Joanne Nadeau
Since 1962 when Rene and Aline Menard sold their farm to purchase John’s Bowling Alley, the Menard family has been synonymous with bowling in Glengarry with father, Rene, and sons Rejean, Michel and Bernie, himself a Sports Hall of Fame Inductee in 2006 for his bowling accomplishments, all in competitive play at one time or another.
Joanne Menard Nadeau was born on December 2, 1964, the youngest and only girl of 6 children. Raised in a bowling family, she competed against her brothers, and regards that challenge as helping her become the competitive bowler she is. She started bowling at the age of 5. When the alley installed automatic pin setters, her passion really began. As a child she was part of the Youth Bowling Council her brother Bernie ran for almost ten years, during which she qualified many times at the Provincial level.
She joined the Master Bowlers of Ontario in the 80s as a teaching master and won a few provincial tournaments. Finding it hard to travel with the association and still run a business, she joined the Quebec association.
In 1989, she qualified for the first time on the TSN Bowling Series to represent Ontario at the National Championships, coming in second. That year she also qualified to represent Quebec at the Masters National Championships where she won her first gold medal, the Canadian Master 5 pin Women’s Championship.
In 1990 she was chosen Female Athlete of the year at the Glengarry Sports Award dinner. In the following years, Joanne qualified four more times to represent Ontario on TSN as well as won the Ontario Provincial title in 1996.
After taking a break from competition to raise her child, Joanne rejoined the tour in the elite Master Tournament division winning a silver medal in 2005 as well as gold medals in 2006, 2007 and 2008 as part of the Ontario Ladies Team. She was also on this team in 2009. Joanne has been part of the Ottawa Valley contingent at the Provincial level for seventeen years, sixteen years with the Ladies team and 1 year with the mixed team. She was a singles representative for 13 of those years.
In 1985, she and her brother Alain bought the family bowling business. Ten years later, her husband Mario became her partner and they ran the alley until it closed in 2009.
This past year, Joanne has taken a year off, bowling in only one league with her husband, son, and brothers in Cornwall. But, her plan is to return to competition in the near future as she misses the road trips with her brother, Bernie, as well as the many good friends made as she travelled throughout Canada to the various tournaments.
With a lifetime average of 248 and a High Single of 448, two shy of a perfect game, Joanne competes against her husband Mario and her only son Julien, also a competitive bowler who has his own list of achievements, not the least of which being the only member of the Menard bowling family to bowl a perfect 5 pin game, a feat he accomplished last year. Her nephew, Guy, was the first of the family to bowl a perfect 10 pin game, again last year. It seems that the First Family of Bowling in Alexandria is in good hands for the next generation.
Joanne presently works at the Alexandria Dental Clinic, at a job she enjoys and one whose hours allow her to continue with her passion of 5 pin bowling.
