By AARON MANAGHAN
Sports editor
Bowling is literally a family sport for the Olympic Trojans. To understand why, one needs not look past the team’s new coaches.
Olympic bowling coaches Kris Hendricks and Dave Colby already have a lot of ties to the Oly program, before and after taking over for former coach Twyla Falteisek.
“I worked with Twila,” Hendricks said. “We’re good friends, co-workers. When I found out she wasn’t doing it anymore, I was really interested.”
But she was only interested in one part — the behind-the-scenes aspect. That meant Colby, an Oly assistant for two years prior, could become the team’s coach in terms of focusing on the technical aspects of the game, a role that fit the bowler of more than 30 years perfectly.
“It’s very nice,” he said. “I love it and Kris loves it.”
But both have bigger reasons to hold a vested interest in the Oly bowling program. Hendricks is the mother of Oly roller Alaina Howell, while Colby is grandfather to both Jessica and Emily Sutton.
“Dave is grandpa to two of them and I’m mom to one,” Hendricks said. “We have a little family here.”
With their collective ties to the team and a core group of returners that includes the Suttons, Howell, Liza Ambrose and Elma Levario, amongst others, Olympic is poised to pick up where they left off after last year’s fifth-place finish at state.
“Going to state and placing would be wonderful,” Hendricks said. “That’d be the biggest thrill.”
Ambrose, Levario, Howell and Jessica Sutton were all part of the team that helped Oly to state last year. That should help ease the void left by last year’s top bowler, Erin Howard. So far that’s been true, as Olympic topped both Peninsula and Klahowya this week after finishing second to Bremerton at the Olympic League Jamboree last week.
“Experience is everything,” Colby said. “They know what to expect, what to look for.”
Ambrose led the way against Peninsula Tuesday, as Oly cruised to a 7-0 win behind Ambrose’s high game of 195 and series of 366. Thursday, Olympic swept Klahowya 7-0 as Jessica Sutton rolled a high game of 198 and series of 362.
“She’s our anchor,” Colby said. “Her hope is to get up into the 190s.”
But her role as the team’s anchor bowler goes deeper than her grandpa.
“I work evenly with all the kids,” Colby said. “One thing we really want is for the JVs to improve so they can advance to varsity next year. Or at least have a good shot.”
That goes for the current make-up of the varsity team as well.
“Everything goes by average,” Colby said. “No friends, no family. It’s all average. And they are having a good time. They know where they stand.”
The Narrows and Olympic leagues have adopted a new scoring system this year designed to better prepare bowlers for the postseason.
Last year, each team rolled two full games with a Baker game used in a tie-break situation. Bakers play a large role in scoring at districts and state.
Another large role this year that coaches at both Klahowya and CK echoed with Colby is the role John DeWitt at All Star Lanes’ pro shop plays in getting girls ready. Colby said once a bowler has their role and the accompanying mechanics done, but stops getting better, that equipment is the next step. He said DeWitt has helped all the teams by drilling finger holes in balls for no charge, amongst other services.
“It’s good for the girls and good for him,” Colby said. “When they need new equipment, they go to him. Right now, our varsity is pretty well equipped. They’re all bowling better and better.”
Last year, Oly and Bremerton raced one another the whole season, with Bremerton edging Oly 3,105 to 3,014 for the league title.
At districts, the two bowling squads did battle once again, with the Knights topping the Trojans by just 12 pins with 3,140 to take second place. Both finished behind eventual state 3A/2A champions Shelton. Oly got closer to Bremerton again at state, taking fifth behind the Knights by just six pins.
“We’re better than they are,” Colby said. “If the kids do as they’re told to do I think we have an excellent opportunity to take the league. I’m hoping anyhow. And they’re all hoping.”
But beyond the rivalry with Bremerton, Colby said the team is ultimately focused on one thing: state.
“That’s what they’re all talking about,” he said. “They want to get back to state, kick some butt.”
Olympic will travel to Hi-Joy Bowl in Port Orchard on Tuesday to battle North Mason in a 3 p.m. match.
The Bulldogs, Peninsula and South Kitsap all share Hi-Joy as their home lanes.