GUIDANCE: Diandra Asbaty gives tips to Zoe Trungove of ACT. 1021sgtenpin1
DIANDRA Asbaty has bowled all over the world in some of the most prestigious tenpin bowling tournaments but on Sunday she was excited about being in Orange.
She and business partner, Orange’s Jason Belmonte, ran a coaching clinic and mini tournament at the Orange Tenpin Bowl.
Asbaty, who is arguably the world’s greatest female bowler right now, said it was special to be in a place where Belmonte started his career.
“It’s been really cool to come to the place which started two-handed bowling,” Asbaty said of the Orange Tenpin Bowl.
“It is really cool what Jason has done for bowling. He inspires people to bowl.”
Belmonte and Asbaty are partners in the International Art of Bowling, a company that specialises in coaching bowlers.
They brought their coaching skills to the clinic which attracted 40 children from around NSW including Orange, Newcastle, Albury, northern NSW and the ACT.
The young bowlers impressed Asbaty, who is from Chicago.
“I have a very good feeling we’ll see some of them on a very large stage one day,” she said.
“There’s one youth bowler [Newcastle’s Jayden Panella] who is very interested in bowling at college in the US. So I’ve spoken to him about it. He’s only 15 and I’ve never seen someone his age throw the ball the way he does.
“It’s exciting for the future of the sport.”
Belmonte said the Orange bowlers did him proud.
“The Orange bowlers were standouts who impressed and have a great future in bowling,” he said.
Belmonte has also taken the time to show Asbaty and her family, husband John and son Madden ,2, the region.
This included a ride in a hot air balloon and going clay target shooting.
“There have been a lot of firsts,” Asbaty said.
Belmonte and Asbaty are about to focus on work, however, as the AMF Australian Masters is being held in Sydney.
The event is a World Bowling Tour tournament and will be held on Friday and Saturday at Rooty Hill.
Asbaty is hoping she can win the women’s title and Belmonte can lift the men’s trophy. “It’s a world title and I definitely want to win,” she said.