New Powell coach is giving back to bowling
By Steve Williams
Powell High appears to have rolled a strike with the addition of Jennifer Mauri as coach for its new bowling program.
Now “kind of” retired, Mauri grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and won girls’ state championships four years in a row. She also bowled for the USA Junior Team in 1991.
“I had won many individual scholarships as a Junior bowler over the years of bowling and winning tournaments,” she said.
“I received my Associates Degree from Community College of Southern Nevada, which was entirely paid for with my bowling scholarships. I then went on to UNLV to further my education.”
Mauri also owned a bowling center in Las Vegas and sold it before making the move to Knoxville.
Why Knoxville?
“I just think it’s beautiful country,” she replied. “That’s what brought me here.”
Now Mauri is giving back to her sport.
“I was very much into bowling as a kid,” she said.
“I would like to see bowling come back. It was big when I was a kid and it’s coming back around and I just wanted to help bring it back. I thought if I could give my knowledge and help other kids out (why not).
“And I believe that any kind of sports is good for kids to learn life skills. It teaches life skills as well.”
Mauri is a non-faculty coach, but is substitute teaching “when I want to … I’m kind of retired.”
She also is really enjoying her coed team, which includes seven boys and one girl.
“I’m just proud of those kids,” she said. “I think they are doing a great job. Maybe four of them had experience in bowling, and the other half didn’t.”
Powell bowled against Central in its very first match on Sept. 26 at the Strike & Spare Lanes on Western Avenue and did “surprisingly well,” said Mauri. “I was very proud of my kids because it was their first-ever match. I have some bowlers who have never even bowled before. So to come out and do that well, I was proud of them.”
Its next match was against Karns.
“They are a high-ranking team,” she said. “They’ve got very skilled bowlers on that team and the team has been together for a long time. And my team is all brand new.”
Coach Mauri also pointed out her players “are learning about sportsmanship and all that and they are doing really good. They have a great attitude. None of the players knew each other and they all got along really well from the get-go. They are supportive of each other. It’s just a good team with a good team spirit. They show up and are eager to learn. They listen really well, so it’s a good team. Good kids.”
Last week, Powell lost by an 18-9 score to Maryville, which is in its second season of having a team.
The highest score of the match for Powell was Brennan Glover’s 226, as he won his point.
In the Baker game, Powell’s Johnathan Dennis picked up a 2-8-10 split, and followed that with a strike in the next frame.
“That’s a very difficult split to pick up and to follow up with a strike really helped the team,” said Coach Mauri.
“Christopher Zurick also beat his personal best and now has a new high game! Way to go CJ!
“This team has great sportsmanship and are constantly improving. I am very proud of them!”
Powell is scheduled to bowl against William Blount Tuesday and Bearden Thursday this week at Strike and Spare on Western Avenue.
GROWING SPORT: In addition to the Powell versus Maryville last Tuesday, four other matches were going on at the Western Avenue site: South-Doyle vs. Career Magnet Academy, Catholic vs. Webb, Hardin Valley Academy vs. Samuel Everett School of Innovation and Karns vs. L&N STEM Academy.
