On Thursday, January 23, Central High School senior bowler Reggie Long traveled to Smyrna, TN, to compete in the state bowling competition. In the end, Long was able to achieve fourth place out of 80 other talented bowlers. This has been a great accomplishment for Reggie and the Central High School Bowling Team.

“This was Reggie’s fourth trip to the state tournament. Each year, he has competed against the top 80 bowlers from across the state. As a freshman, he was eliminated in the first round, finishing 28^th. His sophomore year, he was eliminated in the second round, finishing 21^st. As a junior, he was eliminated in round two, finishing 16^th. His fourth place finish this year is something I am very proud of because he made the finals. The level of talent it takes to make the last round is high. Of course you always want to win, but when you realize how many elite bowlers he overcame to make the finals, it’s truly impressive,” stated Mr. Edward Potter, Central’s bowling team coach.

The state tournament is held across a two-day period. The number of bowlers slowly narrows down to the top six where they will then compete for the final position of first place.

“I worked really hard to get to where I am in bowling. I love to bowl and I’m happy with the score I got,” explained Long.

“The big thing for me as a coach with a bowler this talented has been to work on the little mistakes. We focused on Reggie’s mental game and his spare shooting the most. Watching him bowl for four seasons, it has been amazing to see how much he has improved. To be as good as he is and still get better every year is a testament to his work ethic,” expressed Potter.

The current bowling team has existed for nearly 13 seasons, and Long has brought great pride and fulfillment to it during his four years at Central.