As a ball crashes into 10 white pins at the end of a lane, teammates cheer and high-five each other. Bowling is one sport at EHS that requires not only physical finesse but the encouragement of others as well.

Sophomore Rachel McTague said bowling is the most social sport there is.

Sophomore Sydney Sahuri said bowling isn’t as competitive as other sports, such as track and golf; bowling is more of a calm and relaxing sport. But what bowling lacks in competition it makes up for in community.

“I had never been part of a team before my freshman year, so no one really pushed me all that much,” McTague said.

After joining the team, she feels encouragement and support from them, as does sophomore Maren McSparin.

“We all encourage each other and high-five after we bowl—no matter if we got a gutter ball or a strike,” McSparin said. “If we get down on ourselves, our scores will reflect it.”

But just because bowling is a social sport doesn’t mean the girls don’t work hard.

“We spend a lot of time practicing, just like any other sport—it might not be as physical, but we still put our best into it,” McTague said.

And McTague’s dedication has helped her improve her average score from 136 to 162 over a year.

“I think the experience of competing last year and also seeing the team come together this year to be more competitive is a motivator for me,” McTague said.

McSparin is new to the bowling scene this year, but has improved her game with the help of Head Coach Kimber Wilderman.

“It’s been a challenging new experience with some fun people,” McSparin said. “Even though it seems easy, it’s so frustrating to do it as a sport. If you mess up even slightly it can ruin your whole game.”

The reward for their perseverance is what McSparin and McTague love most about the sport.

Many people might not realize how much dedication bowling requires. The sport is not simply for those with nothing better to do on a Friday night.

“You have to be consistent about everything,” McSparin said. “From how you take your steps on the approach (to) how you throw the ball… on the lane. It’s a mentally tough game; we have to block everything (out) when we step up to the approach.”