Saint Louis has long been recognized for athletic excellence in a variety of sports. However, there is another program that is building momentum behind the scenes: The Crusader Bowling Team. and the achievements of its individual players have
Among the school’s many achievements, one of the most notable accomplishments in recent years includes Andrew Cashman’s outstanding success in the bowling alley. Cashman, team captain and bowling standout, shares that he has “been bowling competitively since his sophomore year.”
“My whole family bowls. My dad and my mom bowl. My sister bowled in high school. My uncles and aunties used to bowl,” shares Cashman. “I wanted to try something in the off-season since I play basketball as well.”
For several years Cashman athletic performance in the bowling alley has been impressive. “I made the first or second team every year I bowled. I also made states all three years,” adds Cashman.
Cashman’s success is a result of hard work and great preparation with the help of his father, Crusader Bowling Team Head Coach, Jason Cashman. Coach Cashman has helped his son prepare for the season by “establishing his fundamentals and timing, his mental game… working on his swing, and getting the right people around him to help him do his best.“
Coach Cashman has also applied these principles to the team, “using drills at the beginning of each practice to teach and reinforce fundamentals,” explains Coach Cashman, “working on understanding the mental part of the game spare shooting… instilling confidence.”
The team boasts a number of stand-out bowlers, including seniors Cael Merryman and Blaize Arakawa. “Blaize was consistent, and Cael … in terms of adjusting to the lanes and the oil, he was most surprising,” notes Coach Cashman.
Arakawa, a first-year bowler, credits Cashman with joining the team. “Andrew told me to come out to bowl, so I just decided to try it just for fun,” says Arakawa. “Although bowling is like an ‘individual’ sport’, it still has the brotherhood aspect and we are still a real team…. and being able to represent Saint Louis every time I put on my bowling uniform because the uniform looks sharp”.
Throughout the season, all three agree that bowling needs more publicity around the school. “Getting it out in the newsletter, letting people know more towards the end of the school year,” explains Coach Cashman, and “letting them know we have practice during the summer, and tryouts during the beginning of school,” will help to bring in more participation.
Cashman has great advice for the younger generation of Crusader bowlers. “Just have fun with it. It’s a competitive sport,” shares Cashman, “but sometimes things don’t go your way, so just have fun and be open-minded about the sport and it will be enjoyable and worth the time.”
Cashman plans to continue his pre-match tradition of “eating a grilled cheese sandwich… and talking to his coaches before each bowling match.”
