Contributed by Ron Tucker
More people commonly call Tampa YABA Hall of Famer Joan Burleson "Coo Coo." Joan who has been at Florida Lanes off and on for some 47 years knows a lot of bowlers and most probably don't know her real name....unless they have been around for awhile. Having known Joan since the late 60's myself, I had no idea why she was called by this nickname. When I stopped by AMF Florida Lanes the other day I sheepishly inquired of Joan and much to my surprise I learned that she was given that name by Grandson Don Yoshihara . Somehow after he began talking he never called her "grandma" or "nanny" or many other names that grandchildren more commonly call their grandmothers. The name has stuck and thankfully the name wasn't given to her because of a perceived "mental state".... because I knew she as A.O.K.
Joan has known a lot of joy and tragedy in her life. In the mid 60's she bowled at East Gate Lanes in a trio scratch league with Opal Stewart and Darlene Chavis. Joan was a scratch bowler and so was her husband Don Burleson who bowled on the same night in a league right next to hers called the Three Star Scratch Trio. Don bowled with deceased Hall of Famer Skip Caldwell and Steve Rittall. Sadly her husband Don passed away at age 37 in 1972. More recently her son Don Burleson passed away in December at the age of 53 Joan holds up better than most when speaking of her husband and son possibly because she has also known a lot of "JOY" in her life. To engage Joan in a trek back to her days as a college coach at Hillsborough Community College and YABA coaching is interesting from two standpoints. One, Joan is proud of the success that was achieved by some of the bowlers she has coached, namely Larry Barwick and Tommy Crites (she failed to mention her Grandson Don Yoshihara but I bet she coached him too). Secondly she is proud of the fact that they got an education and found success off the lanes in life. She has coached most of her life and bowled most of her life. She can no longer bowl because of a severe neck problem but can be found working the desk at Florida Lanes almost every day.
Her grandson Don Yoshihara is married and she will quickly display pictures of her two great grandchildren whom she is proud of......and she can't wait to baby-sit them. Don who was inducted into the Tampa Bowling Association Hall of Fame and found success on the PBA tour winning titles even though he wasn't bowling full time on the tour. He has probably bowled more 800's and 300's than anyone else in Tampa. While still only 31 years old he perennially averages in the 240's.
Daughter Terry Broyles currently is a Director with the newly formed Greater Tampa USBC Association. Terry also achieved success in bowling on HCC teams that held college records. She bowled with Tampa greats Dee Alvarez and Lucy (Giovinco) Sandelin. In 1980, Terry (then Yoshihara) represented the U.S. in the World Cup Tournament held in Indonesia. Accompanied by Dee Alvarez, Terry became the first women in the U.S. to win Singles, Doubles and All Events in that year's competition.
She is also proud of son Don who bowled while in the Air Force but was more interested in playing golf after discharge.
If you want to learn some of the history (some good and some bad) that happened within the Tampa bowling community over the years, stop and chat with Joan......and meet a very interesting woman who has had the sport of bowling in her life for a long time. Talk to her about the success of many youth bowlers who have gone through programs that she has coached in....talk to her about the "joy" she gets when a college student from far away yells "hey Coo Coo" when she enters a bowling center. Talk to her about her Grandchildren.....be prepared to stay awhile. For a woman who has endured much she certainly is a JOY to talk to. I don't believe she allows negative thoughts to ruin her everyday life.
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