Hampton bowling field full squad for 1st time

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, December 20, 2018 | 8:09 PM

If you build it, they will come. It has taken a few years for the Thomas family, but that old saying has finally come to fruition.

In its third year, Hampton has a full bowling squad of five players. No more, no less. But it is enough to field a team and, most importantly, compete outside the individual levels.

“We’re excited,” said Glen Thomas, who helped to start the team two winters ago so his two sons, Garrett and Jacob, could bowl in a scholastic, school-sponsored setting in the WPIBL.

“At least we’re competitive now. We’re competitive up to at least the seventh, eighth, ninth frame. We’re excited as coaches because you’re not down 200 pins in the fifth frame, maybe only 20 or 30 and you think you can pull this one out.”

Along with the Thomas brothers, both of whom are seniors, junior second-year bowler Isaac Swanson has shown improvement.

“Isaac is probably our most improved bowler from last year to this year. He’s really bowling well compared to where he was.”

Two freshmen round out the squad: Kyle DiCaprio and Liam Wallace.

Through three games, the team had yet to notch a victory. The Talbots share lanes at Pines Plaza with North Hills and Avonworth, and compete in the West division. Thomas doesn’t think the team is far from success.

“If we had one other really good bowler,” he said, “we’d probably win a fair amount of games.”

Garrett Thomas, who bowled in the Junior World Championships in Dallas in the offseason and made the WPIBL singles playoffs, will continue his bowling career in college at Muskingum in New Concord, Ohio. He started the season with a 414 series, which was a little below his average.

“Jacob is doing really good,” Glen Thomas said. “Garrett is having a little bit of a down year, but he’s working through it.”

The girls team remains at one: junior Bella Nissel. Jocelyn Behr was set to double the roster size but recently broke her foot. Nissel started her season with a 107 average.

As for the future of the program, the Thomas family is open to finding interest from prospective bowlers and coaches. With both sons graduating in the spring, Glen Thomas is willing to help transition the team without making a long-term investment.

“My wife and I talked about it,” he said. “If another set of parents would step up, we could go one more year, hopefully get another parent or two involved. We’ll see how it goes this year.

“But,” he added, laughing, “I don’t think we want to be doing it for 10 more years.”

Anyone interested in helping to coach bowling, or who has a student who would be interested in participating, can call Thomas at 412-719-7128.

Devon Moore is a freelance writer.

Tags: Hampton