Steve Kettenhoven enters 200 Club -- AND sets CP record!

On February 6th, I "introduced" myself (via email) to Steve Kettenhoven, a Wisconsin man who was awaiting delivery of his IKAN Bowler. I just wanted to offer tips or help to make his IKAN experience as fun and successful as possible, since I'm the co-inventor and overall world record holder (this is something I just started doing with customers; if any existing customers have any questions or want tips, please contact me here, as I should've started emailing customers from the beginning and I apologize for not doing so).

Little did I know just how eager Steve was to receive his IKAN Bowler. It turns out, Steve has bowled a 248 with a stationary ramp, but said he wanted to bowl in a more "realistic and quicker" fashion with an IKAN Bowler. Plus, he wanted to learn quickly and start using his IKAN in a league right away.

To make a long story shorter, Steve received his IKAN Bowler on Friday, February 8th, and started practicing that weekend (and some during the week also). The following weekend, on Sunday, February 17th, he went out and bowled a FANTASTIC 598 series -- 205, 211, and 182 -- just nine days after receiving his IKAN Bowler! In doing so, he became just the 7th IKAN user to join the "200 Club" (the other six are listed and linked in the write-up about the 6th member HERE).

Steve also set the wheelchair bowling record for a male with cerebral palsy.

For Steve's scoresheet, commentary, and YouTube clip of him, click HERE!
 
CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU for sharing Steve! Keep it up!

Bill Miller  :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Quadriplegic Bowler Aaron Parker Enters "200 Club" with a 202

On January 26th, 2013, my friend and fellow Central Florida Quad Squad Bowler Aaron Parker bowled a 202 and became the 6th IKAN Bowler user to bowl 200 or better (to our knowledge; if you know another IKAN user who has broken 200, please contact me).

The 200-Club now consists of these wheelchair & IKAN users: Aaron Parker, Alex McDonald, Anthony (a Veteran who called us about breaking 200, but he passed away before we got his last name or scoresheet), Jon Musgrave, Lilian Strandlund, and me (Bill Miller).

CLICK HERE for more details on Aaron's big day and links for the people mentioned above.

CONGRATULATIONS and WELCOME to the 200-Club Aaron! :-)

Bill Miller  :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Belated Thanksgiving Thoughts

It's still November and I want to use this blog entry to share some belated Thanksgiving thoughts.  I especially want to mention how grateful I am for the many blessings that the Good Lord has given me.

Yes, I'm a quadriplegic, and yes, I'm ventilator dependent, but I'm also blessed in many ways.  I'm thankful to my family because I'm able to live at home (and not in a nursing home).  I have no pain (some people and some quadriplegics in particular have a tremendous amount of pain).  Despite quadriplegia, I have meaningful things I can still do and have been blessed to be able to achieve quite a bit, and I have a good life, which I share some about in this six-minute "Meet Bill Miller" video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiVonbXUWcU

I have learned that we're all blessed in different ways, and that regardless of how tough a situation may seem, there's always someone in a tougher situation.  A good friend of mine, Rhonda Reese, is also a quadriplegic, but she's blessed to not be vent-dependent.  She too has also been blessed to be able to live at home throughout the duration of her paralysis, which has now been for over 21 years.  But she recently lost both of her parents, and may need to move to a nursing home.

We're going to setup an online donation page for Rhonda, to help keep her out of a nursing home for as long as possible.  And I'll be sharing more about Rhonda's situation on this blog.  But the point here is that we all have blessings that we should not take for granted.

Since becoming a quad, I've learned that good health is relative.  Almost everyone has some type of health issue, whether it's a bad knee, frequent headaches, or something more serious.  But if it's bearable and we're in decent shape otherwise, I'd call that relative good health.  Cherish your (relatively) good health and cherish your loved ones, for they are two of the most precious blessings we can have.

"There but for the grace of God go I."

May God bless us all -- and may we continually appreciate His blessings.

Sincerely,

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

C1-2 Quadriplegic Is Engaged!

The purpose of this blog is to encourage and empower wheelchair users, which I primarily try to do by showing what is possible when people get involved with a fun, social, recreational sport like bowling.  The benefits of having success bowling can give the user confidence that can carry over to positively impact other areas of their life (so says therapeutic recreation experts).

