HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING: FUN IS THE SECRET TO SUCCESS FOR CORNING'S STURDEVANT (2022-01-10)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
There’s a secret to Meghan Sturdevant’s success.

The Corning bowler is one of the best in Section 4, boys or girls, and the one thing that helps her is how much fun she has.

“Having fun really helps me,” Sturdevant said. “I know it will help my teammates to along with the other team. Just having fun with them helps us bond and do really well.”

And, Sturdevant really does do well when she bowls.

She averages over 200 a game this season, and she has a high series of 735, the best in the area this year. The 735 against Johnson City included three games of 243, 245 and 247.

It’s that consistency that helps the Corning senior be so dominant.

“Just really be consistent with the scores I shoot and just to have fun because it is my senior year,” Sturdevant said of her goals this year. “When I’m practicing, I’ve really been working on consistency and I’ve really seen it help me improve.”

While few girls bowlers in the section can match Sturdevant when she bowls, she does have some great boys teammates and has a little friendly rivalry with them.

“I definitely do compete against some of the boys because they are my friends,” Sturdevant said. “Friendly competition, but when I’m bowling for myself I just focus on what I can do to improve myself to be consistent.”

The boys bowling team is unbeaten on the year and has been dominant all season, but Sturdevant has had matches where she finishes ahead of each of the boys. For her it’s fun to get those bragging rights.

“It gives me some bragging rights and it’s really funny because they all are like upset,” Sturdevant said. “But, like in a funny way, they aren’t really mad at me.

Throughout her career Sturdevant has been dominant, but due to Covid she hasn’t had a chance to get to states yet.

“I have been to state qualifiers twice, and I made it to states, but we couldn’t go due to Covid,” Sturdevant said.

Because Covid wiped out last season’s state meet, it puts even more pressure on Sturdevant to want to get there this year.

“It is definitely more of a pressure type of thing because I know I have to do well in order to go to states,” she said. “It’s like my only chance to go to states and I know I have to do well to get there.

“I really want to try and go to states and see how well I’ll do at states.”

Having a more normal season this year is special to the Corning senior.

“It’s really nice, it’s great to have all my team here and be back without Covid restrictions,” Sturdevant said.

Last year featured all virtual meets and that was a lot harder for Sturdevant.

“They were kind of like a struggle because I do good with competition next to me and not having them there was a struggle,” Sturdevant said. “I really like the competition, it gets me in the zone where I need to focus where I need to know what I need to do to improve throughout the games.”

With the type of scores Sturdevant puts up, she feels like some teams may keep an eye on what she’s doing when she bowls. And, she knows that some teams could be nervous bowling against her, but she always tries to make them feel good.

“I feel like some of the top bowlers who are near me, I feel like their coaches are probably telling them that’s her right there, watch what she’s doing and pick up (tips) from her.

“I can definitely see how they’d be nervous, but I’m just there to have fun and I try and make sure they have fun and don’t worry about their scores. I talk to the other teams and have fun with them.”

Against Maine-Endwell the Corning senior Rolle a 279 game as part of 669 series.

For Sturdevant she’s been close to 300 in her career, but been just short of that number.

It is one of Sturdevant’s goal to bowl a perfect game, but she is happy bowling her best.

“It’s definitely one of my goals, but I don’t really push myself to throw it,” Sturdevant said. “If I can throw it, great, but if I can just put up a nice game I’ll be happy with that.

“I haven’t thrown it before, but I’ve been one strike away many times.”

As a senior Sturdevant has thought about bowling next year in college, but it all depends on where she goes, as academics come first.

“Probably (want to bowl in college), but I’m really just going for what I want to do for my job,” Sturdevant said. “I’m not really going for sports, but if I can do bowling than aye.

“I know a few colleges in mind that if I go to they have bowling.”

Whether she bowls in college or not, Sturdevant likes that bowling is a sport she can do her whole life.

“I feel like I will definitely keep bowling with my family after school,” Sturdevant said. “Knowing I can still do it after high school makes me happy and I know I can have fun.”
——
PHOTO BY BRIAN FEES


Print Friendly Version