Pictured Is The SVC Women's Bowling Team.
Through Four Matches This Season, SVC Is Undefeated With A 12-0 Record.
Its Early Success Is Being Attributed To A Coach And A Team That Loves Nothing Better Than Competing On The Lanes.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg - Managing Editor - thetenpinexpress.com - Director Mesa Metro Association
Latrobe, Pa., - - - Located about 40 minutes east of Downtown Pittsburgh on Route #30, and for well over a half of a century, the town of Latrobe has been made famous by two icons in the world of professional sports, Arnold Palmer and the Pittsburgh Steelers. And to those of us who follow professional golf and football on a regular basis, this Western Pennsylvania town will always resonate to fans as being the birth place of Arnold Palmer and being the training camp home of the Steelers.
But, Latrobe has been getting attention lately for other things other than being the home of Arnold Palmer and the training camp home of the Steelers. Saint Vincent College, where the Steelers train for four weeks in late July to early August, is also becoming a force to contend with in college athletics as well, being a member of the Presidents' Athletic Conference for 22 of 23 sports it offers. Bowling is not a member of this conference. Instead, it now aligns itself with the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. Last year in bowling, SVC competed as an independent.
"Latrobe does have a lot of history, and I've always liked this area. When I am out recruiting, I can say the name of Latrobe and people have heard of the town. When the town is known for Arnold Palmer, Mister Rogers, and Steelers training camp, it really gives you some recognition," said SVC Head Women's Bowling Coach, Jeff Zidek. "Some days our campus is really busy during Steeler camp, but its great to have them here. If you ask people how they heard of SVC, I think most would say it’s because of camp. I know that my first visits to campus as a kid were for Steeler camp. Every year, I encounter people that fit into two categories. Ones that come here every year as part of a tradition, and those that make it a bucket list item to visit Latrobe and Steeler camp."
Jeff has worked at SVC for over 23 years now. First as a part-time faculty member, then as a full-time staff member in the Communication Department. He moved into the Athletic Department as the Sports Information Director in 2003. The school made the decision to add bowling in February of 2017, and he was hired as the first coach in program history.
"SVC had men's bowling many years ago, and the team won the NAIA Men's National Championship in 1978. Br. Patrick Lacey, O.S.B, was the head coach. I got to know Brother Pat when I came to SVC as a student in the 80s, and he always talked about the bowling team and how much he missed it," he said, of bowling in the early years at SVC. “When the NAIA dropped bowling in the early 80s, we of course, dropped the program as well. So, by the time I got here, I did not have a chance to bowl for the school."
But, his persistence paid off and women's bowling was added to the Athletic Department's list of sports last year.
"I pushed for a few years to start a women's bowling program, and was very happy when the school made the decision to add the sport," he said, of the new addition. "I knew from the start that I wanted to do something to honor the late Br. Pat, so I created a home tournament and named it for him."
SVC is in a unique situation when it comes to college bowling, and recruiting local talent. The WPIBL, a high school bowling league, was created to give kids a chance to bowl in high school and possibly get recruited by colleges. T’nia Falbo (Hempfield), Sarah Ross (Moon), and Antonio Palangio (Woodland Hills), are three former members of the WPIBL that went on to bowl in college. The WPIBL’s season starts in December and ends in March, with a regional and state tournament.
"The WPIBL is one of the main reasons we added bowling at SVC. There are now more than 50 high schools in our area that sponsor bowling. If you look at the high schools from which our college draws students in general, around 80 percent of those schools have bowling. So, it was an easy call from that point," he said of the WPIBL, of which Angelo Bordogna, former PA State USBC President, was one of the founding fathers of the league. "From a coaching standpoint, there is a lot of talent in this area. The sport has just grown so much in recent years. With that growth, you get more interested bowlers and more interested coaches. It just kind of snowballed from there. Better equipment, better bowlers, and better coaches."
Outside of the WPIBL, Junior bowlers don't know how good they have it when it comes to earning cash for scholarships. Besides the JBT, the Junior Gold combine is a gold mine when it comes time for college coaches to attract young talent. Junior bowlers earn a trip to the Junior Gold combine, by winning or placing in local Junior Gold qualifiers. The last two years, the Junior Gold combine has been held in Cleveland and Dallas. Next year it will be held in Detroit. Within an hour’s drive of SVC: Duquense University, and Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, and St. Francis University in Loretto, are three colleges that offer bowling.
"I scout a lot and next year I plan on going to Detroit. I like to go to as many high school matches and tournaments as I can. I also look for recruits on You Tube. I put a lot of time into recruiting. I currently scout in: Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Florida, but I'm open to going anywhere. That's part of the fun for me. Spending time in bowling centers, and looking for talent. It’s also the hardest part of the job. When you ask someone to come and bowl for your team, you are asking them to make a life-changing commitment by picking a school," he says, of the recruiting process. "That's why I always make sure that the academic part comes first. Bowling is important, but it’s secondary to your future career path. By recruiting someone, I'm asking them to set a course for the rest of their life, because a college decision is extremely important. So, I have to hope I'm helping them to make the right choice. Right now we have bowlers on our team from: Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida, and I'd like to keep expanding that."