However, one aspect of life that people who require power wheelchairs may feel like they have to forego because of their disability, is the prospect for love and potentially marriage.  While I never gave up on the possibility that I would find the right person for me, I knew that it would require a special person who could see past the wheelchair and accept the additional challenges that paralysis adds to having a relationship.

I eventually learned that what many women most want is someone who will treat them very well, give them plenty of positive attention via frequent communication, and to be loved unconditionally — by good guys.  A wheelchair doesn't prohibit that, and there are quite a few good guys who happen to be wheelchair users.

From a thousand miles away, I connected with the person that I believe God intended for me, with the help of the Internet and many thanks to God.  It was actually a blessing to meet from afar because it "forced" us to establish excellent communication, which is a huge key to success for any relationship (one reason why is because good communication builds trust, which is the foundation for a healthy relationship).

For many reasons, Lisa & I believe we are right for each other, but perhaps the most amazing thing about her and our relationship is that, all in all, she believes that the many positives in our relationship FAR outweigh the additional challenges.  I was hoping to find someone who was open to that perspective, if we connected well.

Well, Lisa & I share a tremendous connection and I'm gratefully blessed to share that we got engaged yesterday about sunset at a wonderful local park.  You can see some pictures HERE.  (I'm trying to keep this blog tone “matter of factual” but, I could not be happier about being engaged to Lisa!:)

I've been asked by a few wheelchair users about how to potentially develop a romantic relationship with someone, and my answer is that it should start with good communication.  If you find someone who enjoys communicating with you and vice versa, and especially on a daily basis, at the very least that sounds like a good friendship, and it could develop into more.  That's essentially the path that Lisa & I took, and I think it can work for others too — whether disabilities are involved or not.

I hope my story can be encouraging.

God bless!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

A New Record for People Who Use Sip-and-Puff Wheelchairs

Bill Miller's 224 and 15th 200 Game -- and 585 Series

At our Central Florida Quad Squad Bowling outing on January 28th, I bowled my highest score to date -- a 224 -- which is a new record for wheelchair users who operate their chairs by sip-and-puff (mouth control). I also bowled my highest series of three games -- 179, 182, and 224 for a 585 series -- and the 224 was my 15th game of 200 or better.

Many people have bowled that well before -- but I happen to be a C1-2 quadriplegic who is paralyzed from my neck down and ventilator dependent. And using an IKAN Bowler (which is legit because it's sanctioned by the USBC) I've now had a 200, four 201s, two 202s, a 203, 205, 206, 210, 212, 221, 223 and 224.

Here's the link to my scoresheet and commentary is below:

http://www.wheelchairbowlingrecords.com/Bill_Miller_224_Story_and_Scoresheet.htm

Peggy, Aaron, and I were the three Quad Squad Bowlers / IKAN Users on this day, and we were assisted by volunteer caddies from LovExtension (Connie, Pat, Nancy, and Linda, who caddied my 224 game:). Peggy did well, considering it has been a couple months since she bowled, and Aaron did well too, considering he was using a brand new ball for the first time. We all had fun -- it's always a festive environment with a combination of caddies, caregivers, family and friends cheering us on.

I started out very well, bowling a 179 in my first game, and having only two open frames (a frame with no spare or strike). I managed to stay hot in game 2, bowling a 182 with just one open frame.

So, after just three open frames out of the twenty frames in my first two games, I actually had two open frames halfway through my third game and was sitting on 77 after the 5th frame. That doesn't sound like a start that would beat my previous high game of 223.

But when you roll six-consecutive strikes, the score adds up fast! :-)

Bowling is always fun, even if I don't score so high. But my goal is goal is to have a 500 (or better) series each time I bowl, which is a 166.7 average (or better). That's pretty solid bowling, because such an average usually requires us to have 8 or 9 marks (spares and strikes combined) out of 10 frames. I say that because we have limited ball speed (6 mph) compared to able-bodied bowlers (adult males usually average 15-20 mph ball speed) and the difference equals less "pin action" at impact. That means it's harder for us IKAN Users to get strikes. So I was certainly blessed to get six in a row.

