SCAD bowling champions COVID-19 restrictions
Written by Sanika Palsikar, Images sourced from SCAD Bowling
The SCAD bowling team has a pretty humble presence given their grand stature in national intercollegiate sports. Hailing from different parts of the world as well as different majors, SCAD’s Bowling team is a melting pot of culture and proficiency. Celebrated Players of the Year, National-level Champions and professional level bowlers stroll amidst the SCAD halls. While consistently holding their spot in the Top 3 for the NAIA Championship (2019-2020), these mysterious Bees have managed to keep a low profile.
Not anymore. District shines a light on SCAD’s Bowling team members about their interests, achievements, effects of COVID-19 and their possible futures. They’re fierce, ambitious, supportive and absolutely love their sport. Almost all the team members took to bowling at a rather young age and were then inseparable from the lane. Their experience with the sport ranges from anywhere between 5-18 years. Who would’ve thought a regular birthday entertainment could drive a devotion to bowling?
With 2019 being their best streak ever, they were in for an unprecedented slump in the pandemic stricken 2020. “The (SCAD) Women’s Team won the first tournament in history for Women’s Bowling. We had a very nice streak going on but then, unfortunately, COVID-19 happened,” said second-year film and television student Pamela Perez. She was named Rookie of the Year, in 2020 by the NAIA.
Third-year advertising and branding student, Yannick Roos, spoke of their NAIA 2019 Championship which aired on ESPN, a gratifying moment for the team. COVID-19 was announced right before their sectionals, resulting in both the teams (men & women) losing their chance to compete in 2020 for the first season. “Although we might not all be together, it’s good to keep practicing and keep in touch with everyone,” said furniture design student Alex Glinski. With bowling alleys shut, campus services suspended and practice negatively affected, the team members worked on their individual mental game and managed to stay positive through the lockdown.
Although the game focuses on their individual abilities, Roos said that the key to their success does not lie with an individual. “[In college] it is a Baker game. One person bowls one frame and the other bowls another frame… together with 5 bowlers, you bowl a game. You rely a lot on your other teammates to complete… and obviously for support, energy, feedback. If there’s no communication, or bonding in general, it can become very hard to win.” Glinski continued that collegiate bowlers have no time for frustration. “… when you’re in a team atmosphere, you have to speak… you can be frustrated for a maximum of 3 seconds. That’s about it.” This collective sentiment has been one of the fundamental aspects of their success. Many have mastered the art of critique through effective communication.
A regular day for these bowlers includes a scheduled 6 a.m. workout, followed by their regular classes, then 3 hours of practice and finally work on assignments. They also need to make special adjustments to their schedule if there is travel involved for their tournaments. If anything, these bowlers are goals for “work-life” balance.
The sport is all about mental strength that has to transfer into physical precision, a concept familiar to many design students. They agreed that the game enhances their ability as designers as they develop their soft skills such as honesty, communication, agility, teamwork and most importantly, time-management. “It’s tough but it’s fun. You get to be with people who want to be there and they are very welcoming,” said Perez. Being persistent with your discipline is the solution to acing this balance according to first-year fashion student Bennett Moses. “In a classroom environment, I find myself giving more feedback to the others because that’s just what I’m used to four times a week,” said Moses.
Each of these members have found their safe space in this team. This has helped them shed their skin to transform into confident creatives. Their team dynamics are healthy and positive under the able leadership of their coach, Katie Thornton. They are driven to perform better because of her energy, experience and vast knowledge. They agreed that a good coach lies at the center of a good team.
What does that say about their bowling aspirations post-college? Their fellow mate Benjamin “Benji” Martinez has recently been enrolled in the Professional Bowling League and his team couldn’t be any prouder about it. He is an inspiration to many while others want to pursue their creative journeys strongly. With a “Never say Never” attitude, they acknowledged that bowling will always influence their learning curve as professionals. Especially when it comes to showing off these skills at those future office parties.
