.
Waters added that bowling in the Smokey's Sport Bowling league, with its difficult conditions, has helped to kick-start his intensity. But it wasn't until he saw Relfe bowl so well a couple weeks ago that he finally felt the juices flowing again.
“I was rooting for him, not only because we throw the ball the same way, but because he's also a nice guy,” said Waters, a veteran of five Masters with a top-10 finish to his credit.
“I look up to him.”
Waters regrets missing a chance to catch up with Relfe after his strong showing.
“He had just bowled 740 to win the first finals match. There was a little break in between and I tried to find him,” Waters said. “But the next match was ready to start, so I didn't want to bother him.
“But if I had gotten a chance to talk to him, I would have congratulated him and told him how great he bowled.”
Chances are that Waters, someday, will have that conversation.
The Citizens' Say
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