The Georgian College Kodiaks bowling team is not only a new local squad to cheer for, but one that is off to a promising start.
The Kodiaks have been around for three years and have made the sectionals in each of those years, with head coach John Fallis telling BarrieToday that the team plays squads from the United States, such as Notre Dame and Arizona State.
“Sectionals are essentially the playoffs and we have made them every year,” said Fallis. “Only the top 80 teams in the U.S. or the collegiate level make the sectionals and we have been ranked as high as 78 the first year and 76 the second year, but this past season we were 48th, so it has been a very improving program, for sure.”
Eight to 10 players usually make up the bowling Kodiaks with the team open to all skill levels of players, though being the only Canadian collegiate team they have been pulling from the top ranks of the sport’s talent pool.
“We have two players from out of province, one from Quebec and one from British Columbia and some of our players are or have been with Team Canada,” said Fallis. “It is usually an exciting start to a season for us knowing we have a shot to compete.”
Fallis had his team’s year-end meeting at Bowlerama in the Bayfield Mall last week to review the past season and to get them ready for the next year of competition.
“This was a way to say great work and to give them homework for next year,” said Fallis. “The season will start up again in September, but we will begin to meet in August to get a jump on where everyone is to be ready for the first tournament which is usually around Sept. 20.”
Practices are more strenuous than one might think as the game of bowling isn’t as one dimensional as a casual player would assume.
Fallis says the misconception has always been that throwing the ball down the lane is as difficult as it gets, but that isn’t the case.
“As bowlers, we do hear it a lot that the game is not too hard, but hitting the pins is just the start,” said Fallis. “In competitive bowling, you have to look at the different types of balls that are being used, some grip the lane better than others.
"The lane itself is another beast because you have to be prepared for the way it is oiled and the pattern it produces," he added. "If you ever watch bowling on TV and then head to your local bowling alley, you’ll see the lanes look different and usually so every time, with the longer the oil pattern being the less likely your ball will hook.”
Michele McConney is the college’s manager of athletics and told BarrieToday there are always going to be the mainstream popular North American sports, but Georgian aims to provide something for everyone who chooses the post secondary education location.
“We have our more standard programs like basketball, golf and volleyball, but the programs are certainly becoming much more diversified with our bowling team and a very competitive cricket program that competes within the Ontario recreation college division,” said McConney. “We like to think we have something for everyone and it really seems that way as students from all over the world choose Georgian.”
Karley Foster is playing her last year of collegiate bowling as the 20-year-old social service student is graduating this year. Coming to Georgian from Kitchener, Foster has long loved the game of bowling and cherishes her time spent as a Kodiak.
“Both my parents bowled and that’s actually how they met, when my dad was eight and my mom was four, and they have been dating since they were teenagers, so I got into it by loving their story,” said Foster.
“I plan on bowling in adult tournaments, nothing professional, but there are a lot of events around to be a part of," she added. "I’ve loved my time with the Kodiaks, since it has allowed me to play the game I enjoy and meet people I likely would not have otherwise.”
