For many high school students, bowling is associated with a party or just for fun with your family and friends, but for students on the school’s bowling team, it is much more.

    “Bowling is extremely difficult because it’s such a mental game and there is a lot of pressure put on you when you throw the ball, when you want to win,” junior Kevin Rupich said.

Bowling with friends usually isn’t taken seriously and while the varsity and junior varsity teams have fun playing the sport, they strive to be the best they can be and one day go to state.

“I think that we will get better over time,” sophomore Gracie Berret said.

In high school bowling, there are two different events: the individual bowl and the baker bowl. Each bowler, given both teams have enough people, bowls in both events.  The individual bowl is against one opponent from the other team.  In baker bowl, each team will choose it’s top five bowlers and they each bowl two times in a single set.

”I think we work very well as a team and that we encourage our teammates, making bowling a lot more fun,” freshman Jared Cooper said.

Bowling is a sport that takes lots of repetition and muscle memory to improve, but the team knows this year is about getting ready for the future.

    “I think the bowling team will be a lot stronger in the next few years,” junior Austin Cooper said.  “We’ll be more experienced and closer as a team in the future and can help each other bowl better every match.”

Head coach Crystal Smith also has high hopes for the team in the future.

“I believe the Leopard Bowling Club will continue to grow into a very successful competitive team in the years to come, as with other Lovejoy sports teams, the bowling club will strive to compete in, and win, the State Championship,” Smith said.  “My hope is that Texas high school bowling will soon be recognized by UIL, therefore offering our bowlers an even greater avenue for athletic credit and college scholarships.”