Prep profile: Moanalua bowler Masie Shimabukuro wants spare-time hobby in her future

She knows recipes well.

Chemistry of cuisine, particularly her brownies, cupcakes and cookies. The repetition of that process is what Masie Shimabukuro thrives on. She even has her mornings and afternoons timed when she goes to work, in her home kitchen.

“I would time myself to see how fast I can do it,” said Shimabukuro. “I love to make all kinds. Cookies, banana bread, brownies, cakes, butter mochi. My mom’s recipe for banana bread is super good.”

The OIA East’s top female bowler spent a good chunk of her summer churning out delectable goodies, raising money for her trip to a national tournament. She would regularly haul her tasty treats to her home alley at Hickam. Regularly, she would sell out. Not a surprise. Her father, Takeshi, and older brother, Brian, were in the “lab” back home ensuring the success of Masie’s morsels of happiness.

Now bowling at Rochester University (Mich.), Brian Shimabukuro was in taste-tester mode during his one trip home during the summer.

“I get to enjoy good food,” he said.

“My favorite are the brownies,” said Takeshi, who does not bake or bowl. “Masie bakes them and they’re fresh. It’s more special and delicious compared to store bought.”

The quiet moments putting ingredients together in the kitchen are a pause, a refresher of sorts for Masie Shimabukuro. The senior is a key to Moanalua’s squad, a second-year co-captain who isn’t shy about helping newcomers.

“Her brother bowled on our team, and Masie started (at Moanalua) from when she was a freshman,” longtime coach Geri Mehrtens said. “She has the responsibility of helping her teammates, most of whom have never played in competition. She’ll go up to the brand new ones. ‘If you try this, this might work.’

With goal of double-majoring in hospitality management and food management in college, she has a 3.7 grade-point average.

“I have two colleges in mind: Sam Houston State (Texas) and I’m leaning toward Fairleigh Dickinson in New Jersey,” said Shimabukuro, who considered culinary school. “That was one of my ideas, but they don’t have (collegiate) bowling and I want to pursue it. I want to do my majors and bowl.”

Shimabukuro averaged in the high 170s during club season with Hickam Junior Bowling, but ramped up with a series averaging 198 during last week’s OIA competition at Kaneohe Bay. Her first game was a righteous 232.

“I think it was the highest game for girls, so I hope I can keep it going. K-Bay is the hardest conditions on Oahu. It’s just the lanes in general. It’s new, but it’s hard to play. I usually struggle, especially last year. I only averaged 150-something there,” Shimabukuro said.

Mehrtens says Shimabukuro is highly coachable.

“Masie is always willing to make changes and adjustments. In bowling, there’s nobody blocking the target, so it’s really you challenging you. I’ve been coaching forever, and once you lose that discipline — it’s physics and almost 90 percent discipline,” she said. “The best thing is it’s repetition, over and over. That’s how you get better. Masie keeps on task and she doesn’t sass back. If they don’t get that spare, I ask what they did, and if they can own it, they can fix it.”

Shimabukuro can reach and teach teammates in a subtle way.

“There’s some people who will give attitude to coaches, and that’s their mistake. You have to be willing to learn. I hate when I’m overthinking it, but my coaches say it’s a small adjustment,” she said.

Mostly, though, she enjoys giving back.

“Most of our bowlers are beginners, so I try to help get them out of their comfort zone. This past week, they were really nervous. I tell them they can come practice with me,” Shimabukuro said.

Practice for the team is two days per week, which still gives her time to bowl with her grandfather. Masahiro Shimabukuro was a bowler in Okinawa before moving to Hawaii. In all, there are five bowlers in the family, including two aunties, and her grandfather still hits the lanes regularly. The bar of excellence was set early for Shimabukuro and her brother.

“My grandpa is not a talker because he’s a Japanese citizen, but he pushes me a lot. ‘No give up. Keep going!’ I can understand a little (Japanese),” she said.

