When your grandmother, Theda Procher, is a dual inductee to the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers Hall of Fame, it is understandable that grandson Jason Procher should follow in her footsteps.
Born in Toronto in 1970, Jason grew up in Brampton and joined the Youth Bowling Council program at Avondale Bowl. His coaches were his parents, Sandy and Ted, as well as veterans Bud Imber, Jim Moroney, Bill McVean, Jim and Jeanette Donovan, Ron King, Al Byberg and Gerry Bruneau. As a result, it was bowling in the winter at Avondale and, in the summer, Theda supplied old pins for practice in the driveway at the cottage at Innisfil.
Jason began as a peewee at Avondale in 1977 and, in twelve years, was a national champion in the Pepsi Challenge, bowled in the Ontario Winter Games in Barrie, and completed his YBC career with a silver medal in 1989 competing in the national YBC finals in Regina.
In the adult ranks, Jason excelled in the Master Bowlers Association (MBAO), the provincial Open, and in several open events offered across Canada. He began his MBAO career with a bursary win in 1989. From 1994 to 2001, Jason won seven events. In 1997, he was the aggregate champion and nationally bowled in Winnipeg finishing behind Bob Herman of British Columbia. Overall, in 961 games in the MBAO, Jason averaged 260.21, the tenth highest of all time.
In the provincial Open, Jason qualified sixteen times from 1990 to 2007. Included were eight as a singles representative, thirteen years on the men’s team and three mixed teams. He was a provincial champion in 2002 and 2004 with the Central Ontario men’s team. In 2002, the team bowled in Winnipeg and, on the team were bill Schwemlin, Wade Thompson and Hall of Famers Jim Head, John Mattioli, Brian Kaye and coach Rheal Champagne. In 2004, the Ontario team were national champions as they competed in Gatineau, Quebec. Members this year were Bob Jones, Mark Busch, Bill Schwemlin, Bryce McKiemin, and Hall of Famers Jim Head and coach Brian Kaye. This team set four Canadian records, namely high game, high double, high triple and high four. Their win helped Ontario win the aggregate and Jason was chosen a national All Star.
Jason enjoyed considerable success in open tournaments as well. His biggest win was in 1992 in the Bowlerama Match Play at Jane St. Jason bowled 1323 to qualify for the match play and, in the final, beat Hall of Famer Greg Peteraitis 267-261 to win $3,000. Prior to that, in 1991 at the Brewhouse Open in Saskatoon, Jason didn’t win but bowled a perfect game on February 20 of that year. He added a second perfect game on January 3, 1999 at NEB’s in Oshawa in the New Year’s Classic as part of the MBAO tour. In that match against Santo Chiodo, both bowlers started on nine strikes in a row. In addition, Jason won an event on the Club Tour circuit in January of 2015 at NEB’s. This victory was special as Jason, due to work commitments, was not a regular league player. He also qualified for the TSN Pins Game out of Brampton and, at Brampton Bowl, won their annual open event. On the Top 90 list of bowlers, created in 2000, Jason was ranked 36th of the first ninety years of 5 Pin bowling.
Jason attended the provincial bowling school, and bowled with Special Olympics as well as sharing in the raising of twins, Jack and Ava, Jason is a detective with the York Regional Police. He is in his 27th year, and Jack and Ava will begin college this fall, possibly following in their father’s footsteps.