Though I'm quite happy to have bowled 224, a small piece of me is "kicking myself" because had I made the two single-pin spares in my first and 5th frames, and then finished how I did, my score would've been a 246 -- and would've topped Jon Musgrave's 243, which is the overall world record for wheelchair bowlers bowling dynamically (IKAN style).

See, wheelchair users can be competitive too.

All glory to God.

Bill Miller  :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 224 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Vent-Dependent Quadriplegic Bowls a 212 and 14th Game of 200+

Recently at Quad Squad Bowling, I bowled my third highest score to date, a 212, which was my 14th game of 200 or better.  That's not bad, especially considering that I'm paralyzed from my neck down and use a ventilator to breathe.  I share this to show people, especially wheelchair users, what is possible.

If you're wondering how it's possible, the answer is called an IKAN Bowler, which is essentially a fancy bowling ramp that can attach to pretty much any wheelchair.  I'm actually credited with co-inventing the IKAN Bowler, and we got it approved by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) for league and tournament play -- any league or tournament, anywhere -- bowling with and/or against able-bodied bowlers or fellow IKAN Users.  Of course IKAN Users can also bowl just for fun, recreationally, too.

You can download my scoresheet as a PDF file (if you cannot open it, download free Adobe Reader HERE).

My strike ball was working well that day, but I had an unusually difficult time picking up spares (which is to say that I missed quite a few "easy" spares that I usually convert) especially in the first game.  I managed to bowl a turkey (i.e. three consecutive strikes) which helped me to a 161 in my first game, despite having just one spare.

My second game was the 212.  My strike ball continued to work well as I had another turkey and two non-consecutive strikes also.  I did much better with my spare attempts in game two, converting all five, including in the tenth frame.  I was particularly pleased with that spare pickup because had I missed it, I would've had a 202 -- for the third time.

I'll always be thrilled with any game of 200 or better -- and it's fun to bowl even if the scores aren't so high -- but I really wanted a score that I hadn't bowled before.  So picking up the spare in the tenth frame, and following it with 9 pins with the extra ball, that gave me a 212.  I've now had a 200, four 201s, two 202s, a 203, 205, 206, 210, 212, 221 and 223.

My third game was not-so-good, especially compared to what I'd just done.  Not to make excuses, but I had four splits and also missed two single-pin spare attempts.  That resulted in a 136, which I couldn't possibly end on, so I bowled a fourth game -- which could have been my 15th game of 200 or better.

Game four was good -- I actually had four consecutive strikes.  So I was certainly in good position to break 200 again, but in the tenth frame, I started my ball out too wide and it didn't come back into the headpin enough.  That left me with a difficult spare attempt (4-5-7-8; you can see the setup on the scoresheet) which requires perfectly splitting the 4 & 5 pins, and hoping the 7 & 8 will fall also.  I very nearly split the 4 & 5, just barely missing the 5 pin (the ball is just a bit bigger than the space between the two side-by-side pins, but a very accurate shot is required to get both pins).  And so I ended with a 195.

All in all, it was a whole lot of fun.  I thank my fellow bowlers, caddies, and everyone who was cheering me on, and also those who helped make it possible for a vent-dependent quadriplegic to not only go somewhere, but to physically and fairly compete in a sport.

I'm grateful.

All glory to God.

Sincerely,
 

Bill Miller :-)

C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 223 High Bowling Game

Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT

My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com

Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com

Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

IKAN User Profile: Aaron Parker, Florida

Aaron Parker has had a lot of fun learning to bowl and improving his game over the last couple of months.  My new friend and fellow Central Florida Quad Squad Bowler, Aaron's first game IKAN-style was a 101 on September 10th, which is a good first game.  In his second, he had a 124!  Not bad for a person who has been paralyzed as a C7 quadriplegic for the last 30 years.

But Aaron was using a house ball, and the problem with that is every time you go bowling, you have to learn how the borrowed ball is going to curve with the different positions we can set it up in (each ball is different).  So Aaron purchased a used house ball, which I think is quite smart because you can test as many as you want until you find one that works well for you.  And Aaron worked his way up to a high game of 144 -- until our latest Quad Squad outing.

