Liberty, Missouri, teen wins national youth bowling championship
Averie Bourne won the inaugural U14 Girls Junior Gold national championship against 179 of the nation's top youth bowlers.
Averie Bourne won the inaugural U14 Girls Junior Gold national championship against 179 of the nation's top youth bowlers.
A Liberty bowler is adding another chapter to an already remarkable young career.
Fourteen-year-old Averie Bourne returned home from the Junior Gold Championships with two national titles, a scholarship boost and a place in bowling history.
Bourne began bowling when she was just 4 years old. By age 12, she had already rolled her first perfect game.
This past weekend, she competed against 179 of the nation's top youth bowlers in the U14 Girls Junior Gold Championship.
Her younger sister, Hadley, wasn't expecting what happened next.
"Like the whole time we were there, I would ask my dad, like, what are the odds Avery gets to win? And he was like, well, if it was like one in 16 or one in 18, and I definitely did not expect her to win it," Hadley Bourne said.
Bourne's path to the title wasn't easy. She defeated the defending national champion to earn the No. 1 seed heading into the championship match.
"I was like all I need to do is just win once. Like, I already beat her earlier, so I can do it again. I just needed to win once," Bourne said.
She did exactly that.
"I was just really happy," Bourne said.
Her victory was an emotional moment for her family.
"I kind of started crying, because I was just, like, super proud of her. It's such a big opportunity for her," Hadley said.
Winning the U14 Girls Junior Gold National Championship meant far more than bringing home another trophy.
Just months ago, Bourne said she dreamed about reaching that stage while watching bowling videos during school.
"A few months ago, when I was still in school, I would go on my iPad and I would watch just like, bowling videos when I was doing my work. And I would be like, oh my gosh, I want that so bad. Like, I want to win so bad," she said.
Bourne left the tournament with both a team national championship and an individual national championship. She also became the inaugural U14 Girls Junior Gold champion, as this was the first year the division was contested.
"It just feels good. Like I came home with two national titles, and I know everyone's super proud of it," Bourne said.
Each Junior Gold national championship also comes with a scholarship award.
Bourne has now earned approximately $23,000 in scholarships through bowling.
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