South’s Josh Smith taking bowling to next level

PARKERSBURG --From the moment he first remembered throwing a strike, Josh Smith was hooked on the sport of bowling.

Earlier this week, the senior from Parkersburg South announced his plans to attend the University of Pikeville (Ky.) and compete for the school's men's bowling team. Smith is joining a prestigious NAIA program which is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation.

"I toured a few schools and I just felt like Pikeville had the best in terms of competitivenesss -- that is what I was looking for," said Smith, who will major in business. "I definitely didn't like going somewhere where I would have it extremely easy. I enjoy going to tournaments where I have to try my best.

"I can't really say the process of choosing a school was stressful. I wanted to go somewhere I could bowl and be happy with the school. Pikeville was the place for me."

One year after winning the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference championship, Smith and his South teammates recently finished runner-up to Weir at the same event. Smith has been an integral part of the Patriot lineup ever since he lined up in the anchor slot for South as a freshman.

Now his practices are a way of preparing for the next level, Smith focuses heavily on converting his spares.

"They always say to practice your spares -- that's what wins games and wins championships, so that's what I have been working on a lot," said Smith, who carries a 200 average. "You have to make up those single pins."

Having a father (Duane Smith) who owns a bowling alley locally at Pike Street Lanes allows Smith to spend extra time honing his skills. Smith said he first picked up a bowling ball at the age of 4. He remembers at an early age how his love of the game evolved.

"I can't remember how young I was -- I was bowling and my dad gives me a ball; don't know what type of ball, and maybe it was a house ball," Smith recalls. "I threw it for a strike. It felt good and it was something I wanted to do competitively."

Several coaches, which includes his father, have worked with Smith through the years. He touched on the contributions from South coaches Ryan Watson, Craig Wiggins and Tom Boso, along with a private instructor (Mike Shady) based out of Pittsburgh.

Smith also credits his mother (Lisa Smith) with playing a vital role in his success.

The bowling styles of professionals such as Darren Tang, Kyle Sherman and Kristopher Prather serve as a blueprint as Smith continually works on his craft.

"I like how they roll the ball," Smith said. "I'm able to base my game off them because they have similar styles."

During the fall, Smith joined the South football team for the first time in his career. He was a reserve linebacker and H-back, and enjoyed the experience. However, he stated he will stick to bowling.

"A few years ago I competed in the singles division at the Pepsi State Tournament," Smith said. "I thought I was done because I threw a terrible ball. But I ended up making the cut and winning it. That made me realize even when you are having a bad day you can't give up. You have to look past that and keep moving forward."

Smith is joining a Pikeville team which was ranked as high as second last season and advanced to the semifinals at the National Tournament. In the double-elimination format, the Bears eventually lost back-to-back matches to the eventual runner-up Martin Methodist (Tenn.) and national champion St. Francis (Ill.).

Under Pikeville coach Kyle Wilson, the Bears have won eight Intercollegiate Team Championships, including three in the past six seasons. Wilson was in attendance for Smith's announcement ceremony this past week.

"That was realy cool having him there," Smith said. "It meant a lot for him to come down and watch it happen."

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com