As senior Cam Cislo practiced with the bowling team, he envisioned himself in a big match. Although Cislo said that practices were relaxed, he prepared himself as if he were in the 10th frame of bowling regionals.

“This is my first year bowling, but I have found that the game is very mental,” Cislo said. “I got very nervous during the match against Kearsley, because they’re a really good team. I bowled a 117 and a 120. Shortly after the match for fun, I bowled a 209 and a 200.”

Along with his mentality, Cislo said mechanics also play a big role in the sport.

“Bowling form is very important,” Cislo said. “If you turn your hand or twitch at the last second, it can completely throw you off.”
Students on the team have said that setting goals can help them improve during the season.

In order to accomplish the goal of getting more wins, the team has practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays, where they perform unique drills. One drill is a baker game, in which two bowlers bowl one game, going one frame at a time. The coaches spend this time dividing their attention between the individual bowlers.

“A typical practice on Tuesday consists of warm ups, baker games, and one-on-one coaching,” Keith said. “Thursday practices consist of warm ups, three individual games, one-on-one coaching and discussion about the upcoming match. During our Thursday practices I assign lanes to the bowlers. They rotate and they bowl with different members each week.”

Keith said the bowling team is hoping to make improvements from the years prior. Keith, who has her son Alex on the team, is able to dedicate much of her time to help them improve.

“Alex started bowling as a freshman in 2013; they needed another coach at the time so I volunteered as an assistant coach,” Keith said. “I took over the following season as head coach and recruited my husband Rob as an assistant coach. Some of our favorite things about coaching are passing our knowledge on to the bowlers and watching them make the changes to improve their game. It is such a joy watching how excited they get when they bowl well.”

As the bowling team prepares for upcoming matches, they keep the goals its set in the back of their minds. Bowlers have said that the sport is both technical and mental, coach Keith reminds them that having fun is the most important thing.