LOGAN GUIDES KENNARD-DALE'S
FIRST-YEAR BOWLING TEAM
 |
| Joel Logan |
By Barry Sparks
The success of Kennard-Dale's
first-year bowling team wasn't measured by wins and losses this season.
Only one bowler had any
experience on the fledgling squad, which consisted of five starters and five
reserves. The team competed on a club
basis, rolling exhibition games against York Vo-Tech, Columbia and the Janus
School.
"I wasn't sure how the year
would go, but I've been impressed with how the students have progressed,"
said Joel Logan, a teacher at Kennard-Dale who coaches the team.
Logan is a long-time league
bowler and bowling instructor. He has
worked with junior bowlers for 25 years, including 13 years at Suburban
Bowlerama.
"I want to share my love of
bowling with the students," stressed Logan, who averaged 213 last
season. "One of the great things is
that the students and parents initiated the idea of a bowling team."
He said it doesn't matter if
students lack bowling experience. In
fact, it might be helpful.
"The kids have a blank
slate. They don't have any bad
habits," he said. "You can
teach them the right way. You tell them
to do something, and they do it."
Being a member of the Kennard-Dale
bowling team required dedication and commitment. The team practiced twice a week at Lion Bowl
in Red Lion. Logan typically drove the
students 20 miles to the center in a school van.
Logan, who emphasizes fundamentals,
received satisfaction when a student rolled his or her first 200 game, 600
series or topped their personal high score.
His long-range goal is to have
the Kennard-Dale team become PIAA sanctioned.
He said the infrastructure exists for a future PIAA bowling league in
York County.
Kennard-Dale participated in the team
and individual PIAA District III independent qualifier for non school-
sponsored bowlers at Berks Lanes this past weekend. Takoda Stike, a junior,
earned a spot in the PIAA District III tournament.
"These kids are special to
me," he said. "We have the
start of something special, something we can build on."
