Senior Heather Kowalski has been bowling since sophomore year for DGS but unforeseen troubles have shaken her career going into college such as injuries, COVID-19 and availability of majors schools have, along with a bowling program.

Covid-19 has been a blow to all student athletes and for Kowalski, it’s been a drain to her motivation to bowl during her junior year.

“I got out of practice and wasn’t working as hard because I never knew when I would be able to really bowl again,” Kowalski said.

The amount of time spent within tournaments was cut short down to two months from three months. Most tournaments were canceled as well as practices.

Following a car accident in May 2021 resulting in a broken ankle, Kowalski has had a lot of trouble getting back into bowling, creating another short season as she looks for colleges to attend. Since May, she has tried her best to condition her ankle back to where it needs to be and is just starting to get back into the sport.

Adam Petersen, coach for the Girls Bowling team, describes the effects that the ankle injury could have on Kowalski during the season which began this month.

“It is her sliding foot, which requires a lot of balance but the way she bowls, she doesn’t have a big slide…she plants a little more than she slides so I don’t think it’s going to be that big of an issue for her,” Petersen said.

She became a distinguished bowler after qualifying for state early in her career and was known for her skill.

“Her sophomore year she qualified for the second day of State, which is a very big honor, she is a really good bowler and has potential to bowl after High School as well,” Petersen said.

Kowalski wants to go into real estate or interior design, as a longtime goal, but has a new obstacle to overcome. Most colleges who offer bowling do not have the necessary classes to study what she would like to. After receiving scholarship opportunities from multiple colleges, the decision to pursue bowling or an instantaneous career is yet to be made.