Outdoors & Sports
Swedish Bowler Jesper Svensson Finds Success In America
For Swedish bowler Jesper Svensson, bowling always has been a part of his life.
Growing up in Vimmerby, Sweden, Svensson picked up a bowling ball as soon as he was able to walk, and, from there, he practically grew up in bowling centers. At a young age, his family realized that bowling was not just a hobby for him, but that he would have the chance to become a professional in the future. For Svensson though, that always was part of the plan, as it always had been his dream to bowl professionally.
Early in his career, Svensson found success bowling in tournaments around Sweden. In fact, according to PBA.com, he was the World Youth Masters champion and won numerous other medals in World Youth Championships competition. While there were plenty of strong bowlers in Sweden, Svensson knew the truest test of his abilities would come from bowling in America in the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA).
In 2014, at just 19 years of age, Svensson committed himself to becoming a full-time bowler in the States. Was it a challenge coming to America at such a young age to compete?
“Not really; I came over to bowl and that’s all,” Svensson said. “I was only focused on bowling, so being younger didn’t really affect me. I am proud of myself that I always trusted my own process to become a full-time bowler.”
Svensson is a left-hander who features a unique style of bowling where he utilizes both hands when releasing the ball, a style that drew criticism early in his career. In an interview with PBABowling, he said, “People said I was going to get hurt or that it wasn’t the right way to bowl and I’ve always wanted to prove those people wrong.”
He’s done just that.
Once competing in the States, he found success immediately, receiving the 2015 Harry Golden PBA Rookie of the Year award. In his six-year career, Svensson boasts an impressive scoring average of more than 220 pins-per-game and has amassed career earnings in excess of $440,000. In 2016, he became the youngest bowler to win the PBA Tournament of Champions, one of the PBA’s four majors, and he’s won six other PBA Tour titles. The 24-year-old also has rolled five perfect games in his young career.
Regardless of what happens in the future, Svensson is thrilled with the way his career has unfolded.
“Bowling is my job, and I love my job,” he told us. “I get to wake up every day and feel happy that I’m living my dream.”
