Bowling One-On-One with Jordan Richard: Exactly Where I’m Supposed To Be
(Image Credit: Storm, Roto Grip)
When it comes to setting new standards for greatness in the sport of bowling and in life, you need to look no further than Jordan Richard. She joined the PWBA in 2018 and is now a five-time PWBA champion and eight-time Gold Medalist, and only getting better.
2023 was an absolute epic year for Jordan and one to remember for a lifetime as she won three PWBA titles and also took home the 2023 Player of the Year honors. She didn’t stop there and in November of 2023 she teamed up with PWBA member Breanna Clemmer and together they won the Gold Medal in the women’s doubles event at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
I had the honor of catching up with Jordan and I asked her about her bowling journey.
You grew up in a family passionate about sports and competition. However, bowling wasn’t the only sport you were involved with as there were many others. Talk about how competition and athleticism was a part of your family growing up and also how did bowling ultimately take hold of your heart?
“I grew up in a very competitive family. Heck, board games were hard to play around all of us because it always ended in a fight with someone upset, so we stopped playing them. But I think with siblings, that’s normal. It was all we knew from the beginning. You always wanted to beat your sibling at everything, so it instills competitiveness in you from a young age.”
“Growing up my parents allowed us to play whatever sports we wanted. I bowled Saturday morning youth league, played travel softball, played basketball up until high school, played on the middle school golf team, and I was a diver on the swim team. I did a little bit of everything, and it kept me busy. My parents are very athletic. I give so much credit to my mom because watching her golf and bowl is like watching poetry in motion. It’s effortless, and she makes it look so simple. She and my dad raised us to be competitive, they celebrated our success along the way, but constantly reminded us that there’s more out there. To never settle, to always work hard, and even if you’re at the top, you can always be better. I’ve kept that mentality my entire life with a lot of things.”
“Bowling really took hold of my heart once I got into high school. I realized I had so much potential, and it was time to start focusing on one sport rather than five. I thought I was good and then my dad took me to Team USA Trials and I got such a big reality check and it was that moment I realized I had so much to work on to be better. I got better over my high school years and then went to college. I had a great coach and when you’re practicing five days a week, you’re bound to get better and better.”
Breanna Clemmer and Jordan Richard – Gold Medal, Women’s Doubles at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. (Image Credit: Gene J. Kanak, USBC)
After a decorated amateur career in youth USA Team bowling and in college at Central Missouri, Arkansas State, you joined the PWBA tour in 2018. Women’s professional bowling at that time was already steadily gaining momentum as a highly competitive and exciting sport. You went on to win your first PWBA title and the Rookie of the Year award in 2018.
You’ve been playing at a top level throughout these years, but still you’ve been able to take your game to an even higher level this past year. What do you attribute your growth to? Talk about the development and growth of your game since joining the tour in 2018 to now. Also, what does it mean to you to earn the 2023 PWBA Player of the Year honors?
“I attribute my growth to surrounding myself with better people in all aspects of my life. It really is amazing what you can accomplish when you have better people influencing things in your personal life and bowling life. Of course, you pick up more experience along the way competing for that many years, but truthfully, I started putting myself in better situations with better people and everything fell together.”
“As the tour years go on and on, you’re always learning. Whether it’s from the friends around you, the ball reps, anything going on is teaching you something. It could be something in your personal life that transpires to tour, it’s all learning. I think that’s the more important thing people should pick up on – what is the lesson teaching me? How can I be better because of it? And I started doing that and the outcomes of things are better. I learned to handle my emotions, how to compete in tough situations, and how to overcome bowling bad. You just learn, and learn, and learn.”
“I’d like to say winning POY means everything to me but it’s such a cliche saying. It was the ultimate realization that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Those things take time to accomplish. That all the sacrifices I’ve been making playing this sport since I was 15 years-old have been worth it. Everything leads up to these moments and nobody can take that away from you.”
There is a lot of support and encouragement among the members on tour but talk about the friendships that you’ve developed and how they have helped impact you over the course of your career.
“Being on tour, having that small close-knit friend group is really crucial. Those are the people that lift you up when you’re down, and clap when you’re being successful. My two best friends on tour are Bryanna Cote and Lauren Russo. We started rooming together last year and our friendships flourished into really close-knit relationships. We all want nothing but the best for each other. We all have an understanding on how we are in stressful tour moments and that certainly helps. Bowling doesn’t get in the way of our friendship and that’s the most important thing. You can’t surround yourself with people that don’t want you to be successful because they’ll always be rooting against you.”
With the 2024 season not too far off and the competition in the PWBA just getting better and better, how do you keep your game sharp in between seasons? Also, can you share any goals and expectations you might have for the upcoming season?
“Honestly, I took the longest break I’ve ever taken away from bowling after the tour last year. I was starting to feel burnt out and I just needed a break. I’ve always had bowling tournaments or leagues going on where I could never take a few weeks off. But after tour last year I took that much needed break. But nearing closer to tour the practicing starts picking up more and I find tournaments on the weekends for local competitive practice.”
(Image Credit: USBC, Roto Grip)
“My goals for the upcoming season are of course to win. But to enjoy my time and don’t take the things I have for granted. I don’t set expectations because when you don’t succeed at those, you start thinking you’re failing and that’s not fun.”
What hobbies or other interests might you have aside from bowling that your fans and readers may not know about you?
“I love some good reality TV. The Kardashians, Selling Sunset are my two favorite shows. Big Brother is also a big favorite of mine. I occasionally Golf but I’m not very good anymore. I’m almost too competitive to play. My parents own a par 3 course, and we enjoy going out there when we have time.”
Thank you, Jordan, for taking time sharing your insights into your bowling journey. An inspirational one to say the least! Watching you bowl on tour, you really bring the passion, the precision, athleticism, and pure power to the game. Everyone on tour knows you are someone to be reckoned with week in and week out – just so fun to watch and admire. The bowling community world-wide is looking forward to watching you compete in 2024. Best of luck to you.
“Thank you for taking the time to dig a little into my life of a bowler and more importantly, a person off the lanes. I appreciate you writing this and for being a supporter! Hopefully the good bowling continues on this season.”
(Feature Image Credit: USBC, PWBA)
