While attending Morehead State University in Kentucky, Kelly Kulick developed an appreciation for country music. She joined a YMCA to get in shape, and noticed they offered line dance classes. She immediately fell in love with the endless benefits the activity provided. 

"The physical exercise alone and the endorphins you get from being able to dance, and then the musicality. You start to elaborate and create your own type of movements. It's that expression,  ‘Dance like no one's watching,’” Kulick said. "I am able to express myself a little bit more when I hear music. It's just so fun, expressive and energetic. That's what I love."  

In New Jersey, she teaches line-dance lessons for 90 minutes on Tuesday nights, while also filling in as a substitute instructor when she is available. She rock-climbs twice a week with a friend, she has signed up to learn to do personal training, and she helps out at her dad's autobody shop, too. Kulick admits there are just so many things she wants to do while living life to its fullest. 

"There's an expression in line dancing I just learned this past year. When we're teaching, you'll call out steps and say, 'You got it.' And people say, 'Yep, clear as mud,'" the 47-year-old said. "So, that's the expression I live by: clear as mud."

The Google calendar on her phone is color-coded, as is a paper one specifically for the upcoming summer months. That is when the PWBA season begins, her schedule with Junior Team USA, as well as the PBA50 Tour, where she is a ball rep. She describes her busy life as a bit of balanced chaos. She claims she is a Jack-of-all-trades, master of none, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

"She has definitely mastered some. I think she is going down in history as one of the greatest women bowlers ever," Carolyn Dorin-Ballard said. "She has a goal, sets a plan, puts the process through and looks for the end result. That is how she has always been and that is what has made her so successful on and off the lanes."

"There are a dozen legit full-time jobs she does part-time, per se. The master of none couldn't be more false," said Leanne Barrette-Hulsenberg, third on the PWBA’s all-time titles list with 27 wins. "She is a Jack-of-all-trades, wears many hats and she is 100-percent dedicated to each of those roles. She is one of the most important people in bowling.”

Dorin-Ballard watched Kulick elevate herself through every level of bowling. She got to know her early on, being from New Jersey herself, and she marveled at Kulick's dedication and determination. 

"The bond with her mother, Carol, helped give her all of the great attributes she needed on and off the lanes — compassion, passion, support. That bond really helped to shape her and keep her moving forward," Dorin-Ballard said. "You don't have to stop at one thing. You can always have whatever you want, you just have to work hard for it. All the attributes her mother instilled in her and kept pushing her."

"She is consistently humble. That is the essence of Kelly Kulick," said Maria Stender, Kulick's New Jersey line-dance teacher and close friend. "The kid is a quick study, and she is good at everything she does."

Stender wasn't aware of what Kulick had accomplished on the lanes when the USBC Hall of Famer started taking her class. She just noticed a natural athlete with a brilliant memory who was able to pick up the steps quickly. 

"I wasn't influenced by anything other than the essence of Kelly Kulick," Stender said, of her early impressions. "She moves beautifully on the dance floor. I think some of it comes from being accustomed to performing in front of other people, so she is not as phased by eyes watching as some other dancers are. She loves it and she exudes confidence. Nothing says I am good other than your own confidence."

Kulick's mom always exposed her to music and thought her daughter would become a music teacher. Kulick had played the flute, oboe, and some drums. She even participated in a marching band for a few years while growing up. Carol favored the sounds of her generation in the '50s and '60s. They both love Elvis Presley. 

"I wish I could sing because I would have made a living at that, but no," Kulick said. "The line dancing is great because you can be single. You don't have to have a partner or husband or anything like that, to enjoy it."

She has danced in cities and countries around the globe while being exposed to the flavors of the world. She enjoys trying new drinks and food while socializing and learning more about the places she visits. She has gone to wineries in Napa and Sonoma Valley in California to Australia. She has Italy on her bucket list, which she plans to explore and enjoy authentic food and wine before she turns 60. 

"At one point, I would love to have a restaurant because I think food brings people together and it just makes for a cozy environment. In my career where I could fit that in, I do not know," she said. "A restaurant, a brewery and a line dancing hall all merged into one facility. It would be an upscale version of common American pub food." 

"When I made the men's tour, Del Ballard was a wine drinker. I learned a little bit from him and then the friends I made along the way who were very good influencers when it came to what pairs with certain foods," she said. "I tend to favor Cabernets in the wintertime. I love a good, nice, crisp Chardonnay in the warmer months and then on special occasions. Cabs and Chardonnays are what I favor the most."

More to Master
When presented with the opportunity to give TV commentary a try, Kulick was all-in. She studied legends like Bo Burton and Chris Schenkel, as well as Dorin-Ballard and her sister, Cathy Dorin-Lizzi. She believed she could do the craft justice by describing what was happening on the lanes with the equipment and the bowlers. She shines during live and taped broadcasts of collegiate bowling and the PWBA Tour, getting a front row seat to watch youth bowlers progress and follow their own dreams as the sport grows. 

