Dynasty: Mike DeVaney Interview #2

Dynasty Athlete Representation and its bowling client, Mike DeVaney, got its second dose of press with the release of a news article in The Press-Enterprise [Inland pro bowler giving sport more than his strikes].

Here is the transcript of the article:

10:08 AM PDT on Tuesday, September 18, 2007

By JEFF HORSEMAN
The Press-Enterprise For those who think professional bowlers are beer-swilling, potbellied slackers, Mike DeVaney wants you to see something.

“If you come in and watch a (Professional Bowlers Association) event and watch what we do, you won’t think these guys aren’t athletes,” the 34-year-old Temecula resident said.

Besides knocking down pins for money as a tournament regular, DeVaney tries to topple bowling stereotypes.

He travels the country competing in tournaments from mid-October to April. He also bowls several nights a week during the off-season.

When asked whether professional bowling is fun, the married father of a newborn son paused.

“It’s rewarding,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s fun. It’s a career.”

Kirk von Krueger, a retired pro bowler and the Professional Bowling Association’s tour director, said DeVaney isn’t shy about speaking up.

“You know exactly where he stands. It’s part of his nature,” said von Krueger, who added, “He’s got a whole boatload of talent.”

A native of Escondido, DeVaney started bowling as a kid at the alley where his mother worked. He joined the adult ranks at age 17.

DeVaney’s family lives on his earnings and endorsements. In the past three years, DeVaney estimates he pulled in more than $250,000.

It wasn’t always that profitable.

“For a long time, I was almost broke,” he said.

DeVaney’s biggest win came in a 2003 national championship in Tacoma, Wash., when he defeated bowling legend Norm Duke.

When he won, “it was like a thousand-pound weight being lifted off my shoulders,” DeVaney said.

While the national title is his biggest win to date, DeVaney has held his own among bowling’s best. He has finished second four times since 2003 and been ranked among the top 12 bowlers each of the past four years.

Beyond the lanes, DeVaney said he tries to be an ambassador for bowling. He said the sport needs to lure more families and nonbowling sponsors.

“You need to attract people who don’t necessarily know about the industry,” DeVaney said.

He sees modern bowling complexes such as the Trevi Entertainment Center in Lake Elsinore as the sport’s future. The center, which opened in July, features fireplaces, marble architecture, a 70-foot bar and other amenities.

“You can go in here, spend a couple hundred bucks and not feel ripped off,” DeVaney said.

Most professional bowlers peak during their late 30s or early 40s, DeVaney said. After he retires, he hopes to run his own bowling center. He also is a minority owner of a few racehorses.

For now, he continues to focus on improving, even using sports psychology to freeze out distractions and to concentrate on getting strikes.

“I’m superstitious about not being superstitious,” DeVaney said. “Luck is random, and if you’re good enough, luck’s going to be on your side.”

TOWNSFOLK

Mike DeVaney

Age: 34

Residence: Temecula

Occupation: Professional bowler

Family: Married; one son

Goals: Continue his success on the Professional Bowlers Association tour. Run his own bowling center

-Darren Heitner