On November 19th, Aaron started out with a 125, then had a 132, and then he got on a roll with a 156 -- a new personal best.  But he wasn't done!  He kept making quality shots and in game four he actually bowled a 179!  His scoresheet is HERE.

What was particularly impressive is that Aaron had only one open frame (a frame without a strike or spare) in his 179 game, and the open frame was a split.  Not only that, but just before Aaron bowled his 179, I bowled a 170, and Aaron needed to pickup his spare in the 10th frame, or he would've finished with a 169 (we Quad Squad Bowlers have a friendly competition for high score when we bowl).  I was happy to see Aaron bowl so well, even though he beat me.

Here are Aaron's profile answers:

Name: Aaron Parker
Age: 56
Location: Umatilla, Florida
Reason for Wheelchair Use: C-7 Quadriplegic
Onset or Injury Date: 7-1-81
Wheelchair Operation Method: Joy Stick
High Bowling Score: 179
Approx Bowling Average: 125
Typical Range of Scores: first 9 weeks: 100-130; last two weeks: 125-179
Bowling Frequency: Once a week
Bowling Ball(s):  Used house ball 15 lbs. 11 oz.
Quote from Aaron: "God has truly blessed us wheelchair users with good enjoyment through Bill and Claude's invention of the IKAN Bowler.  Thanks!"

Thanks Aaron -- keep up the good work!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 223 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Our IKAN Bowler on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition!

My friend, MGT partner, and IKAN Bowler co-inventor Claude Giguere, will help a young adult wheelchair user bowl IKAN-style on the "Keefer Family" episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition -- this Friday, October 21, from 8-10 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

Edit: you can watch both parts online at these links: Part 1 and Part 2.

From the show's website: "Keefer Family -- The team helps build a home for the family of a man who quit his job to take care of his paralyzed adult son."

If you're new to my blog, the IKAN ("I can") Bowler is an empowerment device for wheelchair users, even power / electric wheelchair users.  The IKAN Bowler is sanctioned by the USBC for league and tournament play -- bowling with and/or against able-bodied bowlers or fellow IKAN Users.  It's therapeutic, recreational, and a genuine thrill to be able to get a spare or strike for someone who cannot pickup a heavy bowling bowl (i.e. power wheelchair users like me).

We have video on our website, and two sets of pictures from Quad Squad Bowling outings are linked from an earlier blog post.

Essentially ANY wheelchair user CAN BOWL with the IKAN Bowler, regardless of driving method or reason for wheelchair use (SCI, MD, CP, amputee, etc).

See record scores in various categories HERE.

Something you might not realize is there are entities to which tax deductible donations can be made that can help wheelchair users be able to bowl IKAN-style.  Contact my partner Vincent Tifer (vincenttifer@ikanbowler.com) for details.

God bless!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 223 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

What's Coming in 2011

The two main things I want to profile on my blog in 2011 are: (1) IKAN User profiles from people around the U.S. and World, and (2) further chronicles of my pursuit of the Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS).

Wheelchair users around the U.S. and also some abroad, mostly in Europe, are enjoying dynamic bowling with the IKAN Bowler and I want to share more of their stories/profiles here.  Many wheelchair users, especially power wheelchair users, still don't know that dynamic bowling is possible, regardless of one's reason for wheelchair use or chair type.  Anyone who can safely operate a wheelchair can bowl, and I'm going to share stories of people who are.  Some can be found here: www.WheelchairBowlingRecords.com.

Also, if you've followed my blog, you know I've been pursuing an alternative to the ventilators that I've used the last 13+ years which is a diaphragmatic pacing system.  I'm (hopefully) getting close to a surgery date.  The coordinating doctor for my concurrent surgeries (in addition to the DPS, I'm also having my cardiac pacemaker replaced during the same trip to the operating room) is checking out the possibility of surgery on February 1st or 3rd.  So in roughly a month, I could have these surgeries done, but neither date has been confirmed (either is fine from my caregivers' and my perspective).

The goal of my blog is to spread awareness about how wheelchair users are being empowered, in hopes that it could help improve the quality of life for other wheelchair users.  So I might also share other noteworthy items here.  We'll see what the year brings!

