Kentucky youth bowler named Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow
April 01, 2020
ARLINGTON, Texas – Ryan Gatton of Owensboro, Kentucky, has been selected as the 2020 Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Award winner by the International Bowling Campus Youth Committee.
The annual award recognizes star qualities in a United States Bowling Congress Youth member, including distinguished bowling performances on the local, state and national levels, academic achievement and community involvement. Applicants must be a male high school senior or college student.
Gatton receives a $6,000 scholarship as this year’s award recipient.
“Receiving this award is proof that my hard work has paid off and I am honored to have been chosen,” Gatton said. “I have worked extremely diligently in both bowling and academics to get to where I am now, and this award is a vindication of that. It is special to me because bowling and school have been huge parts of my life and to receive a scholarship for those two things that I love to do is amazing.”
A senior at Apollo High School, Gatton has a 4.0 grade-point average (4.27 weighted) and has taken Advanced Placement courses in biology, environmental science, calculus, statistics, English language and English Literature, history and European history, in addition to dual-credit classes.
He was recognized as an AP Scholar in 2018 and received the AP Scholar with Distinction Award for the 2018-2019 school year. He also was the recipient of the 2019 Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award.
His volunteer projects as a member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club include serving at the Cliff Hagan Boys and Girls Club. For the last four years, he volunteered at the Special Olympics Bowling regional event.
A bowler since age 4, he previously served as a youth board member with the Owensboro Bowling Association. He reached a personal goal by rolling a 300 game in March of 2019.
Gatton helped start the bowling program at Apollo High School and was team captain for the 2019-2020 season. A Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) Academic All-State selection each year, he was named the 2019-2020 Midway University/KHSAA Male Bowling Student-Athlete of the Year.
He plans to attend Western Kentucky University in the fall and major in education.
“Many teachers have had a huge impact on my life, so I plan to pay that forward,” Gatton said. “I plan on becoming a high school English teacher.”
Visit BOWL.com/ScholarshipsAwards for more information on scholarship opportunities for youth bowlers.
CHUCK HALL STAR OF TOMORROW AWARD WINNERS
Year, winner, hometown
1980 Chris Whitty, Simonton, Texas
1981 Drew Barthle, Tampa, Fla.
1982 Ricky Corona, Oakland, Calif.
1983 Dan Nadeau, Las Vegas
1984 Robert Beck, Houston
1985 Justin Hromek, Andover, Kan.
1986 Pat Healey, Wichita, Kan.
1987 Mark Fisser, Buena Park, Calif.
1988 Bradley Joinetz, San Antonio, Texas
1989 Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan.
1990 Jason McCarty, Fultondale, Ala.
1991 Chris Williams, Anchorage, Alaska
1992 Robert Smith, Moorpark, Calif.
1993 Vince Biondo, Hoffman Estates, Ill.
1994 Michael Mullin, New City, N.Y.
1995 John Miller, Wichita, Kan.
1996 David Eisenberg, Kendall Park, N.J.
1997 Todd Filter, Cedarburg, Wis.
1998 James (Eddie) Kirtley, Bowling Green, Ky.
1999 Andrew Cain, Glendale, Ariz.
2000 Scott Norton, Cypress, Calif.
2001 Sean Rash, Anchorage, Alaska
2002 Nathan Bohr, Austin, Texas
2003 Marc D’Errico, Rochester, N.Y.
2004 Patrick Haggerty, Weimar, Calif.
2005 Brandon Temple, Tempe, Ariz.
2006 Eric Helmrich, Saint Leonard, Md.
2007 Jonathan Buckert, Rochester, N.Y.
2008 Kyle Kahlden, Houston
2009 Chris Bardol, Brockport, N.Y.
2010 Andrew Koff, Miami, Fla.
2011 Brent Bowers, Mulvane, Kan.
2012 Kyle Anderson, Lockport, Ill.
2013 Joey Kopera, Orland Park, Ill.
2014 Derick Holmes, Wichita, Kan.
2015 Anthony Sidari, Hazleton, Pa.
2016 Jack Cook, Denville, N.J.
2017 Carson Opela, Rio Rancho, N.M.
2018 Alex Olendorff, St. Louis, Mo.
2019 Trace Nuss of Tampa, Fla.
2020 Ryan Gatton, Owensboro, Ky.
The annual award recognizes star qualities in a United States Bowling Congress Youth member, including distinguished bowling performances on the local, state and national levels, academic achievement and community involvement. Applicants must be a male high school senior or college student.
