Perfect game, perfect moment: Saskatoon bowler shines on national stage

A bowler from Saskatoon has made history at just 21, bowling a perfect game on the national stage. Carla Shynkaruk reports.

One young bowler from Saskatoon has rolled himself into the record books. At 21, Cooper Buniak has achieved what many bowlers spend a lifetime chasing: a perfect game on the national stage.

Buniak accomplished the feat at a national youth 10-pin championship in Quebec in May, striking down pins strike after strike. Twelve strikes in a row earned him a perfect 300 score.

“It’s just a surreal experience when you finally do it, especially surrounded by the best in their respective provinces in Canada,” Buniak, told CTV News.

His coach, Michael Leganchuk, noted that achieving the milestone away from their home facility—at a new bowling alley with challenges like crowds and lane conditions—makes it even more impressive.

“This is huge, especially at a national event like that,” he said. “Bowling at 300 is not an easy feat.”

A video captured the victorious moment he rolled the final strike, and Buniak remembers it vividly. About 300 spectators had gathered from other lanes to watch.

"You go up there, and you’re nervous because you haven’t done it yet” he said. “At that point, you just have to calm down, everyone’s watching, and there’s nobody else bowling in the alley.”

Buniak, an engineering student at the University of Saskatchewan, still dedicates significant time to bowling. He remains eligible as a youth bowler for one more year before moving to the next level.

This week, he was also honoured with a prestigious perfect game ring.

The rarity of perfect games at Hunter’s Eastview Bowl, considered one of the province’s best facilities, underscores the achievement. The last perfect game at Eastview was recorded two years ago, while the last youth perfect game dates back to 1994.

“That’s 30 years in the making right there. It doesn’t happen every day or every week,” Leganchuk said.

Buniak isn’t stopping with just one perfect game. His next goal: three perfect games in a row—a feat few bowlers ever achieve, but one he believes is within reach.