For bowler Tamara Bell, the sport has always been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. “I started bowling at the age of 7,” Tamara said. “I remember getting my first bowling ball and practicing without bumpers. As I got older my technique got better, and overall I just had a lot of fun.”

That early start turned into a true passion. Now a dedicated bowler of the Cathedral Prep bowling team, Tamara continues to sharpen her skills and focus on improving her game.

When asked about her biggest obstacle as a bowler, Tamara answered quickly.

“One of the biggest obstacles for me was keeping my head in the game,” she said. “During bowling you got a lot of background noise. You have the audience watching, you have the other bowlers, and you have the sounds of the bowling balls. Overall, keeping my head focused on what I am doing, how I’m approaching, and how I am throwing.”

To stay calm and centered, Tamara has learned a few helpful techniques.

“I do this technique called box breathing,” she said. “It’s where you inhale for four (seconds), hold it for four, and exhale for four,” she explained. “I have done that before and found that it really grounds me. I also have the support of my other teammates. Having them there as support with comments like ‘nice shot’ or ‘you’re doing really well!’”

When it comes to inspiration, Tamara doesn’t look too far.

“My dad was and still is a big bowler,” she said. “He bowls, not competitively, but in an adult leave, and he takes me with him, and we just kind of bonded over that.”

Tamara’s biggest accomplishment so far came during her freshman year.

“My biggest accomplishment was probably freshman year; we went to regionals,” she said. “That was a good and fun time. At the bowling alley there were 40-50 teams there on about 40 lanes, so the whole place was packed.”

Faith and teamwork are also a big part of her bowling experience.

“We always say a prayer before practice, during practice, after practice,” she said. “Same thing for matches; we always pray for matches. We always do little Prep chants, and we keep hyping each other up just in case.”

Looking ahead, Tamara has clear goals for this season.

“I really want to be able to consistently bowl over 200,” she said. “I am a 150 to 170 bowler, so I really want to get my average up and be able to bowl 200. McDowell has bowlers who bowl between 225 and 300, so if I bowl over 200 consistently I would be able to beat them.”

For Tamara, bowling isn’t just a sport, it’s something she truly enjoys and wants others to experience.

“Bowling is good fun in general,” she said. “I mean, I love it, and I encourage other people to try it.”