On Tuesday, Jan. 22, the Stevenson girls bowling team beat Zion-Benton Township High School with a final varsity pinfall of 2,245 to 2,200 and final junior varsity pinfall of 2,001 to 1,608. The Patriots preserved through this match to achieve their win.
The team bowls six athletes per game and drops the lowest score so there are five scores that count per game. Amanda Xumsai ’25, the team captain, led the team with a final pinfall of 227, followed by Ellie Im ’27 who ended with a total pinfall of 189.
After their recent loss to Vernon Hills High School, where they ended with a final pinfall of 2,078 to 2,595, the Patriots took time to prepare and improve in the time between both tournaments. Joanne Gaastra ’25, a varsity bowler, details the effort the team puts in while recovering from losses, as they have over the week prior to the match.
“After a loss. we talk to the team about what went wrong, whether it was the oil, lanes, or just an 0off day,” Gaastra said. “We try to establish what we can do moving forward to make sure the next game is better.”
Gaastra said that practice and remediation are extremely beneficial in the time after a loss so that the team can collectively grow. Head coach Melinda Fitzgibbons agrees with Gaastra’s comments regarding recovery from a recent tournament loss, emphasizing the importance of bonding and practice.
“We prepared for this match by doing drills back at the bowling alley, working on team comradery, keeping the girls united, and consistently practicing at our bowling alley,” Fitzgibbons said. “I’ve tried to keep a positive attitude with them and joke around with them.”
The coaches build community by implementing various team building activities throughout bowling practices to help bowlers grow sportsmanship and skill. Both the bowlers and coaches aim to continue to improve throughout the season and bowl well at their upcoming invite on Saturday, Jan. 26.
“We’ve definitely grown in our ability to work as a team because compared to last year we’ve had a lot more girls [join the team],” Gaastra said. “We’ve had to work on learning their names, and personalities, and forming our team bond despite changes.”
