A new MOTIVator

An interview with Scott Norton

One of the greatest things I get to do as a writer, is not only meeting legends but meeting up and coming legends to be. Bowling with Scott Norton at the Virgin River Pro Am last year was the first time I had met the charismatic bowler. Everyone knows of his mother Virgina Norton and her hall of fame career but make no mistake, Scott has no need to ride anyone’s coat tales. With a long list of accomplishments and trophies, as well as winning at the World Series of Bowling in 2011, he is destined to be a remember icon in bowling. I enjoyed speaking with Scott and here are his answers to the questions I asked. Remember that Scott is a lawyer so just to be fair, I asked all these questions left handed…

Q . For those of our readers who don’t know you please introduce yourself and give us a little background?

A: I’m Scott Norton, a law school grad from the University of California Hastings College of the Law class of ’09. I’ve been bowling all my life, starting when I was 4. My mother is USBC and PWBA Hall of Famer Virginia Norton. Also, recently came out publicly and am the first male bowler in history to do so on the PBA.

*Congratulations on your marriage Scott…

Q: I barely have time to finish the dishes, write and take care of the dogs. How did you balance bowling with getting your Law degree?

A: It wasn’t easy to balance getting my law degree with bowling but I tried to make sure that I didn’t have Friday classes so that I could bowl regionals. From there, once I learned the patterns well enough I was able to earn an exemption at the Regional Players Invitational (RPI) in 2009. And the rest is history.

Q: What advice would you give our Professional Bowling hopefuls?

A: The best advice I can give to the Professional Bowling hopefuls is to PRACTICE. Find a coach who you trust that is well versed in the sport and work as hard as you can. The people out on tour are the best in the world, and just like any sport it takes a tremendous amount of practice to compete at the highest level.

Q: Was there a lot of pressure to perform in bowling, having such an accomplished mother in bowling?

A: There was some pressure having a hall of fame mother but definitely, most of the pressure, I put on myself. It did however drive me to be better everyday and I continue to have that drive now to keep being the best I can possibly be.

Q: If a ball falls in the forest is it legally obligated to Strike?

A: If I throw the ball in the woods, it better strike! 🙂

Q: Why did you sign with Motiv and what is your favorite ball?

A: I signed with Motiv because I love everything the company stands for. All of their products are made in the USA. They have wonderful people top to bottom and I like how diverse their line is becoming. My favorite ball so far is the Raptor because it’s strong in the mid lane with a nice continuous back end motion.

Q: What moment in your career Pro or otherwise are you most proud of?

A: Well, that’s a hard one, I suppose it would be winning on the PBA tour and Rookie of the Year.

Thank you Scott for your candor and great answers. We wish you the best of luck out there and hope to see you on TV and I’ll see you on the lanes again sometime soon.