After getting an academic state champion award the team is prepared for the season

Bowling is one sport that many people are fascinated with but do not know a lot about. Our Rogers High School bowling team will compete in 10 matches this year, many of which will be at the Rogers Bowling Center and Fast Lanes. The team is full of energy and ready to compete.

The team has many talented bowlers coming back to compete this season. Many of the guy bowlers are close together in talent which will be good for the team. 

“We have five that are right together that are capable of leading us any night,” said Michael Leafgreen, head bowling coach. 

Tryouts this year for the boys went well with over thirty people going out for the team, but only thirteen spaces available . Unfortunately one challenge y for the girls was that there were only five people who tried out for the team, but the minimum needed to compete is six people. 

 “We only have five girls and to compete we need six.” Leafgreen said.

The team is training hard for the season and have gotten their scores up from last year. An announcing score in bowling is a 200 or above for the guys and 150 or above for the girls. 

“As a team, if our guys can average a 160 for the match, we will be in any match and for the girls a 130,” Leafgreen said.

Returning bowler Aidan Sebastian, 10, is one who stands out on the team. For Sebastian, bowling serves as an outlet.

“Bowling isn’t stressful at all and it’s a really fun activity after school,” Sebastian said.

Aidan has good scores and is even determined to raise them this year. 

“My highest score right now is a 221 and it would be awesome to bowl even higher than that,” Sebastian said.

As for the girls team they are few in number but not in talent. For some bowlers it isn’t even about winning but more about the experience and the people.

“The thing I love most about bowling is the team; I enjoy being a part of the team and having an amazing coach,” said Emma Hardman, 11. She is sadly coming off an injury and will miss part of the season but she is fired up and ready to bowl after placing 36th out of 86 at the state competition. 

¨Coming back after my surgeries, I am hoping to be stronger and push myself to beat last season’s record. My goal is to be able to go to state again and place within the top 20,¨ Hardman said.

The bowling team has a lot of passion and truly loves playing together. With good coaching in place and determined players, many expect this season to be a strike.

¨We have tracked scores in practice and we have [made] huge improvements,¨ Leafgreen said.