In the realm of high school sports, there are the typical games: football, baseball, basketball–– the works. Yes, these sports are classic, established, and well-known. Yet, at Blue Valley Southwest, there is a new sport in town. The district has added girls bowing to all Blue Valley high schools.
“It’s a great way to get people involved who aren’t involved in other sports,” girls bowling coach Kimberly Spencer said.
The girls of the Southwest bowling team are excited about breaking ground into this new sport.
“I knew that Mrs. Spencer was the coach and knew that would be too funny and awesome to pass up,” senior Brooke Stein said.
Spencer is excited to embark on the season, even if it’s a new endeavor.
“I bowled in a league when I was in junior high, but I’ve never coached bowling before,” Spencer said. “I’ve coached other sports in the past, and I thought bowling would be a fun way to ease myself back into it.”
The team may be currently small, but they’re mighty. Some girls have been preparing and practicing recently, and others have had bowling as a lifelong family sport.
“Most girls plan on doing bowling for recreation,” Spencer said. “But there are a few who are more experienced.”
Some may wonder why this sport is exclusive to girls. It all comes down to the rule book.
“Due to Title IX [concerning equal opportunities for girls and boys in school sports], we can only have girls bowling,” Spencer said. “But we’ll probably have boys within the next few years.”
This year might not be the year of a state championship for the Southwest bowling team, but the girls have a positive outlook, and look forward to the time spent together.
“Everyone is hoping it will be a successful season,” Stein said. “But I mainly see it as a way to get further involved in Southwest and have fun with a new group of people.” The girls are ready to start the season, and create new traditions here at Southwest. “Since Southwest is such a new school and this is my senior year it’s a way of starting something new and fresh that will hopefully keep going and growing,” Stein said. The team has seven matches planned, and can schedule as many as ten. Practices are as of now, at Mission Bowl in Olathe. The team looks like it will have 11 girls, but tryouts will be held on Dec. 5, 6 and 7 for any girl interested in being a Timberwolf bowler.
