Changes in Mike Luongo's professional career took a different turn in June of 2017 when he was diagnosed with Leukemia.

“Mickey was doing great with Storm and I was fortunate that Storm kept me on board as it was tough to do much of anything for two years,” Mike noted.

Mike described his leukemia diagnosis as “Acute Myeloid Leukemia with the FLT 3 subtype and required getting into remission with three subsequent treatments, each two months apart leading to the transplant that was done in January 2018.”

The true grit and determination along with his great professional approach to life came into play for Mike at this time of his life.

“It was a tough go but with the treatment and supporting it with some holistic programs including what I was eating, I was able to make a full recovery that is rare with this blood disorder,” Mike pointed out.

“Fortunately I began studying health and nutrition in the 1980's and had some knowledge on how to use supplements to help with the healing and I had access to some of the best holistic doctors in the world,” Luongo said.

Inserting health and nutrition into his lifestyle, Mike pointed out that this field, “Was always of interest to me, my family and friends being that the mainstream is about money, not our well-being.”

Noting that he had seven knee surgeries “that limited my bowling career and finished any chance of playing baseball after high school other than a short time in the Hudson Valley Rookie League.”

Professional growth continued for Mike as through his many travels with the sport of bowling he met a Naturopathic Doctor from Connecticut, Ron Schmidt, and, “he became my mentor and was impressed with some of the knowledge that I had acquired and asked me to come to work with him but, due to my commitments in the bowling industry, that was not possible but he did push me to go to get a degree for credibility.”

“I did take his advice and was able to study at Hawthorn University in California and graduate in 2014,” Luongo added.

Mike Luongo now has clients that he helps and most of them are people he has met in the bowling industry and, “I have really enjoyed this part of life and get a thrill helping friends, family and paying clients.”

“I do not feel that I could have recovered from the leukemia without the knowledge of this health background,” Luongo said.

This health background has allowed Mike to speak at many support group meetings where he has noticed that most people have severe nutritional deficiencies due to the severity of the leukemia treatment and, “addressing these groups helped me during recovery as helping other people gives you a big mental boost and a reason to live.”

Mike's professional bowling career now shares his health background. In May of 2017 he moved from South Carolina to Lake Worth, Florida.

As in South Carolina, Mike now in Florida started attending some special events with Ralph Solan, Southeast Regional Sales Manager with Storm Bowling and at a trade show in Lake Wales he met some of the staff from Green Acres Bowl in Green Acres, Florida and they asked him if he would be interested in helping out and Mike felt it would be nice to stay involved in a pro shop business as it had been a few years since he had drilled any balls.

The pro shop there is run by Chris Dyar, a longtime Florida Pro Shop operator, and Mike will help out when the business gets back to normal.

Mike Luongo's professionalism now plays a duel role in his life. Thank you Mike for sharing with us and many of your pro shop customers in the tri-county area of New York.

Ed's Outlook

Daniel VanAken

Bowls 1st 300

Thirty-year-old Liberty bowler Daniel VanAken recorded his first career 300 game September 21 in the Monday Night Men's League at Kiamesha Lanes.

He used a Roto Grip Hyper Cell bowling ball in recording the 300 on lanes 9 and 10 while bowling with the T21 team and team members Allan Jones, Bill VanAken and Jim VanAken.

Daniel presently maintains a 197 average in this the only league he bowls in.

He has been bowling for 12 years and reported that all strikes were in the pocket.

His total series for the night included a 200, 300, 211 for a 711 series.

Daniel is married with two children and is employed at Camp Morris Grocery.

Bowling Tip

By Mike Luongo

Do you find yourself unable to finish your delivery in a strong balanced position?

I offer this week's tip for any bowler who ends up out of balance at the foul line while delivering your bowling ball.

Out of balance may be a result of your follow through.

It is very important that when you follow through on your delivery you do not reach out with your arm but reach up with your follow through.

Bowlers who reach out find that the weight of the ball will pull their upper body forward and may cause them to lose their balance.

