By Brant Daughtry
Great Bend Post Sports
Barton Community College Bowling is underway in its new season, and beginning a defense of their national title. Head coach of Cougar Bowling Mike Perry says that, while the bowling team won the championship, it was for everyone at Barton, because the title couldn't have won without the full support of the community.
"None of this is possible without the support of our local bowling alley... My assistant coach Todd Pfeifer, all volunteer time. He takes his vacation days, time away from his family to go coach the guys team while I'm coaching the girls. Jim (Mayberry)'s helping me with the girls team as well. It's a community thing. This isn't just MY team, this is OUR team.
"All the people who help me out at the college. There are so many things that people don't understand that go on behind the scenes other than X's and O's. The administration, the bus drivers, I mean you can go on and on, it's a whole community. And so when we won that national championship, it was for everybody, because everybody had a part in that. That's what was really cool about it. I still get congratulations all the time and it's a great feeling to say you're a national champion. None of it was just me. It took everybody.
"We support the other sports as well, we go out to their games. And when we did have a scrimmage here a couple of years ago, all the coaches were out there and cheering my kids on, and some of their players were there. I mean it's just a great feeling. They don't have to do that. But it was awesome to see them come and support our program, because when you get down to it, we all are Barton."
Barton Bowling will be in Lawrence for their next competition this weekend.