ARLINGTON, Texas – Christina Petty of Tullahoma, Tennessee, and Mason Mullins of Washington Court House, Ohio, have been chosen by the United Stated Bowling Congress Youth Advisory Group as the 2025 USBC Youth Ambassadors of the Year.

The annual award recognizes one female and one male USBC Youth bowler for exemplary academic accomplishments, community involvement and contributions to the sport of bowling outside of league or tournament play.

Winners are chosen on submitted applications, and each will receive a $1,500 scholarship.
 
Petty, 17, is a young woman who is truly representative of a USBC Youth Ambassador of the Year winner as she has been a shining light in the classroom, out in the community and on the lanes.

“I was very shocked to receive the award,” Petty said. “Being selected for this award was something I’ve wanted for years. Bowling has been a huge part of my life for the last seven years, and I’m very humbled and grateful to be accepting this award.”

Petty is completing her senior year at Tullahoma High School where her academic prowess has earned her a 4.092 GPA and acceptance into the National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society.

“I’m very proud of my GPA, which I’ve earned while taking dual-enrollment and AP classes,” Petty said. “I’ve also been taking a writing class for college that has helped me with an essay contest through my church (also sponsored by the Knights of Columbus), and my submission earned first place locally, first in the district, first in the state, first nationally and is currently competing internationally.”

Petty also is a Hobbs Scholarship recipient and a 2024 participant in the Distinguished Young Women program, an organization that seeks “to empower young women to develop their full, individual potential by providing scholarships, personal development opportunities and a positive peer network.”

However, Petty’s hard work and dedication have not been limited solely to the classroom as she has been highly involved and influential in community service activities as well.

Petty has frequently volunteered at Bel-Aire Elementary School in Tullahoma, fulfilling various roles to assist both students and staff. Additionally, she has helped put together holiday care packages for nursing home residents for several years and has co-hosted The Bowling Give Back Fundraiser for local oncology patients, where she’s created the event flyer, developed its shirt design, procured donations and assisted with all facets of the event’s operation.

“The Bowling Give Back Fundraiser was important to me,” Petty said. “I worked with our youth league president, and we put together a fundraiser for local oncology patients who were in need over the holidays. We had a bake sale, sold raffle tickets, did an auction, just anything you could imagine, and we were able to raise more than $7,000 for this cause. It just felt so good to be able to help other people and their families.”

On the lanes, Petty helped the Tullahoma High School Girls’ Bowling Team to a second-place finish at the 2024 Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) State Tournament. In 2025, she secured a seventh-place individual finish at state. It was during that event that Petty rolled the high game of her career, 288, that was also the highest of the event in both the girls and boys divisions.

Petty talked about her bowling journey.

“I started in sixth grade, and I wasn’t very good at it at first,” Petty admitted. “But I kept going because the friendships that I was making were just so strong, and I had so much fun being able to connect with new people, not just locally, but around the state as well.”

Petty also has authored strong performances outside of high school bowling, recording multiple top-20 finishes in various events at the annual Tennessee USBC Youth State Tournament.

Petty credits her high school bowling coach (Derek Swiger) and her parents (Brett and Stephanie) for the improvements in her bowling game and for keeping her motivated.

Wanting to give back to bowling just as she frequently gives back to her community, Petty has fulfilled various volunteer roles within the sport, including assisting with the Tullahoma Middle School TSSAA bowling teams for the past several years. She also works part-time at her local bowling center – Tullahoma Lanes – where she works the front desk, runs the register and assists with leagues.

Petty’s talents aren’t limited to bowling, however; she is an accomplished dancer as well.

“I’ve been dancing for 15 years, and I’ve been to two different studios,” Petty said. “I started with tap and ballet, but recently I moved to the Tullahoma Dance Company where I’ve taken jazz, tap, ballet, point and musical theater. That opportunity has really improved my dancing, and I believe it’s part of the reason why I was able to get my college dance opportunity. Also, I got to teach dance classes there to the pre-school kids, which is exciting for me because I want to be a dance teacher in the future.”

Petty signed a letter of intent with Campbellsville University in Kentucky. There, she plans to pursue a major in computer science with a minor in dance. She also will continue both her bowling and dancing careers at Campbellsville.

She was asked what she looks forward to most about college.

“Probably being a part of a college sports team,” Petty replied. “That’s always been a dream of mine, so I’m just looking forward to being able to bowl and dance and enjoy the things I love.”

Mullins, 18, is finishing his senior year at Washington Court House High School and exemplifies the USBC Youth Ambassador of the Year award with his accomplishments on and off the lanes.

He was excited to be named USBC Youth Ambassador of Year but for reasons beyond just the scholarship money.

