It’s safe to say that a night out bowling with friends is an exciting way to relax and have fun. At Greeley, students have the opportunity to turn bowling from an occasional outing to an everyday, after-school activity. Greeley’s Varsity Bowling Team plays during the winter sports season and is a unique chance for students to explore a more competitive aspect to bowling in a team-based setting.
Although many people know of the sport, many do not know the process that goes into scoring the bowling matches. Each game of bowling consists of ten frames, with ten chances to get all ten pins down in two turns. Extra points are awarded to the player if they get a strike (all pins down in one turn) or a spare (all pins down in two turns), scoring a certain number of points out of the maximum three hundred. However, in high school bowling matches, the scores of the five individual bowlers get combined into a final score, which is then compared with the final combined score of their competitors. All of the matches take place at Cortlandt Lanes in Cortlandt, New York, and multiple teams across Westchester County can compete at once.
With programs in only 39 out of the 74 schools in the Section, it is safe to say that Bowling teams must make an effort in recruiting their members. The Greeley Bowling Team’s main source of advertisement is flyers, which have been successful in recruiting recreational bowlers that want to explore the sport more competitively.
Unlike other Greeley sports that have daily practices and matches multiple times a week, the Greeley Bowling Team requires little time commitment. There is only one practice a week on Tuesday afternoons, with occasional matches taking place later in the week. The Quake reached out to junior bowler Aneesh Roy about the level of competitiveness of the sport, who said that “99% of the people on the opposite team are nice and we all just play to improve and have fun” with an “overall low-pressure obligation.” This being said, there are 39 bowling teams in Section 1 competing for the section championship. The Quake also asked Aneesh about his most memorable experience in his three years on the Horace Greeley Bowling Team. He noted, “One guy on the Panas team who was really good taught me his style of bowling and would check in on me every once in a while to see how much I improved.”
The Greeley Bowling Team provides the perfect opportunity to experience the feeling of team camaraderie without the athletic requirements of other sports. A hidden gem in the dizzying array of Greeley after-school activities, it provides students with low-stakes competition and an all-around good time, as the Quaker Bowlers roll through yet another fun-filled season.

1. This was my second year as coach of the Greeley bowling team. I originally began bowling as a camp counselor back in 2006. I never bowled competitively, although I wish I had. I ran track/cross country for 3 seasons in HS.

2. Bowling, and specifically the league we are in, allow for both a competitive and fun experience. This sport and experience is whatever the individual wants to get out of it. If you are here to play a sport with friends, have fun, and be part of a team, Greeley Bowling is for you. If you are here to compete, set personal bests, and become a better bowler, Greeley Bowling is for you too!

3. While competitive, bowling and the league that we play in, is an extremely supportive and judgment free sport. While competing, teams actively cheer for/with one another.
All schools in our league practice and compete under the same roof at Cortlandt Lanes 3 times a week.
So while it is a competitive league, respect and sportsmanship are the top priority of the league. This priority is demonstrated by all groups when competing and really is not something you find in other sports.
Besides the team component, athletes from all schools enjoy watching each other succeed and be successful as individuals.

4. People should join Greeley bowling because it is a fun, low pressure way of competing on a sports team. Whether you have experience or not, you are welcome to join. Our sport does not have some of the same time commitments as other sports. We typically meet Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week. Never on Fridays or weekends.
Greeley bowling is open to anyone. If you are looking for a fun, supportive team environment bowling may be what you are looking for.
I hope this helps. We do have one student that was nominated for a senior award in our league. I’ll let you know if they win and send photos as well.