Photos provided - Coach Rich Pekarz goes over some things with the Pioneer bowling team during their first match this season.
Warren County’s bowling team has opened the season with two wins, and coach Rich Pekarz credits the strong start to how his bowlers respond when things don’t go their way.
The Pioneers swept their first two matches against White County, edging the Warriors 15-12 Oct. 29 at Bowling World in Cookeville before earning a more decisive 19.5-7.5 victory Monday at Pioneer Lanes.
For Pekarz, who also owns the team’s home bowling center in McMinnville, keeping one bad shot from becoming a bad game has been essential.
“I tell the kids all the time to only worry about what you can control because bowling is one of the few sports where there isn’t a defense” Pekarz said of what has helped his team. “(It is) Just being resilient during matches and not getting down on yourself when you make a mistake.”
Pekarz has 10 bowlers on this year’s team, with seniors Garrett Western and Zoey Snider emerging as early standouts.
The Pioneers will look to continue their winning start Friday, Nov. 6, when they travel to Crossville to face Stone Memorial at 3 p.m. Home matches against Cumberland County Nov. 9 and Upperman Nov. 13 are also approaching as Warren County works toward the Dec. 15 district tournament at Bowling World.
Beyond this season’s results, Pekarz wants to see more students give the sport a chance. Previous experience, he said, isn’t a requirement for becoming a valuable member of the team.
“I would love more participation in trying out for the team,” Pekarz said. “Some of my best bowlers I’ve had over the years, weren’t even natural bowlers. They were just gifted athletic kids who wanted to be coached.”
For now, the Pioneers have turned that willingness to learn - and the ability to move past mistakes - into an unbeaten start.