“It was actually pretty cool when I learned I’d won the award,” Mullins said. “I was with one of my friends at my house, and we were playing ping pong. My dad actually got the call, and he came in and was telling me about it. It’s just an amazing thing, not only for the scholarship money and the recognition, but also because we get to take a trip to Vegas!”

Vegas trip aside, the magnitude of the award was not lost on Mullins.

“Of course, you’re really surprised when you get any of these scholarships,” Mullins continued. “I don’t know how many people are filling out the application for this, but I assume there are a lot. So, we were all really happy that I got it.”

Mullins was a Dexter All-American in 2024 and has continued to hold a 4.0 GPA during his senior year while also spending time as a teaching assistant during his study hall period. His outstanding performance in the classroom earned him placement in the National Merit Scholarship Program, earning scholarships for his future college endeavors. He also serves on the school’s Athletics Advisory Council and is a part of the student-run Credit Union.

Washington Court House High School sent Mullins to represent them at Buckeyes Boys State, a week-long experience where students learn about government and ethics before running a mock government.

“Earning a place on the Dexter High School All-American Team last year is probably the thing I’m most proud of academically,” Mullins said. “That award, like this one, is not just about bowling. It’s also about community involvement and academic performance, so, without strong academics, there’s no way I get selected for that honor.”

On the bowling front, Mullins is a USBC Bronze-level coach and shares his knowledge of the sport with not only his high school teammates, but also with other youth bowlers in the area, offering lessons to those who want to become better bowlers at the center where he regularly practices.

He competed all four years for the school’s bowling team, closing out his high school bowling career as a four-time district qualifier and three-time All-Conference member. Mullins led his team to a district title this year and a spot in the state championships, where the team finished in the top eight.

“My favorite accomplishment in bowling is not a personal achievement; it’s a team achievement,” Mullins said. “This year, we became the first boys’ bowling team in school history to make it to the state tournament. The Southwest District that we compete in is super-competitive. With this being my senior year, along with the other seniors, we just wanted that so badly, and we just enjoyed every single moment and every single shot during that tournament.”

Since beginning his bowling career in 2018, Mullins has continued to show improvement in average and consistency, and he has already recorded a perfect game, which he bowled in 2022 during his youth league.

“I bowled Saturday morning youth leagues growing up, but I also played baseball,” Mullins said. “I decided to pursue bowling around my eighth-grade year and into high school. That’s when I started getting more serious about it. I started taking lessons and attending camps from area pros like Tom Carter and Bill Henson, and I just got more competitive with it.”

In addition to Carter and Henson, Mullins gives credit to his high school bowling coach (Buck Caulley) for helping him with his bowling, and, of course, his parents are a large part of his success on and off the lanes.

“Without a doubt, my family and my coaches deserve all the thanks,” said Mullins. “My parents were the ones that paid for everything with my activities and drove me everywhere. They believed in me and supported me at every step, so, certainly, this award is not possible without them.”

And while Mullins has thrived as a competitor in the sport, there’s something else about it that makes it enjoyable for him.

“The biggest part for me is the friendships,” Mullins said. “I played a lot of sports, and I’ve never found one that creates the same kind of bonds like bowling. I’ve made a lot of friends through bowling. Even with our rival schools, we’re all just super-connected and only want to see the best for each other. So, you grow with these people, and I feel I’ll be lifelong friends with a lot of them.”

His dedication to helping others is not limited to the lanes, however, as Mullins volunteered for the Big Blue Bus Summer Food Program. The federally funded program, established in 2019, sends a bus around during the summer to bring meals to students who otherwise might not have access to hot, healthy food. The blue bus also offers a book check-out program and provides free Wi-Fi on the bus.

“The bus goes across the county serving meals to underprivileged kids,” Mullins explained. “I helped package the meals, and on some of the days when I wasn’t volunteering, I’d see the bus go by and stop, and then I’d see these lines and lines of kids getting these meals. I realized I played a part in helping those kids. It gave me a real sense of leadership and fulfillment. That experience led me into other volunteer work, but it all started with that program.”

In addition to bowling, Mullins also is an accomplished tennis player. He didn’t pick up that sport until just before his freshman year of high school but has advanced to become the No. 1 singles player on his high school team this year.

Mullins has applied and been accepted to numerous colleges and universities but hasn’t made a final decision yet. He is leaning toward attending Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. Mullins notes that he was thinking about a course of study in mechanical engineering, but lately he is thinking more about pursuing a degree in computer science with a minor in cyber security.

He hopes to continue bowling while in college, perhaps in a league or during his free time, or possibly trying to help build a program at Rose-Hulman.

Petty and Mullins will be recognized next month at the 2025 USBC Convention and Annual Meeting at South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

For a list of past USBC Youth Ambassador winners, click here.

Learn more about awards for adult youth leaders and scholarship opportunities for youth bowlers at BOWL.com/ScholarshipsAwards.