A 17-year-old youth in the Checotah Fast Lanes After-School Bowling League recently bowled his first 300 set. (In bowling games that use 10 pins, such as tenpin bowling, candlepin bowling, and duckpin bowling, the highest possible score is 300, achieved by bowling 12 strikes in a row in a traditional single game: one strike in each of the first nine frames, and three more in the tenth frame.)
Larry Burton, an 11th grader at Checotah High School, stated he couldn’t believe it after he hit his perfect 300.
“I was starting to get a little nervous when I realized I was about to accomplish something I had only dreamed about for a few years.” Larry said. “Then when I actually accomplished it, I couldn’t believe I had just done it.”
This two-handed bowler has only been bowling competitively for three years. He started out in the Homeschool League in 2020. Then he moved in 2021 and went into the Checotah Public School system. This made him have to switch to the After School League, which he had transitioned well. If he’s not taking classes at ICTC for HVAC or having fun in his FFA shooting sports (archery and shotgun) then he’s practicing at the bowling alley. He also went to Wichita State University for bowling camp which he believes has helped him in his sport of choice.
“We are very proud of our youth bowling programs and so proud that Larry is our second youth to hit 300,” Lori Barnard, owner of Fast Lanes Bowling said. “He is such a pleasure to be around and he has worked so hard to perfect his bowling skills. He was hoping to hit his perfect 300 game before he aged out of the youth bowling league and I’m so glad he did.”
Larry has been earning college scholarships through the United States Bowling Congress that recognizes and rewards outstanding bowling leaders. Larry has also won a trip to ITRC in Dallas, TX, with the adult league, RENO, during an adult/ youth tournament. ITRC is the world training and research facility for bowling.
During his spare time, Larry enjoys fishing, hunting, camping and helping his father drill water wells for their family company, Burton Drilling.
