For nearly a decade, Metea Valley girls bowling coach Kristen Mansmith has been working to get a full boys bowling program off the ground. The Mustangs have had a bowling club as well as individuals competing in the IHSA post season, some of them very successfully. But it was not until this season that District 204 created the Valley Co-Op, giving students from Metea, Waubonsie and Neuqua Valley the opportunity to compete in the state series as an official team, 22 years after the first IHSA state bowling tournament made its debut. This story is sponsored by Fair Oaks Ford and Fair Oaks Lincoln.
Kathy Wonsowski was named the inaugural head coach earlier this fall and is ready to guide the team on its maiden voyage.
“I was contacted by our assistant principal saying, I know you’re interested in getting involved with coaching again and mentioned bowling,” said Valley boys bowling coach Kathy Wonsowski. “And thanks to Kristen Mansmith, the girls coach who started this program, now I’ve taken this over. So we’re starting a new tradition that we’re really, really excited about.”
New sports create new connections to the school
Adding niche sports like bowling to a school’s athletic department offers students new opportunities to connect through a shared interest that may have otherwise gone undiscovered.
It also gives more kids a chance to feel a greater connection to their school community.
“I had parents come up and say to me, ” You know, my son is very quiet, he might need a little bit help here and there.” And they just got all sucked in together and just welcomed each one of them from day one and really started going,” said Coach Kathy Wonsowski. “So you’re seeing the kids who may not be involved in anything, this is their one thing here, but all the different people they’re going to get to know. So now when they walk in the hallways, there’s somebody else that they know, which is even more of a connection to school when you’re outside of schools, but also within your own school.”
New Valley bowlers are ready to get started
The first Valley 204 roster is a mix of newcomers, some with previous high school athletics experience in sports like football and baseball, while others are brand new to it all. Some have been waiting for this kind of team to become official for years, while others saw the opportunity to try something new and fun with their friends.
“Honestly, it was just the whole idea of team bowling. I’ve always enjoyed bowling,” said Metea Valley junior Shane Arteaga. “Over the summer, I go with Alex and Jacob both over the summer at Bowlero. And so just the whole idea of working as a team to do the sport that we all love, and also Alex was a big part of recruiting me and Jacob. He would go around every day. He’d be like, bowling team tonight, I’ll see you there. And that’s kind of the big thing that got us there.”
“I’ve talked to a lot of friends about it and they’ve said they wanted to and have other sports and stuff, but everybody seems like they want to do it,” “So it’s really cool that we get to be the first ones.” said Metea Valley senior Alex Larson.
“Not only are you excited to kind of have this opportunity to socialize and interact with friends, but also looking at our roster, I’ve seen a lot of guys who I think can put up some nice scores, and I think we’ll be able to compete this year,” said Metea Valley senior Jacob Weber.
The DuPage Valley Conference adds another boys bowling team
The inaugural roster consists of 14 bowlers from Metea Valley and four from Waubonsie Valley. With the Fox Bowl in Wheaton being the lone available venue to host the new 204 Valley team, it makes getting bowlers from three different schools together for practices, tournament and meets a greater challenge. That is one of the reasons there are no Neuqua Valley representatives on this year’s team.
Naperville North and Naperville Central happily welcome the Valley 204 into the DuPage Valley Conference with the new team providing a more robust schedule and the opportunity to hold a DVC championship meet for the first time.
Two team members from Metea Valley, Andrew Lopez and Ryan Lynch, do have varsity bowling experience, having competed as individuals for the Mustangs at the club level a season ago. Now as seniors, they get to share their knowledge and expertise with their new teammates.
“It comes with confidence, being able to have that experience. Me and Andrew have been here before. We know how to play and get going and how to keep rolling,” said Metea Valley senior Ryan Lynch.
“I would say a big part of it has been Andrew and Ryan. Like I’ve had questions about to Andrew more so of like, how does this work? We have to switch lanes every bowl? And then Ryan, Ryan is just a good person to have a good teammate he helps you out with like the little things, said Areteaga. “If you have to bowl and your thumb is in the wrong position or you don’t get the right spin, he’ll definitely let you know. And you’ll he’ll help you in a nice way.”
While there are sure to be bumps in the road for a brand new program with many first year bowlers, the excitement level is high to make boys bowling history for the District 204 Valley schools.
“It just feels very different,” said Ryan Lynch. “Energy is different. And having more team players and having a different school, it just it feels great. And I get along with everyone here and just have a great time here.”
We have huge parents support. We have a whole school and athletic departments. It’s a whole group effort in this to help support the kids and knowing that there’s going to be some growing pains with this. We understand. But we’re up front with them and let them know. So we know that we’ll all learn together. And hopefully that’ll carry on and create a lot of success this year because we’re starting with nothing and starting a whole new tradition. So everything we do is going to be a record, said Coach Wonsowski.
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