5-Pin Bowling is Special Olympics PEI's most popular sport, with approximately one-third of our athletes participating in a weekly bowling program in communities across the Island! Bowling is an inclusive sport, attracting athletes of all ages and abilities. The highlight of the year for many of our 5-Pin Bowling athletes in the May Bowling Provincials, a two day competition which brings together the Island's 9 bowling programs for a quality competition in Charlottetown. In a qualifying year, such as the 2019 Bowling Provincials, if it the results of these Provincials which lead to the selection of Team PEI's 5-Pin Bowling team.
Ahead of the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2020 in Thunderbay, Ontario, Team PEI 2020 is thrilled, for the first time, to be sending 10 athletes, or 2 5-Pin Bowling teams, to represent PEI on the National stage: Eric Smith (Charlottetown), Erin Pippy (Charlottetown), Glendon Arsenault (Summerside), Heidi Mallett (Alberton), Jamie Trowsdale (Charlottetown), Jennifer MacGuigan (Charlottetown), Jonathan Watts (York), Joni Miner (Summerside), Rolanda Bridges (Charlottetown) and Wilbert Murray (Charlottetown).
Team PEI's 2020 Bowling Team offers a true representation of what 5-Pin Bowling looks like in PEI, with team members coming from communities across the Island. The team has a mix of ability levels, with two high performance bowlers - Jamie Trowsdale who has bowled a perfect game, and Jonathan Watts who has the ability, especially in front of a hometown crowd like during the 2018 National Bowling Championships, to bowl strike after strike after strike.
Leading Team PEI's 2020 Bowling Team are coaches Dave Morrow (Covehead) and Fran Gillis (Summerside). Both Dave and Fran are long time volunteers with Special Olympics, and are head coaches of the Charlottetown and Summerside bowling programs respectively.
In February of 2020, Special Olympics PEI will be represented by 38 athletes, supported by 11 coaches and 8 mission staff, at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2020 in Thunderbay, Ontario. Team PEI will compete in sports: 5-Pin Bowling, Cross Country Skiing, Curling, Figure Skating, Floor Hockey, Snowshoeing, and Speed Skating. Be sure to follow along between now and February as we continue to Meet Team PEI 2020!
Supporters of Special Olympics PEI are invited to follow Team PEI 2020, both in the lead-up to, and during the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2020! Our Team PEI 2020 website will be updated with schedules and results during the Games, and our social media channels - Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, will have photos and up to the minute news and highlights.
SUPPORT TEAM PEI
If you would like to support Team PEI 2020's 5-Pin Bowling Team as they training to represent PEI at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2020, please consider either Drafting an Athlete or donating to the Team PEI Booster Club.
