When Meridian’s Audrey Terpstra was a freshman, a few of her friends told her to join the bowling team so she could eat fries, hang with friends and have a good time.
“I thought that sounded fun,” Terpstra said. “It is one of the only sports where you can eat and compete at the same time.”
Now a senior, Terpstra is one of the top bowlers on the team, placing 41st at the 1A/2A state bowling championships last season with a combined score of 805 pins in six games.
Terpstra says her success relies on her, “focusing and committing to getting better every year. It is about not getting in your head and adjusting to different lanes.”
When Terpstra began bowling, she said it was tough to keep a level head after a rough frame or game. This season, her average has jumped over 150 pins per game. She also scored a season-high 183 pins against Jackson Nov. 22 and broke the school record for most pins knocked down, 11,440, as of Nov. 20.
As her bowling scores have jumped, her responsibilities have grown on the team. She has become a team captain in the last two seasons.
“I try to encourage everybody to do their best,” Terpstra said. “Everyone can get in their head a lot, especially when they have a bad game. You can see it and it weighs on them. I try to cheer them up.”
Since becoming the captain for the Trojans, Terpstra believes she has become a more outgoing and vocal person.
“It is a very positive atmosphere,” Terpstra said. “It has definitely taken me out of my shell, and I can express myself more in this sport.”
Since the colleges Terpstra is interested in do not have bowling teams, she believes she will continue playing for an adult league or club. Before graduating, she hopes to lead Meridian to a state berth as a team.
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
