On Feb. 21, excitement, nervousness, and focus all culminated into a strong showcase for the girls’ varsity bowling team at the IHSA Girls’ State Bowling Invitational. The girls were eager to perform well and their sixteenth place finish at State reflects the teamwork and goal-oriented attitude that have characterized the team throughout the year. “We did a great job at State, and we achieved our expectations to the point where we are proud as team, but also hungry for more to come next season,” said head coach Richard Kurek.

While the prospects of next season are something to look forward to, finishing sixteenth at State was no small feat. 256 teams competed at State and strong all-around performances from players like juniors Jordan Newham and Taylor Mansmith and seniors Shannon Jean and Breanna Grafton were pivotal for the team’s overall success.

Newham finished third individually at State and had a key role in the success of the team. Coach Kurek acknowledged strong individual performances, but knew that their success at State and throughout the season required a collective effort from all the players. “While individual scores and growth is important in our system, we preached team first throughout the season because collective success is our number one goal,” said Kurek.

The players bought into Kurek’s team-first mentality and were determined to prove to others that they could be successful against the highest levels of competition at State. “There was a lot more positive energy surrounding our team and we carried a lot of momentum from previous tournaments. The tournaments brought us closer together as a team, but also made us stronger as individuals,” said junior Jordan Newham.

Strong teamwork and bonds alone don’t automatically translate into success; the girls were committed and practiced hard under coach Kurek. During the season, the girls also developed a sense of trust that allowed them to finish first at Regionals and fourth at Sectionals. “Once they started trusting their ability and started trusting us as coaches, the ball started rolling and their game improved,” said Kurek.

With the majority of the team returning next year, the bonds forged this season coupled with the trust and experience that they gained will be a strong foundation to start off next season with. “Next year, I think the girls will have a lot of success because they have the bonds and experience to push them to work hard and be successful” said senior Breanna Grafton.

By Nirmal Mulaikal