"She treats them as if they are the professional and superstar ladies that they are at that moment on that show, and that says a lot about somebody. Kelly is great at describing the talents of the bowler and pointing out things bowlers will continue to work on because you will see them on the show again," Dorin-Ballard said. "When she is in that booth it comes across as she is as passionate about ladies bowling as she is about her own bowling."

"She is the perfect role model for these kids, and I tell them that. I say if there is anyone to emulate, not just bowling but the way they live their life, it's her. She makes sure she has downtime away from bowling," Barrette-Hulsenberg said. "These kids are lucky to have her as their coach, because she has so much life to teach them."

Oh, and There’s the Bowling, Too
Barrette-Hulsenberg and Dorin-Ballard were Ebonite staffers when Kulick joined the staff. All three were in the stepladder at the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open in Detroit. The title match featured Dorin-Ballard seeking her 20th title while Kulick wanted her first.

"I led that tournament, and she beat me on TV. I wasn't thrilled that I didn't win, but it was a pleasure to watch somebody like that win a U.S. Open being in the front row watching history being made. Just knew she was going to be great," Dorin-Ballard said. "Her personality, her work ethic, her passion, her tricks, and her knowledge of the sport at such a young age. You really don't see that a lot. She honed her skills and just became great."

During a span of less than 10 months from 2009 to 2010, Kulick became the only player in professional bowling history to win four consecutive major championships — the inaugural PBA Women's World Championship, the PBA Tournament of Champions, the USBC Queens and, to top it all off, the iconic green jacket and a win at the U.S. Women's Open. Since then, Kulick has logged one more top-five finish at that prestigious major to go along with a six-place showing last year. 

Stender is in awe of what Kulick has accomplished — and her ability to juggle everything she does at a high level while always being invested in those in her life. She witnessed the special relationship Kulick had with her mom, and her heart broke for Kulick when Carol died in 2016. Stender never had children of her own and refers to Kulick as the closest she has come. Kulick calls her a second mom. 

"She was devasted and it took her years to feel like her old self on the lanes. Her mother was such a big part of her bowling career," Stender said. 

In 2017, Kulick won the PWBA Fountain Valley Open and said the moment "was a win for the Kulick family." After a difficult 2019, when she admits "bowling wasn't fun," COVID gave her an unanticipated break. 

"Our company continued to pay the athletes, which was huge by Storm to do that, and I felt like I needed to come back and return the support that they gave me. And 2021 happened to be one of my better years," Kulick said. "I won a title again and then I got to go to the World Championship that we won with Team USA in Dubai." 

An Icon
Simone Biles, Serena Williams, Caitlin Clark and A'ja Wilson are names not typically found within the pages of this publication. However, they are all clutch, iconic role models and champions who were key in elevating their sport to new heights. Both before the death of Kulick’s mom and in the years following that difficult event in her life, Kulick has proven herself to be nothing short of an icon in the sport. 

Some of her veteran peers and closest friends feel the 2001 PWBA Rookie of the Year got gypped when the tour ceased operation in 2003 and didn't return until 12 years later. But quit isn't in her vocabulary. She seeks greatness in everything she does and every shot she makes. 

"I always feel like we defend the sport of bowling, and it never really truly gets the respect it deserves. I want there to be more greatness, more awareness, more energy," Kulick said. "The amount of energy you expend when you get upset or aggravated, you can harness that energy into something else. If I can feel it all the way from the bottom of my feet, all the way through my body into my cells and everything, it's just going to create this energy ball that's just going to be so powerful that it's going to be better on the next shot. You just have to keep working at it." 

The New Jersey native strongly believes everybody has their one true direction in life, but life also has tutored her in the importance of being able to pivot. She stresses as much with her Junior Team USA bowlers, encouraging them to devote time to other passions and interests as well because one never knows when the time may come to take a side road like she did when the tour went on hiatus. Whatever it takes to keep moving forward.

Kulick stands behind her words, leading by example as she dives into multiple interests from TV commentary to line dancing and rock climbing. She instills the message to test yourself, put yourself in different situations and be willing to adjust your plan when needed. 

She did just that in 2006, when she became the first woman to earn an exemption on the PBA Tour. In 2010, she made history when she not only became the first woman to ever bowl in the PBA Tournament of Champions, but also the first woman to ever win a major championship on the PBA Tour, too. She did it in dominating fashion as she erased No. 1 seed Chris Barnes in the title match by 70 pins. 

"She was a generational talent. She was probably the brightest rookie that we had in a long time on the tour," said Barrette-Hulsenberg. "It's really sad that the tour ended when it did because she had everything ahead of her from records to break to championships. She never really got to experience a full career on the women's tour."

