Allyssa Tanner ain’t no gutter ball

In her fourth and final season as a Sequoit bowler, Allyssa Tanner is looking to have her best season yet. Tanner has been one of the key team members and has become a true leader.

Tanner has been bowling since she was five years old and is a third-generation bowler in her family. Since she has been bowling since a young age, Tanner knew that she was going to join the bowling team as a freshman, and she has been a key member of the team since then. With her talent and knowledge of the game, she has become a leader when it comes to helping new teammates.

“She certainly has a lot of experience as a bowler; she came from a bowling family, so her background in bowling is exceptional,” coach Scott Magnuson said. “With newer girls coming in, she is able to kind of mentor them and really model some of the behaviors that we expect out of championship bowlers. [She is] really nice to have.”

Now that Tanner has been on the team for four years, she has become a leader and teammate that underclassmen can look up to. She is always positive and communicates very well with her teammates.

“Allyssa organizes team events and communicates game and practice times to us,” junior Caitlyn Osborne said. “Allyssa is always helping others and being positive while we are playing. In future years to come, other members of the team can learn from this and be leaders on their teams as well.”

Not only do her teammates recognize her as a leader, but so do her coaches. Both see her helping her teammates, and she is always supporting them no matter how they are bowling on that day. Since the coaches recognize her as a leader, they made her a co-captain of the team this year. 

“She does a lot with organizing the team every time they have a match,” Magnuson said. “They have basic routines that she makes sure the newer girls, in particular, are aware of. They do this thing called inspirations, where each match there is something that is a focus to inspire the other girl. She takes a large part in that.”

Tanner plans on bowling in college and is looking forward to progressing to the next level; she is excited to show off her skills this season. She is currently looking at multiple schools to bowl at and has a chance to get scholarships to bowl in college.

“I do plan on going to college for bowling; I am currently looking at Stephen F. Austin in Texas, Calumet College of St. Joseph in Indiana, Robert Morris University in Illinois, and Arkansas State University,” Tanner said.

Coach Magnuson wants the best for Tanner and thinks that there are scholarship opportunities for her at the next level. Magnuson believes that these scholarships will not only be for bowling, but also for academics. The schools that are interested in her all have great bowling programs, and these schools are ones that she is hoping to get a scholarship from. 

“I want her to do very well. Obviously, this is her senior year, and there might be scholarship opportunities for her for next year,” Magnuson said. “This year is an opportunity to shine, and she is already getting some interest from some schools that have good bowling programs. I want her to do as well as she can so that she can maximize those opportunities.”

Since Tanner plans on bowling in college, she has expectations and goals set for herself this season to show off her talents. Her goals are not just for her performance, but to be a good teammate. She hopes to become a better role model and wants to have a good time with her teammates, especially since it is her last year of high school bowling.

“My goals for the season are to be a role model for the other girls on the team because I am a co-captain, to have fun and to keep working on myself to do better,” Tanner said.

She has also recognized some progression in her game. She has learned many different skills, including the mental side of the game, which is a part that some may not recognize as important.

“I feel like I have greatly progressed throughout the season,” Tanner said. “I have learned to be independent and to rely on other people to help me, to be a role model for others and to not be as hard on myself if I do not do well.”

Not only has Tanner recognized the importance of a good mental state while competing, but coach Magnuson has as well. He has noticed how Tanners’ mood changes after a bad frame, and has also noticed better performances from her after she has gotten in a better mental state while competing. Magnuson has also recognized that the mental side of the game is almost as tough as the game itself.

“It is a very mental game where you might have a bad frame, but the hope is that that frame does not turn into a bad game,” Magnuson said. “I have seen [moments] her freshman year that would frustrate her quite easily and would ruin a game, and those moments have not happened [this season]. Even in the last couple of tournaments we have had, she has performed exceptionally well. She is able to just set aside any emotion she has after a bad frame or maybe even two bad frames.”

Tanner is not only a great bowler physically and mentally, but is also a great teammate. Being a great teammate will get colleges’ attention and will assist in scholarship opportunities as time goes on. Tanner is excited to see where bowling will lead as her last season comes to an end, and the next chapter of her bowling career begins.