I agree with Charles Swindoll who said, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it."  May you control what you can and react well to everything else.

Have a healthy and happy 2011 -- and God bless!

Bill Miller :-)

C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game

Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT

My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com

Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com

Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

BACK IN LIFE -- Zach Weinstein's Story

"In July of 2005, Zack Weinstein broke his neck while jumping into the Saco River in Maine.  He is now a C5-C6 Quadriplegic.  In service to other quadriplegics, we have teamed up with Zack to create "BACK IN LIFE".  Our hope is that by sharing Zack's powerful experiences in this film, it may provide others with needed strength in an oftentimes daunting struggle. Runtime: 15 Min."

Back In Life from Smooth Feather on Vimeo.

Video link: http://www.smoothfeather.org/index.php?pg=films

Video alternate link: http://vimeo.com/355371

Great story, great video -- thank you Zach & Co. for sharing!

God bless!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

IKAN User Profile: Ben Lux, Florida

My buddy Ben Lux is one of the original members of our Central Florida area Quad Squad group.  Ben actually had the top overall score for an IKAN User, a 183 on May 10, 2004.  Ben isn't able to bowl as frequently as he did back in 2004, but he still enjoys bowling when he can.  Aside from bowling, Ben particularly enjoys watching movies and his favorite football team, the Jacksonville Jaguars.  But, above all for Ben is his faith: God first, everything else second.  Amen, Ben!

Here are Ben's answers to the profile questions...

Name: Ben Lux

Age: 32

Location: Yalaha, Florida

Reason for Wheelchair Use: Quadriplegia

Onset or Injury Date: 7/4/93 Automobile Accident

Wheelchair Operation Method: Sip n' Puff

High Bowling Score: 183   

Approx Bowling Average: 100-130

Typical Range of Scores: 80-150

Bowling Frequency: Not as often as I'd like.

Bowling Ball(s): Columbia

Quote from Ben: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds" - Emerson

Thanks Ben!  God bless!

Bill Miller :-)

C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game

Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT

My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com

Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com

Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

New Record for Female Bowlers with MD

Peggy Overbey's 167 Is New Record for Females with Muscular Dystrophy

Chalk up the new record as a belated Mother's Day gift.  At our central Florida Quad Squad Bowling outing yesterday, Peggy Overbey's Mom, for the first time, got to come watch her daughter bowl.  And Peggy wasted no time in SHATTERING her previous best of 138 BY TWENTY-NINE PINS!

And to prove her 167 was no fluke, Peggy bowled 165 in her second game!  That was impressive bowling, and a fitting gift for Mom.  I say that because Mom & family chipped in to buy Peggy her IKAN Bowler for Christmas.

Peggy opened with FIVE STRAIGHT marks, before a split ended her streak in the 6th frame.  After open frames in the 7th & 8th, Peggy rebounded with a double (two strikes) in the 9th & 10th and finished with the new record for a female with Muscular Dystrophy, 167.

I actually think Peggy's second game was more impressive than her first, even though it totaled two fewer pins.  Peggy had marks in 8 of her 10 frames, and she had splits (i.e. hard or impossible spare attempts) in her only two open frames.  (For any able-bodied bowler reading this, you may think "no spare is impossible" but with our limited ball speed, the 7-10 split is impossible for us to pickup.  But I caught some of Peggy's magic and did convert the difficult 6-7-10 split (link) for my 8th time in 8 years of dynamic-style wheelchair bowling.)

Peggy cooled off in her last two games, but everyone watching was thrilled at what Peggy had already accomplished -- especially her Mom.

CONGRATULATIONS PEGGY! :-)

Peggy's new record scoresheet is HERE.

For Peggy's previous best, click HERE.

Keep up the good work Peggy!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

First-Time IKAN User Sets Female MD Record

Peggy Overbey, a 44-year-young woman who was born with a type of Muscular Dystrophy called Spinal Muscular Atrophy, bowled remarkably well for a first-time IKAN User, and in doing so, set the initial pace for female bowlers with MD.

