“It was a lot of fun last year,” says Nathan Miracle, an East Bowling team senior, “and I’m hoping to become a varsity team captain this year.”
But what’s he talking about? East has a bowling team?
Gerald Raymor is a veteran bowling coach at East. He’s also respected in local bowling communities, and afraid their numbers are dwindling from a lack of publicity in recent years.
He also regulars bowling alleys across South Lyon; you might’ve seen him.
“I keep hearing every year we didn’t know you had a bowling team!” Raymor says.
Not one team, but four.
The bowling division has four teams: boys’ and girls’, with two each. The boys’ team, though, has gained nine more freshmen in the past year, and is to retain members for some years onward, Raymor predicts.
However, a consistent lack of new members has left the team total staunched. “I’ve never had all four teams. So, I’m hoping enough girls join this year to have all four teams,” Raymor says.
How can this be accomplished?
The posters and flyers decorating our hallways. We’ve all seen them. The purpose is to inform passersby of upcoming events and crucial information; a noble cause, yet it’s become clear they haven’t covered every lane. Despite this, they enact a sense of timelessness to our passing time, displaying events past and future.
Time is an aspect that bowling calls an old friend.
“We just had a guy that bowled at Century Bowl. He bowled in two leagues, averaged 140 points, and was 104 years old!” Raymor says.
Century Bowl is an alley that hosts competitions in Waterford, Michigan.
So, speaking of future events, being on a bowling team can last a lifetime, a boast not many other sports at East can claim.
“What sport can you go out there and play until you’re 100 years old, and still do this?” asks Raymor.
Seems like the general audience is unsure. But, of course, high school doesn’t last a lifetime, and graduates move on to other occupancies.
In the college world, one many of us are ultimately bound to, bowling is arguably in even higher demand than found here.
“I have college coaches emailing me about every other week looking for girls,” Raymor adds.
