14-year-old becomes youngest in Hawaii to bowl perfect 300 game

Anyone roaming the lanes at Leeward Bowl on Feb. 5 had a chance to witness history being made. According to the Oahu Bowling Association, 14-year-old Carson Onodera became the youngest person in Hawaii to bowl a perfect 300 game in a Leeward Junior Bowling Club competition.

“It’s something I’ve been dreaming about for a while,” Carson said. “I watch videos of professional bowling, there’s been about 30-something televised 300s on TV. I never thought I’d be shooting 300 too this early. I thought that I would be shooting 300 when I was 16, 17, 18, but never at 14.”

Despite a first game score of 230 that included six consecutive strikes, the thought of a 300 game didn’t initially cross his mind. But as the strikes began to rack up in his second game, the achievement began to enter the realm of possibility for Carson.

“After the 11th frame I was actually crying. I was very happy at that point,” he said. “Before I bowled my 300, my high score was 286. I’ve had 10 strikes in a row. Never after that did I think I was going to shoot a 300. But it happened within the course of less than a year.”

Alongside his friends, Carson’s father, Chad; twin brother, Thomas; and younger brother Spencer, all of whom are bowlers, were on hand to witness his achievement. Sumi Onodera, Carson’s mom and also a bowler, wasn’t in attendance when he broke 300. But she went through the full range of emotions when she realized what Carson had achieved.

“I was elated. I was crying,” Sumi Onodera said. “I’m a bowler too, so it’s really meaningful, it’s a tremendous accomplishment. I was in tears.”

Carson didn’t achieve this feat without first tackling some obstacles. He had to overcome the physical challenges of having dysplasia in the left side of his body, which makes it difficult for him to control his left leg and arm. His parents tried hard to find a sport that Carson could participate in. They were elated when he took to bowling.

“Bowling was the last one that we tried,” his mother said. “It’s something that he really excelled in and that he’s really passionate about.”

Bowling didn’t always come easy to Carson, though.

“To be very honest with you, we didn’t think he was going to do well,” Sumi Onodera said. “He’s actually bowled a game of eight, if you can believe it. We are extremely proud of his accomplishments and his continued growth.”

Carson is currently an eighth-grader at King Intermediate School, which does not have a bowling team. Next year, he will be attending Castle High School, which does have a team. Before that, however, Carson has qualified to take part in this summer’s Junior Gold USBC Tournament in Grand Rapids, Mich.

According to the Oahu U.S. Bowling Congress, Carson, at 14 years, three months, is the youngest to bowl a 300 in a sanctioned event.