Peggy is our newest Central Florida Quad Squad member, and when she told me she was finally going to be able to bowl with us, I tried to give her realistic expectations for her first IKAN experience.  I mentioned that any score approaching 100 in her first three games would be a solid start, and breaking 100 in any of her first three games would be an excellent start.

A typical first game involves trying to get familiar with how the ball will break when setup in certain positions and the overall process of bowling dynamically.  That doesn't usually result in very good scores, and Peggy's 77 was pretty typical.  Her next game was not.

Not only did Peggy break 100 in just her second game, she had FIVE marks and bowled a 129!  And to prove it wasn't a fluke or beginner's luck, she topped it with a 135 in her third game!  But she wasn't done.

She kept demonstrating a solid feel for bowling and added a 125 and 134 in games four and five.  Even including the 77, Peggy averaged 120 for her first five games -- that's impressive!

Five games is quite a bit of bowling, but Peggy was having so much fun, she wanted to bowl a sixth game, and she did.  But I think she got tired and lost a bit of focus, and consequently scored a 75.  Nonetheless, it was an amazing first IKAN experience, and Peggy's 135 is the initial record for female bowlers with MD.

I was most impressed that her approach and ball placement were so solid; she knew where the ball needed to go for the particular shot, and she executed shots quite well.  Even when she missed, it wasn't by much.  So that 135 probably won't stand very long.  But it's a GREAT start!

CONGRATULATIONS PEGGY and keep up the good work!  :-)

Oh, and for any other females with MD who may read this, I'm certain Peggy would encourage and welcome the competition.  Any wheelchair user can bowl with an IKAN Bowler.

Peggy's scoresheet is HERE.

And no worries -- I'll gladly update the female with MD record whenever it's broken!

Bill Miller  :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

IKAN User Profile: Lilian Strandlund, Florida

Last month I introduced you to Angie Keiser, a delightful, record-setting woman who is 65-years-young. The person who introduced Angie to IKAN-style bowling was Lilian Strandlund, Angie's good friend, who is also a delightful, record-setting woman.

Born with cerebral palsy that has her using a power wheelchair, Lilian is 59-years-young and has never let her disability stop her from living life. Imagine being born 40 years before the ADA and being a wheelchair user, yet Lilian graduated high school on time with her able-bodied peers and went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts 2-D from Cal State University (Northridge). Lilian was a selling artist before her daughter was born in 1981. Now Lilian is a business owner, and recently traveled from Florida to California with her boyfriend Ed for her high school's 40th class reunion. Did I mention that her CP affects her ability to speak?

That makes her accomplishments even more impressive, and it didn't stop Lilian from joining a Toastmaster's speaking group -- and giving speeches -- which is where she met my Dad and learned of the IKAN Bowler.

And as of March 14, 2009... Lilian Strandlund has become a big-time achiever in the sport of dynamic wheelchair bowling. Lilian bowled a most impressive 189, which to date, sets the top record for anyone with CP, for a female who drives her chair by joystick, AND for ALL female dynamic wheelchair bowlers! That's not bad -- three world records with one game. Lilian opened her multiple record-setting game with a strike, followed it with a spare, then another strike, and spares the rest of the way. She had no open frames -- a task that is not easy to accomplish, as any bowler will tell you, able-bodied or not.

CONGRATULATIONS LILIAN and keep up the impressive work! :-)

Here's a link to Lilian's scoresheet:
http://www.wheelchairbowlingrecords.com/Lilian_Strandlund_Multiple_Records_189.htm

And here are Lilian's IKAN User profile answers:

Name: Lilian Strandlund
Age: 59
Location: Mt. Dora, FL
Reason for Wheelchair Use: Cerebral Palsy
Onset or Injury Date: Birth
Wheelchair Operation Method: Joystick
High Bowling Score: 189
Approx. Bowling Average: 135
Typical Range of Scores: 115 - 165
Bowling Frequency: Once a week in league bowling and twice a month for Quad Squad Team
Bowling Ball(s): Yellow Dot 16 lbs
Quote from Lilian: "Having a positive attitude is most important for achieving your goals. Taking action to acquire your goals is the second most important. If you think you can, you can! If you think you can't, you can't. You can choose how you want to think."

Great quote Lilian, thanks!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 206 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net