A new coach, some returning players, and a whole lot of fun is going to start off a new bowling season in November. Geneva High School is ready to start off their 15^th year of girls’ bowling.

“Being a part of a team is a privilege,” Doug Ross, new girls’ bowling coach and high school teacher, said. “It gives everyone a group to enjoy being around and common goals to try and achieve.”

Mr. Ross expresses his excitement for this upcoming season. A goal of his is getting not only the team to improve, but each individual player as well.

“Improve individual as well as team standings throughout the state,” Mr. Ross said. “Try and qualify a bowler or two to the state meet.”

Mr. Ross is excited for a new challenge this year. A passion of his is to spread awareness to sports that don’t get as much recognition or time in the spotlight as others do.

“I think it’s one of the little-known sports of the building,” Lisa Meister, previous bowling coach and high school health teacher, said. “It’s kind of hidden because it’s not in the building. It’s outside so I think we just need to get the word out, and I think people would have a lot of fun with it if they gave it a shot.”

Mrs. Meister hopes that more people join the bowling team so it can expand back up to two levels (Varsity and JV). With two levels there is more competition between the two teams.

“So, it would be nice to have enough girls come out where we can spread it out and have even that level of competition amongst each other on the team,” Mrs. Meister said. “Kind of buying for their positions, so it would really be nice to build it up to have more than one roster.”

Seeing everyone connect and be able to find an identity themselves was one of the goals Mrs. Meister experienced that made her the proudest of coaching bowling. With it being a smaller sport, the people can connect more with each other.

“To get to be with my girls,” Maddie Benton, senior year student and 2^nd year bowler, said. “Do what we love to do together and just finish out our senior year doing something altogether and having a great time.”

Benton enjoyed creating the connections on the team and has still stayed connected with many people on the bowling team even on the off season. A couple teammates of Benton’s and herself met up during the off season about once a month to continue practicing.

“The people you meet are really awesome and the experiences and the things you learn are super amazing, and it’s always worth trying,” Benton said.

She hopes that bowling will continue to grow and get more recognition throughout the high school. Benton had many memories, good and bad, from throughout the year.

“My best moment, probably my birthday,” Benton said. “When you hit your PR [personal record]. We had cake afterwards that was a lot of fun, and just like an overall great birthday. It was a get memory and it was just really awesome.”

Bowling is a sport that you can be played at any age and can be carried throughout life. Many friends and memories were made throughout the bowling season and many more will be made next season.

“It’s a home for people who need a home,” Mrs. Meister said. “It’s a place that people can feel warm and welcome and it’s just fun loving.”