Bowling team finds success in new members
Senior Toby Curtiss throws a gutter ball during practice. While individual stats matter in bowling, the match format eliminates certain individuals dominating for one school. “It is a team sport too. It’s not just if you have the best bowler you win,” Coach Max Johnson said.
October 8, 2019
The BSM bowling team has been around for a while now, but never have they experienced this level of student participation. Last year, they had barely enough numbers to put together both a varsity and junior varsity, but this season the team now has an impressive 24 members–the most they have ever had.
Mr. Max Johnson–who is joined by fellow coaches Mr. John Sabol and Mr. Doug Burnikel–started coaching the bowling team in 2016, making this year his fourth year of coaching. For Johnson, the past four seasons have consisted of him accompanying the team three times a week at either Park Tavern in St. Louis Park for practice, or wherever competition takes them. He enjoys his time coaching and he was very ecstatic to be able to meet all the new faces that joined the team this year. “It is fun to coach because it is more laid back and relaxed and for practice, we just get to bowl for fun. Also in competitions, it is fun to actually be competitive,” Johnson said.
Competitions are held on Fridays, with a few exceptions. In a competition, each team has 5 bowlers and they switch off every frame. For example, bowler A would bowl for frames one and six, bowler B would bowl frames two and seven, bowler C would bowl frames three and eight, etc. The team plays five games against another school and whoever wins more games wins that match. While individual stats still do matter, the match format eliminates certain individuals dominating for one school. “It is a team sport too. It’s not just if you have the best bowler you win,” Johnson said.
“ It is a team sport too. It’s not just if you have the best bowler you win — Max Johnson
One of the newcomers on the team, senior Toby Curtiss, has really enjoyed his time on the bowling team so far. He and some of his friends joined the bowling team this year despite not really knowing much about it, but they wanted to see what it was like. He enjoys the calm and relaxing nature of practices as well as hanging out with his friends. “My favorite part is just being able to bowl with the boys,” Curtiss said.
The Red Knight bowling team is not MSHSL sanctioned, but they still are competitive and determined. The team has gotten third in the conference in the past three years and looks to keep that momentum going for the foreseeable future. Even though it can be fun and relaxing, students still get competitive and cheer each other along in practices and matches. “I love getting hyped up when a member of the squad gets a strike, or even when I, myself, get one,” Curtiss said.
