Chris Via to Receive 2025 PBA Tony Reyes Community Service Award

Chris Via has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the PBA Tony Reyes Community Service Award, which recognizes a current PBA member who exemplifies extraordinary community service, charitable or educational contributions over the course of a PBA season.

"To be attached to something with Tony's name on it is an honor," Via said. “I'm very thankful that I was chosen to win this award. I just want to leave the game in a better place than where it was when I started. It's been nice to give back to the community and try to pass along as much knowledge as I can to the next generation.”

Via’s natural generosity caught the eye of PBA Commissioner Tom Clark during the Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles Tournament in July.

After each of Via’s 300 games — the only two perfect games thrown during the tournament — he donated his bonus winnings back to the SABC foundation without hesitation. Those exchanges are one of the many ways Via supports the efforts of Donna Conners, the founder of SABC, throughout the year.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to be given a platform to be able to raise awareness for a fantastic cause," Via said. "The whole reason we go to Houston is to raise money for breast cancer awareness; the bowling tournament is an added bonus. Donna and her entire team down there in Houston just do a fabulous job putting on that event every single year. I want to do anything I can to put a spotlight on what Donna and her team do. I’m just trying to be an avenue for them to be seen by more people."

Via went on to win this year’s SABC Mixed Doubles tournament, which celebrated its 25th anniversary, with Bryanna Coté.

“The Tony Reyes award is one of the PBA’s most meaningful honors, representing the heart of our sport," Clark said. "Chris Via’s name added to our esteemed list of recipients comes because he demonstrates true professionalism as more than just competing on the lanes. I know Tony would be proud of Chris’ support and representation of our charities and how he helps grow the game locally.”

Another bowling foundation that Via wanted to shed a spotlight on is Bowlers to Veterans Link (BVL), the official charity of the PBA Tour. In May of this year, Via was announced as an official advocate for BVL.

BVL provides funding and support to veterans and active-duty military to ensure their physical and emotional therapeutic needs are met after federal funding ends. Since its founding in 1942, which makes BVL the longest-running charitable organization in bowling, BVL has raised more than $57 million.

Via has been one of the prominent members of Team USA for almost a decade. When Via joined Team USA, he said there were many great role models like Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones and Sean Rash to learn from.

Since those players’ retirements from the national team, Via and AJ Johnson have stepped into the shoes of the role models they once followed. They are leaders for Team USA, Junior Team USA and youth bowlers across the nation.

During his tenure on Team USA, which dates back to 2016, Via said they have tried to build a world class team and family-like culture.

“There was a time where if Team USA showed up to an event, there was a strong chance they were winning a gold medal. For a long time, it was kind of taken for granted and the rest of the world has caught up,” Via said. “We want to build a culture dedicated to being the best team in the world. We also want the feeling of a family. There are going to be people that make the team once and there are going to be people that make the team 10 times. We want everyone to feel the same when they are on the team.”

Via has been an esteemed member of his Ohio communities for years. In recognition of his 2021 U.S. Open title, his hometown of Springfield dedicated May 25 to be an annual celebration of "Chris Via Day."  

Via and Mikey Tang own three pro shops in central Ohio, two in Columbus and one in Springfield. Via said being able to help people from his communities — the same people who he went to school with and who helped teach him bowl to bowl as a kid — through his passion for the scientific side of the sport is very rewarding.

“I would much rather be remembered as a great person rather than a great bowler,” Via said. “Knowing that prioritizing being a better person is being noticed and recognized by those around me is pretty awesome and pretty powerful. This award makes me want to focus on that even more and pass on more to the next generations. Hopefully more people will want to strive to do the same things.”

Tony Reyes, who died in 2012, was an eight-time PBA Regional Tour champion, collegiate All-American and the 18th player in PBA history to bowl a 300 game on national television.

Few remember the accolades when they think of Reyes. Instead, they remember his everlasting smile, buoyant personality and limitless generosity.

PBA Tony Reyes Community Service Award Recipients

Chris Via, 2025
Kyle Troup, 2024
Johnny Petraglia, 2023
Ryan Shafer, 2022
Warren Eales, 2021
Danny Wiseman, 2020
Chuck Gardner, 2019
Chris Barnes, 2018
Del Ballard Jr., 2017
Rhino Page, 2016
Ed Godbout, 2015
Missy Parkin, 2014
Parker Bohn III, 2013

Complete list of PBA Tony Reyes Community Service Award recipients