Page 10 - Focus Artesia Fall 2020 | GAME ON!

EARN YOUR BY KAITY HIRST

REPUTATION WITH The level of competition and
ARTESIA many surprises I discovered while
athletic prowess were the first of

interviewing for this article to
BOWLING celebrate the Artesia High School

State Bowling Champions.

realized in visiting with returning player TJ School bowling team from every other bowling program
Thalman and retiring coach Ken Clayton how little in the state, explains Coach Clayton. The team practices
I I knew of the sport. For example, the high school harder than other bowlers and team members can often
sport is nearly unique in the fact that it is entirely co-ed. be found haunting Artesia Lanes in their free time. The
Young men and women compete alongside each other kids have bought into the program with sweat equity and
to earn one of the five spots available to bowl at the state now reap the rewards. In the past 13 years, 57 Artesia
tournament. All bowlers progress through four divisions students have been All-State Bowlers. Beginning in 2012,
based on individual skill levels of rookie, novice, six of the past nine state titles came home to Artesia. The
intermediate, and advanced. last four championships came in a row.
Free of stigma and preconceived notions of the sport as Then-sophomore TJ Thalaman describes the February
a game for non-athletes, Artesia High School’s bowling victory of the bowling team at the state championship
team boasts an average of 30 players regularly and as, “Full of energy and everyone was excited and
many of these students are multi-sport athletes. With cheering. There were four seniors and a very intense
the dedicated support of community sponsors, every environment.” He will be one of 23 returning bowlers to
player receives a pair of bowling shoes and a team ball the school’s bowling team this year and its tradition of
in addition to the jersey. Artesia bowling looks the part excellence. TJ and his teammates plan to battle through
and backs up those looks with their scores. Many of the the unprecedented challenges surrounding the 2020-
students break a score of 200 regularly. If I break a score 2021 bowling season and lay claim to yet another victory.
of 100 bowling a game, I feel wildly accomplished, but Hopefully, the season will begin in January. If so, it may
that’s nothing when compared to the averages of the contain an abbreviated tournament schedule as a result
Artesia bowlers. Consistently high bowling scores earn of COVID. Loaded with talent, despite losing a group of
some of the high schoolers scholarships to college. That phenomenal seniors, and armed with the dedicated new
is the case for 2020 graduated seniors Alex Harmon, head coach Jeff Davis, Bulldog bowling won’t fizzle due
Will Davis, and Coy Moorhead. Congratulations guys! to the pandemic. “When you’ve spent 50,000 miles on
a bus traveling to tournaments over the past thirteen
A high commitment level distinguishes the Artesia High years,” says Coach Clayton, “you end up getting to know

10 FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2020