2012 HoF MERITORIOUS SERVICE RECIPIENT – ARVANITIS

2012 Hall of Fame Inductee
NANCY ARVANITIS

California USBC inducted three women into their Hall of Fame who were ardent supporters of bowling in California. NANCY ARVANITIS was inducted for Meritorious Service but having been exposed to bowling at a young age and tutored by her mother she has also made her mark as a bowler. She became a WIBC member at the age of eleven and later on while living on Long island in New York she had the thrill of having the famous Andy Veripapa offer to give her some pointers.  She said it really helped her game.  Nancy’s higher education came from the State University of New York where she received a degree in Education and Mathematics in 1967. She married and continued teaching for several years until her son’s Christopher and Matthew were born – just a California USBC Inducts Three to Their Hall by Mary Lynly year apart – and she decided she would be a stay at home mom. Nancy was diligent about not missing her league night and, in fact, she bowled Friday night and Matthew was born on Sunday and she bowled the next Friday! In 1976 the family moved to California and settled in Vista.  In short order she went to the local bowling center and signed up for a league – The George Murphy scratch/match play league where she became a good friend of National Hall of Famer Olga Gloor. The stage was set when Phyllis Bourque invited her to attend a meeting for youth bowlers.  Since both of her boys bowled she was interested but didn’t count on becoming the new Youth Association Secretary! She helped spearhead hosting the 1992 State Youth Championships. She became active in the Avocado WBA and although she had a passion for bowling game she chose not to follow a Semi-Pro Bowling career and get into the administrative end of things. She cherishes the memories of traveling the country with her fellow bowlers – 30 State Tournaments and 25 Nationals.  She served as Secretary of the Youth Association for many years and also with the California USBC.  She says working the tournaments and giving up weekends took a lot of time but she wouldn’t change anything about her association with the sport she loves.  The last word was, “Now that I am retired I am going to get back to writing!”