Imagine a White Station High branded bowling ball flying down the lane. Moments later, 12 pins lie on the ground. After a fulfilling 2015-2016 season, Senior Captains LaRae Crenshaw (12) and Bailey Tang (12) look to step it up this year.

Currently, the bowling team is 1-0 against Woodale and is striving to maintain that record. In their first game, the girls won 27-0 while the boys trumped their opponent 21-0 in an impressive outing.

After school, White Station’s bowlers can be found at Billy Hardwick’s All Star Lanes practicing their craft.

“All Star is the best because that’s where we start,” Crenshaw said. “That’s where we practice all the time. Those are the lanes we’re used to the most. It’s just the best fit for us, and we don’t like traveling to other lanes as much. So All Star is the way to go.”

Crenshaw suggests fans  attend the Power Center Academy or Ridgeway games this year— two exciting games to look out for.

This year’s sponsor is Bill Stegall, the new economics and personal finance teacher.

“He’s very positive, and he’s always cheering us on at matches, and even in practices, trying to help even though he’s never bowled before in his life,” Crenshaw said.

As an experienced player, Crenshaw feels as though her best contribution to the team is her knowledge of how the team works. This allows them to progress smoothly through the season, identify problems and adjust accordingly.

Lack of funding is an issue that often occurs for a less mainstream sport and can trouble the team.

“I think that [funding] wouldn’t change that much because we have great bowlers, and that’s not something you can buy, but it would maybe change the equipment that we use,” Crenshaw said. “The school or someone could possibly pay for equipment because bowling balls, contrary to popular belief, are very expensive.”  

Crenshaw shares captainship of the team with co-captain Tang. Tang captains the boys while Crenshaw leads the girls. Together they form a team of motivated leaders willing to do anything to push their team to the next level.

“Bailey is really good about making sure we stay positive, for the boys anyway,” Crenshaw said.

In a world where mainstream sports rule the school, Crenshaw feels as though it’s important to provide all kinds of sports and give everyone a chance at finding something they can feel passionate about.

“If they’re not good in football or basketball, there are other options out for them,” Crenshaw said.

Pop Quote: “It’s an amazing sport for me because I love it and it’s got the same amount of competition as any other sport would, it just depends on your outlook of it,” Crenshaw said.