BUTLER TWP — Youth bowlers are practically a part of Rick Reeder's extended family.

That's only fitting since Reeder's family led him to become involved with youth bowlers.

The 57-year-old East Butler resident is in his sixth year as president of the Butler County USBC Youth Association. He is in his 25th year of coaching young bowlers through that organization.

Irena Reeder, his wife of 32 years, was bowling in her church league when the two met.

“She got me involved in that league,” Reeder said. “I had always enjoyed bowling, but had never bowled in a league before.

“I got into it so much that I started a league at my workplace (a machine shop in East Butler) and bowled in that Wednesday nights for about 15 years. That league is still going, but under a different name now.”

Reeder's oldest son, Greg, was 5 when he joined the youth bowling program at Family Bowlaway.

“They needed some coaches and asked me to help out. I've been doing it ever since,” Reeder said.

The head of the Family Bowlaway youth program retired from that position in 1989. Reeder has held that spot ever since.

Greg Reeder is now 30 and works for PNC Bank in Pittsburgh. Their youngest son, Jim Reeder, is 27 and is a city firefighter in Butler.

“They both went through our youth league and still enjoy bowling. They just don't have time to do leagues at this point in their lives,” Reeder said.

Rick and Irena no longer bowl in leagues, either. He had a knee replacement in February 2003 and never returned to the sport as a bowler.

He never had a bowling average higher than 187.

Back issues took Irena out of the game nearly 10 years ago, though she taught ethnic dancing at St. John's Byzantine Church in Lyndora for a while.

When Rick considered getting out of coaching two years ago, his wife convinced him otherwise.

“She told me I had to at least reach 25 years,” Reeder said.

And now that he has?

“I don't think I'm quitting,” he said, smiling. “I can't let go of it. This is what I do on Saturdays.”

Reeder oversees 80 youths in the Family Bowlaway Saturday morning program and 400 youths in the Butler County USBC Youth Association overall.

He is at the bowling house from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday. He spends another six to eight hours per week getting paperwork and entry forms ready for tournaments.

He quickly pointed out. “I have a lot of help with the tournament stuff now. Laura Paul and Rhonda Schnitzki ... I don't know where I'd be now without their help. I used to do all of this myself.”

After Reeder worked 36 years at a machine shop, the business closed. He now is a custodian in the Butler School District. His wife is retired.

And he continues to help his extended family every Saturday morning.

“I just enjoy doing it,” he said. “I'm teaching kids a sport they can do for a lifetime. No matter how old you are ... as long as you can pick up a ball, you can do this.

“It's rewarding when you hear a kid's new personal high game announced over the loudspeaker.

“We have scholarship tournaments for the kids now. In the past six years, we've awarded $23,000 in scholarship money to kids throughout the county.”

His impact on bowling in the county is impossible to measure.

“Our numbers are a little down countywide this year,” he said. “We used to have 550 youths in the program. The economy has a lot to do with the drop-off. Some families can't afford to put their kids in right now.

“But they'll be back.”

The Butler County USBC Youth Association has 20 board members. There are 20 adult and youth coaches involved at Family Bowlaway alone.

“This is a big operation. It's not just me,” Reeder said. “But I probably enjoy it the most.”

<B>Age:</B> 57<B>Address:</B> East Butler<B>Family: </B>Wife, Irena; two sons, Greg and Jim<B>Education: </B>1971 Slippery Rock High School graduate<B>Employment: </B>Worked 36 years at a machine shop and now is a custodian in the Butler School District<B>Hobbies:</B> Bowling, golf, camping, hunting, fishing, spending time with family<B>Quote: </B>“I don’t think I’m quitting. I can’t let go of it. This is what I do on Saturdays.”