Nolensville High School Bowling Team – Interview with Coach Jay McCulley

How is this year’s Nolensville bowling team shaping up compared to last season?  The teams are doing well.  This year we have scheduled twice as many matches as last year.  On top of that we play every district opponent twice this year instead of just once .  We are currently in second place, losing only to Siegel High School so far.  We will see them again and hope to come home with a victory in that grudge match.

Is there any standout returning players who you expect to be key leaders this year?  We strive to have all player step up and be leaders and since we have the luxury of having many returning players the leadership on our team is top notch from all bowlers.

What kind of impact have the new incoming players made so far?  The bowlers that are new to our team this year have stepped right in and if you had never been to one of our matches you would not be able to tell who the new bowlers are.  Some are filling important roles on our Varsity teams and other are continuing to grow on our Junior Varsity team.

How do you approach blending new talent with your more experienced bowlers?  We take advantage of being able to freely move our bowlers between the JV and Varsity teams.  When setting our line ups we are very careful to make sure our newer bowlers are paired with some of veteran bowlers to ensure that they are being mentored by their peers as they grow to be a regular member of our varsity teams. 

What specific goals has the team set for this season — both individually and collectively?  Both teams have set the goal of making it back to the TSSAA State Tournament and to do this they have set a goal of bowling as much as they can both with the school teams and on leagues throughout the week.  The coaches and I have worked extremely hard to schedule some opponents that make regular appearances in the state tournament during the regular season so that we can grow as a team.

What do you feel is the biggest strength of this year’s team?  The biggest strength of our team is that very word – TEAM.  We try very hard to make everything we do be team centered and not just about one or two bowlers.  When one player struggles the others are not critical and instead jump in to give advice to help them improve. 

Are there any   upcoming matches or tournaments that you’re particularly excited about?  We are very excited about the Living on a Spare Tournament on November 8 at Smyrna Bowling Center, The TSSAA individual tournament on December 1 at Bowling World in Cookeville, TN and the District, Regional, and State Tournament in December and January.

How would you describe the overall team chemistry and morale so far?  The team chemistry is really strong.  We are very excited about the rest of the season and what we can accomplish both individually and as a team.

What would you like the Nolensville community to know about this group of student-athletes and their dedication to the sport?  This group of young people are some of the most dedicated athletes that I have ever coached.  Their desire to improve their individual craft is like nothing I have ever witnessed.  They want  to make the Nolensville community proud of them and I think they are doing a fantastic job of this,  If you have not been to a match, reach out to any of the bowlers or Coach Jay and they can tell you when they play.  Be sure to wear to favorite NHS swag and cheer loud!