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5 PIN Bowling
Canadian Open Men’s Singles Champion 2000
Canadian Men’s Team Champion 1992, 2001
 Gene
Ziebarth was born and raised in Wetaskiwin and has resided in the
community for most of his adult life. Although Gene did bowl for one
year in high school it wasn’t until 1982 when he was 25 years old that
he became involved in his sport again. After a year competing on the
Teacher’s bowling team in Fort Saskatchewan, he began to compete at
higher levels. In a short period of time he was representing the
Central Zone in the Alberta “Open” Championships, a feat that he has
accomplished for twenty-two of the last twenty-four years.
In 1991 Gene made the first of five trips to the National
“Open” Championships. In those five years Gene’s Alberta team won the
Gold Medal twice (1992, 2001), the Silver Medal once (2005) and placed
fifth once (1991). Three times (1992, 2000, 2005) Gene was named a
National All Star. Gene’s finest accomplishment was winning the
National Men’s Singles Championship in 2000.
Gene has made the Master Bowlers'
Alberta Team and
competed in the National
Championships ten of the last twenty-five years
Gene has also participated in the Master Bowlers’
Association of Alberta since 1982. In Masters Bowling there are six
major tournaments across the province with the top six men qualifying to
represent Alberta at the Nationals. Gene has made the Alberta Team and
competed in the National Championships ten of the last twenty-five
years. In those ten Nationals he has won two gold, two silver and two
bronze Medals. Because of his more than 25 years of involvement, Gene
was inducted as a Life Member of the Alberta Master Bowlers’
Association. Gene also served the Alberta Master Bowlers’ Association
in executive capacities working as a board member for over twenty years,
acting as Director for seven years, President for seven years, Past
President for one year and currently is a Tournament Division Director.
During his years of competing Gene has amassed over
thirty 400 point games with two perfect games of 450
Besides competing in the Open and Masters
Bowling competitions, Gene has represented Alberta on CBC Bowling on
television. In 1990 in Toronto Gene lost in the semi finals, in 1995 in
Winnipeg he reached the quarter finals and in 2005 in Calgary he again
lost in the quarter finals. Gene also competes on the Money Tour where
he has won twice in Saskatoon, four times in Regina and once each in
Winnipeg and Edmonton. During his years of competing Gene has amassed
over thirty 400 point games with two perfect games of 450. He also
holds a national record for the most consecutive strikes, 26 in a row.
Gene continues to compete successfully in his sport. This season
(2007-08) he became the first bowler in the 30 year history of the money
tour to ever win three in a row by winning in Edmonton, Regina and Red
Deer.
Gene’s determination and his passion for his
sport were apparent after a car accident in 1996. Gene shattered his
right arm (his throwing arm) from the elbow to the wrist. The doctors
said he’d never recover from the injury well enough to compete again.
He fooled them. The cast was supposed to be on for five months; Gene had
it off in four weeks. In no time he was back bowling and that injury
doesn’t seem to have affected his successes.
Since Gene started bowling he has been
interested in coaching. In his early years in Masters Bowling he
coached youth. As a tournament bowler he was unable to stay involved as
a regular coach, however, Gene served as an honorary coach in Red Deer,
Stettler and Wetaskiwin on an occasional basis. He has also worked
every summer for fourteen years at the Elite School of Bowling in
Saskatoon coaching young adults from Western Canada.
Because of his accomplishments and
longevity in the sport of five pin bowling we are honoured to induct Gene Ziebarth into the Wetaskiwin Sports Hall of Fame.
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