"I think it [increased] the possibility of bringing the women's tour back. I don't know if that was the motivation or not, but it was inspirational to so many — even as recreational players. I just want the respect for bowling that it deserves," Kulick said. "The young girls getting to watch me, getting to watch Shannon [O’Keefe] and Liz [Johnson]. So, maybe it caused people to tune into a telecast that they never tuned into before and created more fans, more influence and awareness to it."

That historic moment led to multiple interviews, an invitation to the White House to celebrate Women's History Month, a call from tennis icon Billie Jean King, more media exposure for bowling, along with a million-dollar prize fund at the 2011 PBA Tournament of Champions. It also earned Kulick the chance to feel comfortable in her own skin appearing in ESPN the Magazine's "Body Issue" in 2011.

"Growing up as a junior bowler, my mom was always in my corner. When I said, ‘I want to be a professional bowler,’ she believed in me, and she supported that journey and the sacrifice I had to make in order to fulfill that dream," Kulick said. 

"So, for her to be there (at the TOC) when that dream actually got fulfilled and having her witness one of the greatest achievements in history was a victory for both of us. I could not have done it without the support of my whole family, but really the leaning and the pushing and the motivation of my mother to get me to that point."

Donning Yet Another Hat
She followed that up in 2022 with another opportunity to impact the sport. She was named PBA50 Tour Manager. She worried how the players she idolized, and calls heroes would accept her. To help acclimate her and the senior bowlers were Del Ballard Jr. and Jim Callahan. It wasn't hard for her to put herself in the bowler's shoes sharing what she saw happening and offer her suggestions.

"Are they going to be OK if a woman screams at them and they scream at me because I'm helping them? I don't want to be looked at as a female, but just like, 'Hey, be mad at me, do something, but let's figure it out,’” she said. "I feel that what I've achieved on the lanes as a bowler, as a commentator, and understanding the coaching that the men really welcomed me with open arms." 

"There is a different aura from a ball rep that has stood in those shoes on the lane to throw it for the title. She brings so much to the moment because she has done it," Dorin-Ballard said. "Her and Del working together brought a vision of being ahead of the move instead of being behind the move because they had such good communication. She is trying to make everybody as great as they can be."

Right away, Kulick was making an impact in her new role and players were beyond thankful. At the fourth stop of the 2022 PBA50 season, Tom Hess didn't shy away from letting others know. "Having a Hall of Fame set of eyes behind you, talking you off the ledge when you need to be talked off the ledge, and working you through what is going on pair-to-pair is absolutely unmeasurable." 

After winning the 2023 Bud Moore PBA50 Players Championship, Pete Weber was quick to give Kulick credit for his major title. She took video of No. 2 seed Bill Rowe to show Weber where he was playing on the lanes and what was working for him. He was throwing the ball as hard as he could, keeping it on line, and she knew Weber could do the same. After the win Weber said, "I can't thank Kelly enough for being here and telling me to be a man and throw it."

Kulick has achieved a lot in her life already, but there is more to come. She has a few bigger goals and dreams.

"I married my occupation but eventually I want to have a happily ever after life, too. Finding the balance in a career and a personal life is still something that I'm working toward," she said. "I'd love to be on Dancing with the Stars."

"I am not sure that bowling has given her everything, I hope that it has. But as a competitor, I know that it hasn't given her everything that she deserves and that is no one's fault," Barrette-Hulsenberg said. "I just think that she had so much to look forward to as far as championships and winning go, but it has given her a lot of other things, so hopefully it has fulfilled her the way she deserves."

"There are many layers to peel with Kelly Kulick. I don't think you have seen the last of it," Dorin-Ballard said.

Icon: Kulick’s Greatness at a Glance
By Gianmarc Manzione

The nice thing about possessing Kelly Kulick’s combination of talent and work ethic is that, whether it has been the relaunched PWBA Tour, its predecessor, or the time in between, nothing has stopped the 2001 PWBA Rookie of the Year from scaling the heights of greatness on the lanes. The line-dancer, wine aficionado, personal trainer and former oboe player has been equally vigorous in the pursuit of her passion for the sport, as she punched through for numerous major titles prior to the relaunch of the PWBA Tour and wasted little time resuming her winning ways when the tour returned. Here is a rundown of the glittering array of victories this 17-time Team USA member has amassed as one of the greatest athletes women’s professional bowling ever will see… 
 

Year	Tournament	Site
2003	U.S. Women's Open	Sterling Heights, Mich.
2007	USBC Queens	Charlotte, N.C.
2009	PBA Women's World Championship	Allen Park, Mich.
2009	PBA Women's Series Shark Championship	Allen Park, Mich.
2010	PBA Tournament of Champions	Las Vegas
2010	USBC Queens	El Paso, Texas
2010	U.S. Women's Open	Arlington, Texas
2012	U.S. Women's Open	Reno, Nevada
2017	PWBA Fountain Valley Open	Fountain Valley, Calif.
2021	PWBA Albany Open	South Glens Falls, N.Y.