TIMMINS - Darryll Belanger has been at the bowling alley for as long as he can remember.
He started bowling at three and remembers being at the lanes with his parents. He passed the tradition on to his daughter, who started playing at about the same age.
“Just getting involved, watching them come out every night,” he said. “Growing up, I did many tournaments, and when my daughter was born, I took her along with me. My mom and dad still bowl, too.”
The love of the sport and the community around it has been a big part of his life, and this weekend, he and four other bowlers from Timmins are taking on 120 others from across the country.
The 35th annual Timmins Invitational five-pin bowling tournament is on from Feb. 13 to Feb. 16 at Mid-Town Bowl. Bowlers from across Canada are competing.
“We’ve seen a lot of growth from having 100 entries to flirting with the 200 mark,” said tournament organizer Al Paquette. “Some of the best talent in the country coming to Timmins.”
Belanger and his daughter have competed at tournaments together, and Paquette said that’s part of the sport's appeal.
“There’s not too many sports where everyone gets to play together,” said Paquette.
Belanger now coaches young bowlers, and he says it is a great experience to see them enjoy the game and have fun.
“I’ve been coaching for about 30 years,” said Belanger. “They’re here to have fun, and you can see the smiles on their faces. It’s just fabulous to see.”
That family connection and community feeling is what makes the event in Timmins unique, said Paquette.
“We’ve got a good set of volunteers. Darryll’s dad, I see him twice a year, and most of the time, it’s at our event,” he said. “We hear nothing but great stories because our numbers keep growing year after year, so it’s got to be a good sign that people are enjoying their stay here.”
The tournament starts with a high rollers event on Thursday night. There is a $500 entry fee for that event, with some of the best bowlers in the country.
“Everything we take in for money for entry fees, we give it back to the bowlers,” he said. “We’re able to really give out that money, so over the weekend, we’ll probably hand over $50,000 in cash prizes. It’s a pretty impressive number when you put it out there!”
There are three eight-game qualifying shifts on Friday and Saturday, with a $200 entry fee for each shift. These are open to anyone.
The finals will take place on Sunday, with the 32 top bowlers of the weekend battling it out for the top spot.
“It’s a fun family-oriented event, but it’s also a lot of competition and some intense competition,” said Paquette.
The event will be live-streamed on YouTube, but the people in the bowling alley feed the energy during the tournament.
“Every time we’ve had a bowler from Timmins make a run and win a few matches, you can just feel it,” said Paquette. “Me and Darryll, we love that stuff.”
The schedule for this weekend is:
Thursday, Feb. 13 - High roller event
- 5 p.m. - start - $500 entry fee
Friday, Feb. 14
- 11 a.m. - first qualifying shift - eight games - $200/shift
- 7 p.m. - two-person best-ball - four games - $100/team
Saturday, Feb. 17
- 8:30 a.m. - second qualifying shift - 8 games - $200/shift
- 2 p.m. - third qualifying shift - 8 games - $200/shift
Sunday, Feb. 18 - Championship
- 9 a.m. - double elimination bracket, top 32
Mid-Town Bowl will be closed to public bowling when the competition is on. There is still rock and bowl on Saturday night.