Mollie Murk
Girls Bowling
Junior Nikki DeMarco has been a part of the girls bowling team for the past two years, and is excited to begin her third. She is the only three-year member, and is hoping to be the first student ever to receive a coveted black “H” for girls bowling. The letter is an honor reserved for three to four year varsity team members.
“Now that my time is winding down, I bowl more technically and I care a lot about doing well,” said DeMarco. “So my experience has been awesome, and the program has grown a lot since I was a freshman.”
DeMarco is one of the most successful players on the team, with an average of 136. Also leading the team is the up-and-coming sophomore Amy Antczak, with an impressive average of 189. Antczak has been playing with junior and youth leagues in the area since she was six years old. Even though she had to discontinue her youth league in order to be on the high school team, Antczak believes that those experiences have helped her improve her game along the way.
According to Coach Sandra Spear, the varsity girls are consistently bowling high games. The varsity has increased their average game from 690-710 pins per game to around 730-760. Beginning its third year, the program has grown a lot since it started two years ago. Spear is very proud of the team’s development.
“I believe that the girls we have this year are more dedicated than ever,” said Spear. “They are always getting in extra practice on the weekends, days we do not have practice, or even staying after practice to get a few more games in.”
The work ethic of this year’s team is helping them to become more successful. Their recent wins against Grayslake Central and Woodstock North have pulled them up to an even record of 3-3 (as of Dec. 14). According to Spear, they are anticipating a better record than last year.
This kind of success does not come without hard work. Practices for the bowling team usually involve playing three to four games to improve consistency. Before tournaments, the team usually pinpoints specific techniques to target certain areas. They also practice different styles of bowling depending on the team they are preparing to compete against.
While their statistics are promising, many of the girls enjoy the team’s company the most.
“We travel a lot for our away games because the teams in our conference are far away,” said DeMarco, “so we bond a lot on the bus rides.”
Over the holiday break, the girls will be preparing for their tournament on Dec 28 at Plainfield South. Hopefully, their pride as a team and willingness to work hard will lead them to continued success. Their work ethic as a whole is a key component in the confidence they bring to each meet. “I feel great about this season,” said Antczak. “Our team is off to a great start.”
Post Author: Franca Onyibor.