‘They’re champions’: Inside the culture that’s made Jax State bowling a powerhouse
By Julian Mitchell
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OXFORD, Alabama (WVTM) — Erin Klemencic’s description of the Jax State bowling team is as perfect as a shot in the strike pocket.
“We’re pretty like go with the flow, like kind of lighthearted, but we know how to lock in when we need to,” Klemencic said.
To prove her point, just check the trophy case where Jax State has two national championship trophies in just two full seasons as a program.
“It’s just who they are, they’re champions. They were born to be champions, and they come together, and it’s just really special things to witness,” head coach Shannon O’Keefe said.
O’Keefe has spent 12 years coaching alongside her husband, Bryan, and it’s with all that experience that she can easily describe the talent of this team.
“This is the most talented group coming in at such a young age that we’ve had to work with,” O’Keefe said.
However, talent is the only thing that’s powered this team; it’s the connection between each of them.
“On the lanes, we can feel it after each shot, we pick each other up, and off the lanes, we just share special moments with each other,” Annalise O’Bryant said.
Building bonds and becoming family is a pillar of this program.
“We have a saying within our program that there’s eight people on the team currently, so when one of them is throwing a shot, it’s eight faces throwing that shot; we’re all in it together with them,” O’Keefe said.
It’s that culture that’s fueling a title run this year. The Gamecocks are currently the No. 1 team in the nation and riding a 30-match win streak.
“Our connections, just our execution, I think we put ourselves every time in position to be at that level and win championships,” Klemencic said.
A program built not just to win now, but in the future.
“It’s this next generation of kids that just continued to move the program in the right direction and keep chasing down some dreams, some titles and then hopefully there’s little ones at home watching and want to follow in their footsteps,” O’Keefe said.
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