A year ago, Cheektowaga native Ryan Ciminelli was prepared to walk away from bowling.
He was in a slump and was thinking about leaving the game he loved.
He decided not to and is now heading to LA for the 23rd ESPY Awards.
The 30-year-old has been rewarded with one of the highest honors, earning an ESPY nomination as Best Bowler.
Ciminelli won his first major title, the U.S. Open, in 2015 and was the PBA's runner-up as Player of the Year. He then returned home to win his third Obenauer Masters championship in May.
"It's kind of been a dream of mine, one of the ones at the top of the list for me just because it's that one day where we're on the same level as any other sport," he said. "For me, that's a big deal and to have bowling recognized with every other sport means a lot to me."
You can vote for Ryan by clicking here: The ESPYS
The ESPYS will be televised on Wednesday, June 13th at 8 pm on WKBW.
