Bowlers Journal International - March 2008 - (Page 42)

UPCLOSE THE MAN WHO OWNED THE TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS JASON COUCH TALKS ABOUT LIFE ON AND OFF THE DENNY'S TOUR. WHEN IT COMES TO MAJORS, Jason Couch has an enviable record. Four of his 15 career Denny's Tour championships have come in major events, including an amazing three straight Tournament of Champions victories. He's been ﬁghting injuries of late — he's currently on a Tour DL deferment — but even so, everyone was reminded of his T of C dominance when he popped up as the ﬁrst-round leader in that event this year. Alas, the magic didn't last, but only Mike Durbin owns as many T of C titles as Couch, and he wasn't able to do it in successive years. He's now in rehab, but he found time to talk to BJI's Jim Dressel about his injury, about his T of C track record and, yes, about the new addition to his family. First things ﬁrst. Congratulations on your new daughter. Thanks. With the addition of my third daughter, the house has been a little hectic. It was actually a good time to have some down time because of my injury. The little one is Kailyn, she was born October 15, and both mother and daughter are doing extremely well. Good deal. But what's going on with those injuries? They seem to be playing havoc with a lot of players now. I wish I knew that answer. I don’t believe we've really had more than one guy injured since the new guys took over the Tour, so we are going on eight years. But now, Tony Reyes, Jeff Carter, myself — and Norm Duke also is battling through some injuries — the inju42 bowlers journal international ries are everywhere. In fact, I bowled injured for about a year and a half. I didn't know about that. I wasn’t really diagnosed until after last season's Tour, but I was bowling in pain, so I used a knee brace. I just assumed it was something minor. Basically, I went in for an MRI, and fortunately, some of the best surgeons in the world live in Clermont. Mine told me I had a slight meniscus tear, and that he would scope out the knee and clean it out. But I bet it hurt like a devil. Only when I bowled. Very rarely would it hurt if I was doing anything other than bowling. So how did you win two titles? I scheduled the surgery for just after the Doubles tournament last June in St. Louis, so that gave me plenty of time to recover. Fast forward to the surgery, I go under the knife, and when I come out of it, the ﬁrst thing my doctor asks me is, 'Have you been in a car accident recently?' I thought that was a strange question after I’d been under anesthesia, so I asked him if there was something wrong. He told me he found a bone chip when he started scoping my knee. 'I didn’t see it on the MRI, but I took it out. When I did, I also found out that you had a stress fracture.' So, instead of the 4-6 weeks I expected to be out, he told me it would be 4-6 months. How far along are you in the recuperation process? I’m fairly conﬁdent that I’m two months away [from bowling again]. I know I’m getting stronger, I’m doing cardiovascular and strength training, and I’m just trying to get to a point where I can take some of that pressure off my knee. It’s just incredible. I thought I was ready for the Tournament of Champions and… You usually are ready for the Tournament of Champions. Yes. I don’t know what it is about that tournament… but was just nice to get out there, see the guys again, and bowl. I didn’t expect anything of myself, and to lead the ﬁrst round, I was the most surprised. I saw that, and my reaction was, 'What, doesn't this guy know he’s injured, or is it just the T of C again?' It took all of two seconds for me to push MARCH 2008

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Bowlers Journal International - March 2008 Contents Leading Off Letters Bowlitically Incorrect Par Bowling The Coach Calendar Inside Line Tournaments The Truth Be Bowled Pro Bowling Back On Track Weber Tales Spares Do Matter Cover Story Up Close USBC Women's Time Capsule Flashback Strategy Session Guest Column Regional Roundup Team USA Trials Military Salute Global Guide No Holes Barred Marketplace Bowling Summit Museum Update Hall Marks Advertisers' Index Rememberance Classified Advertising Intelligencer Business Calendar Business People Strikes Me

Bowlers Journal International - March 2008

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