Heart of the Game – How Brian Mattmiller Built A Bowling Community in Wisconsin

A full-circle journey

Mattmiller’s connection to bowling runs deep in his hometown of Antigo, Wisconsin, a city of about 8,000 people and home to Northstar Lanes.

“My old boss, Dave Steger Jr., taught me as much as he could when I was in high school,” Mattmiller recalled. “Then I just kept up on it from there.”

As life got busier, Mattmiller stepped away from the pro shop world, but his roots in the game remained strong. Brothers Bill and Steve McFarlane, who had been operating the pro shop, moved on and opportunity came knocking for Mattmiller.

“I had just signed a staff contract with the Brands of Brunswick, and the timing couldn’t have been better,” he said. “We didn’t have anywhere local for the youth bowlers to get equipment worked on, so my business partner Trevor McCarthy and I volunteered our time to get it back up and running.”

What began as a labor of love quickly became something more. The pro shop was revived under the name Team Brian Pro Shop, and word spread fast. “Now we’re doing quite a few balls out of the shop, not only for youth but adult bowlers too, including from surrounding towns,” said Mattmiller, a Technician with IBPSIA.

The business of coaching

Mattmiller is not just a pro shop owner. He is also a USBC Level 1 coach and longtime youth mentor. For him, coaching and ball drilling go hand in hand. “The first thing we do is watch the bowler throw a shot and see what their PAP is,” he explained. “In our eyes, there’s nothing more important than that number. From there comes comfort in their grip.”

Mattmiller’s approach to working with bowlers is deliberate and personal. “If a bowler wants to make a change in their game, we let them master that before drilling a new ball,” he said. “Small changes can affect their PAP and in turn make a new ball purchase less exciting or successful. I’ll try to help them make those changes, even if it takes a few nights of league before we drill new equipment.”

That commitment to individual improvement defines Team Brian Pro Shop’s customer experience.

“Everyone is important,” said Mattmiller, who offers Kegel’s Specto Bowling at Northstar. “It might just be an insert change, but it could be as critical as someone who needs a patch change because they’re tearing open. Everyone loves to drill new balls, but we do a lot of maintenance work — cleaning, surface touch-up and educating bowlers to take care of their equipment for the long run.”

Mattmiller strongly believes that training and credentials matter for anyone in the business.

“With any profession, it’s great to have a group you can bounce ideas off of,” he said. “IBPSIA gives you the information you need and helps you handle challenges. Training is extremely important, so we do things consistently as pro shop operators.”

Keeping up with change

The bowling world, of course, has evolved dramatically over the years. Mattmiller has kept pace and noted one of the biggest changes he has seen in the sport.

“It has to be the explosion of no-thumb bowling,” he said. “We’ve seen youth bowlers become very good bowlers at very young ages because of this method. Yes, we worked through the no balance-hole era too, but that was easier to navigate in my opinion.”

As a Brunswick Regional Staff member since 2018, Mattmiller stays plugged into new developments in equipment and ball motion technology. “The Brands of Brunswick do such a good job of keeping us up to date,” he said. “Trevor is trained with Jayhawk and handles a lot of the fittings, but I do them, too, especially for beginning bowlers. The chemistry going into the pour of equipment these days is incredible. I leave that up to the much smarter people at the ball companies.”

In Mattmiller’s shop, knowledge is power — especially when it comes to surface adjustments.

“You watch the pro tours and no one throws something that hasn’t been hit with a pad before they bowl,” he said. “We’ve implemented that here with our higher-average bowlers. It’s a bit more difficult to pass that knowledge down to the 150–175 average bowlers, but we’ve done a good job of it.”

For Mattmiller, staying ahead of trends is just one part of success. The rest comes down to communication and relationships.

“It’s a very rewarding job when someone improves their average or shoots an honor score with something you helped them with,” he said. “But like any business, communication is key to keeping that customer happy and getting that second or third sale in the future.”

Walter the Warrior

Behind every successful businessperson, there’s a personal story. For the Mattmillers, that story has been one of courage and community.

