Shauna Pirie Laisnez of Big Valley participates in the Alberta Tournament Division Masters Ladies Division held in Stettler Jan. 13. The provincial masters holds six games throughout the winter to determine which players advance to the national team. ECA Review/L. Joy
Stettler hosted the Alberta Tournament Division Masters Ladies Division on Saturday to determine which players advance to nationals and a Big Valley bowler has her sights set on the Canadian masters.
Shauna Pirie-Laisnez – who is no stranger to winning national titles – bowled 2,274 in eight games Sunday, Jan. 14 in Red Deer to win the provincial tournament star. On Saturday, Jan. 13 in Stettler she scored 2,056 coming in sixth.
“To win one of those tournaments coming out of Alberta is very challenging,” said Pirie-Laisnez. “A lot of the Canada’s best bowlers come from Alberta, both men and women.”
The Alberta Tournament Division Masters plays six days over three weekends during winter to determine which players will make the national team.
On Jan. 13 the ladies masters was held in Stettler and the men’s was held in Olds. On Jan. 14 the men’s and ladies were both held in Red Deer. Out of the six days played on weekends in October, January and March, the player takes the scores from their best four days.
Pirie-Laisnez will compete in the provincial masters in March 3 – 4 in Edmonton and expects to know by March 7 if she made the national team.
“This is my seventh try at masters. I’ve made five nationals out of seven.”
Last year Pirie-Laisnez was part of the national team that won silver in Regina. The other national winning teams she was on include: 2016 taking gold in Surrey; 2015 winning bronze in Hamilton; 2009 taking Gold in Saskatoon; and 2005 winning gold in Red Deer.
Pirie-Laisnez plays alongside greats in the sport like Dianne Violini of Lethbridge and Jennifer Marshall-Smith from Calgary.
“Sometimes it’s nerve wracking,” said Pirie-Laisnez. “You want to strive to beat or be as good as them.”
She said the Tournament Masters Division is about the etiquacy of the game and teaching bowling.
“I pride myself on that,” Pirie-Laisnez said about the etiquacy.
Pirie-Laisnez passes on her knowledge and skills coaching to about 23 youth bowlers in Stettler for the Youth Bowling Council.
Lisa Joy
ECA Review
