Not many people know about the tight knit community that makes up the bowling team of Brecksville Broadview Heights High School. Bowling is not just a sport to the BBHHS team, it is a family.
Senior Noelle Bayless says, “The community is awesome and very accepting. Bowling is competitive, but people will put aside the competition to congratulate you on a good shot or roll.
Senior captain Henry Jackson says, “[My] teammates are probably [my] favorite part of bowling. No matter if [they’re] messing around or locking in for a game, it’s always fun just to chat.”
The bowling team consists of 4 separate teams, JV girls, Varsity girls, JV boys, and Varsity boys. Though these teams may be separated at times that doesn’t stop them from staying together and fighting for a common goal, a win.
The 2025-26 season is starting strong with the varsity boys and girls going 6-0. Coach Shawn Galek is extremely proud of the efforts put forth by both the bowling kids and their parents and he is extremely grateful for them. Despite past hardships and losses the bowling bees still fought to be a part of the big leagues where they stand today. They have a promising season ahead of them.
”As a whole the bowling team has grown in the past few years. Coach Galek says, “When Coach Katy and [I] took over the team in 2022, [they] were in for a long rebuild. The BBHHS varsity boys and girls had won a COMBINED 4 games in 10 years!” In [their] first year in 2022 [they] went 0-24. [They] needed a complete overhaul. [They] created a summer program, took USBC-certified bowling coaching classes, and marketed the team to everyone. Progress ensued. [They] went from around 14 bowling kids in 2021 to 30 kids in 2022 and 50 kids in 2023.”
With the increase in the number of bowlers, their wins started increase as well. They went 7-17 in 2023, but they were lacking a full-time girls’ coach. Tom improve things in 2024, bowling state qualifier Coach Nicole Clancy was added to the team. That year the BBHHS bowling team had its best season ever! The JV teams posted their first winning season, and the varsity teams went a combined 16-11! The varsity boys won the NORO Golden Pin in 2024 and the varsity girls won it in 2025!
While all of the stats are great, what makes bowling so special is every single person’s own connection to the sport. Junior Captain Alyssa Jones says, “[My] dad’s side of the family always bowled as a little tradition whenever [they] visited and it just stuck with [me]”.
Many people have been bowling from a young age like Alyssa who believes she started bowling when she was 7 years old. This idea maybe intimidating to some, but people don’t have to start young to excel. Coach Nicole Clancy recommends that anyone looking into joining the bowling team in upcoming years should try it! She says, “Join a fun summer high school league just to try it out. If you like it, the coaches will guide you in the right direction”.
The bowling team, while it may be often overlooked, is one of the best parts of school for many players. Anyone who is interested should highly consider becoming a part of the bowling team, because at the end of the day, bowling isn’t just a sport, it’s a great once in a lifetime experience.
