The varsity and JV bowling teams have recently found great success both being in the top five highest rated teams in their respective leagues as they head into the state tournament, with the Varsity team going 16-2 in matches, and the JV team going 17-1 in matches. Further proof of their success can be seen in their average points. The varsity squad has an average team point count of 198.3 points, and the JV squad has a team average of 176 points.

The bowling teams’ success is not a matter of luck, but rather a matter of dedication and good spirit within the team. The head coach, Jesse Curtis, touched on this by explaining how both teams are a family and the warm environment presented through the team’s morale due to the “camaraderie within the players themselves.”

Although the players do in fact play a role in the warm environment both teams possess, it’s also the role of the coach and the team captain who are responsible for that as well.

Matthew Meyer, a sophomore for the JV team, explained how the coach does more than teach them how to bowl, but how to mentally succeed in bowling. He stated how Curtis is “very helpful in giving tips… and helps me prepare for it [games] and how to focus too.”

The team captain, Lexi Monty, states that the role of the team captain includes the responsibility of “holding the team accountable and having fun, but learning.”

This attitude of having fun and learning from mistakes certainly leaves an effect on the players, but players such as freshman Drake Wait, who plays for the varsity team, suggest there’s more to bowling than wanting to just “have fun.” Drake said his favorite part of taking part in Stillwater Bowling is “competing, where everybody tries their hardest.”

When asked about the environment of the team, whether it was more competitive or more friendly, Curtis said, “It’s a combination of both.”

With the warm but focused environment of the teams, the teams improved both mentally and physically throughout the entire season.

Curtis suggests that both teams improved in a handful of ways due to a “little better knowledge of the game.” He said that both teams have also tremendously improved in “where to shoot… and where to throw it.” Curtis later added that the improvements made by both teams were due to “the ability of the kids to advance and improve.”

The bowling teams being successful in being top five in their leagues as they head into the state tournament is proof that having the desire to compete and wanting to win while cooperating and treating fellow colleagues with love and compassion, are a recipe for success and greater things to come along the way.