If you reach up you stay planted in a strong solid position and are able to deliver your bowling ball with accuracy and leverage.

Mike Luongo is a Certified IBPSIA Pro Shop Operator, Master Instructor, USBC Silver Level Coach and an Advisor-Speail Events Assistant with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. Have a question, email him at mikel@stormbowling.com

LOCAL SCORES

KIAMESHA LANES

Monday Men's

Rich Bradford 237, 234, 661, Kyle Matthews 237, 223, 643, William Schubert 223, 614, Dennis Rundle 235, Russell Bivins 242, 264, 242, 748, Charlie Tuttle 246, 233, 678, Vinnie Collura 245, 611, Nate Goldsmith 246, Dan VanAken 209, 600, Bill VanAken 216, Tom Belgiovene 215, 604, Jonathan Wilhelm 222, 235, 636, Jaryl Scott 258, 269, 689, Jon Wilhelm 216, 615.

Tues. Mixed Firefighter

Steve Belgiovene 242, Jonathan Wilhelm 247, 226, 685, Jon Wilhelm 206, 619, Shane Cunningham 231, 638, Carena Collura 161, Wendy Swan 186, 168, 168, 522, Debbie Sanderson 168, William VanAken 258, 670, David Graham 220, 623, Anne Kaplan 205, Charlie Tuttle 224, 617, Kevin Stackhouse 235, 637, Bobby Patel 223, Connie Beach 191, 174, Karen Martin 174, 176, 500, Vinnie Collura 224.

Friday Mixed

Pedro Agapito III a 269, 225, 691, Shane Cunningham 238, 237, 227, 702, Harry Dennis III a 235, 244, 223, 702, David Graham 245, 245, 688, Greg Kuchar 234, 644, Keith Smith 216, 621, Kevin Stackhouse 208, 603, Charlie Tuttle 240, 668, Esther Barber 160, 236, 171, 567, Lisa Cartwright 180, 168, 162, 510, Mikayla DeGraw 209. 172, 206, 587, Nicole Feller 191, Michele Macedonio 181.

FOX BOWLING CENTER

Wednesday Independent

Andrew Bullis 247, 244, 221, 712, Frank Dicostanzo 235, 603, Shane Dirig 237, 647, Mike Dufton 225, Anthony Gately 267, 605, Craig Gehrig 215, 634, Bill Gleim 246, 225, 684, Paul Gordon 239, 625, Ben Green 246, 641, Rob Johnson 266, 248, 726, Dan Keesler 227, 620, Donnie Marino 236, 636, Mitch Persbacker 235, 635, Doug Phillips 236, 631, Dick Price 233, 615, Zach Russell 215, 602, Roger Widmann 204, Zuke Wormuth 218, 617, Jay Wormuth 237, 672, Scott Wormuth 222, 607.

Friday Couples

Andy Bullis 237, 645, Shawn Card 255, Dale Conklin 237, 237, 669, Melinda Conklin 203, 191, 538, Shane Dirig 228, 631, Mike Dufton 243, 628, Missy Dunlap 189, 203, 549, Hope Jones 218, 536, Mindy McElroy 182, Dan Koch 225, Brianna Meres 191, 200, 188, 579, Chris Meres 207, 201, 245, 653, Dan Wormuth 225, 256, 225, 706.

Sat. Youth League

Holden Dufton 105, 107, Landon Fuller 135, 401, Ashbee Gately 101, Olivia Johnston 147, 107, 114, 368, Alex Mosher 139, 161, Landyn Robinson 122, 102, Cooper Wormuth 109, 100, 117.

Sunday Fun

Landyn Fuller 123, 109 115, Anthony Gately 517, Don Marino 204, 203, 574, Dave Mills 239, 620, Gabe Rynearson 219, 533, Fred Shakelton 237.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the Sport of Bowling and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience in writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, bowl a 300 game or 800 series, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email to bght75@gmail.com or fax to 845-205-4474. View this column and Ed's Photos at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.