The Prairie View A&M bowling program added an important piece to its roster for the 2014-15 year with the addition of Fort Worth, Texas standout Destiny Velez.
Velez currently attends L.D. Bell High School and is a well-rounded student both academically and athletically. On the bowling lanes, Velez is L.D. Bell's team captain and captured the 2013 Region II Girls Regional Singles Title and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2013 Texas High School Bowling Club State Singles Championship Tournament. As a freshman in 2011, Velez also clinched a spot in the Texas High School Bowling Club State Singles Championship Tournament.
A 13-year bowler, Velez has bowled two perfect games of 300, a 200 game at the age of six and a 600 series at the age of eight. She has also participated at the prestigious Teen Masters Bowling Championships in New York, Junior Gold Championships, the Pepsi Texas State Tournament and was the Texas Grand Prix Singles Champion in the Bantam, Prep and Juniors Divisions. Velez has also served on the Board of Directors for the Texas State USBC Youth Leaders Association and was the vice president of the AMF Showplace Lanes Youth Leagues.
Velez's community service record is equally impressive as her bowling resume'. She is currently Miss Fort Worth 2014 and has captured numerous pageant titles over the past few years. Velez currently serves as a spokesperson for various anti-bullying organizations in the DFW Metroplex along with participating in fundraising activities for numerous organizations such as the National Kidney Foundation, Special Olympics and Children's Miracle Network.
Coached and mentored by her mother, Laura Segarra, and notable professional bowlers such as Carolyn-Dorin Ballard, Paul Fleming and Susie Minshew, PVAMU head coach Glenn White is excited about the addition of Velez.
"I am very excited about the addition of Destiny to the Lady Panther bowling and the Prairie View A&M family," he said. "Destiny brings not only a wealth of talent to the program but is also an excellent student. She also brings so many other great qualities such as her great personality and work ethic. One of the most important things that impressed me about Destiny while I recruited her was her drive to succeed at anything she attempted to do. I am expecting her to have an equally successful collegiate bowling career."
