Melody Felton has been involved in the Grand View Bowling program for the past 13 years, starting her 14th year. She started out as the men's and women's assistant coach for the first six years then becoming head coach for the past seven years.
In the 2022 season, the Grand View men's bowling team won their second conference championship, qualifying for the NAIA National Championship.
In the 2018 season, the Viking bowlers were very successful. Throughout this season, Men’s bowling won their first conference title, Tier One Tournament at the MidStates Collegiate, was ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, and finished 4th at the NAIA National Invitational. Individually on the men’s team, Sam Cantrell was named NAIA Player of the Year and also USBC Collegiate Player of the Year Runner-Up.
Felton also garnered NAIA Men’s Coach of the Year in the 2018 season and shared the Women’s Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2020.
The Women’s bowling team also had a memorable year. The Vikings were ranked 6th in the NAIA and finished 5th at the NAIA National Invitational. The women were also ranked 13th in USBC Collegiate and finished 8th at the USBC Intercollegiate qualifier. Individually, Amanda Duplan finished 1st in the singles qualifier and advanced to the Intercollegiate National Singles.
She guided the men's team into the highest finish at the NAIA Championship in the 2014-2015 season with a fourth-place finish. The men's team has also finished fifth the past two seasons at the USBC Intercollegiate qualifier for Nationals, missing the cut to advance both times by a few pins. The men had their highest National USBC Collegiate ranking finishing 20th out of 170 teams for the 2016-17 season.
Felton has an extensive bowling background. Growing up in her parent's bowling center, she began sanction league play at age five. She has a total of nine sanctioned 300 games and a high series of 827. Also to her credit: a National Double's title, a PWBA regional title, holds the State doubles record of 1504 with partner Lisa Lihs, has won the BPAA Top Amateur Tournament in 1990, has accumulated 16 Iowa State titles, and has 17 Greater Iowa Tournament championships. Melody was also a member of the Professional Women's Bowling Association from 1992 to 2003 and belonged to the prestigious Lind's Northern Stars team located out of Minnesota for five years. Felton belongs to three Hall of Fames: Jasper Co., Greater Des Moines, and the Iowa Women's State.
Felton has owned Triangle Lanes in Colfax, IA for ten years and spent eleven years as Youth Director at Bowlerama Lanes in Des Moines, IA. She has been a USBC certified Silver Level Instructor since 1999. She was a volunteer coach for two years for the Iowa State Bowling Club and coached Iowa High School Bowling for 10 years at East High for six years and Lincoln for four. During that time, her Lincoln boys team qualified for state four times and won two State Championships. Felton was also named Conference Coach of the Year in 2010. In 2013 & 2014, she was listed as one of the Top 100 Coaches in the Nation.
Felton and her husband Keith are owners of K.O.'s Pro Shop located inside Plaza Lanes in Des Moines, IA. They have two sons Jamie and Joel. They currently reside in Colfax, IA.
