Bowlers off to early start

At 6 a.m. on a school day, many high school students haven?t even hit the snooze button for the first time.

However, while most of the student body remains asleep, the Washington bowling team was hard at work this week as the Demons have opened up the season using early-bird practices at 6 a.m.

While some may be a little groggy in the morning, the coaches say it has improved what they are seeing from the team early on.

?The big change is practice in the morning,? Washington bowling coach Deb Tisor said. ?Already, the first two days of practice have been better than the first two days in earlier years. They may not want to get up, but they are pretty dedicated kids to get up at 6 a.m. and practice. They come out ready to work.?

The strong early practices could bode well for the boys? side of the bowling team, who featured all freshman and sophomores a season ago.

With much of the same team returning, one member of the team, junior Collin Zear, thinks the team could make a strong showing this season.

?I think this year, we can all make it to state as a team, because we have a lot of talent,? Zear said. ?If we put it all together, we?ll be in good shape.?

Zear led the boys last season with a 186 average, including a high game of 257, but missed out on his ultimate goal of qualifying for state.

This year, he is taking a new approach to his game.

?I?ve been switching my methods to more practical and fundamental workouts,? Zear said. ?I don?t want to rush, because I did that a lot. I?ve slowed down a lot. It?s hard for me, because I?ve bowled for a long time, so that?s what I?ve always done. I?ve bowled for a long time, and it?s like taking seven years of doing one thing and reversing it.?

With Zear and a strong crop of returners showing up for the Demons, they have a strong, cohesive group that could make the difference at a big meet.

?It puts them at such a more comfortable setting when they walk through the door,? Tisor said. ?They are at ease with each other and they are friends. They are teammates on and off the lanes. If they continue that, it makes a world of difference when we walk into a competition.?

On the girls? side of the team, the Demons will have five competitors on the team, and will be ?green,? according to coach Chad Zear.

The big goal the coaches noted was that they hope to get the fundamentals down this season.

?There always needs to be a light bulb effect as a kid, and that?s what I look for as a coach,? Zear said. ?That brings joy to me, because you can see it flip in their head. For our first practice on the lanes (on Thursday morning), I?m thrilled.?

With a few bowlers who are relatively new to the game, that could end up helping the coaches as they look to teach the athletes.

?I don?t think a couple of them have thrown a bowling ball before,? Coach Sally Reighard said. ?They are going to learn the proper technique to begin with. We don?t have to break bad habits.?

The Demons are currently scheduled to open the season at home on Dec. 9, when they host Sigourney at 3:30 p.m. at Lebowski?s.