Wednesday, September 18, 2024
By James Card
A Waupaca graduate recently returned from Asia with some silver in his pocket.
Braden Mallasch competed in the 2024 International Bowling Federation World Youth Championships in Incheon, South Korea. He helped the men’s Junior Team USA take a silver medal. The Czech Republic team took the gold.
He had never been out of the country before. The team left on July 4 and flew into Incheon International Airport. The championships were held in the same city. It was a 20-minute bus ride to the bowling venue from their hotel. Jet lag was a factor (14-hour time difference) but they had time to adjust during practice sessions.
“Some of the stuff was a bit different. Even the bowling, it was nothing like bowling I’ve done before. It felt like a different sport. There was a lot to get used to. There were four different events. I felt as each event went on, I got more comfortable and better,” said Mallasch.
The events were singles, doubles, team and mixed team. He struggled in singles despite practice sessions beforehand. So did his teammates but they pulled themselves together for the team events, bowling better and better and they eventually took the silver medal.
Mallasch started bowling in eighth grade. On weekends he and his family would bowl penny-a-pin at Silver Lake Lanes. He joined the Waupaca Middle School bowling team and that lead to a place on the high school team. He played baseball, soccer and flag football in his younger years but he competed at the Waupaca Curling Club throughout high school.
“I think bowling and curling helped each other,” he said.
He also competed in outside bowling tournaments on his own. During high school he qualified for the state championship in his sophomore, junior and senior year. He qualified for the No. 1 seed his senior year and he won the state championship in the finals. This led him to Wichita State University in Kansas.
“Wichita as far as bowling is the best in the country. They consistently have the best bowlers in the country and for the last few years they have placed in the top three at nationals every year. In collegiate bowling nationally they have been very dominant,” said Mallasch.
Wichita is about a one-way 12-hour drive from Waupaca. Mallasch is able to visit home a couple times a semester. Back in Waupaca for summer break he bowls three tournaments a week.
The 20-year-old will be starting his sophomore year this fall semester. He is studying filmmaking. Once back at Wichita he hopes to make the Team USA again in the January trials. Farther into the future there is the allure of turning pro. As a college student he cannot get his PBA card but he can compete in some high-level near-pro events.
“A lot of the alumni that have bowled at Wichita are bowling on tour now or they have bowled on tour and have had Hall of Fame careers. As much as I’d love to do that, I’m not sure if that is possible or not. I will see where that takes me,” he said.