The Bearcats at the end of their first season last year, had an official NCAA record of 25-26. Dani Koehler, from Rockledge, Florida, took first place overall in two tournaments, and finished in seventh in another tournament, against mostly Division 1 competition.
"It was extremely satisfying to see that, especially from a freshman," the coach said of Koehler, now a sophomore. "Things like that helped to put us on the map, so to speak. I was very happy to be right around a .500 record, with a team that really only consisted of three experienced bowlers. The rest of my roster last year was made up of athletes from other sports that helped me fill a roster for the first year. This year, we brought in seven freshmen, so we have a full team of bowlers now."
The Bearcats practice and hold their home matches at Hillview Lanes in nearby Greensburg. SVC used to have its own lanes. They were built in the 1950s, and were the home of the NAIA men's team. However, after the men's program was disbanded, the lanes mostly sat unused and were removed in the 1990s.
"The last remnants of the lanes are two tables in my office. I also have saved a few smaller pieces of the lanes, and I am using them to make trophies for the tournament we named in honor of Br. Pat. The campus lanes were his home for a lot of years," he said, of the center that used to be on the SVC campus. "Hillview was the home of the student bowling club for many years, so they had a relationship with the college plus enough space to host us for events. They've been extremely supportive, by putting down oil patterns that we need and working with us on matches and tournaments."
SVC has had four matches so far this season, and sports a 12-0 record, the only undefeated NCAA program in the country through mid-November.
"With seven freshmen, there were some first-game jitters, but we survived and won all three games the first night, and we’ve continued to build from there. Our averages aren’t quite where I’d like to see them yet, but we’re young. The main thing I want is for us to get better as the season goes along, and to be competitive. They have the WANT to do well. I don't fault anyone for missing shots or losing matches. It happens," explained the coach of what he is hoping to see out of his team this season. "But, I also want us to try and to never give up. I also want them to have fun. They get four years to enjoy this, before it’s off to the real world. Bowling shouldn't feel like an obligation or a grind. It has to be an enjoyable experience."
At their practice sessions, the ladies can also expect them to be straightforward and educational.
"Our practice sessions have mostly focused on learning the oil patterns we will see. Learning what equipment works best for each pattern, and learning how to adjust as the lanes break down. At this point, I'm not going to teach anyone how to bowl. They should already know the basics," explained the coach, of his practices. "My job is to fine tune a bit, and help them adjust. I see some schools where everyone throws the same style. I don't make anyone conform to a style. I'll take your style and help you get the most out of it, but I’m not going to radically change how anyone throws the ball."
As far as his returnees, he says his anchor, Koehler, has worked really hard. She had a high average in high school and was the Florida state runner-up her senior year. The coach said she decided to come to SVC last year, and help the Bearcats get a new program off of the ground.
"It was a tough adjustment for her, and she didn't even break 200 the first two months of the season. But, she put a lot of work in over the winter break and came back last January on fire. She had a really strong second half of the year and won two tournaments," the coach said of his anchor. "Knowing that I was bringing in two more bowlers with high school averages over 200 this year, she decided to work hard all summer long to make sure she still deserved to be our anchor. She probably practices six days a week and is always looking to fine tune her game and get better. She's completely dedicated to this."
According to Bowl.com, Jeff has been an official member of the Greater Pittsburgh Ten Pin USBC Association since the 2003-04 season, but his bowling career goes back to the 1970s. His highest average of 219 for 55 games came during the 2008-09 campaign in the Kiski Classics League at Lee’s Woodland Lanes. He also has two perfect games and one 299 that were also rolled at Lee’s Woodland Lanes.
"My bowling career has had a lot of ups and downs. I started bowling when I was seven. By the time I was 21, I was actually pretty good, averaging around 205 back when that meant something, and before technology took over. But, I was a skinny kid trying to throw a 16-pound ball five nights a week and I ruined my wrist," he said, of his career. "I had to give up bowling at 21, and didn't pick it up again for 14 years. When I came back, the game had changed completely - resin balls and synthetic lanes. I had to relearn everything."
He had bowled for a few more years and battled through the pain that was done through the damage to his wrist.
"I made another comeback, but last year my average dropped 15 pins, because I had too much pain where my thumb meets my wrist. I finally got surgery done on it this past summer, and I'm back to where I should be, averaging around 220 so far this season," the coach said, of his comeback. "I may be getting older, but I refuse to let my team beat me without a fight. That keeps me motivated. I only get to bowl in leagues once a week, but I'll throw in a tournament from time to time."
In closing, he was asked what is the most satisfaction he gets out of being a college coach.
"I’ve been working here for over 20 years, so I've seen a lot of students I've worked with in the communication or athletic departments go on to successful careers in their chosen fields," he said, of his experience. "That's the most satisfying thing. Seeing them go on to be successful and hoping that maybe I played some role in that. Now that I’m coaching, it’s the same philosophy as when I was teaching. I want them to be successful and go on to do well in life, whatever they choose to do. If I can help in any way, either on or off the lanes, it’s worth the effort."
And knowing that somewhere, Br. Pat is beaming with pride as well.
National Bowling News - November 21, 2018