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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 3, 2006 Where are they Now? Wynn Malikowski By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune Wynn Malikowski was active in sports when he was at Crater, and not much has changed two decades later. The difference now is that, instead of throwing a baseball overhand or shooting a basketball, the 38-year-old delivers bowling balls and softballs underhand. Malikowski lives in Bend, where he is general manager of Lava Lanes. His wife of eight years, Sarah, and he have three kids: 14-year-old twins Emily and Zachary, his stepchildren, and Shandon Michael, 5, who plays sports and gets coaching from his dad. "Those were some of the best enjoyments I had in my life," says Malikowski, "and I want to make sure he has the same opportunity." Malikowski’s name appears periodically in results in the paper. He’s a star pitcher for a men’s fastpitch softball team that includes a number of Rogue Valley players and placed second in the nation last year. He also bowls in Southern Oregon All-Star tournaments. Advertisement Malikowski, who lived in Klamath Falls from 1988-2000, got into the bowling business six years ago. A back injury forced him out of his job as a distributor route driver, and his association through bowling with Ric Donnelly, who was building the Medford Lava Lanes, led to a job there. Soon after this center opened, Malikowski went to Bend to operate Donnelly’s center (it has since come under new ownership). "I’m pretty good with people, and I know bowling and the profit margins," says Malikowski. "I had a little bit of background, and the rest of it just fell into place." Malikowski has fond memories of his prep days — "We probably had the best class of athletes to come out of a school in ages," he says — but it took some tough love by JV basketball coach Dave Jacobs to get him on the right track. "He was the one who kind of turned me around from being a punk kid to a true athlete," says Malikowski. "He made me believe it’s not always about you, and you need to help the team." So profound was Jacobs’ lesson that Malikowski wrote a college essay about him and uses the same principles with his kids. Malikowski evolved into an all-league shooting guard by his junior year and helped the Comets advance to state his senior season, where he enjoyed his best game. In a win over The Dalles, he had a double-double of about 20 and 10 rebounds, he says. Crater also made state in baseball that year. He played both sports at College of the Siskiyous before a broken ankle kept him off the hardwood. He then pitched successfully at OIT for two years and was good enough to attend a Cleveland Indians minicamp. A fastball in the high 80s didn’t distinguish him from other right-handers, however, and his baseball days ended. He turned to softball and took up pitching. "I was used to being the man," he says. "When you’re pitching, you’re in control. I wanted to learn how to do it." When he started, he threw hard but seldom knew where the ball was going and couldn’t make it do much. "Now," he says, "I throw it hard and, for the most part, where I’m aiming." He’ll get back at it soon, working his practice and game schedule around his son’s activities and relishing every minute of it. Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail Where are they Now? ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s