January Column

January 2011

One of the cool things about being involved in high school sports is the revolving door aspect that comes with students moving through the program and then graduating. Every year has the potential for brining a new crop of students and parents into the fold.

With that in mind, this seems like a good time to re-introduce the Nebraska High School Bowling Federation to those student-athletes and parents new to high school bowling.

A Quick History

The NHSBF formed eight years ago, after Kris Zahn, then the USBC High School Bowling Director, came to a meeting of coaches to talk about the national movement to get high school bowling into the schools as a sanctioned state-administered sport.

A few of us thought this was an idea worth exploring in Nebraska, so the NHSBF was formed with the primary goal to be getting high school bowling in to the schools as a state sanctioned sport.

What is the NSAA?

The Nebraska School Activities Association administers high school activities, and with the input of the athletic directors from the member schools, determines the fate of sports like bowling that want to become a part of the high school community.

Getting a new sport added to the roster of activities sponsored, or sanctioned, by the NSAA, is a lengthy process.

A proposal to add a sport has to be submitted by a school administrator prior to November District meetings. Ideally, the proposal gets introduced in each of the six legislative districts. Getting statewide support for adding a new sport is the key here.

If the proposal is approved in at least one District meeting, it becomes an agenda item for all the Districts to vote on in their January meetings.

If the proposal is approved in three of Districts at the January meetings, it goes to the annual April meeting to be voted on by all the District delegates.

What’s the Hold Up?

As easy as the process described above sounds, adding a new sport is a bit of an uphill battle.

Money is a big obstacle to adding a new sport. Financially strapped school districts are reluctant to add more expense to their schools.

Time is another obstacle. The athletic directors in most schools already feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to fit everything in.

What’s the Answer?

Bowling is a relatively inexpensive sport for schools to add. The NHSBF supports the creation of booster clubs to help offset the expense attached to putting a high school bowling program. The Nebraska State Bowling Proprietors have also done their part by donating the lineage needed for practices and matches.

The financial question is valid, but the foundation is in place to make bowling an inexpensive sport for schools to add.

Bowling would not need to be a huge time drain on athletic directors. Besides being a low maintenance sport, the NHSBF has also offered to handle a good portion of the administrative duties normally performed by the athletic directors.

How You Can Help

If you’re just getting involved with high school bowling, you can help the cause by speaking to the athletic director and/or the principal in your school. Let them know that your son or daughter is involved in high school bowling, and the positive impact it is having on their high school experience.

District Schedule

Class A District competition will take place on January 30 at Maplewood Lanes, Omaha; Kings Lanes, Norfolk; Westside Lanes, Grand Island.

Class B District competition is on the same day at Blair Bowl, Blair; Seward Bowl, Seward; Super Bowl, Grand Island. Valley Bowl in Scottsbluff hosts their Class B District on January 31.

For Class C, District sites are Kings Lanes, Norfolk (January 31); Pastime Lanes, Hastings; Super Bowl, Grand Island (both on January 30).

Hilltop Lanes in Dodge will host the Class D Districts on January 30.

All of this District action means that the State Championships are just around the corner. Opening rounds begin in Lincoln on February 12, with the arena finals scheduled for February 13.

More pre-State Championship information will be in next month’s Nebraska Bowler.