One of McClain’s relatively newer sports is bowling. The teams have been around for a few years and like any other sport, this one also offers participants the opportunity to learn and work as a team, to display good sportsmanship, and to strive for goals together.
Nearly 30 high school students comprised the girls and boys bowling teams this season. Both the girls and boys teams practice and compete at the same time at Highland Lanes in Hillsboro throughout the regular season, which runs November through February. Highland Lanes is also the location of the home matches.
Kevin Little, also the school’s resource officer, has been coaching the boys junior varsity and varsity bowling teams for three years. This year there were 14 boys making up both teams, plus a student team manager.
Tyler Carman has coached the girls junior varsity and varsity bowling teams for the last two seasons. His teams this year were made up of 13 girls across both teams.
“It has been a pleasure to serve and teach the kids the sport of bowling,” Little said. “Twenty years ago I was a force to be reckoned with at a bowling alley and bowled in multiple pro-amateur tournaments with some of the biggest names and sponsors. I also competed on the state level and some very high profile tournaments of the day. To be able to share this passion with the kids of McClain will be something that I will always remember.”
While this year’s girls varsity team didn’t have the experience of last year’s team, Carman said he was always proud of the girls’ competitiveness and their desire to be better every day.
He said Highland and Fayette counties have some of the better bowling programs not only in the area, but the entire state. Going into sectional play, Carman said he wasn’t sure what to expect, but the McClain girls’ bowling team finished 11th out of 21 schools.
“I was really proud of the way the girls handled the pressure of that day,” Carman said. “I’m hoping we can use that momentum moving forward into next season, as we’re going to be returning four girls.”
And while the boys’ teams didn’t finish the season high in the rankings, Little said they worked very hard, and that is what matters most. Watching the team members communicate with each other and problem solve were one of the highlights of the season, he said.
“These are important skills that we teach at McClain High School,” Little said. “Sports, no matter the sport, help build skill sets and a foundation that prepares youths for real world challenges and team building.”
Angela Shepherd is a correspondent for the Greenfield Exempted Village School District.