Gatton receives a $6,000 scholarship as this year’s award recipient.
“Receiving this award is proof that my hard work has paid off and I am honored to have been chosen,” Gatton said. “I have worked extremely diligently in both bowling and academics to get to where I am now, and this award is a vindication of that. It is special to me because bowling and school have been huge parts of my life and to receive a scholarship for those two things that I love to do is amazing.”
A senior at Apollo High School, Gatton has a 4.0 grade-point average (4.27 weighted) and has taken Advanced Placement courses in biology, environmental science, calculus, statistics, English language and English Literature, history and European history, in addition to dual-credit classes.
He was recognized as an AP Scholar in 2018 and received the AP Scholar with Distinction Award for the 2018-2019 school year. He also was the recipient of the 2019 Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award.
His volunteer projects as a member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club include serving at the Cliff Hagan Boys and Girls Club. For the last four years, he volunteered at the Special Olympics Bowling regional event.
A bowler since age 4, he previously served as a youth board member with the Owensboro Bowling Association. He reached a personal goal by rolling a 300 game in March of 2019.
Gatton helped start the bowling program at Apollo High School and was team captain for the 2019-2020 season. A Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) Academic All-State selection each year, he was named the 2019-2020 Midway University/KHSAA Male Bowling Student-Athlete of the Year.
He plans to attend Western Kentucky University in the fall and major in education.
“Many teachers have had a huge impact on my life, so I plan to pay that forward,” Gatton said. “I plan on becoming a high school English teacher.”
Visit BOWL.com/ScholarshipsAwards for more information on scholarship opportunities for youth bowlers.
CHUCK HALL STAR OF TOMORROW AWARD WINNERS
Year, winner, hometown
1980 Chris Whitty, Simonton, Texas
1981 Drew Barthle, Tampa, Fla.
1982 Ricky Corona, Oakland, Calif.
1983 Dan Nadeau, Las Vegas
1984 Robert Beck, Houston
1985 Justin Hromek, Andover, Kan.
1986 Pat Healey, Wichita, Kan.
1987 Mark Fisser, Buena Park, Calif.
1988 Bradley Joinetz, San Antonio, Texas
1989 Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan.
1990 Jason McCarty, Fultondale, Ala.
1991 Chris Williams, Anchorage, Alaska
1992 Robert Smith, Moorpark, Calif.
1993 Vince Biondo, Hoffman Estates, Ill.
1994 Michael Mullin, New City, N.Y.
1995 John Miller, Wichita, Kan.
1996 David Eisenberg, Kendall Park, N.J.
1997 Todd Filter, Cedarburg, Wis.
1998 James (Eddie) Kirtley, Bowling Green, Ky.
1999 Andrew Cain, Glendale, Ariz.
2000 Scott Norton, Cypress, Calif.
2001 Sean Rash, Anchorage, Alaska
2002 Nathan Bohr, Austin, Texas
2003 Marc D’Errico, Rochester, N.Y.
2004 Patrick Haggerty, Weimar, Calif.
2005 Brandon Temple, Tempe, Ariz.
2006 Eric Helmrich, Saint Leonard, Md.
2007 Jonathan Buckert, Rochester, N.Y.
2008 Kyle Kahlden, Houston
2009 Chris Bardol, Brockport, N.Y.
2010 Andrew Koff, Miami, Fla.
2011 Brent Bowers, Mulvane, Kan.
2012 Kyle Anderson, Lockport, Ill.
2013 Joey Kopera, Orland Park, Ill.
2014 Derick Holmes, Wichita, Kan.
2015 Anthony Sidari, Hazleton, Pa.
2016 Jack Cook, Denville, N.J.
2017 Carson Opela, Rio Rancho, N.M.
2018 Alex Olendorff, St. Louis, Mo.
2019 Trace Nuss of Tampa, Fla.
2020 Ryan Gatton, Owensboro, Ky.