Last year’s bowling team dominated the 2020-2021 season with an individual state champion, Junior Kyle Pranger, and Wildcats leading the scoreboard at Regionals.
Head coach Harold Klukowski has even higher aspirations for this year.
“I’d like each team to finish top three in regionals. The goal is to make match play and give ourselves a shot at the state championship as a team,” Klukowski said. “There are about four to five kids on the team overall [who] are going in with a mindset and a goal to make [it] individually.”
The burden to surpass last year’s accomplishments weighs heavy, but Coach Klukowski is confident his team can do better.
“As a coach, I’m going to try not to put [pressure] on them,” Klukowski said. “I’m sure they’re going to put enough on themselves because they understand what they have the possibility to do.”
Pranger is more than prepared for that challenge. After a state title last season, he will be returning as the defending state champion for boys’ individual bowling.
“I’m just ready to get back to what we were doing as a team and get better,” Pranger said.
Pranger is not alone in his desire to return to normalcy. Coach Klukowski also coaches the women’s team during the same season, and all were impacted by the safety precautions and shortened season caused by the pandemic.
“We didn’t get as much practice last year but we still placed really well. I think [having] more time to practice this year will help our team,” junior Courtney Delaney said. “That’ll be a huge advantage to [us]; having more practice time to help those who are coming in improve before we start competition.”
Delaney has been bowling since her freshman year; it’s the team aspect that has drawn her to the sport.
“It’s not just about competition, it’s also about having fun,” Delaney said “You get to spend so much time with your team and [there’s] so much bonding, and then competitions are so much fun.”
Erin Fennema, a returning junior, is “excited” for their opportunities in the upcoming season, and offers encouragement for anyone looking to join.
“Anyone’s welcome. It doesn’t matter your skill level, age, [or] whatever,” Fennema said. “It’s just a really great environment. We all work [together].”
The sentiment is appropriate, as there will be more than a few open spots on the team this year.
“We lost quite a few [seniors] off the team, which is going to make it hard to come back, but the [athletes] returning really want to get back to that point, so that’ll be their challenge this year,” Klukowski said.
Even so, Coach Klukowski is confident his team will continue to improve.
“We already know the freshmen we have coming up [are] going to be very solid. On the boys’ side, with us having made state’s match play last year, I’m excited for the possibilities,” Klukowski said. “We were already a top team in the state, and we should improve this year on the girls’ side.”
