TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The thunderous sound of bowling balls striking pins echoes across Tucson's north side, following the reopening of Fiesta Lanes, under its new name: Pinz Fiesta.
And Bryanna Coté, Tucson native and professional bowler, is there for it.
Coté, currently on a two-week break from touring with the Professional Women’s Bowling Association, is right back where it all started — sending her 14-pound ball gliding down the lane.
"This is always going to be home for me when I am home," she said.
Coté started bowling at just 7 years old, introduced to the sport by her grandfather.
"He just taught me everything that he possibly could," she said.
The talents she picked up inspired her to go pro, even when setbacks were on the horizon.
In 2003, the PWBA shut down while she was still in high school.
"That dream was kind of taken away from me," Coté said.
But she kept at it, competing in tournaments across Arizona. She even earned a spot on Team USA in 2011.
"And then, lo and behold, the PWBA launched again in 2015," Coté said. "So that's when I was like, 'OK, I'm going to do this; I'm going to bowl professionally.'"
True to her word, Coté has claimed five PWBA titles, including one major championship — the US Women's Open in 2023.
Not only is she competing for herself while she's on tour, she's also representing her home
"I love where I'm from. It's been good to me. It's been home, and I'm just proud to be from Arizona, and I always will be," she said.
For Coté, the US Women's Open came just after she had lost her grandfather — the person who'd always show up for her.
"I think that I was meant to win, and I think that he was like my guardian angel on that event to win," she recalled. "So I wore a jersey in memory of him. It's probably my most memorable win."
This year, Coté helped bring home an even bigger win — a gold medal for Team USA's women's bowling team at the International Bowling Federation World Cup in Hong Kong.
While she had previously won the Women’s Singles gold medal at the World Cup in 2022, this victory marked the first time the women's team had earned a World Cup team gold medal since team events were introduced to the tournament.
“Hearing the national anthem just hits differently when you're standing on a podium with your teammates and you have a medal wrapped around you,” she said.
The last time Coté bowled league, she said she was averaging over 200 a game. With a decade of professional bowling under her belt, she hopes to continue competing on tour for another decade.
"I will compete as long as my body allows it," she said.
Through it all, she hopes to inspire the next generation of bowlers.
"You know, the little kids that aspire to be us," Coté said.
One strike at a time.
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Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