Like Shimabukuro’s grandpa, her family is mostly relatively quiet. But she is no introvert —Shimabukuro tends to fill the void.

“People say I’m bubbly and give a lot of energy,” she said.

The state of youth bowling in Hawaii is still strong. Pearl City’s Sami Kanehailua, now a sophomore, was the 2021 state champion.

“Sami is very good. When I started, she was bowling already. We’re close family friends with them, too. I honestly idolize her even for how young she is,” Shimabukuro said.

The overall health of the sport locally depends largely on economics, however. The diminished number of alleys on Oahu is undeniable.

“Me and my friends who bowl, we think bowling is overlooked compared to other sports,” Shimabukuro said, noting the shrinking number of facilities. “I’ve been to (Okinawa) once and I’ve only seen one bowling alley.”

In her universe, it’s all about now. The baking pans are dormant during a busy fall season. She totes three of her six bowling balls to practice and games. She relied on her Reality Storm ball for the 232 at K-Bay. At states, in Leeward Bowl this season, Shimabukuro plans to go with her Hybrid Parallax and Reality Storm. Two of her six balls are 14-pounders, which might seem unusual.

“If she’s 5 feet, it’s a miracle. She’s really teeny, but it doesn’t matter. She never gives up,” Mehrtens said.

Shimabukuro stays in touch with her mother, Ashley Abadilla, who resides in New Jersey. Her parents divorced while Masie was just starting elementary school. One way she and her mom connect is through recipes.

“My mom, she’s the one who teaches me how to do it. We FaceTime or she’ll text me her new recipe and I’ll buy the ingredients and try them out,” Shimabukuro said.

With time comes wisdom.

“I’ve learned to accept what happens in life, good or bad, and believe that everything works out for the best,” she said.

At one point, bowling didn’t feel as joyful.

“There were times when I did really want to give it up. I felt like bowling wasn’t for me. I wasn’t enjoying it. It was really hard to always do good,” she said.

Then, Shimabukuro placed fourth at the state championships. The momentum continued into club season.

“I placed high enough (in club competition) to qualify this summer, and I felt the passion again,” she said.

After raising enough money to make that trip to the Junior Gold Championships in Grand Rapids Mich., Shimabukuro was joined by family from Hawaii and New Jersey.

“Most of my family came down from Hawaii. My mom drove down from New Jersey with my stepdad and my two siblings,” Shimabukuro said. “I had the whole gang. It felt really good, especially how they raised me. What happened in the past has brought me to who I am today.”

Shimabukuro gets all aces when it comes to bringing people together.

“My teammates, we got you. We’ll hold you up,” she said. “I want them to know I’m on the same level as them.”

Recipe for success by Masie Shimabukuro: trust the process.

“Maybe one day I’ll have my own bake shop,” she said. “Trusting the process, dealing with recipes, you have to know what’s going to work and what doesn’t, especially if you want to improve. Good or bad, you’ll have your ups and downs. When you get good at it, you’ll constantly do good.”

MASIE SHIMABUKURO

Moanalua bowling • Senior • GPA: 3.7

Favorites

>> Shows/movies: “Fast and the Furious” series, “Outer Banks,” “Bones.” “I only know ‘Bones’ because of my dad (Takeshi). That’s like my comfort show, almost.”

>> Food: Ahi poke (Foodland), sushi, potato chips.

>> Music artists: Chris Brown (“Yo [Excuse Me Miss]”), Three Plus (“Undercover Lover”), Jhené Aiko (“While We’re Young”)

>> Athlete: Danielle McEwan — “She’s from New Jersey. She represented the USA in a lot of tournaments. She’s a seven-time champion. She works really hard.”

>> Class: Baking

>> Teacher: Mrs. Hashizume. “I had her for PHS, a class I take before culinary. Public human services and foundations health service.”

>> Funniest teammate: Coy Sasano. “Even if I’m having a hard day, he’ll crack a joke and I’m laughing.”