By BILL SNIER
CANTON — Brian Ball and Matt Coffelt, new owner-operators of Bowling Lab pro shop inside Strike Zone Lanes, won’t compare themselves to other pro shop owners.
“I’m not like everyone else,” said Ball, a 53-year-old Massillon right-hander who has “over 150” 300 games and 800 series. “If you come into the shop and want a ball, and I don’t know you, we’re going to watch you throw first.
“We’re going to get your PAP (positive axis point) and check your span with what you have and go from there. If you’re a guy that bowls a lot and we don’t think a bowling ball is needed, we’re going to sell you a lesson instead.
“It’s not always about selling a bowling ball … it’s about giving the person the right opportunity to score better.”
Ball, who learned how to drill equipment from North Star Pro Shop owner-operator Don Hogue, previously had operated a pro shop — Balls 4 You — at the former 77 Colonial Lanes before it closed. When Paul and Debbie Kasapis took over Strike Zone in 2014, Ball spent several years operating that pro shop until leaving in 2019.
Paul Kasapis, who reopened Strike Zone in April 2025 after being out of the business since 2019, contacted Ball over the summer to gauge his interest in returning to run the shop this season.
Ball’s first response was no.
“I love bowling … as much as I hate it, I absolutely love it,” said Ball, who maintains his full-time job at Carter Lumber in Canal Fulton. “Paul called me and I kept saying no. Then he asked if I would consider it if I had someone to help. So I talked with Matt and we decided to say yes.”
“I don’t have a lot of brains,” said Coffelt, a 59-year-old Canton right-hander who works with restaurant computer systems. “But, to be honest, we’re both old and bored.”
So Bowling Lab was born.
FINDING THE NAME
Ball and Coffelt discovered the name in a Google search on ChatGPT.
“We Googled available bowling pro shop names in Ohio,” Ball said. “It was one of the ones that came up. The other ones didn’t turn out so well so we went with this.”
The pair are 50-50 partners in the operation and lease the space.
“We don’t have any say in the lanes and we are not affiliated with the lanes … we are a separate entity,” Ball said. “Strike Zone is Strike Zone and Bowling Lab is Bowling Lab inside of Strike Zone although our LLC is based out of here.”
Ball says he is straight-forward when dealing with bowlers.
“If I think a ball is right for you, I’m going to tell you that. But does it mean buying a new bowling ball every time? Absolutely not,” Ball said. “It could just mean you need your equipment cleaned, some new grips put it or a 15-minute refresher lesson on the lanes. That’s what we are here to provide.
“If I don’t think a ball is right for you, Im’ going to tell you that. I’ve bowled enough leagues or tournaments and have honor scores in just about every center in this town and some that aren’t around any more. I have a pretty good idea of what each center rolls like.”
Ball is handling most of the operations at this point while Coffelt is going through a learning process.
“He’s at the same place I was when I first started working with Donnie (Hogue) … doing plugs, cut downs … but he knows how to takes specs off a ball,” Ball said. “He’s learning how to drill, but he knows how layouts work. He’s been laying out his own balls for years.”
DEALING WITH PLAYERS
The first question the pair asks any potential customer is if he or she bowls in a league.
“The next question, if they do, is where do they bowl? Then, we ask them to show us their arsenal,” Ball said. “We ask them what does what where and we go from there.”
The pair compared a bowling arsenal to a bag of golf clubs. Both are avid golfers.
“You build a bowling arsenal like a set of golf clubs. You don’t just carry a pitching wedge 7-iron and driver. You have to fill in the gaps,” Ball said. “So if a bowler that’s competitive and likes to bowl wants to get better, we have to fill in those gaps.
“We went to a seminar recently and one remark stuck with me. You don’t buy hook; you buy shape. All bowling balls hook. But you have to find a shape that works for you at a particular center.”
Ball is not on staff for any brand and prefers it that way.
“Someone may come in and want the most expensive ball on the market. But there may be a ball from last year that is discontinued that you might get at a better price and might be a better option,” Ball said. “We’re not tied to anyone so we’re not pushing the stuff we have on the wall or the best hot thing.
“You have to have an open mind. In my bags I have balls from every manufacturer. Do I like certain brands better than others? Absolutely. Would I suggest them to someone, sure, but only if it works out better for that person. You may come in and say you’re a Motiv guy and only throw Motiv. So we’ll try to find a Motiv ball that fits for you or whatever the brand may be.”
The shop inside Strike Zone is open Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to closing and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. It is closed Friday and Sunday.
“We will stay here as long as needed in the evening,” said Ball, who still provides lessons in addition to shop work on equipment — a philosophy he has followed as long as he has been involved in pro shop management.
“I thought I was out of it four years ago. I was just drilling for myself and friends,” said Ball, who bowls in a Strike Zone league one night per week while Coffelt bowls as Strikes Zone and Ballerz Sports Club in Wooster.
“But even though I wasn’t in a shop, I stayed up to date on everything and stayed involved. We’re not going to be the cheapest or the most expensive bowling alley in town. But people know me. I’m black and white.”