Clearfield Co., PA (WJAC) — A local bowler has been recognized for recording the highest average in the nation.
With a bowling average of 236, Melia Mitskavich, of DuBois, took home the title of highest average in the nation for a second straight year.
Mitskavich comes from a bowling family: her mom, Jackie, was an elite bowler at Penn State but her mom says she never had an expectation of Melia to follow in her footsteps.
"Melia has played a lot of sports. Bowling has always been my passion, but I never wanted to force it on my kids. But yet it was always there for them."
But Mitskavich fell in love with the same sport her mom did and now she is being recognized as the best youth bowler in the nation, two years in a row.
Melia's father Tom says he could see her talent for bowling developing quickly.
"She got a grasp of everything that was going on. And from a young age, she just started and you could just see it happening."
Mitskavich's success year after year has brought national attention in the bowling community to her hometown.
"That means a lot. And it means a lot. Small area, DuBois, Pa; putting a bowling alley on a map. That's just great,” her father added.
Mitskavich also pitches for DuBois Central Catholic and plays volleyball; she says being a multi-sport athlete has helped her both physically and mentally.
"I’d say bowling is a very mental sport, so I’d say that the mentality that I have for bowling has also helped me in softball because I’m a pitcher."
Mitskavich notes that with bowling being a solo sport, it’s mentally tougher than the others she plays.
"It's all on you. Pretty much you don’t really have a team behind you if you make a mistake."
Mitskavich's dad stated that with her commitment to Jacksonville State, which is a 13-hour drive away, their family is excited but also nervous, as any parent would be in making that adjustment.
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