Tyler Kurkowski

Bowling Accomplishments

245- Highest season ending average
50- 300 games
16- 800 Series
Special Olympic World Games Gold Medalist
Featured on Kare 11 News

FanastasiasEstates™ is grateful to announce Tyler Kurkowski as our first sponsorship recipient in The Sport of Bowling. Tyler was born in Fridley, Minnesota on March 16th, 1994 to his wonderful mother Terri Stevenson. Tyler would begin his bowling career at the age of 7 at Blainebrook Bowl in Blaine, Minnesota in their junior bowling league. His story is unique as Tyler was diagnosed with PDD/Autism at a very young age when his mother noticed him having difficulty communicating and interacting with others. As bowling came natural to Tyler it would soon become a personal challenge for him as other youth bowlers and parents would mistreat him at times as they misunderstood the uncontrollable physical challenges that Tyler was experiencing. It became such a burden to Tyler that eventually he would have to minimize his involvement in the The Sport of Bowling to ensure that he could focus on developing positive mental health in order to blossom into the bowler and person he wanted to be.

Tyler has always been an all around athlete as he participated from 8th - 12th grade in high school Adaptive Sports for persons with mental disabilities which included Softball, Poly Hockey, and Basketball. His hard work was noticed as he was voted 3 times as athlete of the month in the Star Tribune newspaper. Tyler would also be recognized in the North Metro paper numerous times for his accomplishments so much that he was given the nickname 'Spark Plug.' After high school Tyler would go on to compete annually in the Special Olympics in the sports of Flag Football, Poly Hockey, Softball, Golf, Track and Field, Basketball, Soccer, and Bowling.

In 2021, life threw a curve ball when Tyler's mother was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer. The news would grow the mother and son bond even stronger as she had to get a mastectomy, followed by intense chemotherapy, 28 days of radiation, and then 3 years of takin Verzenio which is a substitute chemo medication. Terri is a fighter that did everything in her power to ensure Tyler stayed focus on his goals by making sure he remained active so he did not have to witness her pain and suffering.

As the times changed and Tyler developed into a strong-willed person who always had a chip on his shoulder, he begin to blossom into one of the most respected bowlers in his hometown bowling center of Blainebrook Bowl and around the metro area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. His accomplishments are prestige for even professional standards as over the past 8 years Tyler has an accumulative high average in a league of 70 games or more of 238. In the past 4 seasons his highest league averages are 245, 244, 245, and 239 which is an accumulative high average of 243. With the help of John Hommes at Left Right Pro Shop, Tyler now has (50) 300 games and (16) 800 series on his record.

Tyler Kurkowski is the epitome of resilience and overcoming obstacles that he no longer has anything to prove because the numbers don't lie. We are grateful to have crossed path with him and his mother on their journey through life and will be able to provide opportunities for Tyler to be able to share his story with the world. Good job Tyler, we are proud of you!