BOWLING | TIMES CLASSIC PREVIEW

One year ago Kathy Tucker grabbed her ball and stared down the task in front of her.

The St. John resident needed to knock down nine pins to advance.

She knocked down eight, forcing herself into a two-frame roll-off for the championship of the 2006 Times Individual Bowling Championship co-sponsored by Pepsi.

The 2002 Times Classic champion collected her thoughts and calmly knocked down enough pins to advance to the championship match, where she put together some of her best bowling of the tournament to become a two-time champion.

The long road to a third championship starts this weekend for Tucker as the 58th annual Times Classic begins at Olympia Lanes and runs through June 10.

"I guess in that situation, it's just one shot at a time and you try to throw your best shot that you can every time you're up there," Tucker said. "I just plan on giving it my best this year and what happens, happens."

Tucker lists several tournament victories and multiple cashes in women's regional events among her bowling accomplishments, but she has a hard time setting apart her top achievement.

"I can't say one is better than the other," Tucker said. "But what I like most about the Times (Classic) is that you have to do it on your own.

"There are no teams, it's just you and your score."

Though Tucker is an individual on the lanes, she credits her father-in-law, Dick Tucker, with molding her into the bowler she has become. The elder Tucker has coached both kids and adults and took an interest in Kathy when she married Rick Tucker.

"(Dick) comes with me when I bowl and he was there last year," Tucker said. "He's a very big part of my bowling."

As Tucker begins her quest for a third Times Classic championship, she welcomes the fact that both of her victories have been different in nature.

"The first time I won, the person had a chance to win, but she threw a split," Tucker said. "Last year I actually felt like I bowled better and felt like I'm the one that performed.

"I think back to when I just went up and bowled when I was younger -- now I take it one frame at a time."