When you think of winter sports, you’re immediately drawn to basketball or hockey. However, one of the most successful teams at Seven Hills over the last couple of years is the bowling team. Let’s take a look at Seven Hills’ fastest-growing winter sport.
Senior Calvin Armstrong explained how a typical bowling match is won. Armstrong said, “For people that don’t really know bowling, how exactly do you win? So basically, it’s kind of like golf, but you don’t want the lowest score, you want the highest score,” Armstrong said. “So you basically add up all the scores of the five starters from the team. After that, you play two baker’s games, where every single person on the team is bowling under one name. Whoever has the highest combined score wins the game.” This scoring system is very interesting because it adds up the scores of ten rounds in one game. This helps players out because if they start the game rough, there is a lot of time to turn it around before the game ends. Armstrong is a relatively new bowler, so adapting to this system was hard at first, but he has fully adjusted and established himself as a top bowler on the team.
For those who don’t know, the bowling team’s home court is the Madison Bowl Lanes. Bowling practices are very interesting because they involve a lot of live simulation play. Armstrong told me how a typical bowling practice goes. Armstrong said, “Usually in practice, we start with warm-ups, which could be stretching, and then going into drills such as our one-step approach, a two-step approach, or our balance drill. It’s just a bunch of different bowling drills. And then after, we get into games or just bowling against each other for fun.” The bowling practices mix some mechanical work and game situations, creating an environment of growth for its young players. Armstrong gives a lot of credit to his coach for teaching him the proper technique to maximize the spin of the ball with speed.
The Seven Hills bowling team practices 2-3 times per week and plays 1-2 matches every couple of weeks. The Stingers lost some key pieces last year, forcing new players to take that extra leap. Armstrong is itching to get the season started. The senior said, “I want to shine light on those who put in the work in the dark.” The culture of this team is filled with diligent workers who work every day to support one another and their mission. Senior Caleb Katz is also on the bowling team this season. His main goal is to have fun and enjoy the sport. Katz stated, “I just want to go out there and have fun. We’re bowling, so why not have fun?” Both Armstrong and Katz are ready for the start of the season and are reaching their goals.
Prior to matches, each player’s fuel preference varies. Katz said he prefers something “light, like peanuts”. Armstrong said he likes “Bubbakoos burritos”. Armstrong prefers something that will keep him full throughout the entire match, whereas Katz likes something light so he can feel light on his feet when he bowls.
Both Armstrong and Katz are thrilled to start their senior season of bowling. They both want to carry the momentum from last year and start the season off hot in a match against Roger Bacon.
