Preston Smith is winning championships and bringing attention to the sport of bowling locally!
BY PAMELA PALONGUE
Preston, who lives in Whitaker, started bowling at the age of 4. His mom, Kristi Smith, recalls,“ His grandmother was watching him for us sometimes, and he was so hyper that he was driving her crazy. So she signed him up for a bowling league to get some of the energy out of him.”
Even though he was barely out of his toddler years, Preston was immediately drawn to the sport! And at 10, he started bowling competitively. He has played other sports, including soccer, but bowling has always been his favorite and is his main focus now.
In 2024, Preston finished second in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Bowling League( WPIBL) as a sophomore, and this year captured the 2025 WPIBL Singles Championship! He bowls for Serra Catholic, and is the first WPIBL champion in the school’ s history. Preston’ s score was an impressive 216 at AMF Mt. Lebanon Lanes to defeat Hempfield’ s Braylon Johnson.
Preston also bowls in a Sunday travel league and has competed throughout the country. Kristi’ s former occupation with US Airways has proved handy when acquiring airline tickets for free to attend the tournaments. Preston has had competitions in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Delaware, Ohio and more.
In addition to training and competing, the 17-year-old manages to hold a 4.6 GPA and is an honors student. He hopes to become an electrician after high school, and has already received $ 6,000 in scholarship money from his bowling competitions.
Preston is also a certified Level 1 bowling coach, and holds down a job at a local bowling alley.
Kristi says,“ He’ s super-smart and just a really good kid. He’ s responsible and always on time. And when it comes to his bowling, he really practices it with an eye toward getting better. He has a lot of determination.”
Preston practices somewhere between four and seven hours per week. Apparently, it has paid off! He has bowled one perfect game of 300 and five 299 games. But besides all the championships, Kristi says that bowling really keeps kids fit, and helps them to use all their muscles.
“ I really love that it’ s a sport that all different ages and skill levels can enjoy. Kids with disabilities, including those in wheelchairs, can still participate in bowling. I know a 90-year-old lady who bowls in a league! And for Preston personally, bowling has taught him patience and good mind control.” n
MCKEESPORT AREA ❘ SUMMER 2025 9