Sports bring people together. The thrill of competition ignites the hearts of fans and players alike, joining them together in a fire of excitement and adrenaline. While most people would point to football or soccer as examples for this comradery, WKHS’ very own Girls Bowling Team stands as a prime example of relationships born of sports.
Bowling, while seemingly not a cooperative sport at first glance, still maintains a strong amount of teamwork and friendship. AJ Brockway, a WKHS junior and the team’s co-captain, explained how the sport works. “The matches start with two regular games… and then we bowl two of what are called Bakers, where you have five girls bowl one game, with each person bowling [twice].”
She then goes on to explain that once all the games are played, the team with the highest overall score wins. This style of competition helps to bring the team together in a way that wouldn’t be possible if they all played separately. Brockway also relates this connection to the team’s shared past, saying that in this year’s team, “Six of the seven of [them] are all juniors and [they] all came from the same elementary school. [They] all know each other very well and [they] all have a great relationship with [their] coach.”
Liliana Hohn, another junior and team co-captain, noted the same connection among the team. “Generally,” she said, “we all are the same age and we all know each other, so it’s been really easy and fun to build relationships with these people.”
The team’s dynamic is not just strengthened by their shared history, but also by their efforts outside on the bowling alley to spend time together. “We went out to dinner together,” Hohn described, “and then before districts, we all went out to breakfast as a team together.”
“There’s a lot of laughing, a lot of chanting and it’s a very comfortable environment,” Brockway remarked.
The team’s comradery has shown to be a key factor in this year’s season, as described by team member and junior Ella Terpenning. In previous years, the team showed promise, but still not performing at their best. This year, with the team’s unity at an all time high, they went 5-0 during the Ohio Capital Conference, and ended the season with an overall 9-4 win-loss ratio. Brockway, who is ranked in the top 3 Girls in the conference, made it to state level play. The whole team supports one another and makes sure everyone is performing to the best of their ability and it shows. “It’s honestly such a fun environment and we cheer each other on all the time,” Terpenning said.
“[Bowling] brings a lot of people together,” Brockway said, “I’ve just always enjoyed the relationships I’ve built through it.”
