319 – Beyond Board Games: Pro Bowling with Diandra Asbaty
This week’s guest is Diandra Asbaty, a professional bowler.
319 Fact: The world’s largest sweet potato pie! 319kg, 200cm (over 6ft) in diameter! https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/445565-largest-pie-sweet-potato
Sponsor message: For expert help applying some of the same principles that help you take down your friends in Agricola, head over to FirstMoveFinancial.com/FamilyGamers and schedule a call, today!
Games We’ve Been Playing
Green Team Wins (our review)
Draftosaurus (our review)
Super Mega Lucky Box (our review) – it was a little harder for Bingo-loving grandma than we expected.
On Tour: Paris
Kingdomino (our review)
Community Review – Tantrix
Tantrix is an abstract tile laying game for one to four players. The game is played with hexagonal tiles that have three lines drawn on them (each line connects two sides of the hexagon) in three of four possible colors (red, yellow, blue, green). In the multiplayer game, each turn players draw one tile from a bag and try to make the longest line of their color. There are a few placement restrictions, like the line colors have to match. Loops don’t count as infinite points! Once the tiles run out, the game is over and longest line wins.
In the solitaire version of the game, the player takes a set of tiles and makes a loop of a specific color. The tiles are numbered on the back and the number is the color for that solution (for example, on tile 3, the 3 is yellow so the player has to make a yellow loop). The first few puzzles are easy but with more tiles comes more difficulty. The game comes with about fifty tiles. I’ve only made it to the mid-twenties in the solitaire puzzles.
The game is fun as multiplayer or single player. I prefer the single player. Young kids will have a challenge with planning ahead to make longer lines; also, if one player is prone to Analysis Paralysis, the game can drag. The tiles are sturdy bakelite and hold up well to many uses. They also look very good. My favorite way to play is the solitaire mode and I still have plenty of play left in my set. (more info at Tantrix.com)
SNAP Review – Turtle Splash
This dexterity and memory game from Lucky Duck Kids is adorable. It’s intended for young kids, but older kids and adults will enjoy it occasionally, too.
Read the transcript or watch the video for Turtle Splash.
Beyond Board Games with Diandra Asbaty
Diandra is a bowler who has won many international medals and was on Team USA for fifteen years, is the official youth bowling spokesperson for the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), among many other accomplishments.
She’s also a mom and a wife, and has her own brand: Beyond the Lanes – and is still winning tournaments now: this year with EJ Tackett.
“I’m grateful to Grandma Betty for putting a bowling ball in my hand when I was five years old.”
At a young age, Diandra decided she wanted to be the best in the world – starting with catching up to her big sister. It was hard work, with practicing every night. Sometimes very late at night, which meant that Diandra needed to take naps when getting home from school.
Do your kids bowl too?
“I have a boy that’s 12 and a girl that’s 8 – of course they bowl!” Diandra doesn’t push her kids to bowl, but they’ve always been around it.
We love that bowling is a sport where everyone can play together, no matter their skill level.
What are your favorite moments competing professionally?
USBC Queens win (2012) – Diandra was figuring out how to be a mom and also still be a pro bowler. Winning was validation that she could pull back and be present for her children, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t still be a champion bowler.
Advice for kids & teens who bowl?
Bowling should always be fun. Make sure it’s fun, and enjoy it.
Seek out people who know more than you, or find a coach. That’s how you get better!
But if you’re not having fun, what’s the point?
Just remember, “if this was easy, everyone would be great at it.”
What is Beyond the Lanes?
A way for Diandra to pass on lessons that she has learned through bowling. A curriculum centered around personal development.
There is a free newsletter and blog, in addition to several structured courses at BeyondTheLanes.com
And Board Games, of course!
We talk about Pan Am (Andrew’s favorite)
and Balderdash (Diandra’s favorite)
… And then we try to find the perfect game for Diandra’s husband!
We suggest the EXIT series and Unlock series of escape-room boxes.
Anitra recommends Bananagrams
Andrew recommends Just One
and Green Team Wins
Find Diandra Online:
@diandraasbaty (instagram, Facebook, Twitter)
Instagram: @diandraasbaty
Facebook: @diandraasbaty
Twitter: @diandraasbaty
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