Pino Mascetti\u2019s love affair with bowling began almost as soon as he could walk. At just three years old, his parents, avid league bowlers themselves, took him to Pyjama Bowling at Northcote Bowl where he pushed 6 lb balls with his tiny legs. What started as a family tradition soon became a passion. Now, two decades later, the La Trobe University accounting student has made history at the 2025 Open Masters.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding success at the highest level<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Every sportsperson has a year when they start believing they can go all the way. For Pino, that year was 2024 when his potential was there for all to see. He won the Victorian Disability Championship. At the Open Masters he made history by becoming the first player to score a perfect 300 game in 35 years of the National Disability Championships. He finally finished in a very creditable fourth position. That result gave him a lot of belief, as Pino recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The year when records tumbled like nine pins<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If 2024 was his breakout year, then 2025 was the year when everything fell in place. He started the year by winning the Australian Railway Institute Championships. After defending his title again at the 2025 Victorian Disability Championships, Pino set his sights on the National Disability Championships at Perth. Learning from last year, Pino stayed cool and focussed as he approached the finishing line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked how he deals with pressure in a highly competitive tournament, Pino offered a rather unique way of coping with it \u201cI distract myself with counting; I calculate other players\u2019 scores. It keeps me calm and helps me concentrate on my game.\u201d<\/em> In a stunning performance, he clinched the Open Masters title, finally finishing a comfortable 75 points ahead of his closest rival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The winning moment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When the final pin fell at the Open Masters, Pino nearly burst into tears, hugging his support person, Kylie, who had travelled with him to every tournament. \u201cThis was for my family, my state, and everyone who believed in me,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0It was a dream come true for Pino and his family, as he was crowned the winner of the National Disability Championships 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How La Trobe played a small role in Pino\u2019s success<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A fifth-year Bachelor of Accounting student at La Trobe, Pino has recently switched to online studies to care for his ailing mother. He credits the university\u2019s flexibility in allowing exam rescheduling and remote learning in helping him pursue both his degree and his bowling dreams. \u201cLa Trobe has been very accommodating,\u201d he says. \u201cThey understand how important bowling is for me. I am grateful to the staff and faculty for always being there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s next for Pino?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite his success, Pino remains grounded. Ranked 35th nationally among all open bowlers, he knows turning pro would require immense sacrifice. \u201cRight now, I want to focus on my degree and become an accountant,\u201d he says. \u201cBut bowling will always be my passion, if not my career.\u201d His next challenge? The Australian Open Championships. Pino is also grateful to pro-shops like Rolling Revs who have supported him with custom gear and equipment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n For now, Pino is content – a champion on the lanes, a student working towards his degree, and a son who still lets his dad win sometimes when they go bowling together on Wednesdays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0We are proud of Pino\u2019s success and wish him all the best in everything he does in the future.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Winner of the 2025 National Disability Bowling Championship Pino Mascetti\u2019s love affair with bowling began almost as soon as he could walk. 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