While most people see bowling as something to do for fun on the weekend with friends. The Bishop Gorman Bowling team works hard to show out like every other sport at Gorman.
Most people know how to bowl but team bowling implements a new way of counting. There are four players on the team and you count the total pins they knock down together and that is the score you get and put it against the other team’s score. There are three rounds. If you win a round you get two points then at the end of the three rounds whoever has more pins gets points and the most points win.
Many of the players have a close bond that goes beyond the lanes. To some, bowling is about the spirit and being in a positive space, the team harbors this positivity through their bonds with one another.
“We start games with prayer, then we warm up by getting our balls and talking to each other, lifting each other up,” Katherynne Novhelle Ursua ‘25. The players on the team agree that bowling is all about the attitude going into the match. Beyond the attitude is the practice and dedication to the sport.
Bowling is just like every other sport they hold practices, have their own gear and go to the lanes to work on technique.
“Occasionally, when we have team practices we do this mode where you can set up pins how you want to,” said Shawn deMilliano ‘27. Practicing for bowling can be hard because you have to book a lane after school and it can cost a lot of money for an entire team to play. But, on top of the team practices many of the bowlers go to the lanes by themselves and with friends to practice.
“By myself I go out to practice two or three times a week” said deMilliano ‘27. With the herculean task of booking practice for the team, practicing on a weekend by yourself or with friends seems to be a better solution. Most players on the team have their own gears and oil to play with that they feel helps them with bowling.
Bowling gear give players a distinct advantage. A big difference is when professionals bowl they have a ball they start with and a spare ball. These balls are known as performance balls and they give a big advantage to those who know how to use them. The bowling towel is another tool that helps wipe off the oils from the lane so the ball can protect the surface of the ball so each time you throw the ball it is the same. Lastly there are bowling shoes. These are mostly for comfort, they let bowlers stay calm while feel good which is very important to bowling.
“Bowling is very fun, I got my friends to try out and I really enjoy it a lot, said deMilliano ‘27
