Senior Abby Watson rolls the ball down the lane at state Thursday.
Cheers erupted as EHS freshman Braden McAfee rolled a strike. In his own words, he “nailed it!”
McAfee is one of four members of the EHS Unified Bowling Team who played at the state bowling tournament Thursday. The team consists of athletes McAfee and senior Addie Naff, as well as peer mentors senior Abby Watson and senior Makenna Longacre.
Although the team placed 14th in the tournament, senses of pride and fun were felt by teammates, coaches and fans.
Longacre noted the importance the bowling team carries for the athletes to get involved with school activities.
“Here, they get to participate. They get to feel competitive. They anticipate something for the week. It gives them something to do, and it gives us something to do,” she said. “It gives us a close relationship with the kids and learn more about them, and it’s just a good opportunity for everyone.”
She said she’s heard of many more students interested in peer mentoring and participating with the team. For the team’s coaches, this is great news.
Sheila Vander Tuig, bowling coach and teacher, said they had been trying to do unified sports and KSHSAA approved this for the first season for bowling.
“We were all in it,” she said. “We wanted to do it, just because we know that having students with and without disabilities benefits both groups of students.”
Vander Tuig said this is part of the sense of diversity and inclusion that they aim for at EHS. Life Skills teacher Ruochen Shen said one could tell from the athletes’ reactions that they enjoy having an outlet to compete and socialize.
“It is great to see the kids with and without disabilities participate in something together,” he said.
Watson wanted to join the bowling team when she heard about it through her position as a peer mentor. She said bowling was a great opportunity for the athletes to compete in something that also has a social factor.
“I like seeing them smile, and bowling with them obviously makes them smile, so I just wanted to be a part of that,” she said.
Shen and fellow coach Dan Hoschouer said they’d like to get in more practice before next season, as the team got off to a late start this year. Regardless, Hoschouer noted the overwhelming support they’ve received from parents, friends and other schools.
“This is just an event in the season that these kids will remember for the rest of their lives, and I’m glad they had the opportunity to do that,” he said.
Reach reporter Emily Binkley at [email protected].
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