In July 2023, their youngest son, Walter, had just turned two when he was diagnosed with B-cell ALL leukemia. “It went from a routine 2-year-old wellness check, to 26 hours later, a blood transfusion, ambulance ride to Madison (Wis.), and the words no parent should ever have to hear, that your child has cancer,” Mattmiller said.

The diagnosis turned their world upside down. “We had just purchased Northstar Lanes less than a year before,” he said. “It was overwhelming. But our family, friends, employees, businesses and community stepped up for us when we needed it the most. They’re still right behind us every step of the way.”

After 805 days of treatment, Walter took his final chemotherapy on September 26, 2025, and rang the bell at the American Family Children’s Hospital two weeks later. “He’s been feeling much better, and we’re really starting to see his personality,” Mattmiller said proudly. “These kids are so resilient when it comes to this stuff so early in their lives. He really is Walter the Warrior.”

Kristen Mattmiller, Brian’s wife, has been a rock through it all. “She has barely missed an appointment,” he said. “She’s stayed in Madison for five weeks after the diagnosis. We just never stopped being positive. Even on Day Zero, as they call it, we were determined that this was going to work.”

The bowling community across Wisconsin and beyond rallied behind the family with fundraisers, tournaments and messages of support. “Everyone sure knows who Walter is now,” Mattmiller said. “We’re very lucky to be part of such a caring community.”

The couple’s two older children, Peyton (8) and Paxton (6), are both youth bowlers themselves, following in their father’s footsteps.

A destination for bowlers

Since purchasing Northstar Lanes in 2022 with Trevor and Karen McCarthy, Mattmiller has focused on turning the center into what he calls “a destination.”

“I really focus on taking care of the people who take care of us,” he said. “Bowlers are a huge part of the business, especially the youth. They’re your best advocates for bringing new people into your facility for bowling, for dinner, for parties.”

That approach has paid off. Northstar’s youth program has grown steadily over the past three years, reaching more than 70 bowlers. Antigo boasts four middle school and three high school teams, with the high school boys’ coed team finishing second at the 2025 Bowling Centers Association of Wisconsin (BCAW) High School Bowling Club State Championships — the squad’s third straight runner-up finish.

“Getting the younger generation involved, like Dave Jr. got me involved, is so important,” Mattmiller said. “We need to train people the right way to make sure there’s succession in these kinds of areas. I won’t be able to do this at the level I am forever.”

That forward-thinking philosophy earned Mattmiller the 2025 BCAW Award of Excellence in the “More Than 12 Lanes” category, honoring his leadership, commitment and dedication to bowling as a proprietor, youth bowling coach, program leader and competitor.

“Brian goes above and beyond for the bowling centers as well as the senior league,” said nominator Mary Jane Davidson. “He does so much with the community, donating and sponsoring events for the youth bowlers.”

Another supporter, Michele Nagel, put it simply: “He has put his heart and soul into the business, constantly and consistently improving the bowling experience. The business thrives, and it shows through Brian’s passion for the game.”

Looking ahead

Mattmiller’s passion also is evident as a competitor. Mattmiller, a regional staff member with Brunswick Bowling and an Apparel EFX staffer, has rolled 76 perfect games and 68 800 series, with a personal-best of 856. During the 2019–20 season, he averaged 251 for the Wisconsin State USBC Men’s High League Average award. He has been a regular competitor in PBA regional tournaments and the USBC Open Championships. Mattmiller’s best finish at the USBC Open Championships was as part of a squad that finished seventh in Team All Events.

Now as a bowling center proprietor, pro shop operator and coach in his hometown, Mattmiller continues his journey with the sport he loves so much.

At the core, Mattmiller’s goal is simple: keep growing and giving back. “I’ve got a couple younger guys working with us who are really putting in the effort,” he said. “Getting the next generation trained the right way is the key — that’s how this sport — and this business — keeps moving forward.”

In Antigo, that future looks bright. With Team Brian Pro Shop humming, a thriving youth program, and Walter’s recovery inspiring a town, Mattmiller’s story is a reminder of what makes bowling special. It’s not just about high scores on the lanes. It’s about people, passion and perseverance. And for Brian Mattmiller, that’s what it’s all about.