Just last year, Center Grove introduced a Bowling Team. Though currently in their competition season, the team often flies under the radar, overshadowed by other big-name Center Grove sports teams. Senior Tristan Felke started bowling last year, just in time to join the new bowling team last fall.
“I went bowling once with my step dad,” Felke said. “He already knew how to bowl. He had his own bowling stuff and was in leagues, and he asked me if I wanted to join him and go bowling with him. He ended up buying me my own equipment. It was just a starter set, but it was my own equipment. I used equipment and started bowling. I’d go on my own, I’d go with him, I’d go with other people.”
Felke was inspired to start bowling because of his step dad and now bowls with bowling teammates and coaches every week. However, Felke has developed his own unique style of bowling.
“Most people throw the ball with one hand,” Felke said. “I actually hold the ball with two hands and throw it. Usually in a bowling ball there are three holes for the thumb. I only have two holes in my ball and the holes in the ball have rubber plugs in them so I can only fit my fingertips in there. When I throw the ball, I will be able to get more rotation on the ball because my hand just kind of pops right out of it rather than having to hold it completely straight. I throw it two-handed while a lot of other people throw it one-handed.”
Even though the bowling team holds practices only two times a week, Felke goes on his own once or twice a week to the lanes to practice.
“I want to be good at it,” Felke said. “I like that even though it’s a team sport, it’s very heavily based on the individual. Even though it’s a team and I’m representing the school, I don’t have to worry about how everyone else does because as long as I do my best and I do my part, I can’t be upset with the score or the final tally of total pins.”
With a more individualized mindset, Felke focuses on his own game before stepping up to bowl.
“I usually listen to some music beforehand just to make sure that I’m not distracted by anything,” Felke said. “Usually at the bowling alley they offer food, so I’ll usually go buy some food or something while I’m there. I’ll just try to relax myself and not socialize with everybody. I usually stick to myself while I’m there.”
Bowling consists of merely a ball and a lane. However, between the two can arise a myriad of challenges for bowlers.
“There are plenty of different lane conditions,” Felke said. “The misconception is that it’s just wood on a lane, but each bowling alley is different. It’s always going to be different because they put oil on the lanes. It depends on how much oil and where the oil is put on the lane. It makes it really difficult because there are some times where the lane is super oily and it’s really hard to do anything, or it’ll be super dry and if I throw it the ball is just going to hook one way or the other and it’s going to go straight in the gutter.”
The bowling team is halfway through their season. Even though the Bowling Team as a whole hasn’t met all their goals, Felke met his own personal goals.
“For me personally, I exceeded my goals,” Felke said. “I’m not there but I’m on the level to make the All-Conference team which is really nice. Honestly I think our [team] goal is just to have fun and get better at the sport. There’s a lot of new people on the team and there’s a lot of ‘raw talent’ on the team. The players will get hot but they struggle a lot with fundamentals so that’s what they need to work on specifically.
