Crash! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no, it’s BBHHS Bowling.
Both BBHHS bowling teams have made their mark this year, all while flying under the radar. Not many people outside of the team know what goes into it, but the students within it are a part of a lovely, tight knit community.
This is something that seems to be relatively rare as new students come and go from various sports teams, with their seasons being short giving them little time to get to know one another.
Lyla Doucette, senior, started her first season as a part of the bowling team this year, hoping to find an exciting way to add to her last year at the high school.
Doucette describes her teammates to have been “nice and welcoming”, creating a conducive learning environment for someone new to the sport. “You could tell everyone just wanted to help,” says Doucette.
Such attributes are necessary in these kinds of atmospheres as coaches are not always able to teach everything. This leaves it up to one’s teammates, who may have more experience or a different perspective, which allows new members to open up and learn comfortably.
This bonding runs deeper than just having each other’s best interest in mind as both Doucette and Bowling Captain, Ryan Stewart, fondly describe another moment of team bonding. This activity included sharing small plastic bowling pins and signing them for one another with “sweet and heartfelt” messages.
This builds the atmosphere to not only be one that encourages the players to grow and learn, but it also creates bonds and new friendships that the students may have missed out on otherwise.
With the bonds, come fond memories, and both boys’ captains, Stewart and fellow senior Eric Thiel, recall “blasting music on the bus to the alley”.
These seniors have recently celebrated the season nearing its end with their senior night, however the season has some life left to it.
Stewart mentions, “being there and celebrating with Zack Kuscevic when we found out he qualified for districts.”
With few others getting this achievement, it makes the moment all the more special with these close friends hoping to support each other.
“The best part of the bowling atmosphere is how cool all of my teammates are, and how easily we can have fun and joke around at practices and matches alike,” says Thiel.
Thiel shares other memories such as visiting Waffle House with the team at the end of last year’s season and spending part of his senior night playing football with a plastic bowling ball.
What has been described by these various members is what many people look for entering their high school year. For upcoming freshman at BBHHS it appears as though they might not have to look further than the bowling team.
Doucette advises to those who have never bowled before, they should not shy away from this opportunity as the many remaining members will be more than happy to teach new learners.
