A drive to succeed has propelled Sue Topping to the upper echelons of 5 pin bowling. Born in Toronto, a young Sue Wideman and her brother, Brian, were introduced to the youth program at Ace Bowl by their parents, Bert and Mary. Bert was an excellent bowler in his time, but it was Mary who ensured that her youngsters attended each week and even helped run the bantam division. In the early days, the youth program was conducted under the banner of the Canadian Junior Bowling Congress (CJBC) and, already, the legendary Hall of Famer, Theda Procher, was conducting instruction clinics at the old Ace Bowl on Danforth Avenue in Toronto.

Sue won several high average titles in her youth bowling career and even reached the provincial finals in her junior years. When Ace Bowl was destroyed by fire in 1966, Sue continued her development at Belvedere Bowl on Queen Street and Shamrock Bowl on Coxwell Avenue, where Sue met another outstanding coach, Hall of Famer, Doris Luke.

With this instruction base, Sue was ready for the adult ranks and qualified for her first of twenty-two opens in 1971. As a rookie on that first team, Sue was surrounded by greatness as her teammates included Hall of Famers, Millie Evans and Theda Procher as well as Audrey Shanahan, Volda Hefner and Clara Welling. Sue continued to excel in the Ontario Open and, over the years, has represented Toronto, Scarborough, York Simcoe, Central Ontario and the Lake Ontario zones. Individually, Sue qualified for the singles fifteen times and, on two occasions finished second, losing to Marney Galawray in 1983 and Charlene MacCormack in 1976. However, in team play, two ladies’ teams were successful, as Sue was a part of teams from Central Ontario that won back-to-back provincial championships in 1980 and 1981.

Sue was, by definition, a major league bowler and competed in the best leagues from the Ladies’ Majors to the Scarborough Majors and also the prestigious Tuesday Major League at Olympia Edward. Her top average was an outstanding 265 at Aprile Lanes. This exposure raised Sue’s level of play and by 1973, she was ready to join the Master Bowlers Association (MBA).

In individual play, she was exceptional and, in a twenty-five year career, Sue won nine times. Four women, Brenda Pankoff and Brenda Campbell and Hall of Famers Millie Evans and Helen MacCallum, have won more. Her nine victories cover a twenty-two year period from 1976 to 1997 and included almost all the formats offered through the MBA program. At the national level, Sue qualified eight times and these teams won six gold and two silver medals. The 1977 team was undefeated in Saskatoon and with Diane MacLeod, Pat McNeil, Helen MacCallum and Charlene MacCormack set records and standards for national competition that still exist today.

While all wins are special, Sue is extremely proud of her ability to bowl through adversity. Children, Kevin and Kristen, were born during busy bowling seasons and individual and team victories in 1997 followed three years away in Belgium from 1991-1994 with her employer, Diversey Corporation.

Sue has not forgotten that all top bowlers should consider giving something back to their chosen sport. Sue was President of the local Central Ontario zone and was part of the team that won "Most Improved Association" honours in 1988. Moreover, she served on the provincial board of the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association in 1985 and the Master Bowlers Association tournament players committee as well. Locally, Sue worked with local youth programs, coaching at Bowlerama West, Bowlerama Parkway and Avondale Bowl in Bramalea.

An arm injury has again interrupted Sue’s career and surgery has forced her off the lanes for the past two years, However, she has returned this year to the MBA tour and joins her sister, Carol Ross, also an excellent bowler, in search of continued success and another trip to the winner’s circle.

Moreover, the MBA senior tour is only a year away and more accolades await Sue Topping, selected fifteenth overall in the list of the Top 90 female bowlers of all time in Ontario.