Controversy hit the bowling alley as the West bowling team went independent after much speculation about funding and rules. The bowling team has separated from the school, for this season anyway. Bowling has never been considered a sport by West, despite the push by many, and this has led to questions regarding whether or not the team should be allowed to compete due to COVID-19. Because the team is considered a club, they did not receive funding or the right to have a season.

Bowling team head coach Matt Mead had no say in this decision.

“The only part that I could control was to have our program ready to go independent for when the school inevitably decided to not allow our season to go on,” he said.

However, athletic director Brad Jodarski points out that the results were decided after considering what would be most ideal for the club.

“The two high school coaches made this decision based on conversations they had with both high school activities coordinators,” he said. “This decision was based on what was best for the needs of their program for this school year taking into account all of the requirements for the school district.”

Senior Steven Reigh is glad the season is going on, but still disappointed knowing the other winter sports were able to continue.

“We still get to have meets and have a season, but it's a little frustrating knowing that our school didn't even want to give us a season when they gave everyone else one,” he said.

Sophomore Ashley Kozel also has negative feelings about the reasons given for putting the team on hold this year because she felt the sport can easily be done very safely.

“I am kind of upset about the bowling team getting cut out of Oshkosh West, due to the fact that we have less contact than basketball and gymnastics,” she said.

Another result of this decision is that the members are no longer playing to win glory for their school.

“We lost our team name, and cannot represent West in any way,” Kozel said. “It's hard to see other high schools representing their schools, and we can’t do that.”

Becoming independent from the school has caused multiple changes for the team, such as transportation.

“One major change is just having to drive to all the meets ourselves,” Reigh said. “So now we need to pay for gas money ourselves when we would have had a bus for transportation.”

The bowling team celebrates their conference title. There has been much controversy on whether they have gotten proper recognition by the school for this achievement.

Mead says he wishes bowling was considered a sport, with proper recognition for the players’ achievements.

“I’ve hoped since I was competing on the high school team back in 2007-2010 that we could be considered a sport,” he said. “There is a misconception that bowlers aren’t athletes, therefore we don’t get the proper recognition. When I won high school state singles back in 2009, the school had zero interest in recognizing that achievement. It’s disappointing that we expect these young adults to live up to a high standard of representing a school, that in return, doesn’t want to recognize them [as a sport].”

But Mead knows that this conflict will not affect the players morale; it is these challenges that make everyone come back stronger.

“For as long as the high school bowling program has been in existence, we’ve had to battle all sorts of adversities in order to achieve our goals,” he said. “This situation is no different. And whether we went independent or not this season, there were always going to be challenges that we will need to overcome.”

Kozel sees this as an opportunity for more students to be open to joining the club and looks forward to a possible reunion with West.

“I would love to see more people try out for the bowling team,” she said. “We aren't even considered a sport; we are a club. I would like to see us get back with the West, and be a part of the West family again.”

By Zade Alzoubi

Oshkosh West Index Volume 117 Issue 3

December 11th 2020

Club designation leaves bowling on outside looking in as independence offers path to competition