CANTON — Life has been all about change for Louisville resident Kara Thomas during the summer months.
She is preparing for her Aug. 20 wedding to Adam Kutz. Then in the fall, she will be returning to school to study coding at Stark State College after receiving certification in medial billing.
Then, there’s bowling.
With the changes, the 27-year-old right-hander also will be limited to bowling in one league, while subbing in the Northeast Ohio Traveling League since her fall class is on Wednesday. She also is working full-time at Red Oak Behavioral Health in Akron.
For someone who is used to bowling multiple leagues during the fall and winter, it will be an adjustment.
“Yes and no,” Thomas said. “I’ve been kind of getting used to it during the summer.”
But the changes have not stopped Thomas from working on her game through practice sessions.
“I’ve working on staying steady and more balanced at the line,” Thomas said. “I’ve had a tendency to fall off my shots, so I’ve been working more on staying down and that has helped a lot.
“During practice, I’ve worked with one-step approaches and that has been working well the last few weeks.”
The extra work showed recently with Thomas firing a 792 series during the Tuesday Summer Trio league at Eastbury Bowling Center. It was two pins off her career high of 794, which came in January 2017 at the former 77 Colonial Lanes.
She started the night with 11 strikes in a row, using a Storm Proton Physix. Only a “flat” 10 on her final ball denied Thomas her second career 300, the first coming during the 2018 Stark USBC Open Championships in doubles at Strike Zone.
“It wasn’t a good shot. I think I had more nerves on that shot than I did for my 300,” Thomas said. “The 300 was just sort of automatic. I was able to carry the 11th shot, but that 12th one was flat.”
She followed that up with a 279, leaving a solid 10-pin this time in the sixth frame.
In Game 3, Thomas started with a pair of 10-pin spares before a double. But a team mistake in the fifth frame became costly.
“We bowled on the wrong lanes,” Thomas said. “(The other team) just wanted me to rebel, but I told them it doesn’t work like that, that everyone has to rebowl. Once we erased everyone’s scores, I went up and left a 7-10 split.”
She was able to regroup. Thomas knew what stood between her and 800 — a double in the 10th frame.
“I still gave myself a chance in the 10th frame. I almost left a 7-pin on my first ball, but got the strike,” said Thomas, who finished with 214. “I made a little move, but nailed a 7-pin on the second ball.”
It was the only real move she made all night, playing mostly straight up around the 10 board.
“I started giving it a little more angle in the third game, but my feet were the same,” Thomas said. “Shooting 800 is a goal, but I also want more 300 games.”
She also has participated in the Hall of Fame Summer Series events, which feature U.S. Open and USBC Open Championship oil patterns. She is among the top six in points and made the stepladder finals in one event, advancing to this week’s Series finale at AMF Hall of Fame Lanes. She is the lone woman in the field of 20 players.
“I like it because it makes me think more. I like having that difference as opposed to a normal league night,” Thomas said. “Moving pair-to-pair, you know the lanes are going to change and it puts a premium on spare shooting.”
Kutz took Thomas to work with former Team USA coach Jeri Edwards two years ago after he had worked with the nationally-known coach for the past 13 years.
“Going to Jeri and staying down on my shots have helped tremendously with my game,” Thomas said. “I’m more accurate and have more speed. Now, I’m watching the ball motion, which is something I’ve always had difficulty with.
“Balls down-lane are difficult for me to see; they’re kind of blurry. I should wear my glasses when I bowl, but it’s something I haven’t learned to do yet.”
Just another change to come in a series of them for Thomas, including her upcoming wedding. Any nerves about that?
“Not at all,” Thomas said, “just excited.”
And what about her game, which brought her and Kutz together originally in 2017?
“We going to go back,” Thomas added, “and work with Jeri right after the wedding.”
The more things change, the more they stay the same.